AMA Pro Flat Track: Weirbach Racing's Rob Pearson Files His July & August Race Report

Rob Pearson talks with tuner and team co-owner Ted Weirbach just before getting ready to roll out for first practice at round 8 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&{ Cycles Grand National Championship season at the legendary Indy Mile on August 17.  Pearson, on the #27 Weirbach Racing/KDM Forest Products/Michael King/General Engineering-sponsored Suzuki SV650, qualified in the 12th-place spot at Indy out of the 47 riders on-hand to take a timed lap, but took the long road to punch his ticket to the 25-lap National main at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

The Morton, IL. resident just missed the cut in heat race #3, and was forced to run the semi in order to make what would be a 19-rider main event, being held over the last weekend of the Indiana State Fair.  Make he did, as 'Bugs' battled to the end with semi #2 winner Briar Bauman on the Werner-Springsteen Kawasaki, coming up just .099 seconds shy of the win in the 8-lap semi over 2nd-year Expert Bauman.

Bugs made a strong showing in the final at Indy, bringing the Weirbach Suzuki home in the 10th-place spot after 25-laps of what was another thrilling event at the Indy Mile.  With his fifth top-10 of the season at Indy, Pearson kept himself solidly in the 9th-place spot in the overall championship standings in just his first season with the Weirbach Racing team.

Check out the full schedule of events that Bugs and the team have been campaigning below since their last report, as their latest report spans the Sacto Mile in late July through last weekend's round 9 at the Virginia Mega-Mile in New Kent.  And make sure you take the time to go and talk with the team during the fan walks at the remaining events on the schedule. 

You can see them this weekend at rounds 10 & 11 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship at the Springfield Mile I & II on Saturday, August 31 and Sunday, September 1 over the Labor Day weekend.


Press release courtesy of the Ottumwa, Iowa-based Weirbach Racing team, winners of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Championship and currently fielding rider Rob 'Bugs' Pearson in their first full season of competition in the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship.










Weirbach Racing's Rob Pearson files his July & August race report for the 2013 race season

Ottumwa, Iowa -- August 27, 2013

We've been busy the last month racing a lot and traveling. July 27 we were
in Sacramento, CA after heading west right after the Champaign, IL. half-mile
where we finished 2nd to Sam Halbert.  I rode the Suzuki twin in Sacramento
and it worked well.  I was 2nd in the heat which put me in the dash for cash
and also on the front row for the main event.  I finished 5th in the Dash
and 8th in the main event.

After the Sacramento Mile we headed north to Castle Rock, WA.  I raced
Thursday night before the National and won both classes. Friday we were
supposed to race 450's and twin's on the short track but mother nature didn't
allow that to happen and it was rained out. 

Saturday, August 3 was the Castle Rock TT National. After qualifying third I expected
 a good finish but I didn't get a great start in the heat race and ended up 4th.
 In the main event we had some problems and I couldn't ride it hard and finished 14th.

We left Castle Rock and headed to Billings, MT for a Monday night All-Star race
 for twins and 450's but were rained out again. Tuesday we stopped in
 Sturgis, SD for a short track race and I ended up 4th in the 450 expert
class from a second row start.  We left Sturgis and headed home.

The next weekend was Peoria so it was nice to sleep in my own bed again.
I raced my R&R Yamaha 450 at Peoria Speedway for the All-Star race and ended
up third. The next night was the Galesburg short track where I rode the Yamaha
to another third. 

The next day was Sunday, August 11th and the Peoria TT National on
the Weirbach Honda.  I really wanted a good finish at PMC but didn't get a
great start in the heat race and I found myself on the 2nd row for the main
event.  The main event the track was a little wetter and I raced my way to
7th with a group of three right in front of me at the finish.

This past weekend I went over to Indianapolis, IN. for Mid-America short
track Friday and the Grand National Mile on Saturday.

Friday they had 6 heats for the short track and I was able to win mine and start on the front
row for the main.  I ended up second to Jared Mees.

Rob Pearson on the #27 Weirbach Racing Suzuki SV650 is shown in action at round 8 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship season at the Indy Mile.  Photo courtesy of Weirbach Racing.




Saturday we went to the Indy Mile and it started off as a light cushion in practice
that eventually moved to the bottom groove by the main.  After having
 brake problems in the heat I had to transfer out of the semi for
 a third row start in the main event.  I picked a few guys off in the main
 event and ended up 10th on the Weirbach Suzuki.

This weekend we were in New Kent,Va at the Mega-Mile.
This is a mile and a 1/4 and was really hard on motorcycles,
I think half of the bikes in the pit area were broke by the end
of the day. We broke 2 ourselves and ended up 15th in the main.
Wow what a day!

Off to Springfield this weekend no time to much more than
get a good night sleep and be back at it.

Rob Pearson ***27***

Special thanks to all our sponsors:

Weirbach Racing, General Engineering, Mike King/KDM Forest Products
Barnett, Spectro, DynoJet, K&N, Saddlemen, Works Connection, PMP Sprockets,
 Motion Pro, Spider Grips, Durelle Racing, Cheney Engineering, G2 Ergonomics,
All Balls Racing, Firecoat Custom Powderworks, CP Pistons and Carrillo Rods,
Web Cams, Foudree's Graphics, Sunoco, Pro Wheel, Supertrapp,
TNT Harley Davidson, Regina Chain, Factory Backing, Pit Posse,
Cosmetic Gaskets, The Baggots, PMC, ProFactoryHoses.com, Engine Ice,
Chicken Hawk Racing, White lightning Retrievers, R&R, Grandprix,
Shoei, Lightshoe, Country Saloon, Paint by Smokey, Needa-website.com,
Shorai, Boyesen