Weirbach Racing & 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Rookie of the Year Jake Shoemaker to Team Up for 2017 American Flat Track Series (formerly AMA Pro Flat Track)

2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Championship-winning team Weirbach Racing announced last week that they would be partnering with former 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Saddlemen Rookie of the Year Jake Shoemaker for the upcoming 2017 American Flat Track Series (formerly AMA Pro Flat Track.)

The Ottumwa, Iowa-based team will see another rider change in their operation after having Briar Bauman on their Kawasaki mounts during the 2016 season, and Shoemaker having ridden for the Bonneville Performance Triumph team the last couple of years. With Shoemaker's experience on Kawasakis and the Weirbach's coming into their third full season with a Kawasaki-based team both should see improved results once the season hits full stride in late spring of 2017.

In the shot above, team co-owners Ted and Richard Weirbach ready their Weirbach Racing/Racing Unlimited/Kawasaki/Barnett-sponsored Kawasaki EX650 for rider Briar Bauman #14 prior to the start of the 25-lap National main round of the 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines Series at the Springfield Mile I on May 29.

Hopefully for both the Weirbach Racing team and newly-acquired rider Shoemaker this new pairing announced last week will prove to be the fit that works for all in the upcoming season. We're looking forward to seeing them jive as the season approaches in 2017.

Check out the press release below thanks to Weirbach Racing, and we wish the best of luck to Richard, Ted and Jake in the season ahead. Go get 'em guys!

Jake Shoemaker to pilot Weirbach Racing Kawasaki’s in 2017

For Immediate Release:
December 2, 2016 -- Ottumwa, Iowa– Weirbach Racing is pleased to announce the sponsorship support of Jake Shoemaker, National #55, for the upcoming 2017 American Flat Track Twins series.

23-year-old Shoemaker has accomplished much in his young career, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2013. A pair of podium finishes in 2014 helped him finish the year in the top ten of the class as a privateer. He also had the opportunity to ride the factory-backed Bonneville Triumph for the last two seasons.

Jake’s thoughts on the upcoming season,  “I’m excited to join a program that is built around the same motorcycle that I had early success on in my Expert Twins career. Weirbach Racing has always had top notch equipment and with my understanding of dialing in my preferences in bike set up for changing track conditions, I am confident we will do very well. I have a very positive outlook for 2017 and I cannot wait for the season to get started.”

 

Jake Shoemaker's National #55 adorns the Weirbach Racing
transporter. The Iowa-based team announced earlier last
week that they would be partnering with the former Rookie of
the Year in AMA Pro Flat Track for the upcoming 2017
American Flat Track season. Photo courtesy of
Weirbach Racing.

 Ted Weirbach added, “Jake is a great fit for our team. He works extremely hard on and off the track. We have had a good relationship for years and I am pleased that we finally have the opportunity to work together.”

               The team is busy building, preparing and testing motorcycles over the short off-season, aimed at a successful 2017 campaign. Dick Weirbach stated, “We know Jake has had success on Kawasakis in the past and we really look forward to working with him. Jake is always focused and will bring a high level of talent to our program. “ 

About Weirbach Racing-

Weirbach Racing is run, owned and operated by Ted Weirbach and his father Dick Weirbach.  Dick is a veteran of the flat track scene for better than 35 years.  He ran as a novice in the late '60’s and owned a Bultaco motorcycle shop for eight years. Weirbach Racing was founded in 2000.  In 2009, the inaugural year of the AMA Pro Singles Championship, Weirbach Racing’s James “the Rocket” Rispoli took second-place overall and in 2011 Mikey Martin won the Pro Singles Championship. Other notables to ride for Dick & Ted are Briar Bauman, Henry Wiles, Sammy Halbert, Aaron King, Jesse Janisch, Davey Durelle and Rob Pearson.  

 

Check their web site for more information http://www.weirbachracing.com

Weirbach Racing Teams Up with Briar Bauman for 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship GNC1 Season

Great news out of the Hawkeye State of Iowa comes the announcement that Weirbach Racing, the winner's of the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Championship, have partnered up with 2012 AMA Pro Flat Track Saddlemen Rookie of the Year Briar Bauman for the 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship GNC1 season.

Bauman, who burst onto the scene in the GNC1/Expert ranks during the 2012 season with a 12th-place finish on the season and earning Rookie of the Year honors, had an excellent season last year while riding for the USC/Hart Racing Kawasaki team finishing in the 5th-place spot with five top-5 finishes, including a win at the season-finale in Las Vegas, and ten top-10 finishes on the year.

