The AMA Pro Racing divisions of Daytona Sportbike and Super Sport are back in action. This time, on the twists, turns, dips and valleys of Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. Here are the race highlights.
This is the first sprint race of the year, with no pit stops. The Big Kahuna Nationals from Road Atlanta.
This is a return for the AMA Pro Racing series to Road Atlanta. The #36 Suzuki of Martin Cardenas is on pole. At the start, Cardebas gets the jump. Tommy Hayden goes to second. Jason DiSalvo on the Triumph and the Suzuki of Benny Salice is third. Jake Zemke on the Ducati is also at the sarp end right now. Hayden continues to hold third. Hayden has been used to Superbikes and is getting used to running on a 600cc bike.
Zemke battles Corey West and Dane Westby is also coming quick. This is a 20 lap race. Westby wants by Zemke and there are other riders also wanting to get to the front. Westby passes Zemke and Jason DiSalvo may have an issue. Wetsby wants by Zemke. Jake Gagne is also looking at getting by. So is local rider Huntley Nash.
Four laps are complete as Dane Westby battles into turn seven. The bikes fly down the back straight into turn ten. Zemke is moving up. Jason DiSalvo has clutch issues. Meanwhile, it's Zemke vs. Westby in a battle for position.
Cory West and Dane Westby battle as do Jake Gagne and Jake Zemke.This is a scrap for fourth. Westby passes West successfully into turn twelve. Cardenas still leads. Martin Cardenas has won three of four races run in Daytona Sportbike. Benny Solis is also really running well. One rider is out with injury right now and will rejoin in the next race.
Tommy Hayden wants to perform well to be in contention for the championship. Westby flies down the straight. Watch out for wheel chatter on the front wheel of the bike. Bobby Fong (a rider who is coming back to the series), is moving up. Meanwhile, Benny Solis gets loose and fortunately, holds on.
Two laps to halfway. Benny Solis got light over the hill and fortunately, held onto the bike. A rider can feel that through the handlebars. Dane Westby attacks Tommy Hayden and grabs third place. He's catching Benny Solis down the back straightaway. Solis and Westby continue to scrap. Westby passes Solis for second.
This is great racing. Nine laps to go now. Just past halfway. Solis runs wide in turn five allowing Westby to pass. Martin Cardenas extends his lead. Its still Solis vs. Westby. Westby is bravely holding on to his spot. Jake Gagne has crashed. He was fifth when he spilled hjis bike in the uphill. He high sided the bike. Gagne and his Red Bull Yamaha are out.
Can anyone catch Martin Cardenas? Seven laps to go. Cardenas almost lost it coming into turn two at the top of the hill. Actually, it could have been the fourth turn. Dane Westby holds second as Benny Solis and Tommy Hayden battle for third spot. West, Zemke and Fong battle for fifth through seventh place.
Hayden passes Solis in the braking zone in turn ten. Five laps left to run. Cardenas tested at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the race there later in the year. This is the first time in a year or so that Martin Cardenas has had a chance to open up a real gap in a race. Five more laps to run. Cardenas extends his lead over Westby.
No change at the top. But the Solis/Hayden scrap continues. It's Yamaha vs. Suzuki for 3rd and 4th. Two bikes are out of the race and one did not start. Meanwhile, Cardenas is cruising. He's got 4.5 seconds over Dane Westby. There will be another race for these riders tomorrow. But, just the Saturday races will be highlighted here.
Benny Solis passes Walt Sipp (a lapped rider). Sipp is a pick now, between second third. However, Solis is down in the gravel trap. His race is over! Benito Solis dumped the bike in the tenth turn! It's the last lap of the race. Martin Cardenas does a victory wheelie and wins the race!
Winner #36 Martin Cardenas Suzuki
There's still a battle for the last positions. Huntley Nash passes Daytona 200 winner Joey Pascarella. Cardenas fastest race lap was a 1;29.1.
Coming up, it's the Superbike race.
Josh Hayes and Blake Young who won Daytona, will be in for a challenge. Here are the highlights of the Superbikes. This is race one of two. The first race will be covered in the blog.
