Stu's Shots R Us: April 2012

Monday, April 30, 2012

AMA Legends Weekend for November 2012 Now Offering Online Registration

Registration now open for 2012 AMA Legends Weekend

Two-day gala showcases motorcycling heroes and classic bikes in Las Vegas, Nev., on Nov. 16-17

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- April 30, 2012 -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce that online registration is open for the AMA Legends Weekend, Nov. 16-17 at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa in Las Vegas, Nev. The AMA Legends Weekend includes the 2012 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and the 2012 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Dave Mungenast Memorial Concours d'Elegance.

Attended by scores of motorcycling luminaries and hundreds of fans of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, the AMA Legends Weekend is one of the country's must-attend motorcycling events. The event, which has sold out the previous two years, provides a world-class stage for motorcycling's best and brightest as they are recognized by their peers, family, friends and fans. Register now at http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=vw9ldxbab&oeidk=a07e5r7zy8ea4316694

"The AMA Legends Weekend has grown from a small gathering in Ohio to a world-class event at one of America's most electrifying destination cities, and we couldn't be more excited to continue pushing the envelope," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "We invite all motorcyclists to join us at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa on Nov. 16-17 as we spotlight motorcycling's enduring legends and showcase some amazing motorcycles. It also is my pleasure to welcome back the Dave Mungenast family as the presenting sponsors for the Concours d'Elegance."

Mert Lawwill and Malcolm Smith headline the 2012 AMA Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies that will take place at the Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas on November 16-17. AMA Hall of Fame Induction promotional picture courtesy of the American Motorcyclist Association.

The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony kicks off the weekend on Friday evening, Nov. 16. The next day, the 2012 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Dave Mungenast Memorial Concours d'Elegance bike show will showcase many of the country's most impressive original and restored classic motorcycles.

The nominees from which the 2012 class will be selected - which were announced on April 2 -- include 26 highly accomplished individuals in the sport, business and lifestyle of motorcycling. Over the next two months, the Hall of Fame will announce those who will be inducted in Las Vegas on Nov. 16.

"At the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, our mission is to recognize and memorialize for posterity, the great men and women who have made motorcycling what it is today," said Jeffrey V. Heininger, chairman of the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, which raises money for the Hall of Fame. "With our new class -- not to mention the presence of dozens of existing members of the Hall of Fame -- this weekend is an exceptional gathering of motorcycling greats. Please join us as we elevate all of motorcycling with a gala celebration amid the bright lights of Las Vegas."

In addition, the Hall of Fame will honor the careers of two existing members of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame: the legendary Malcolm Smith and Mert Lawwill. Smith, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998, was a pioneer in off-road motorcycling. He's famous for his accomplishments in the Baja 1000 and for his gold-medal winning rides in International Six Day Enduro competitions. Lawwill, also inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998, was the 1969 AMA Grand National champion. Smith's and Lawwill's careers intertwined as stars of the timeless motorcycling documentary film, "On Any Sunday."

Advance tickets for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony are $130. Concours d'Elegance tickets are $10 for attendees of the induction ceremony, and $20 for general admission.

AMA Life Members and existing AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers will receive a $25 discount to the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. AMA Life Members showing their AMA Life Member card will receive complimentary admission to the AMA Concours d'Elegance.

Kenny 'The King' Roberts speaks during the 2011 AMA Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Photo by Camilla Sjodin courtesy of the American Motorcyclist Association.

Reservations at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa are available now at a special group rate by calling (866) 767-7773 and referencing group code RCIAME or AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST. Online room reservation is available at https://rooms.stationcasinos.com/cgi-bin/LANSAWEB?procfun+rn+Resnet+RRS+funcparms+UP%28A2560%29:;RCIAME;?

In addition, AMA member benefit partners Avis and Budget are offering special car rental rates for banquet attendees. Attendees can rent with the companies and enjoy their premium services, wide range of products and extras at a discount of up to 25 percent. The discount codes are provided on the AMA Legends Weekend registration page.

The Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa is a world-class spa, hotel and casino on the west side of Las Vegas, featuring a range of entertainment, dining and family-friendly attractions. The facility's expansive ballrooms will provide a stunning backdrop to the 2012 AMA Legends Weekend that will be unforgettable for the inductees, champions, families and fans. More information can be found at RedRockLasVegas.com.