The Weirbach Racing team worked with rider Mikey Martin in the GNC1 Twins Series last year earning a best-ever finish for both of 4th-place at the Indy Mile in just their second year overall of campaigning their new, potent line up of Kawasaki parallel twins along with two other top-10s on the season.

In the shot above, the Weirbach Racing team takes a short break before action hits the track during round 7 of the 2015 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship GNC1 Harley-Davidson presented by Vance & Hines Series at the Indy Mile on July 11.

Team owners Richard (forefront, right) and son Ted (background, right) and rider Mikey Martin (blue shirt and hat, background left of center) can be seen in their pit alongside the team's #91 Weirbach Racing/Racing Unlimited/Spectro-sponsored Kawasakis.

The coming year should prove very fruitful for both the Weirbach team and new signee Bauman, giving Bauman his third-straight full season aboard a Team Green Kawasaki (Werner-Springsteen Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing 2014, USC/Hart Racing 2015) and the Weirbach team's third-straight season as well campaigning their potent Kawasaki mounts in the GNC1 Twins Series.

In the shot above, Bauman can be seen alongside his #14 USC/Hart Racing/Stevens Racing-backed Kawasaki in the team's pit area at the Lima Half-Mile during round 5 of the 2015 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship GNC1 Harley-Davidson presented by Vance & Hines series on June 28. Team owner James Hart is shown to Bauman's left in the red hat looking over the team's equipment prior to the first round of qualifying at the Allen County Fairgrounds.

With the 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship GNC1 season just 33 days away with the opening rounds at the Daytona Short Track, and what is considered the unofficial kick off to the season at the Oglethorpe Speedway in Pooler, GA. on March 4, the Weirbach Racing team and rider Bauman don't have much time left to get the final items put together for the season ahead. But from the looks of their new mount in the press release shot, it looks as if they have a pretty good start already!

You can check out the team's official press release below, and from one Iowan to another couple of great guys out of the Hawkeye State, we wish the boys from Ottumwa and Californian Bauman the best of luck in the upcoming season!


Press release courtesy of Weirbach Racing, the Ottumwa, Iowa-based winner's of the
2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Championship

Briar Bauman to campaign 2016 with Weirbach Racing

February 2 2016, Ottumwa, Iowa­ -- Weirbach Racing is pleased to announce
the sponsorship support of Briar Bauman for 2016, in AMA Pro Flat Track's
premier GNC 1 division.

21-year-old Bauman has accomplished much in his young career with series
wins at Daytona short track in 2014 and most recently at the 2015 season
finale in Las Vegas. The Vegas win secured Briar 5th position in the
overall series point standings for 2015. Briar also secured a respectable
6th-place finish at the inaugural Harley-Davidson XGames flat track event
last year in Austin,Texas.

Weirbach Racing's Racing Unlimited/Spectro/Barnett-sponsored
Kawasaki EX650-based GNC1 Twins bike
is shown adorned with the team's new
livery and National #14 of new rider Briar
Bauman for the 2016 AMA Pro Flat Track
Grand National Championship GNC1 season. Photo courtesy of Richard Weirbach's Facebook page.





Briar's take on the upcoming season,  "I am really excited to join Weirbach
Racing for the 2016 season. I believe we are capable of great things. Goals
for 2016 are to win a Twins National and finish in the top-3 for the series."

Briar is no stranger to the podium on a 750, with 3rd-place finishes last
year at Lima and Sturgis and in 2013 at Pomona and has set his sights on
reaching the top step aboard a twin cylinder bike.

Weirbach Racing's established stable of Kawasaki twins have been developed
and refined over the last 3 seasons with proven results. Partnering with
Racing Unlimited's Alan Rodenborn has been key to the performance and
dependability of the team's Kawasaki power plants.

Ted Weirbach commented, "We are proud and excited to sponsor
Briar. He is a great young talent with solid character and a desire to win. He
has proven that he has what it takes to run up front on all types of tracks.
I can't wait to see what we can accomplish together."

The team is busy building and preparing and testing motorcycles over the
winter months, aimed at a successful 2016 season. Dick Weirbach stated,
"We believe that things are coming together at the right time and it is special
 to have a rider of Briar's caliber controlling the throttle. I am looking forward
 to a great year."

About Weirbach Racing:

Weirbach Racing is run, owned and operated by Ted Weirbach and his father
Dick Weirbach.  Dick is a veteran of the flat track scene for better than 35
years.  He ran as a novice in the late 60's and owned a Bultaco motorcycle
shop for eight years.