Steve Rapp has secured a ride. Also, Danny Eslick has a new crew from the same camp that won the Daytona race. In qualifying, Chris Fillmore crashed his KTM. Roger Hayden will start fourth. Josh Heron has second. On pole will be Josh Hayes with a 1:25.380.
Hayes has not had a good weekend, falling twice. But, he's secured pole.
At the start, Josh Herrin took the lead in only his second race. He needs the experience after racing a 600cc bike for a long time. Josh Hayes passes Blake Young. Young doesn't fight it. Jordan Burgess (and Australian rider) crashes int the first or second corner. Josh Herrin officially leads with Young and Hayes second and third in this 23 lap race.
Young tried to draft by Heron and then Hayes went to the lead as the bikes went three wide! The bikes go into a single file order now. Heron overcooked the entrance to turn one. Into the esses, Hayes leads. It's Young vs. Hayes battling for the top spot. Twenty laps are scheduled for this race. Six in the books. Coming up to halfway.
The top two bikes are a second quicker than everyone else. It's Hayes vs. Young. Blake Young won his very first AMA Superbike race at Road Atlanta. Hayes has five wins at Road Atlanta. Two in 600 Super Sport and three in the old Formula Extreme division. Chris Clark is doing well at a track he's gotten used to after running the WERA endurance motorcycle championship.
Ben Bostrom passes Chris Clark. Steve Rapp is also moving up on his Kawasaki, with the KTM of Chris Fillmore right behind. Geoff May and Larry Pegram are also in a hotly contested scrap. Pegram, riding a BMW. The race is nearly half over as the Hayes/Young battle continues.
Young tries to get by on the dirty line. Hayes has the ability to block. Hayes just ran his fastest lap at a 1:25.4. Young has fast lap at 1:25.364. It's exactly halfway as Pegram passes May. Chris Ulrich has issues with his bike, overcooking the corner in turn ten and having mechanical issues.
It's still a battle between Pegram and May, and, Young takes the lead of the race. Young continues to hold off Hayes and even into turn ten. Coming down into turn twelve, Hayes still wants a chance past Young's Suzuki. Eight laps left to run. Young needs to open the radius on his corner entries. Josh Herrin and Roger Hayden and also starting to get more speed with fuel burning off on these 1,000 CC bikes.
Hayes takes the lead! This race is not over yet. There will be a second race tomorrow. But, it won't be covered here. Sorry all. Only one can be highlighted. Meanwhile, Hayes takes the lead, but Young went down, hard! He slid off the bike. He slid on his elbow and could be hurt. There's a red flag. You had to know that something had to give in that scrap.
Hayes clipped Young and then Young hit the ground on his right elbow. That was not intentional. The riders are now back on track. Blake Young's crew is working on the bike. Hayes and Young spoke about the incident to one another. Blake Young will restart the race. There are a few laps left. Larry Pegram had two bent wheel rims on his bike.
He's going to have to restart his BMW from the pits. The rules are that you have to stay on the same tires throughout the race. There are seven laps left. Josh Herrin is coming and so is Blake Young. He's up to seventh place even though he was limping after the crash. Young passes Steve Rapp. Then, he gets by two more bikes. He's right behind Roger Lee Hayden.
Not for long. Young is now third. Josh Hayes has no idea that Young is behind him. These motorcycles haven't got mirrors on them like street bikes do. Blake Young is in the draft of the two Yamaha's. Hayes takes the lead with Blake Young in second. He sees the red mist. He's coming, fast!
No radios on bikes. The crew only uses a pit board. Young passes Hayes and they go side by side, twice! Four laps left. Hayes still leads. But, four bikes could win! Oh, my aching back! Young takes the lead. He's on a mission. Hayes passes back on the inside. Young loses speed through the esses as compared to Hayes.
Steve Rapp is fifth with Jeff May and Chris Fillmore following. Ben Bostrom and Chris Clark also follow. There are many great battles happening. It's the last lap now. Jeff May passes Steve Rapp. Young passes on the straight and then, Hayes sweeps on the inside and it's not enough as Blake Young comes back to win after that wreck!
Winner: #79 Blake Young Suzuki
There will be more action from Road Atlanta on Sunday. There may be news of who wins the other races. Then, it's on to Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California for round three in three weeks time.
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