August 2010 - CMRA

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The Inside Line

August 2010 Issue 7

Moto Ace overall.....again!

Photo by Linz Leard !

C M R A • P O B o x 1 0 1 1 7 7 • F o r t W o r t h , T e x a s 7 6 1 8 5 • 8 1 7 - 5 7 0 - 9 7 7 9!

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2010 CMRA Schedule February 19-21!!

Friday: LSTD Track Day/CMRA License School

Texas World Speedway! College Station, Texas !

Saturday: Mini Sprints/4 hr Big Bike End /2hr Mini End

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March 12-14!

Sunday: Big Bike Sprints

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PO Box 101177 Fort Worth, TX 76185-1177 Office Phone: 817-570-9779 FAX: 1-888-334-0166


Eagles Canyon Raceway! Decatur, Texas! !

Saturday: Mini Sprints / 6 hr Big Bike Endurance

April 9-11!


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Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association


Texas World Speedway! College Station, Texas!

Saturday: Mini Sprints /6 hr Big Bike Endurance

April 30-May 2! !


Eagles Canyon Raceway! Decatur, Texas! !

Saturday: 12 hr Mini End. (TMGP C/o Event)

May 28-30!

Friday: CMRA Racer Practice / CMRA License School


BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Christopher Corder - [email protected] Vice President: John Orchard - [email protected] Barry Nichols - [email protected] Norm McDonald - [email protected] Ronnie Hay - [email protected]

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Hallett Racing Circuit ! (CCW direction)! ! Hallett, Oklahoma!!

Sunday: Big Bike and Mini Sprints

Saturday: Mini Sprints / 4 hr Big Bike End/ 3 hr Mini End Sunday: Big Bike Sprints!

Steve McNamara - [email protected] Ty Howard - [email protected] Administrator/ Club Secretary - Nancy Selleck [email protected] Director of Competition - Walter Walker [email protected]

July 9-11!

Chief Corner Working Marshall - Barry Nichols

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Friday: LSTD Track Day / CMRA License School

MotorSport Ranch! (CCW direction)! ! Cresson, Texas

Saturday: Mini Sprints / 6 hr Big Bike Endurance

[email protected]


Awards Official - Roxana Nichols [email protected]

August 6-8!

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Electronic Scoring - Kim Walker Friday: CMRA Racer Practice / CMRA License School

Hallett Racing Circuit.! (CCW direction)! ! Hallett, Oklahoma

Saturday: Mini Sprints/5 hr Big Bike End / 2hr Mini End

[email protected]


Track Chaplain - Tony Ta -

August 27-29! !


Eagles Canyon Raceway! Decatur, Texas ! !

Saturday: Mini Sprints / 5 hr Big Bike End/ 2 hr Mini End

[email protected] Rider School Instructor - Gabe McClendon Sunday: Big Bike Sprints

[email protected] Newsletter Journalist - Linz Leard [email protected]

September 24-26!


MotorSport Ranch! (CW direction)! ! Cresson, Texas

Saturday: Mini Sprints / 4 hr Big Bike End / 3 hr Mini End

October 29-31! !


Texas World Speedway! College Station, Texas!

Saturday: Mini Sprints / 5 hr Big Bike Endurance / 2 Hr Mini

Photographer / Newsletter Creation - Barry Nichols



w w w. c m r a r a c i n g . c o m 2

Club Business Board of Directors Election by Christopher Corder, CMRA President In the coming weeks, the membership of the CMRA will be electing new board members for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. There are three positions that are open with the end of term arriving for Barry Nichols, Steve McNamara, and Norm McDonald. The BOD will also bring forward some proposed updates to the By-Laws. They were last updated in May 2006 and some general housekeeping is in order. Any CMRA member can review the current CMRA By-Laws via the Announcements Section of the CMRA Message Board. I would like to encourage EVERY member of the CMRA to take part in the board election. Take a few minutes to talk to all the candidates, make sure you know each of them, and certainly take the time to vote. The board election is your major voice as a member of the CMRA. Historically, “voter turnout” on CMRA board elections has been very weak. Let’s don’t let that be the case this year. You care about the direction of the CMRA. You have the ability to influence that direction. Please do so. ANY member in good standing can vote.

