The all-new AMA Pro Road Racing SuperSport series kicked off at Daytona International Speedway. The new series is designed to allow up-and-coming racers between the ages of 16 and 21 to strut their stuff before joining the Daytona SportBike or American Superbike ranks. And it was Erion Honda’s Tyler Odom who took the inaugural win aboard a Honda CBR600RR. Odom’ bested the Suzuki GSX-R600s of Joey Pascarella and James Wikle by just over a bike length at the line.
Erion Honda's Tyler Odom wins the inaugural AMA SuperSport class.
Carnage enused on the very first lap when pole-sitter Josh Day and Dustin Dominguez collided in Turn One. Both riders crashed but Dominguez was able to rejoin the race but would later retire on Lap 6. Meanwhile at the front it was Wikle and Pascarella who tried to make a break from the remaining 21 riders.
It was a full on duke fest with Wikle and Pascarella jocking for the lead for the duration of the race. The two riders routinely swapped position and even gestured each other to try and catch the other.
“It was a really good race and I got off to a really good start,” said Pascarella. “We swapped the lead a couple times, I actually though we pulled away, but then I saw Tyler in third. He kind of came from nowhere.”
In fact Odom did come from nowhere. He ran off the track on Lap 4 pushing him back to seventh position. With only a few laps remaining Odom made his way back to the front and eventually past both Wikle and Pascarella on the final lap.
“I was so worried they were going to come around,” said Odom in regards to the last lap. “This is my biggest race win ever. I’ve had a few amateur wins, but this is definitely the best.”
Fourth place was Kyle Wyman some 15 seconds behind the lead trio, followed by Matthew Sadowski and Christopher Clark all on Yamaha YZF-R6s. Seventh was Clint Shobert on a CBR600RR trailed by Ryan Clay on an YZF-R6 and Reese Wacker on a GSX-R600. Kyle Keesee was the top ZX-6R pilot in tenth place.
AMA Pro Road Racing SuperSport Results presented by Shoei:
1. Tyler Odom, Honda CBR600RR
2. Joey Pascarella, Suzuki GSX-R600
3. Russ Wikle, Suzuki GSX-R600
4. Kyle Wyman, Yamaha YZF-R6
5. Matthew Sadowski, Yamaha YZF-R6
6. Christopher Clark, Yamaha YZF-R6
7. Clint Shobert, Honda CBR600RR
8. Ryan Clay, Yamaha YZF-R6
9. Resse Wacker, Suzuki GSX-R600
10. Kyle Keesee, Kawasaki ZX-6R
11. Alex Lazo, Yamaha YZF-R6
12. Andreas Bergman, Honda CBR600RR
13. Shane McGoey, Kawasaki ZX-6R
14. Kris Turner, Suzuki GSX-R600
15. Ryan Conrad, Yamaha YZF-R6