Weirbach Racing was founded in 2000. In 2009, the inaugural year of the
AMA Pro Singles Championship, Weirbach Racing's James "the Rocket"
Rispoli took 2nd-place overall and in 2011 Mikey Martin won the Pro
Singles Championship. Other notables to ride for Dick & Ted are Henry
Wiles, Sammy Halbert, Aaron King, Jesse Janisch, Davey Durelle and
Rob Pearson. 

Check their web site for more information: http://www.weirbachracing.com

About Racing Unlimited Kawasaki/Victory/Polaris:

The multi-line dealership is soon to celebrate it's 25th year in business.
The store is one of the Midwest's largest 'Kawasaki Team Green' dealers,
and is also a Race Tech Suspension Center.

For more information see: http://www.racingunlimited.com

Mikey Martin Takes Weirbach Racing Kawasaki to 4th-Place Finish at the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Indy Mile for Best-Ever Career Finish

2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Champion Mikey Martin and the Iowa-based Weirbach Racing team came away from the last round of the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship at the legendary Indy Mile with their first top-5 finish and Martin's best-ever finish of his young career of 4th-place.

Indy was a mash-up of 'hurry up' all day, as storms working their way towards the Circle City from Eastern Illinois appeared to be imminent as the early evening program progressed. As a result, AMA Pro Flat Track put the show on in 'quick mode' doing away with one practice session altogether as well as the semi races part of the evening's races. Although all of those 'imminent' storms broke up completely before getting within 20 miles of the Indiana State Fairgrounds-hosted event, the shortened program proved to be advantageous to several riders and teams. Martin and the Weirbach team were one group of individuals who capitalized on the race's 'hurry up' mode.

After qualifying in the 'lucky 13' spot (shown above during one of the qualifying sessions at Indy on the #91 Weirbach Racing/Racing Unlimited/Flat Track Live/Barnett-sponsored Kawasaki EX650-based 750 effort), Martin was able to take advantage of his top-6 heat race finish (5th-place in GNC1 heat #1) and put the team's slick looking Kawasaki into the main right out of the gate.

With the three red flags brought on by crashes including Shawn Baer, Henry Wiles and Jeffrey Carver, Jr., Martin was able to work his magic on each of the resulting restarts to slowly work his way into the top-5, eventually taking his best-ever effort of 4th-place and moving himself into the 15th-place spot in the championship points standings, and giving himself and the team their third top-10 for the year on their freshly-rebuilt Kawasaki.

With Indy being the halfway point of the season, the team is looking to improve on their finish and hopes to be able to start off the second half of the racing season on a positive note on Tuesday night in Black Hills, SD at the Black Hills Half-Mile.

Congrats to Martin and the Weirbach team for a fine finish, these guys have worked hard to get where they are at and deserve this hard-fought finish. Check out their brief press release below and when you get to the races, make sure you stop by the Weirbach Racing pits and tell them 'hi' and wish them luck on their great team efforts!


Press release courtesy of Weirbach Racing

After a very disappointing outing at the DuQuoin Mile, we focused our effort on the Indy Mile to redeem ourselves. 

There was a big threat of storms in the Indianapolis area so a very short program was run by AMA Pro Racing. After qualifying 13th we took a short break and headed right into the heat races.

Mikey Martin on the #91 Weirbach Racing Kawasaki is shown during one of the qualifying rounds at the Indy Mile on July 11, 2015. Photo courtesy of Weirbach Racing by Brent Pierce/BTP Photography.








The pressure was really on to transfer direct to the main as there would be
no semi races today.  After a bad start Mikey managed to finish 5th and that
would put him on the 3rd row for the main event. There were three red flags that
led to three restarts, and with each one Mikey improved his overall position
on the track. He successfully worked his way into a very solid 4th-place when the
checkered flag waved.
 
We will be headed to Rapid City, SD for a half-mile Grand National on August
4th, so if you are at the Sturgis Rally please stop by our pit area so we can
thank you for all the support.


Weirbach Racing
11350 Dahlonega Road
Ottumwa, Iowa 52501


Martin and  the Weirbach Racing team wish to thank the following sponsors for their support:

Racing Unlimited, General Engineering, Barnett, Spectro, Shorai, 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, Supertrapp, TNT Harley Davidson, Yoyodyne, West
Coast Racing, Regina Chain, Pit Posse, Cosmetic Gaskets,
ProFactoryHoses.com, Engine Ice, Chicken Hawk Racing, White lightning
Retrievers, Lightshoe, Paint by Smokey, Ottumwa Honda, Boyesen HP360/Octane
Sports Management.

