Courtesy of Buell
Buell 1125R Riders Win Three CCS Sprint Races
Riders from the Buell AMA SportBike teams, like Mike Barnes, found success in the ASRA Daytona races.
Hal’s H-D/Buell/Hal’s Speed Shop rider Dan Bilansky rode a Buell XB12R to win the Thunderbike National at the first round of the 2009 ASRA Michelin Pro Series at Daytona International Speedway. Bilansky executed a perfect last-lap drafting pass of the defending Thunderbike champion, BMW of Atlanta rider Nate Kern, to take the win.
In Motosport.com Championship Cup Series sprint racing on Saturday at Daytona, Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing Buell rider Danny Eslick scored a convincing victory in Expert SuperTwins, the first Daytona victory for a rider aboard a Buell 1125R. On Sunday, Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing Buell rider Michael Barnes, testing his injured hand in preparation for the March 6 Daytona 200, rode a Buell 1125R to second place in Expert Unlimited SuperSport.
The Thunderbike win confirmed Bilansky’s last-minute decision to make the trip from Wisconsin to race at Daytona, despite a tight budget.
“It was like déjà vu out there, because that was exactly the same pass I made on Kern to win the Thunderbike championship at Daytona in 2006,” said Bilansky. “And I think it was just as close, maybe half a bike length. My Hal’s Buell had the power to get the job done.”
Ray Price Harley-Davidson/Buell rider David Estok posted the fastest lap in Thunderbike qualifying with a time of 1:57.801, but was penalized three positions when his Buell XB12R was 0.7 horsepower over the class formula in post-event testing. That moved Kern to the pole with a lap of 1:58.026.
A sudden weather change on Sunday morning produced rain, dropping temperatures and high winds before the start of the nine-lap Thunderbike National. The track was mostly dry, and Estok took the lead for the first lap before retiring with a mechanical problem. Kern and Bilansky then opened a wide lead on the rest of the field.
“Nobody wants to be leading on the last lap at Daytona, and at about the mid-point of the race Kern ran way wide at the chicane to let me know it was my turn at the front,” said Bilansky. “I let him through later, but then on lap seven I made a legitimate mistake and he got about 25 bike lengths on me and I was afraid I would lose the draft. On the last lap I had to go really deep on the brakes at turn one and at the chicane, and got back to about 10 lengths behind, which was the perfect set-up for the last lap. It was really blowing hard so he was making a big hole in the wind.”
Bilansky used that draft to accelerate past Kern and was leading by only 0.001 seconds as the pair crossed the finish line. Third place went to Hal’s H-D/Buell/Hal’s Speed Shop rider Joel Spaulding, making his Expert debut on a Buell XB12R. Spaulding ran alone in third place for most of the race. Fernando Ferreyra was fourth on a Bimota, followed by Soundwaves.com rider Sam Rozynski on a Buell, Eric Helmbach on a Honda, and Joe Rozynski on a second Soundwaves.com Buell. Ray Price Harley-Davidson/Buell rider Jordan Richardson finished eighth on a Buell.
After one ASRA Michelin Pro Series Thunderbike race, Bilansky leads the series with 35 points, followed by Kern with 31 points and Spaulding with 26 points.
The next event on the 10-race ASRA Michelin Pro Series schedule is April 25-26 at Heartland Park Topeka, in Topeka, Kan.
Courtesy of Daytona International Speedway
Jason DiSalvo is enjoying success aboard the M4 EMGO Suzuki during the ASRA Daytona races.
As he continues to warm up for the reminder of Daytona 200 Week By Honda, Team M4 Suzuki’s Jason DiSalvo won his second race during his 2009 visit to Daytona International Speedway by taking the checkered flag in the ASRA Factory Pro Sportbike event on Sunday.
“The M4 Suzuki had a good bit of power,” said DiSalvo, who later in the day won a CCS six-lap sprint race. “l felt like I could draft and accelerate well.”
In his kicking off his first season riding the No. 40 Suzuki for the Team M4 Suzuki, DiSalvo took the checkered flag in Thursday’s Team Challenge in the Solo Division.