About the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation

Founded in 1990 by the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, the goal of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is to tell the stories and preserve the history of motorcycling. Located on the campus of the American Motorcyclist Association in Pickerington, Ohio, the Museum's three major exhibition halls feature the machines and memorabilia of those who have contributed notably to the sport. The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to motorcycling, including those known for their contributions to road riding, off-road riding and all categories of racing, as well as those who have excelled in business, history, design and engineering.

More information can be found at MotorcycleMuseum.org.

Contact: James Holter
Phone: (614) 856-1900, ext. 1280
E-mail: jholter@ama-cycle.org

More photos from the 2011 AMA Hall of Fame Induction ceremony can be viewed here:

http://gallery.americanmotorcyclist.com/Motorcycle-Hall-of-Fame/AMA-Visa-Card-by-Capital-One/20317307_kpWBnQ#!i=1606775342&k=JGZxwVf

Friday, April 27, 2012

AMA Pro Road Racing Reviews AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series Big Kahuna Road Atlanta Round

Tyler O'Hara hauls his #29 Tyler O'Hara Racing XR1200 down into turn one at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during testing for the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series event scheduled for just one week away in late August 2011. As part of the Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP weekend festivities, the XR1200 Series was making it's debut at Indy as the undercard to the 4th Annual MotoGP Indy outing, and Dorna and AMA Pro Road Racing were able to set-up a test session for the series to come in and get ready for their appearance at the international event.

O'Hara went on to win his first-ever event in the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series at Indy some eight days later, and came home 3rd in the second race of the two-race weekend. With his strong finishes throughout the 2011 season, O'Hara finished 3rd in the championship hunt behind '11 AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series Champion Chris Fillmore, and runner-up Steve Rapp.

For the '12 season, O'Hara picked up a ride with Bartel's H-D for the XR1200 Series, and instantly made good with his new team, taking his #29 machine into 2nd-place at the season-opening round in Daytona behind winner Kyle Wyman, just .117 seconds back. Last weekend at Road Atlanta, O'Hara triumphed in just his second race with the team to win the Big Kahuna round over runner-up Michael Barnes, and instantly making himself a threat to become the 3rd-ever AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series Champion along with Danny Eslick and Fillmore.

Check out the full press release and the race recap video below, thanks to AMA Pro Road Racing!

Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta Recap: AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 27, 2012) - The M1 PowerSports-promoted Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta presented by Dunlop Tire and LeoVince showcased amazing races in all four AMA Pro Road Racing classes, and the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series contained some of the weekend's most compelling action.

Bartel's Harley-Davidson walked away with a 1-2 in the Vance & Hines XR1200 Series race at Road Atlanta with Tyler O'Hara, who scored a breakthrough win last year at Indianapolis, ending up the man of the weekend after winning pole, leading the most laps and ultimately claiming the victory.

However, races are rarely won easily in the Vance & Hines XR1200 Series and that proved to be the case in Georgia as well.

Pulling double-duty on the weekend, AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike contender Steve Rapp fought for the lead in Sunday's Vance & Hines XR1200 Series slugfest. The Harv's Harley-Davidson pilot swapped the lead back-and-forth with O'Hara before a mechanical issue ended his race a couple laps short of the checkered flag.

O'Hara's Bartel's Harley-Davidson teammate, Michael Barnes, picked up the pursuit from close behind to push the Californian to the line from second position for his second career AMA Pro victory.

"Every win is very special," O'Hara said. "I'm super excited. The whole goal this weekend was to have fun and that's what we did. We put in a good lap in qualifying and won pole. And what a race today. Rapp passed me in a place I didn't think I could be passed. I followed him a little bit and learned a lot and that helped me out when I got back in the lead. And Barney was there the whole time keeping us honest. There's no down time on these Harleys. It's pretty much pinned wire-to-wire."

After receiving his Big Kahuna surfboard trophy, O'Hara added, "It just works out. I'm from California. I don't surf but I think I might start now."

Michael Barnes #34, Kyle Wyman #33, Shane Narbonne #164, Tyler O'Hara #29, Steve Rapp #5 and Barrett Long #2 lead the 18-rider field into turn one during the AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series main event at the Big Kahuna Road Atlanta round on Sunday, April 22, 2012. AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson.