Weirbach Racing's Mikey Martin #91 Has Up & Down Start to the 2015 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Season

2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Champion Mikey Martin started off the 2015 Bike Week flat track races with super solid results in early March, especially considering that he was still new to his 'old' team's Kawasaki Twins mounts. Martin, who for the last three seasons in the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship series had campaigned the Bonneville Performance Triumphs, switched teams during the off season and is back with the Iowa-based Weirbach Racing team of father-and-son duo Richard and Ted Weirbach who together helped Martin to his first professional championship just over four seasons ago.

The Weirbach team, in just their second season campaigning the Kawasaki EX650 mounts, was quick to help get Martin adjusted to the differences in the 700 and 750cc-based Twins and Martin left the Steve Nace Racing-promoted Savannah and Volusia Half-Mile races with solid finishes of 6th-place and 3rd-place. However, when it came time for Daytona, things went south quick for the former Pro Singles Champ, but not for lack of trying by either Martin or the Hawkeye State boys who have learned to stay tough when the going gets rough in The Rolling Thunder Show.

In the shot above, Martin rips off a lap on the #91 Bonneville Performance/Woody Kyle Racing/Kibblewhite-sponsored Honda CRF450R during one of the qualifying sessions at the Peoria TT on August 11 during the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship stop at Thunder Valley.

Martin failed to make either of the main events in Daytona, but that doesn't and won't deter either him or the Weirbach team. With the Springfield Mile now just less then two months away, all should be ready to heat up the action over the Memorial Day weekend on the team's potent Kawawaskis.

Check out Weirbach Racing's press release below and see what they were up against in their first full week of racing back together again down south in Georgia and Florida. And we wish them the very best of luck in the rest of the upcoming season and know they will get things sorted out once the heat of the season gets boiling!


Press release courtesy of Weirbach Racing, the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Championship team.

Mikey Martin makes his way to a podium finish in second start with Weirbach Racing!

The 2011 Pro Singles Champ wasted no time getting back in the groove
with his old team. This time as a Expert/GNC1 rider. Mikey Martin has
re-joined  Ted & Dick Weirbach owners of Weirbach Racing, the same team that
helped him win his 2011 AMA Pro Singles Championship.

If his 3rd place Expert Twins finish at Volusia Speedway in Barberville, Fla  and a 6th place
on the fast clay 1/2 mile in Savannah, Ga. was an indicator as to how his
season will go, plan to see more podium finishes for this team.

Mikey Martin is shown in action on the #91 Weirbach Racing/Racing Unlimited/General Engineering-sponsored Kawasaki EX650 during one of the Bike Week flat track events leading up to the season-opening rounds of the 2015 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship on March 12-13. Martin finished the Savannah and Volusia rounds with solid results to show for his efforts in the first time in competition back with his old team that helped him to win the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Championship. Photo courtesy of Weirbach Racing.




Martin, who has spent the first 3 seasons as an AMA Expert/GCN1 rider with
the Bonneville Performance/Castol/Triumph team says he has learned a lot
the past few seasons and is eager to take on the competition.

"I have learned a lot of the past 3 seasons. Making that step from Pro
Singles to Expert Twins isn¹t always easy, but I feel confident that I can
be a contender this season. If we concentrate on consistency and solid
finishes, we will be in the hunt this season. Last year, coming off of an
injury was difficult. This season I¹m better prepared, I¹m more fit and I¹m
focused. I¹m really excited to see what the Weirbach Kawasaki Twin will do
on the Springfield Mile," stated Martin.

Weirbach Racing is also supporting Martin in his 450cc efforts. Finishing
5th at the Savannah 1/2 mile race and 4th at Volusia in the Expert Singles,
Martin knows his Singles rides will improve. The results were not near as
good at the GNC short track in Daytona Beach, Fl. as he failed to make the
main event either night.
 
Martin and Weirbach Racing team wish to thank the following sponsors for
their support:

Racing Unlimited, General Engineering, Barnett, Spectro, Shorai, 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, Supertrapp, TNT Harley Davidson, Yoyodyne, West
Coast Racing, Regina Chain, Pit Posse, Cosmetic Gaskets,
ProFactoryHoses.com, Engine Ice, Chicken Hawk Racing, White lightning
Retrievers, Lightshoe, Paint by Smokey, Ottumwa Honda, Boyesen HP360/Octane
Sports Management.

Weirbach Racing
11350 Dahlonega Road
Ottumwa, Iowa 52501

Weirbach Racing Announces Signing of 2011 AMA Pro Singles Champ Mikey Martin to AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Team for 2015 Season

News out of the Weirbach Racing camp this week came across the wire as the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Championship-winning team announced the re-signing of their former championship-winning rider, Mikey Martin, to their AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship team for the upcoming 2015 season.