Results from the other three ASRA races on Sunday were:
• The Superstock race was delayed 30 minutes due to weather and only saw three entries as most of the field elected to sit out due to track conditions. Kevin Nolde aboard the No. 248 Kawasaki was able to cruise to his first career ASRA win. “I took it easy, easy,” Nolde said.
• The Superbike race saw improved weather conditions and greater competition as Tomas Puerta, aboard the No. 848 Ducati, was able to get in front in the last half of the race and hold on for the checkered flag. “The ride is very good,” Puerta said.
• The Thunderbike race ended in classic Daytona fashion as Danny Bilansky on the No. 11 Buell passed Nate Kern on No. 1 BMW in the last one hundred yards to win by .001 seconds. “I had a bit of déjà vu from my championship in 2006,” Bilansky said. “It just happened.” Kern, the defending champion, held the lead for most of the race with Bilansky drafting off of him at the last second for the win.
Beginning Monday, AHRMA activities take over DIS for the next two days before the AMA Pro Racing program kicks off on Wednesday.
For more information and tickets for the Daytona 200 Week By Honda events, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.
Sunday’s results:
ASRA Finals:
Thunderbike:
1. Danny Bilansky, Buell 1200;
2. Nate Kern, BMW 1200;
3. Joel Spalding, Buell 1200.
Superbike:
1. Tomas Puerta, Ducati 848;
2. Paul Allison, Yamaha 600;
3. Eric Wood, Honda 600.
Superstock:
1. Kevin Nolde, Kawasaki;
2. David Loikits, Suzuki 1000;
3. Antal Halasz, Suzuki 100.
Factory Pro Sportbike:
1. Jason DiSalvo, Suzuki;
2. Robertino Pietro, Yamaha;
3. Eric Wood, Honda 600.
CCS Events:
Amateur Unlimited SuperSport:
1. Charles Justice, Kawasaki 1000;
2. Javier Vazquez, Suzuki 750;
3. Jean Palau, Suzuki 1000.
Expert Unlimited SuperSport:
1. David Loikits, Suzuki 1000;
2. Michael Barnes, Buell 1125;
3. Charlie Mavros, Suzuki 1000.
Amateur Middleweight SuperSport:
1. Hunter Propst, Suzuki 600;
2. Sean Cassell, Honda 600;
3. James Cohrs, Yamaha 600.
Expert Middleweight SuperSport:
1. Jason DiSalvo, Suzuki 600;
2. Tomas Puerta, Ducati 848;
3. Greg Melka, Yamaha 600.
Amateur Heavyweight SuperSport:
1. Ronald Poulin, Yamaha 600;
2. Juan Carlos Osorio, Suzuki 600;
3. James Cohrs, Yamaha 600.
Expert Heavyweight SuperSport:
1. Shane Marbonne, Suzuki 750;
2. Santiago Villa, Suzuki 600;
3. Greg Melka, Yamaha 600.
Amateur Lightweight SuperSport:
1. Jay Smith, Buell 1200;
2. Steve Grujic, Suzuki 650;
3. Brian Mullen, Suzuki 650.
Expert Lightweight SuperSport:
1. Mark Evry, Ducati 1000;
2. Brad Faas, Suzuki 650;
3. Gary Cain, Suzuki 650.
Femmoto Middleweight:
1. Melissa Paris, Yamaha 600;
2. Meghan Stiles, Yamaha 600;
3. Karen Grujic, Kawasaki 600.
Amateur Formula 40:
1. Ronald Poulin, Yamaha 600;
2. James Cohrs, Yamaha 600;
3. Vernon Wellington, Yamaha 600.
Expert Formula 40:
1. John Ashmead, Kawasaki 600;
2. Charlie Mavros, Suzuki 750;
3. Makr McCormick, Yamaha 600.
Amateur Ultra Light Superbike:
1. Michael Sabourin, Suzuki 650;
2. Steve Grujic, Suzuki 650;
3. Al Smith, Suzuki 650.
Amateur Unlimited Superbike:
1. Charles Justice, Suzuki 1000;
2. Jean Palau, Suzuki 1000;
3. Adrian Jasson, Yamaha 600.
Expert Unlimited Superbike:
1. David Loikits, Suzuki 1000;
2. Scott Greenwood, Suzuki 1000;
3. Chris Ulrich, Suzuki 1000.