Barnes said, "The last couple of laps I was doing what I could, but I know Tyler and he was doing everything he could. He was going so deep into [Turn] 10 and I didn't really have a run on him out of [Turn] 7. He was really strong, as was Rapp until he broke or whatever happened to him. He must have downshifted a bit too hard because I heard that thing pop coming out of 10b. He put his hand up and that made it a little easier for me, but Tyler was just too tough to latch onto. Steve and Tyler were slowing each other down a little bit and keeping me there. Today wasn't the one but it's coming soon. It's been 16 years, I think, since I got one and I'm pretty hungry to get a win and determined to get one, one of these days."

Daytona winner Kyle Wyman made the most of what could have been a championship-killer. The KLR Group/Vesrah crashed in oil on the opening lap of the contest while running in second. He was forced to start from the back of the field after switching to his backup bike for the restart, but still managed to pick his way up to third in the end.

"I guess there was some fluid down in Turn 10a that I didn't know was there. I guess someone had an issue on the warm-up lap. Before I knew it I was on my head. I just tried to hustle and get back to pit lane to get back out there. I'm glad we did because we got back out there and got on the podium. I put my head down. I wanted to get back up there as quick as I could. I had only done three laps on the backup bike ever. That one just got built and brought down here. I'm just happy I had an opportunity to get back out there; I've never had a spare bike before, actually. It's really nice."

Gerry Signorelli (Kuryakyn/Racing for a Wish) now leads the Sunoco "Go The Distance" Award, given to the rider that completes the furthest total distance in 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing race-weekend events, with 280.65 miles to second-place Darren James' (Deeley Racing/ Ruthless Racing) 280.02 miles.

Next Event

AMA Pro Road Racing will next head west for Round 3 with a stop at scenic Sonoma, Calif. The Great Clips West Coast Moto Jam will take place at Infineon Raceway in two weeks time, May 4-6. For tickets and event information, please visit www.infineonraceway.com.

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Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta - AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series Recap

Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta Preview

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Infineon Raceway
May 4-6
Event Info | Tickets

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines. Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.

For additional information contact:

AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

AMA Pro Road Racing Reviews AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport Round from Big Kahuna Road Atlanta

Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta Recap: AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 27, 2012) - James Rispoli and Jake Lewis put on a show at Road Atlanta, with the two AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport aces splitting the wins in Georgia. It was a tale of the king and the young challenger dueling to a draw.

Defending Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport National Champion Rispoli (Orient Express Celtic Racing) won Saturday's race when he made it through lapped traffic better late in the race, but he never really shook the upstart 16-year-old. Lewis (Riders Discount Vesrah Suzuki) returned the favor on Sunday, aided by a red flag that stopped the race early.

The 20-year-old Rispoli was actually leading on the red flag lap, but as they were the only two riders on the lead lap, scoring was reverted to the last lap completed by the entire field. Lewis, who perhaps looked a little stronger on Sunday, was declared the winner.

In Saturday's contest Rispoli, officially registered as a Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport West division competitor but contesting all the races, had a "freebie" at his disposal but he made the most of it. A race-long battle meant he needed to make something happen to come out on top. We wanted to see who could run the pace. It was going to be hard once we had 'plus five' on the board. We were having a lot of fun," said Rispoli. "(Jake) was obviously stronger going down into Turn 10A, so I had to find something somewhere else. I went into Turn 1, got a good drive, and got it through."

"James dropped the hammer," said Lewis, who complimented Rispoli on his race. Lewis earned the lap leader point on Saturday. "With James on me, I couldn't slow down very much."

Dustin Dominguez (Castrol Triumph) won the battle for third on Saturday ahead of Travis Wyman (Harv's Harley Davidson) and Stefano Mesa (Kneedragers.com Yamaha).

Hayden Gillim (RoadRaceFactory/Red Bull) led the battle for third but faded with tire issues. He still managed sixth, just ahead of Miles Thornton (Eyeball Yamaha), Elena Myers (SuzukiScoopFans SportbikeTrackGear.com M4 Suzuki), Tomas Puerta (RoadRaceFactory/ Red Bull) and Corey Alexander (National Guard Fairhills Group).

On Sunday, the 16-lap race was red flagged and called official after 11 laps, with Lewis getting his first AMA Pro win over friend and training partner Rispoli.