The Ottumwa, Iowa-based team, who dominated the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Championship with three wins during their 2011 assault, had been working with riders Rob Pearson and 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Rookie of the Year and 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Champion Wyatt Maguire for the last couple of seasons. After parting company with Pearson after the Indy round in early August, the team had been working with Maguire for the last few events of the season in 2014.

In the shot above, Ted and Richard Weirbach (left and 2nd from left) flank the team's #27 Weirbach Racing/Racing Unlimited-sponsored Kawasaki 750 and 700 during round 3 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship at the Springfield Mile I on May 25.























Martin, who after capturing the 2011 Pro Singles Championship for the Weirbach Racing team, took the leap into the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship for the 2012-2014 seasons with the Bonneville Performance Triumph team. Although he had some defining moments while on the English parallel twins, he never seemed to come to terms with the machines that have been campaigned by the Bonneville Performance team headed up by the Gately Brothers out of California. Martin finished 20th, 17th and 17th in the overall standings of the championship during his three-year tenure with the Bonneville Performance team.

In the shot above, Martin rolls out for the final round of qualifications on the #91 Bonneville Performance/Factory Triumph Racing/Castrol Racing-sponsored Triumph Bonneville during round 14 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season at the Springfield Mile II on August 31.

With this week's announcement, this should be great news for fans of the Iowa-based team and Californian Mikey Martin, while reuniting the championship team that is already familiar with one another, making the transition to the team's new Kawasakis somewhat more seamless for the popular rider, and also helping along in developing the bikes around the 2011 AMA Pro Singles Champ.

You can check out the team's official press release below, as we congratulate the Weirbach Racing team and Mikey Martin, and wish them the very best going forward into the 2015 season!


Press release courtesy of the Weirbach Racing team, the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Champions

2011 Pro Singles Champion Mikey Martin and Weirbach Racing reunited for 2015

Akron, Ohio -- November 10, 2014 -- Previous AMA Pro Singles Champion Mikey Martin signs on as full time rider for the 2015 season with Weirbach Racing of Ottumwa, Iowa. This is the same team and rider combo that captured the 2011 AMA Pro Singles Championship.

 

 

 

 

Mikey Martin #91Y is shown with the Iowa-based Weirbach Racing team while celebrating capturing the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Championship at the end of the 2011 season at the Pomona Half-Mile on the team's potent Honda CRF450R. The boys out of Iowa announced earlier this week the re-signing of Martin to their 2015 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship team. Photo courtesy of Weirbach Racing.

Martin, who stepped up to the AMA Pro Expert Ranks in 2012, had been riding for the Bonneville Performance/Castrol/Triumph team until the end of the 2014 season. Looking forward to being back with old friends, Martin had this to say, “I’m looking forward to riding and working again with Dick and Ted. We seem to communicate well and the results speak for themselves. This time around the competition is much tougher than the last time I rode for them in the Pro ranks. We’re up to the challenge for sure!”

After three years, Martin will also be making a brand change from the Triumph to a Kawasaki power plant. Testing will take place for the team prior to the spring opening race at Volusia in March of 2015. This winter they will be building a 3^rd Kawasaki and rebuilding the two they already have in their stable.

Team owners Ted and Dick Weirbach also stated, “We are very excited for the return of Martin to ride our Kawasakis, we have two years of experience with the 750’s and feel like we can be a threat at all the Grand National events."

Weirbach Racing's Rob Pearson Caps Off 2 Month Run with 10th-Place Finish at Round 11 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship at the Indy Mile

The Ottumwa, Iowa-based Weirbach Racing team and rider Rob Pearson #27 have put some big miles in on the road the last two months, like many of the teams and riders who campaign The Rolling Thunder Show in the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship.

Starting off in the Midwest, the team headed to the Northwest Pacific and then on to the west coast, before heading back to the Northwest and on to the Badlands area for an event that was eventually rained out. And then capped it off with a solid top-10 finish in round 11 of the season at the legendary Indy Mile last Friday night.

In the shot above, Rob gets down on the paint on the team's newly-built #27 Weirbach Racing/Mike King-KDM Forest Products/Barnett/Spectro-backed Kawasaki EX650 mount during the first round of practice at round 11 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season at the Indy Mile on August 8. 'Bugs' is shown in action on one of the team's two EX650-based mounts, this one fitted with the 750cc version for the mile races (the wider tank on this sweet looking piece helps to ID between the team's two mounts, the other kitted with a 700cc engine predominantly used for the half-mile set-ups. The 700-based bike has a slimmer tank that also better helps to determine which one is which to the untrained eye.)