Breaking News: The 2010 Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix, held August 27 to 29, in conjunction with the USGPRU, will feature the REV’IT sponsored Moriwaki MD250H Powered by Honda class, an exhibition class designed to showcase young up-and-coming talent in front of an international audience. The race will include several regular and occasional CMRA racers competing in it. Please extend good luck wishes to Garrett Gerloff, Grayson Gerloff, Jake Lewis, Kaleb DeKeyrel, Austin Medrano and Brandon Altmeyer. Twist that throttle, guys! The Red Bull Rookies Cup tryouts will be held in Spain in early September. CMRA racers, Kaleb DeKeyrel and Conner Blevins were talented enough to get an invitation from Red Bull to attend the tryouts. Way to go, guys! CMRA fast guy Dustin Dominguez competed at the VIR round of the AMA races on August 14 and 15, taking home a 3rd place finish on Saturday in the AMA Pro SuperSport race. A good run on Sunday was thwarted by a crash and, ultimately, a 23rd place finish. Save the Date Correction. Banquet tickets will go on sale at MSR , but that date is September 25-26 instead of August 28-29 as advertised by the Save the Date coupon.

Endurance Schedule Change The 6 Hour Big Bike Endurance at TWS in October has been changed to a 5 Hour endurance race. This has allowed the addition of a 2 Hour Mini Endurance to be run at that event

2011-12 Board of Directors Election Nominees The following is the current list of nominees for the upcoming Board of Directors Election: Dirk Anderson - Accepted Dan Blankenship - Accepted Allan Campbell - Accepted Danny Clark - Accepted Dewayne Davis - Accepted Danny Dominguez – Undecided Scott Vivion – Undecided

Tim Johnson - Undecided Lindsey Leard - Declined Norm McDonald - Accepted Mitch McGinnis - Accepted Steve McNamara - Accepted Barry Nichols - Declined

Eric Falt - Accepted Jeff Phillips - Accepted Bill Syfan - Accepted Tony Ta - Accepted Harry Tomlinson - Accepted Melissa Tomlinson - Declined

The deadline for accepting or declining the nomination is August 25th. Campaign information from each nominee will be included in the next newsletter which will be available immediately following the September race at Motorsport Ranch. 3

Thoughts and Prayers CMRA Tech Official, Steve Burzynski, was diagnosed with throat cancer earlier this summer and is currently undergoing treatment. The doctors have told Steve that the prognosis for a full recovery is very good. In the meantime, please keep Steve in your thoughts and prayers.

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Race Report

by Linz Leard

Dominguez Cranks Up the Heat in Hallett but Howard Lowers the Lap Record The Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association (CMRA) returned to Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in Hallett, Oklahoma August 8th and 9th, marking the seventh event of the of the ten event 2010 race season. Riders were greeted with mostly clear skies and blistering temperatures. Officially it was 100 degrees F on Saturday and 102 degrees F on Sunday, which pushed the heat index into the 110 degree F range. This made it not only hot in the shade, but especially hot in leathers and a helmet and on the track. Over the course of the weekend, several riders suffered from various degrees of heat prostration, though none seriously. Still, as brutally hot as the weekend was, it still drew 466 total entries, with 414 Mini and Big Bike sprint entries, 25 Mini endurance teams, and 27 Big Bike endurance teams mutually deciding that the oppressive heat was worth gridding up in. August in Oklahoma shows no mercy to either thermometers or leather-clad racers, but at the end of the weekend, it was unanimous amongst the racers and fans that the only thing hotter than the temperatures at the track was the action on the track, and no one was hotter than Dustin Dominguez. Dominguez had nearly the perfect weekend, entering 11 events and winning 10 of them. Dominguez’s wins on Saturday came in the RentMyNinja.com E Superstock race, and the 5-hour Big Bike endurance race, where he co-rode to an overall victory. His team suffered tire problems in the Mini 2-hour endurance race, and ultimately played a deciding role in

denying Dominguez and his teammates a chance at the top of the box in that race. Saturday’s action kicked off with the Mini sprint races, with the combined Jon Broom/Zac Chapman Road to Recovery / Road & Track Suspension Formula 4 race and OnRoad OffRoad Suspension Formula 6 race gridding up first. In Formula 4, after a couple of laps where it was crowded at the front, Marcus Beedle on his Honda RS85 began to open up a gap over the Ninja 250Rs of Austin Gore, Ryan Max Johnson, Hunter Morgan and Sam Carey. As the laps wound down, Beedle would create a gap over Gore, who had created a bit of a gap over Johnson. At the stripe, Beedle had right at 5 seconds over Gore and more than 7 seconds Dominguez claims E Superstock. over Johnson. Photo by Linz Leard Meanwhile,