"I led most of the race and James and I had an awesome battle," said Lewis. "I felt more comfortable out front. Yesterday I got a little unlucky with a lapper and today I got a little lucky with the red flag taking it back a lap."

"It was a good overall race," said Rispoli, who crashed Sunday morning. "I could do a few more moves that Jake couldn't because it isn't a points paying round for me but congratulations to Jake."

Jake Lewis leads James Rispoli in one of their battles in the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport Series at the Big Kahuna Road Atlanta round in April 2012. AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson.

Dominguez was once again third but closer to the front on Sunday. "I didn't get the start I wanted but I put my head down and tried to charge as much as I could," said Dominguez. "I could see them ahead of me but I couldn't reel them in. It would have been fun to be up with them but we're happy with the points we got out of it."

Fourth was Gillim, who used a harder tire and stiffed up the suspension on his Yamaha for Race 2.

Mesa finished fifth again, ahead of Wyman and Puerta. Mesa now leads the chase for the $2,500 Sunoco "Go The Distance" Award, given to the rider that completes the furthest total distance in 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing race-weekend events, with 471.99 miles in 161 laps.

Myers finished eighth on the track but was penalized for repeatedly cutting the course in Turn 3. That elevated Ryan Kerr (RFC Kawasaki) one position. Local talent Jake Morman (Apex Racing Services) rounded out the top ten.

Lewis now leads the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport East division points by 15 over Mesa, 82-57. Puerta is a further eight points back with 59.

Next Event

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Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta - AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport Race 2 Highlights

Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta - AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport Race 1 Highlights

Jake Lewis First Win at Road Atlanta 2012 - AMA Pro Road Racing

Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta Preview

Next Up

Infineon Raceway
May 4-6
Event Info | Tickets

For additional information contact:

AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

Thursday, April 26, 2012

AMA Flat Track: 28th Annual Dairyland Classic in Plymouth, WI Scheduled for Friday, June 1

Jared Mees works about his pit area just before taking to the track for round 7 of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson Insurance Grand National Championship presented by Motorcycle-Superstore.com season at the Springfield TT on May 30. Tuner Brent Armbruster can be seen sitting next to Mees' Honda.

Mees had a stellar day at the Illinois State Fairgrounds Multipurpose Rodeo Arena in winning his heat, and coming home in 2nd-place in the Dash for Cash event, and later in the day taking his #9 Montgomeryville Cycle Center/Lucas Oil/Rogers Lake Racing/Saddlemen-sponsored Honda CRF450R to the runner-up spot in the National main behind event-winner Jake Johnson.

Mees would go on to clinch the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Twins Series Championship, to go along with his '09 title, and would finish runner-up again to Johnson in the '11 AMA Grand National Championship title hunt.

One of the busiest and hardest-working men at and on the track, Jammin' Jared will look to add to his three race win streak at the 28th Annual Dairyland Classic AMA Flat Track event coming up on Friday, June 1 at the Sheboygan County Fair Park in Plymouth, WI.

Historically scheduled around the AMA Pro Road Racing round at Road America in early June, the event can all but be considered a 'mini' National, with last year's attendees including Sammy Halbert, Jethro Halbert, Chris Carr, Kenny Coolbeth, Jimmy Wood and Mikey Avila all making the Pro/Expert Main event before a solid crowd. The races have also been shown over the course of the last couple of years on a tape-delayed basis on SpeedTV's Lucas Oil Motorsports show.

If you're headed to Road America for the AMA Pro Road Racing weekend, make sure you take the time to head down to Plymouth for the Dairyland Classic. The Sheboygan County Fair Park is located just five miles south of Road America, so it is within easy access to the road race events happening just outside of Elkhart Lake, WI.

You can check out the event flyer below, courtesy of event promoter Bert Sumner.

28th Annual Dairyland Classic AMA Flat Track event flyer, scheduled for Friday, June 1, 2012, at the Sheboygan County Fair Park in Plymouth, WI., just down the road from Road America. Event flyer courtesy of promoter Bert Sumner.