The team heads to round 12 of the season this coming Sunday, August 17 for what is Rob's home track at the Peoria TT.

Good luck to the great bunch of hard working guys on the Weirbach team this weekend and the rest of the season! Check out their press release below to see what the team has been up to since the middle of July.


Press release courtesy of Ottumwa, Iowa-based Weirbach Racing and Morton, Illinois rider Rob Pearson, AMA Grand National #27

In the last 25 days we have traveled to the west coast and back and
attended 5 Grand National races.

On July 19th we were in Elma, Washington for a 1/2 mile National but
the weather got the best of us on Saturday so we returned to the
track Sunday as a rain date and were able to get the race in that day.
The track was very rough and we worked on suspension all day but
by the time the main event came around we were at our best for the
day and finished 8th.

The next weekend we were in Sacramento, CA. for the mile event.
We had a descent day and finished 11th.

Drove back to Washington for the Castle Rock TT the next weekend.
Things did not go as well on the TT track for us, as Rob was making
a pass over the jump for 8th-place when he became entangled with
another rider in the sharp right hander and fell to the ground ending
our bid for a top ten finish.

The next day we headed to Rapid City, SD for the Tuesday
National 1/2 mile there during bike week but the
rain came by the bucket fulls and the race was rained out.

From there we headed to Indianapolis, IN.  for a mile National on Friday
night, we had a hard time getting the Kawasaki set up for the track but finished a
respectable 10th.

Weirbach Racing's Rob Pearson is shown in action on the #27 KDM Forest Products-sponsored Kawasaki EX650 at round 11 of the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship at the Indy Mile on August 8. Photo courtesy of Weirbach Racing.







This weekend we are head to the famous Peoria TT National
and hoping to get a top-5 finish. We have lived in the van for way to much
time the past month, so we will take a well deserved weekend off.


Special thanks to all our sponsors:

General Engineering, Mike King/KDM Forest Products, Barnett, Spectro Oil,
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, Racing Unlimited, Needa-website.com, Shorai, Boyesen

Dick, Ted, and Rob


Weirbach Racing
11350 Dahlonega Road
Ottumwa, Iowa  52501

Weirbach Racing's Rob Pearson #27 Reports on the AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship Season-Openers at Daytona

Rob Pearson and the Iowa-based Weirbach Racing team had a rough start to the 2014 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season at the Daytona Short Track I & II. After some decent qualifying efforts on both nights March 13-14, and making the Dash for Cash in round 1, things seemed to progressively get worse for the Morton, IL. resident.

After fighting through for a 16th-place finish out of the 19 riders on night one, Pearson had to come through his semi to make it to the National main in round 2, but came up just short after the 19-rider event was filled.

In the shot above, Pearson is shown on the #27 Weirbach Racing/KDM Forest Products Honda CRF450R during the final qualifying session at his home track at the Peoria TT during round 7 of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Championship season on August 11.

Check out the Weirbach Racing team's release below to see how Bugs and the team persevered during the opening rounds, and also what we (and the great group of strong fighters on the team) have to look forward to come round 2 at the Springfield Mile I on May 25.

Press release courtesy of the Weirbach Racing team

Bike Week Race Report for Rob Pearson & Weirbach Racing

Daytona Bike week has come and gone and that lime rock short track has got
the best of me again.

After qualifying 12th the first day, I got a good start in the heat and ended up 2nd,
good enough for the dash for cash and a front row start in the main.
Ended up 5th in the dash and after bouncing everywhere but on the ground
I could only manage 16th in the main.

Rob Pearson on the #27 Weirbach Racing Honda CRF450R is shown during a qualifying session at the Daytona Short Track during the season-openers on March 13-14. Photo courtesy of Weirbach Racing by Mia Moore/FlatTrack.com's Fans in the Stands.







The second night things were worse yet.

I qualified 18th which was just good enough for the front row in my heat
and after the battle for the last transfer spot I came up a spot short and
was headed to the semi.  I had a tough group, but knew that I could make it.

I was off and running in 3rd looking for a spot to pass Carver for 2nd while
trying not to give up the last transfer spot into the main at the same time.
As I was looking for a way under Jeffery here comes Henry Wiles around
the outside of both of us and my day was done early.

I was going to use my provisional since I was in the top ten in points from
 last season. Jared Mees finished behind me in the semi but had more points
 last year and got to use his provisional.

We did manage to get out on our new Kawasaki twin at Steve Nace's Half-Mile
All-Star Races. The new Kawasaki 700 feels good and I will be ready for Springfield!

Hope to see you there.