Roger Albert on his Honda XR100 was cruising to a win over the Honda NSF100s of Jay Newton and Wyatt Sperry. Several of the same riders gridded up for the combined OnRoadOffRoad Suspension Formula 5 and Formula 7 race, with Marcus Beedle having another good run to claim the win, this time on his Honda RS65. After a poor start, Roger Albert had worked his way up to second place, but then suffered fuel related issues with his Honda CRF150 in the last lap to relinquish the runner-up spot to hard riding Taylor Meyers on a Kawasaki KLX160. Jay Newton rounded out the podium on his Honda NSF100. In the Formula 5 race it was Wyatt Sperry on his Honda NSF100 that climbed the top of the rostrum, running away with the win over second place Jonas Valentine on his Honda NSR50.

Marcus Beedle (591) captures the F4 /

Many of the same competitors from the Formula 4 race were back to do battle against each other in the RentMyNinja.com Superstock E race. When the green flag flew, it was clear that the battle would be for second spot as Dustin Dominguez checked out. After building a lead, Dominguez put his Jeff Hughes

F5 victories. Photo by Linz Leard. 5

owned Ninja 250R on cruise mode, but still romped to win and was more than 14 seconds up on runner-up Ryan Max Johnson. Johnson, unlike Dominguez, had his hands full with Austin Medrano, a youngster from Mustang, Oklahoma, making just his second visit to a CMRA event this year. After Medrano made his way to the front of the pack, the pair were, at times, practically on the same bike, and at the finish line it was Johnson who took the second spot over Medrano by less than a wheel, a difference of just 0.159 seconds. As the Mini sprint bikes headed to the cold pits and the Mini endurance bikes took their place on the hot pits to prepare for the 2-hour Road & Track Suspension Mini endurance race, the temperature was now certifiably hot and humid. Dustin Dominguez, though, fresh off his win in Superstock E, hadn’t even broken a sweat, though, and he started for his team, Rheen Racing Too (Aaron Gore, Jeff Hughes, Dustin Dominguez, Clayton Schutz, Michael Schutz). Dominguez and his Ninja 250R quickly moved to the point and it looked like he was going to be the rabbit that others chased, but other teams had other plans. Scarey Racing (Sam Carey, Chris Carey, Brent Wood), also on a Ninja 250R kept Dominguez within arm’s reach, and, just a few laps into the race, moved onto his tail. The two teams then started to battle for the lead of the race just a few minutes into it as if it was the end of the race for the win. Evenly matched, the two teams were never separated by more than a bike’s length or two, and traded the lead for several laps. Meanwhile Team Gleam (Marcus Beedle, Connor Blevins, Bryan West), riding a Honda RS85 with Marcus Beedle aboard, moved up to make it a three-way battle for the lead. Shortly thereafter Rheen Racing Too started a backwards slide, and after the first hour, Team Gleam had worked their way to the front, some 13 seconds in front Scarey Racing and almost a minute up on Rheen Racing Too.

Scarey Racing scares up second place in the 2-Hour Mini Endurance. Photo by Linz Leard.

Top Dog picks up the top spot in F5 Mini Endurance. Photo by Linz Leard.