You can check out all of the info for the 28th Annual Dairyland Classic AMA Flat Track race here via Bert Sumner's website:

http://www.dairylandclassic.com/home.html

Bert also has one of (if not THE) most complete record archives on the history of the AMA Grand National Championship. You can see that here:

http://dairylandclassic.com/amarecords.html

AMA Pro Road Racing Reviews AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Series Big Kahuna Road Atlanta Round

Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta Recap: AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 26, 2012) - At Road Atlanta, the AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike class returned to a more conventional event after last month's DAYTONA® 200. Instead of the single endurance race on the banks of Daytona International Speedway replete with pit stops, the doubleheader sprint race format came to Braselton, Ga.'s 2.55-mile natural road course for the M1 PowerSports-promoted Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta presented by Dunlop Tire and LeoVince. Martin Cardenas of GEICO Suzuki won both 20-lap races in Dixie and assumed the points lead for his efforts in what was an impressive display.

Cardenas won the GoPro Daytona SportBike championship the last season he raced in the class before moving to AMA Pro National Guard last year and earning a rare first-season win. Cardenas was right there with the lead pack at the front in Daytona and finished fourth, a result that went a bit under the radar with Joey Pascarella's flawless run to victory and Jason DiSalvo's brilliant charge getting most of the accolades.

On Saturday at Road Atlanta, Cardenas ran away with the win, taking the checkers 4.461 seconds in front of the scrapping behind him. Cardenas had a couple of moments in the victory, but did not crash either time and quickly recovered to go even faster. "I thought it was going to be a battle between four or five bikes. I don't know why, but it didn't happen that way this time," said Cardenas. "The first few laps, I got a good gap and that was it. I ran a very good pace and I kept pushing."

Dane Westby of M4 Broaster Chicken Suzuki took second place with a charge through the field. Westby had a poor start but his run through the field was exciting as he picked off rivals with skill. "By the time I got up there, Martin was pretty far away. I couldn't see him over Turn 3 or a couple other corners. Maybe if I had been up there at the start it would have been easier on me," Westby said. "The guys on the pitboard kept giving me the 'plus zero' -- they wanted me to catch Martin so I was really on the stick the whole time."

Martin Cardenas leads Jason DiSalvo, Benny Solis and Tommy Hayden early in one of the AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Series races at the Big Kahuna Road Atlanta round in April 2012. AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson.

Tommy Hayden earned third for Y.E.S. Graves Yamaha. Hayden faced a stiff challenge when he was drafted to replace the injured Garrett Gerloff on the second day at the season-opening round at Daytona. Following a successful test at Homestead, Hayden had a much better grasp on things at Road Atlanta. The Kentucky-native had a race-long battle with Benny Solis (Riders Discount Vesrah Suzuki) that ended with just over a lap remaining in the race when Solis crashed at Turn 10A.

Jake Zemke on the Ducshop Ducati showed steady progress in his run to fourth on Saturday and hard-braking Cory West earned the top five for Riders Discount Vesrah Suzuki in his race. After a season away from the AMA Pro Road Racing scene, former GoPro Daytona SportBike race winner Bobby Fong proved tough on the Meen Motorsports Yamaha to get sixth.

Local rider Huntley Nash got his best GoPro Daytona SportBike result yet for LTD Racing when he took seventh after being in the top 10 all weekend. He led a pack of riders including Daytona winner Pascarella, now riding for SGA Yamaha, J.D. Beach (RoadRace Factory/Red Bull) and Michael Beck (Full Tuck Yamaha) that finished within one second.

Beck put a decent gap on the competition in the chase for the $5,000 Sunoco "Go The Distance" Award, given to the rider that completes the furthest total distance in 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing race-weekend events. The Californian has logged 731.04 miles to second-place Beach's 711.9 miles.

On Sunday, Cardenas had a tougher go of it. Zemke got the holeshot ahead of fast-starting Hayden (from the second row) and Jake Gagne (RoadRace Factory/Red Bull).

By lap two, Cardenas made his way to the front with a bold pass at Turn 10A. Unlike Saturday, Hayden was able to hang with Cardenas, as was Castrol Triumph's DiSalvo until he had a mechanical issue on lap 12. The trio lived in the low-1:29 second range, a hot pace for the 20-lap race. With less than two laps to go, Cardenas fared better through traffic and then put in a flyer to take the impressive win by 1.220 seconds.

"Tommy put the pressure on me the whole race, so it was very difficult," said Cardenas of his 18th career GoPro Daytona SportBike victory. "I tried to pull a gap on him but it wasn't possible. At the end, we found a few lapped riders and I think that helped me a bit."