Rob Pearson #27

Special thanks to all our sponsors

General Engineering, Mike King/KDM Forest Products, Barnett, Spectro Oil,
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, Racing Unlimited, Needa-website.com, Shorai, Boyesen

Weirbach Racing's Rob Pearson Reports on the Final Rounds of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship Season

In their first season together, Rob Pearson and the Weirbach Racing team fought the good fight to end the season ranked in the 10th-place spot in the overall standings of the 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles Grand National Championship.

After announcing during the off-season that Morton, Illinois resident Pearson would be joining the team located a few hundred miles west of him based out of Ottumwa, Iowa, the former AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Championship-winning team of Weirbach Racing and 'Bugs' set about laying out the groundwork for the 2013 season ahead of them.

Initially armed with the team's potent Suzuki SV650 and Harley-Davidson XR750 mounts, they also had in the works putting together a Kawasaki EX650-based Twins Series effort that was spearheaded by Racing Unlimited out of the Fort Dodge, Iowa area.

Hoping to get the popular Kawi sorted out and ready for action by the early part of the Twins Series schedule shortly after the first Springfield round in late May (which was coincidentally rained out and rescheduled for Labor Day weekend), delays on getting the final bits and pieces sorted out put those plans on the backburner for the team, thusly concentrating on their already stable SV and XRs.

Which wasn't a bad plan for the team, also in their first full season campaigning the Twins Series class in The Rolling Thunder Show, and based on their strong and steady outings early in the season were able to keep themselves solidly in the top 7 or 8 of the championship standings.

But then, the series headed to a new venue in Virginia, and the dust and grit suffered by all at the Colonial Downs Raceway mile event caught the team out in a big way. Losing a motor in the XR750, the team worked a deal with Dave Waters and the Waters Auto Body KTM team to campaign one of the LC8 900-series bikes that the New York-based team has so diligently been making slow, but steady progress with over the course of the last few seasons with a variety of riders.

Pearson, who never even got the chance to throw a leg over the bike until the National main rolled around in Kent, Virginia, had worked his way up as high as 9th-place in the 18-lap main, when the forces of nature struck and the fuel-thirsty KTM twin ran out of gas, literally and figuratively, with just one lap to go.  Pearson ended the day in the 15th-place spot in what surely would have been a solid top-8 or 9 performance on the KTM, and would not only have kept him and the Weirbach team in the top-8 in points, and would also have been the best outing ever for the Waters Auto Body team's work over the course of the last four seasons.

And then it was time for the doubleheader round at the Springfield Mile over the Labor Day weekend, and just one week's time to get the riding gear back into shape for what was for the team and every member of the AMA Pro Flat Track circus a pivotal race weekend.

In the shot above, Rob Pearson rolls out for the first practice session of the day at the Springfield Mile I on August 31 on the Weirbach Racing/KDM Forest Products/General Engineering-sponsored #27 XR750, following the lead of riders Kenny Coolbeth, Jr. #2 on the Harley-Davidson Motor Company XR, Henry Wiles on the #17 Lloyd Brothers Motorsports XR and team mate Jake Johnson on the #5 LBM Ducati, among others.

Before things even had gotten too far along for the day, Pearson and the Weirbach team had lost another motor in the XR and had soldiered home in the National main on the Suzuki before an electrical-based problem relegated them to a 16th-place finish in round 1 of 2 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.  And there was still one race to go before the weekend was a wrap.

Obviously not being able to rebuild the Weirbach XR in time for the next day's outing, the team was able to work out a deal with Bill Werner and the Werner-Springsteen Kawasaki team to try and practice and qualify one of their Kawasaki mounts alongside second year Expert and the team's main rider, Briar Bauman.

Pearson and Bauman went out in practice together, but unfortunately both struggled and even after master wrench to the stars Werner made some changes to try and help Pearson out (seen above with Weirbach Racing patriarch Richard Weirbach, as former 3-Time AMA Grand National Champion Jay Springsteen looks on), neither Pearson or Bauman were able to qualify for the Springfield Mile II round on September 1, and both teams were left to load-up and head home, with zero points to their credit and hard work for the day.

And within just three race outings, Pearson and the Weirbach team had scored only seven points for their hard work and team/machine hopping, and were in danger of dropping out of the top-10 for the season.

But old masters and true heroic efforts never say die, and the Weirbach team was able to work out the final details with Racing Unlimited, and showed up at the Santa Rosa round (main event rained out, but one point scored by the team along with all of the contenders who made the main, so no points lost) and the season-finale at the Pomona Half-Mile with the Kawasaki that was originally planned for the team in the early part of the season that Shayna Texter had proven was a pretty-stout mount by taking the double win at Springfield back over the holiday weekend.