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During the second hour, Connor Blevins took over the Team Gleam bike and continued a solid pace at the front of the field. Scarey Racing had begun to slide back a little on the leaders, but still maintained the second spot. Rheen Racing Too no longer appeared to be a threat, falling behind the front runners by a couple laps, and it was now revealed that the team had some tire issues. The battle for third spot was now being waged between eurtoast! (Zeb Harris, James Erwin, Alan Phillips, Tim Barnes, Chase Barnes) and Howlie Boyz (Dean Thimjon, Jason Swan, Kurt Stock, John Orchard), with eurtoast! leading the way. The race would end with Team Gleam taking the overall win by almost a full a lap over Scarey Racing, and eurtoast! putting in a solid ride to take the third spot. Further back in the field, in 15th overall, Top Dog Racing (Challen Te n n a n t , Ta y l o r Myers, Landry Songer, Blake Cochran) took their Kawasaki KLX160 to a win in the Formula 5 class, while KSDS (Pat Brown, Richard Eads, Chris Reed, Shane McNabb) on a Honda NSR50 took the win in the Formula 6 class and Underground Minis (Dustin Sperry, Wyatt Sperry, Jay Newton, Ryan Warren) came out the victors in the Formula 7 class. When the 5-hour Big Bike endurance race kicked off in the early afternoon, the temperature was close to triple digits. Dicki McFarland’s Moto Ace team (Derek Wagnon, Jeremy Kidd, Joe Prussiano, Dustin Dominguez, Dustin Meador), riding a Suzuki GSXR1000 and gridded on the pole, looked to be the early favorites. When the starter threw the green flag, Moto Ace,

with Dustin Dominguez aboard, scorched the track with a holeshot and moved quickly to the front. Dominguez laid down a pace no other team could match, but several, including the Suzuki GSX-R1000 of Mini Haters (William Shupak, Marv Esterly, Jack Vigneau, Pete Martins), the Yamaha YZF-R6 of Village Idiots (John Orchard, Chris Headly, Chad Tieszen, Brandon Cleland), the Suzuki GSX-R1000 of D2 Cycles (Dean Thimjon, Kurt Stock,

Jason Swan, Jim Swan) and the Yamaha YZF-R6 of STII (Kenny Smith and Chris Fields) stayed in the shadow of Moto Ace and kept them honest. About 20 minutes into the first hour, though, Mini Haters fell, bringing out the red flag. Marv Esterly, who was piloting the Mini Haters’ GSX-R at the time of the crash, was a bit sore after hitting the ground, but largely unhurt. Mini Haters would spend some time after the restart repairing their bike in the pits, but the restart caused Moto Ace’s significant lead to evaporate. It didn’t seem to matter much, though, as the restart of the race was a replay of the race’s original start: Moto Ace pulled the holeshot once again and rocketed into the lead, and this time the

race would have no more interruptions. Still, early on after the restart, Moto Ace found itself pressured by Village Idiots, but as the race progressed, Moto Ace’s lead increased and Village Idiots found themselves trying to preserve the second overall spot from a solid challenge from STII, who were having a nice run just two laps back from the Idiots. But the running order was shuffled once again in the third hour when Kenny Smith lost control of the STII Yamaha after hitting a bump coming onto the front straight and tossed the STII entry in spectacular fashion. The bike tumbled into the flagman’s tower and then settled onto the tire wall. Appearing at first to be a really bad crash, the incident turned out to be far less serious. Smith was completely unhurt and no one in the flagman’s stand was injured. STII’s R6, though, was less fortunate and suffered quite a few bent and broken parts, forcing the team to retire for the day. (The flagman’s tower suffered some bumps and bruises as well, but soldiered on anyway.) By this point, Village Idiots had firmly established themselves in the second spot, albeit several laps behind Moto Ace, and Lone Star Track Days (Andy Galindo, Garet Tomlinson, Mark Niemi, Chris Romeo, Harry Tomlinson) had worked their way into the third spot on their Kawasaki ZX-6R, helped in part by the early exit of STII. From this point, the race would end with little drama. Moto Ace would capture not only the overall win, but first in Superbike A. Village Idiots would take second overall and first in Superbike C, with Lone Star Track Days taking the last spot on the rostrum and second in