"We made a few changes and that made a few of the sections more comfortable for me," said Hayden. "I've been chipping away at it and I feel like I am getting closer and closer. It was important for me to take the next step."

The battle for third proved to be highly contested. Westby, Zemke, and Gagne rode in tight formation for much of the race. Westby could not move through the group on Sunday, but started to consolidate the placing starting with five laps to go. It wasn't over, though. Zemke, riding for a small team based out of Atlanta, regrouped and made a pass for position at Turn 10A with three remaining. Westby, who was quicker than Zemke through the Esses, managed to wrest third with the pass and hold it to the flag.

"I was able to get in there on the brakes in Turn 10 and stick it to (Zemke)," said Westby, who clearly enjoyed his battle with the California native. Zemke's two fourth-place results showed the progress his new Ducshop Ducati team has been able to make despite limited testing opportunities.

Gagne took fifth, a stellar result for the class rookie who has more experience racing in Europe than the US; the young standout won the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup two years ago and raced a Moto2 bike in Spain last year. With 29 GoPro Daytona SportBike points, he continues to lead in the $5,000 Saddlemen Rookie of the Year award program. Fong was sixth in another impressive run, holding off Beach in his best result of the year of seventh. Nash was eighth on Sunday despite some arm pump issues and showed that he, too, is a young rider to watch in the class. Solis responded from his Saturday crash by beating Pascarella for ninth by less than 0.3 seconds.

Cardenas has now won five of the six AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike races held at Road Atlanta. The Colombian now leads the points 82 to 62 over Westby, with Hayden just two back in third.

Next Event

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Videos

Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta - AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike Race 2 Highlights

Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta - AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike Race 1 Highlights

Lap at Road Atlanta With Jason DiSalvo - AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike

Joey Pascarella Explains New Ride at Road Atlanta - 2012

Melissa Paris Interviews Josh Hayes at Road Atlanta - 2012

Garrett Gerloff Triumph Big Kahuna Road Atlanta - AMA Pro Road Racing

Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta Preview

For additional information contact:

AMA Pro Racing Communications, (386) 492-1014, communications@amaproracing.com

AMA Pro Road Racing Reviews AMA Superbike Big Kahuna Road Atlanta Round

Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta Recap: AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 25, 2012) - It's often cautioned that the AMA Pro Road Racing season opener at Daytona International Speedway can provide a false read -- a one-off weekend contested on a banked superspeedway that doesn't necessarily serve as a good indicator of the field's true strength for when they arrive at more conventional road circuits.

However, the Triumph Big Kahuna Atlanta presented by Dunlop Tire and LeoVince only confirmed what was learned at Daytona, providing even more evidence that we're in for another season of remarkably competitive AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike racing in 2012.

This past weekend's stop at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga. hinted that the status quo that took shape throughout 2011 remains intact with a pecking order that is relatively unchanged. Fortunately, the '11 season was one of the most compelling in the series' history and more of the same is exactly what everyone had hoped to see.

If anything, the racing early in 2012 has been even more spirited. While just 0.002 seconds separated title favorites Blake Young and Josh Hayes at the flag in Race 2 at Daytona, Young one-upped that dramatic performance with what may go down as the signature victory for the emerging superstar on Saturday at Road Atlanta.

The Yoshimura Racing Suzuki pilot and his Monster Energy Graves Yamaha-backed rival again elevated their fight for the lead to a level that was impossible for the remainder of the pack to match early in Saturday's contest.

The two routinely swapped positions in tight quarters, with Young swooping around the inside or outside of Turn 10 at will, while Hayes had a counterpunch in the form of an inside jab as they headed down the hill toward the track's final corner, Turn 12.

Young and Hayes have fought fiercely on just about every race weekend for over a year now, but what happened on lap 14 was unprecedented. The two touched as they crested the hill, front wheels aloft. Hooked together, Young was slammed to the pavement and left dazed on the track. A red flag was immediately thrown and Hayes powered his way around the 2.55-mile circuit at race pace to check on the condition of his primary rival. Appearing for a moment to be seriously injured, Young finally picked himself up off the tarmac, brushed off the approaching medical attention, and limped his way to his fallen GSX-R1000 (which somehow managed to merely slide on its side instead of roll). Young remounted his #79 machine and rode it back into the pits to prepare for the restart.