At Pomona, Pearson was able to pull out a solid 8th-place effort in the National main at the season-finale after a strong 3rd-place finish earlier in the day in his heat. Not too bad a result for the first main event on what was still a new mount for the team and considering the Santa Rosa rain-out for the main.

So after all the ups and downs and beating themselves up (team co-owner Ted Weirbach was beside himself after the Springfield debacle, although by no fault of his own or the team's, things DO happen in racing.) They stuck it out and held their chins up high and put their noses to the grindstone and were able to finish the season ranked as the 10th-place team in the overall standings.

And although those weren't the results they had been shooting for, let alone hoping for, take into account the fact that this team and rider had to make adjustments and changes on five different machines over the course of the last five rounds, one of which (Santa Rosa) that was called due to rain.  And they still persevered and came out with a pretty solid effort overall, which could have been MUCH worse for all of the adversity they faced in those final five rounds.

So the next time you think you are having a rough go of it, at no matter what you may do or be doing, take into account what the little team that could, Weirbach Racing, and rider Rob Pearson had to go through in those final four weeks of the season, traveling all of those miles and to suffer the maladies that they faced, and still managed to regroup and finish the season ranked as the 10th-place rider and team in the Nation, and oh yes, in just their first season together and Weirbach's first full season campaigning the Twins Series in The Rolling Thunder Show, the greatest racing series on two wheels in the world.

And then ask yourself, am I really having that rough of a go of it, or can I overcome the ups and downs just like the little team that could, and did.

Check out Weirbach Racing and Rob Pearson's season wrap-up press release below, and be sure to keep an eye on these guys next season. 

You can bet 'Bugs' and the Weirbach boys will be doing some riding in the off-season in some of the Steve Nace Indoor Series events in DuQuoin and Springfield and you can put money on the fact that they will be back in 2014 and ready to take just about anything on, and probably will, especially after what they pulled off at the end of this great year.  Bravo guys, you've got my vote for facing the big dog down and not backing away!


Press release courtesy of Weirbach Racing, the 2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Pro Singles Champions

Santa Rosa & Pomona year-end summary for Rob Pearson & Weirbach Racing

Ottumwa, Iowa -- October 16, 2013

Santa Rosa Mile

Santa Rosa is a cushion mile that we first went to last year. The track was pretty deep this year and it was my first outing on the Racing Unlimited Kawasaki.

I qualified 7th and the Kawasaki seemed to be working pretty well for its first time on a surface like this.  I got a good start in the heat and had a good shot at making the dash until Matt Weidman got by me and I ended up 3rd.  So I was lined up 8th for the main event and after rain delays for some time we finally got on the track and attempted to start the race.

Rob Pearson on the #27 Weirbach Racing/Racing Unlimited/General Engineering-sponsored Kawasaki EX650-based Twins Series effort is shown in action at the Santa Rosa Mile on September 29. The bike is the same mount that Shayna Texter took to the Basic Twins double win at the Springfield Mile I & II rounds over the Labor Day weekend. Photo courtesy of Weirbach Racing by Tom Hnatiw.



There was so much moisture on the ground and the spray was bad, Sam Halbert fell on the 3rd lap and they decided to cancel the main event.  One point was awarded for everyone in the main event and we were paid out from where we qualified for the main event.

Pomona Half-Mile

Pomona is a 5/8 paperclip style track with similar surface as Santa Rosa.  We struggled a little bit to get the Kawasaki working in qualifying and timed in 13th.  I had the outside starting position and got a good jump off the line in the heat race.  I finished 3rd in the heat to Baker (#12) and Halbert.  I picked the outside of the 2nd row for the main event.

I got off the line good but everyone came up the track in the first corner and forced me way up high. We had made some good improvements to the bike from practice and I finished 8th in the main event.
 
 I finished the season 10th overall in AMA points after missing out on some finishes. Also finished 3rd in both the Twins and Singles class in the All-Star Series Points. We planned on having 2 Kawasaki twins ready for the beginning of the year, but after some set backs I only raced it in the last two races of the season and was forced to use what we had planned as backup bikes through the season.

We are gathering parts to put the second Kawasaki together now and should have it together very soon. Plus we are making some decisions on what we want the next one to be as far as a frame, suspension, motor size. Next year we will have at least two race ready machines and be a threat everywhere on the schedule.

Special thanks to all our sponsors

General Engineering, Mike King/KDM Forest Products, Barnett, Spectro Oil,
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, Racing Unlimited, Needa-website.com, Shorai, Boyesen

27 Rob Pearson/Weirbach Racing

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