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class, Superbike C. Mini Haters would rebound from their first hour crash to take second place in Superbike A over D2 Cycles on a Suzuki GSX-R1000, third in class after a strong performance. K&S Racing (Kevin Mahoney, Steve Nance, Kevin Greer), riding a Honda CBR600RR, would finish 8th overall and capture third place in Superbike C. Other winners in the 5-hour Big Bike endurance race were Faltless Racing (Eric Falt, Robert Bradlaw, Clayton Schutz, Kyle Martin, Bill Erzal) on a Suzuki SV650, taking the class win in Sonic Springs Formula 2 by 4 laps over the SV650s of Team Kamikaze LSTD (Ulug Bayramoglu, Frank Shacklee, Ronnie Hay, Darrell “DJ” Ricks) and Sonic Springs Racing (Richard Desmond, Aaron Gore, David Branyon, Pavan Dendi, Connor Blevins), who had a close battle with Team Kamikaze, finishing behind them but on the same lap. Group Therapy (Ron Mears, Steve Haesemeyer, Bill Syfan, Chris Carey) on a Honda CBR600F2 would bring home the win in the Classic class over the ailing Kawasaki ZX-7R of Double D Express (Daniel Dominguez, Les Banta, Dewayne Davis, Darnell Dorsey). But if Saturday was good for Dustin Dominguez, Sunday was even better, as he won every race he entered, although it wasn’t always easy. As usual, Dominguez, who races both a Kawasaki ZX-6R and Suzuki SV650 in Big Bike sprints, came under pressure from Darrell “DJ” Ricks in the SV650 classes, including the first race of the day, the combined Unlimited Motard/Exel Transportation Formula 2 Expert/Road & Track Suspension Formula 2 Novice race where, despite Ricks turning the fastest lap of the race, Dominguez’s strong start and defensive riding allowed him to maintain the lead and cross the stripe first, a mere 0.120 seconds in front of Ricks. James Camacho Jr. took third spot. In Unlimited Motard, it was Ted Phillips cruising to victory on his Aprilia SVX550 over Chris Randle on a borrowed Honda CRF450 and Bruce Crone on a Yamaha YZ250F. Meanwhile Jordan Scott on an SV650 won an exciting battle for

Ryan explains the finer details of Red Flag cleanup to the Hallett crew.

Meanwhile in the pits..... Photo by Linz Leard

the top spot in the Road & Track Formula 2 Novice race, beating Hayden Schultz’s SV650 to the line by an eye blink while Isachar Perez bagged third place.

Second overall and 1st in SBCE, the Idiots were definitely on the move. Photo by Linz Leard

In the next race, Dominguez, this time on his Kawasaki ZX-6R, experienced similar pressure, only this time it was at the hands of 14-year old Jake Lewis in the LMSTrackdays.com – Superstock B Expert race. The humble and likeable Princeton, Kentucky native was doing his first event with the CMRA since 2009, and his first on his Honda CBR600RR. Although he was gridded on the back row of his races, Lewis wasted no time getting through the field and making a run at Dominguez, who had the luxury of being gridded on the pole in this race. Dominguez took the win, but Lewis, never far out his shadow, recorded the fastest lap of the

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race, a 1.17.178, on lap five. Brandon Cleland and his Yamaha YZF-R6 had a very strong performance, beating Danny Kelsey for the last spot on the rostrum.