Of course, he was forced to do so from the back of the field. Not happy with that development, Young channeled his anger and aggression to fuel his charge up through the field and arrived on Hayes' tail almost immediately.

The two resumed their epic battle and once again Young pulled a last-lap rabbit out of his helmet to walk away victorious following another final corner duel.

"My Yoshimura Suzuki guys did a great job putting the bike back together," Young said. "I mean, when I got back on the thing it was like when I just got off of it, it was so perfect. And I wasn't too happy about starting on the back row. I didn't feel like that's where I should've been placed. But that's I guess that's the rule.

"I got a spectacular start. I tried to settle in but I found myself trying to get a breath and it was pretty tough. I was taking a lot of short breaths -- I don't know if it was a result of the crash or because of the adrenaline. Once I got to the back of Josh, it seemed like he had a pace that I didn't think I could keep up with but maybe try to do something toward the end there and get a wheel in and mount a pass. I would have been happy to come away with second today. Josh came up in the inside on the last lap. He came up there pretty fast and I knew it was going to be tough to get slowed down there and I just squared him up and took it back."

Despite being defeated in another close dogfight, Hayes was quick to pay tribute to Young's performance: "For him to be able to get his stuff together and get back out there and race the way he did... bravo. Man, I think it's a great story. It was a hero ride and it's great for our sport. Big congrats to him."

That doesn't mean Hayes would back down the following day, however. He proved untouchable on Sunday, reminiscent of his Friday ride at Daytona. Hayes (who crashed twice on Friday) and Young (feeling the effects of his Race 1 crash) were both beaten up heading into their rematch but still proved to be the class of the field. In a dominant display, the Mississippian clicked off multiple laps under his pole mark and broke Young's pursuit early en route to a dominating payback ride on Sunday. The win was the first-ever for Yamaha in the SuperBike category at Road Atlanta.

"I'm excited about it," Hayes said. "This has always been a pretty good track for me and I've always had pretty good speed here. I've gotten outfoxed at the line a couple times by Blake here. So I'm glad to be able to put one together this afternoon and put some good strong laps down. "It's not how I expected the race to go -- I expected another battle. It's a lot easier on my ticker to be able to get away a little bit and ride by myself and do my own laps."

And true to the trend established a year ago, even though they are even on wins (2-2), Hayes has garnered every possible bonus point this season and currently sits six points ahead of Young in the early title fight (116-110).

Hayes remarked, "I don't think I can change my game plan and I doubt he's going to change his. We seem to be splitting wins and it's great for the series and a good show. I don't know what I would do different quite honestly because I feel like my plan is one that works and has brought me to a couple championships. I think it's going to be a lot of this season."

Hayes and Young left Atlanta once again tied for the $2,000 Cortech "Performance Edge" Award, which will go to the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike rider who posts the highest number of "fastest lap of the race" in event finals during the 2012 season. In Race 1, Young turned the fastest lap of the race on Lap 5 with a time of 1:25.364 and in Race 2, Hayes turned the fastest lap of the race on Lap 6 with a time of 1:24.922. With a total of 581.3 miles and 213 laps completed so far in the 2012 AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike season, Hayes also leads the Sunoco "Go The Distance" Award.

Josh Hayes leads Blake Young during one of the AMA Pro Superbike races at the Big Kahuna Road Atlanta round in April 2012. AMA Pro Road Racing photo by Brian J. Nelson.

Hayes' Sunday victory earned him the distinction of being named the weekend's National Guard SuperBike 'Big Kahuna,' and with that came the iconic surfboard trophy provided by M1 PowerSports and designed by Roland Sands and Motorcycle-Superstore.com. "Getting the surfboard is awesome," Hayes commented. "I was able to get one of the ones at VIR when I was riding Formula Xtreme. I've got that in the living room and I think this will look great sitting next to it to bookend it."

Also confirming the Daytona opener, there were two distinct groups chasing behind the fight for the win. The first was a two-man fight featuring Hayes' Monster Energy Graves Yamaha teammate, Josh Herrin, and National Guard Jordan Suzuki's Roger Hayden. The two were just short of the winning pace, able to run in tow for a handful of laps but not at full distance.

That reality is a welcome one for National Guard SuperBike rookie Herrin, who is still learning the ropes and expecting to steadily improve. It's not quite so pleasant for Hayden, who remains consistently quick but a step off of the form at which he concluded 2011, where he proved capable of challenging Hayes and Young for race wins.

While Hayden took a pair of thirds at Daytona, he was twice relegated to fourth by Herrin, who scored the first two podiums of his young SuperBike career. Additionally, Herrin continued to get great starts and enjoyed a stint at the front of the pack both days (if rather abbreviated). The Dublin, Ga. resident was thrilled with the outcome but also aware of the areas in which he needs to improve to take the next step. He explained, "It was a really good race -- I had fun just keeping Josh and Blake in my sights for the first seven laps or so. That felt good. I'll go home and get ready for the next one -- work on my strength; I just need to be a little stronger to throw these bikes around on tight tracks. The Yamaha R1 was working great -- obviously, you can see Josh is doing pretty good on it. The bike is capable of winning -- I just wasn't ready yet. But it was a good weekend. I'm glad to be on the podium twice."

Hayden said, "Two fourths is a little disappointing after being on the podium twice at Daytona. At the same time, we made a run for the podium, we finished both races and we learned some stuff. Although fourth place isn't where we want to be, I feel like I'm riding good and the National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 is working great. Hopefully, we can move on to Infineon and get back on the podium."

After Herrin and Hayden was another significant gap leading back to a big pack of contenders for fifth place, which included Team Amsoil/Hero EBR's Geoff May, Attack Performance Kawasaki's Steve Rapp, Foremost Insurance Pegram Racing BMW's Larry Pegram, Jordan Suzuki's Ben Bostrom, Yoshimura Racing Suzuki's Chris Clark, KTM/HMC's Chris Fillmore, Team Hero EBR's Danny Eslick, and Riders Discount Vesrah Suzuki's Taylor Knapp.

Of the group, May was probably the most impressive over the course of the weekend. From nearby Gainesville, Ga., May was in stunning form on the EBR 1190RS, claiming a spot on the provisional front row on Friday, locking down a top-five qualifying position on Saturday, securing a top-five result in Race 1, and was well positioned for a repeat of that finish in Race 2 before a mechanical issue force him into the pits. He still managed to return to the fray and finish 13^th.

Team owner Erik Buell said, "Pretty good weekend overall at Road Atlanta, although not quite as good as we had hoped. A shifter pivot bolt fell out on Geoff's Amsoil Hero #99, or he would have had at least a fifth again; he was right on top of fourth at the time of the problem."

Pegram walked away with that fifth after finishing 12^th the day before after hitting a curb and damaging his wheels. Fillmore was solid on his orange RC8 both days, taking sixth and seventh, as was Rapp in seventh and eighth. Eslick picked up a couple top tens (tenth and ninth) and Knapp impressed on Sunday with a sixth. Knapp, who gridded up for each of the race finals in 16th position, finished one position ahead of Pegram in Race 1 one position behind him in Race 2. Gaining 15 positions combined at Road Atlanta, Knapp took home the MotoBatt "Hard Charger Award," a $500 award given at the completion of each race weekend to the rider who improves the most positions combined from each of the weekend's race finals.

Clark ran further up the third pack in both races before eventually settling down in ninth and tenth. He said, "This weekend, we got out with some points and we're not too far from my goal of fifth overall. The Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 is running great and we're figuring out the best package for me to beat the guys in front of me, and hopefully come out of the season in the top five. Now, we have a few things we're going to test and a few things we have better knowledge on. So I'm looking forward to going to Infineon and having a good race."

However, it was another nightmarish weekend for former class champion Bostrom. After crashing twice at Daytona, Bostrom managed eighth on Saturday but suffered another fall on Sunday. "It was really a tough weekend," said Bostrom. "The Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 is a lot better than I've shown at the first few races. I've crashed out of three of four races and that's unheard of. I usually don't crash all year, so I'm not doing the bike any favors. I got eighth on Saturday and that's top 10, but it's not where I want to be. I'm definitely looking forward to racing at Infineon. I grew up in that area and I like the racetrack, and I think our bike will be racing for first there."

While the entire field carries big aspirations into Infineon Raceway, title leader Hayes could prove tough to handle. The Yamaha ace has picked up four of the most recent AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike victories in Sonoma, Ca. with the other two wins going to riders no longer competing in the class (Mat Mladin and Tommy Hayden).

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