Steptoe, who started from the pole spot on the front row, soon found himself being shadowed by Bareille, but managed to keep the French-born rider behind him, winning by a margin of 0.451 seconds. Further back in third T h e L o n e S t a r Tr a c k D a y s – spot was Ralph Wheelbarger, also Superstock B Novice race proved to riding a YZF-R6. be a close one, as the first four riders crossed the finish line within one The RaceworX – Superstock A Expert second of each other, with Travis and Road & Track Suspension – Goodman on a Suzuki GSX-R 750 Superstock A Novice race was taking the top spot over Toni Bui’s dominated by the KTM RC8 of Ty Team Kamikaze LSTD (10) leads eventual GSX-R750 and Chaun Goins’ Yamaha Howard, who won by more than 12 seconds. The race for second was F2E 1st place winner Faltless Racing (8). YZF-R6. exciting, however, with William In the combined Super Motard / Guthrie’s Suzuki GSX-R1000 finishing Clubman race, Lindsey Leard, on a less than a bike length - a slim 0.132 borrowed AF1 SVX450, pulled the seconds - in front of Danny Kelsey’s holeshot but faded after the first lap. A GSX-R750. Meanwhile, in Superstock battle to the finish line between Ryan A Novice, it was John Keene on his A m b r o s e ’s v e r y q u i c k Tr i u m p h Kawasaki ZX-6R taking his first win of Bonneville 650 and Alan Phillips’ the weekend over Toni Bui’s GSXYamaha YZ450F motard soon erupted, R750 and Eddie Thornton’s YZF-R6. however, and even though Phillips bagged the quickest lap of the race, he The Lightweight Twins Expert / Classic lost out to Ambrose by 0.290 of a Unlimited / Ridesmart – Lightweight second after eight laps. Ambrose, Twins Novice race gridded up next however, was racing for the Clubman and, like earlier in the day, pitted win while Phillips was racing for the Dustin Dominguez and Darrell “DJ” Group Therapy (84) shows Double D Super Motard win. Meanwhile in Super R i c k s o n S V 6 5 0 s i n s l u g f e s t . Express (14) the fast way to a win in CE. Motard, Leard was all alone in second Dominguez and Ricks ran away from place, some 12 seconds in front of the field in a fight for the win in Chris Randle’s Honda in third. In Lightweight Twins Expert, and while Clubman, Marcus Beedle’s Honda Ricks turned the quickest lap of the R S 8 5 w a s n o m a t c h f o r R y a n race on the last lap, a 1:21.068 to Ambrose’s Triumph, but was quick D o m i n g u e z ’ s 1 : 2 1 . 1 0 8 , i t w a s enough to capture the runner-up Dominguez who won the race by 0.856 position in Clubman over the Honda seconds. Eric Falt, also on an SV650, Hawk of William Kitchens. took the third spot in the race. Meanwhile, in Classic Unlimited, the The South Central Race Center – father and son team of Rick and Superstock C Expert race was virtual Cameron Kirk had a massive battle for repeat of the earlier Superstock B the win. Cameron Kirk and his Honda Expert race. Dustin Dominguez, CBR600F3 held off his father’s Suzuki starting from the pole spot, beat out a GSX-R600, crossing the finish line by hard riding Jake Lewis, who was a thin 0.128 seconds. Bill Erzal and his gridded on the 8th row, to the line by a classic ex-Nicky Hayden GSX-R600, comfortable 3.389 seconds. Brandon finished third. While all this was going Cleland took the third spot once again, on, in the Formula 2 Novice race it was some two seconds behind Lewis. Hayden Schultz and Jordan Scott doing battle again as they did earlier in The Moto Liberty – Superstock C the day. This time, however, it was ODB’s (51) and Lone Star Track Days Novice race saw a duel between Schultz who got the measure of Scott (3) fight for the same piece of pavement. Derek Steptoe on a Yamaha YZF-R6 by 0.140 seconds. Bill Adams watched and Thierry Bareille’s YZF-R6. the action in front of him from the third

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spot, finishing 1.313 seconds behind the other two SV650 riders. The “Killer Cs” – Nemo Cockrell, Alonzo Contreras and Blake Cochran – lined up in the Rookie Expert class. Cockrell, who won the AMA Roadrace Top Novice at the Road Race Grand Championships at Mid-Ohio last month and then promptly asked to be bumped to Expert class, had one of the more exciting rides of the day in the race. Starting from the fourth row, the Yamaha YZF-R6 rider slowly and methodically moved towards the front of the field, picking off one rider per lap until the seventh lap when he made a move on Suzuki GSX-R600 mounted Alonzo Contreras. Contreras tried but was unable to get back by Cockrell, and Cockrell would win his first Expert race by just 0.189 seconds. Blake Cochran brought his GSX-R600 home in third place. Dustin Dominguez and Darrell “DJ” Ricks lined up beside each other again in the Superbike D Expert race, and Dominguez continued his domination on the day, this winning by a relatively large margin – 2.468 seconds – over Ricks. Ricks didn’t roll over, however, and continued the pattern of turning the quickest lap of the pair on lap seven. Cameron Kirk rode his CBR600F3 to a third place finish. Meanwhile in Road & Track Suspension Superbike D Novice, Hayden Schultz and Jordan Scott mounted their SV650s and tangled with each other again. This time Schultz had an easier time of it, winning with several seconds to spare over Scott. Jim Whitten’s SV650 claimed the last rostrum spot. In the Heavyweight Twins Expert / Road & Track Suspension Heavyweight Twins Novice race, Ronnie

Hay used his Ducati 1098 to claim the win over Craig Montgomery’s Triumph Daytona 675 and Ted Phillips’ Aprilia RSV4 in the Expert ranks while Brad Feltes rode his Ducati 1198S to victory over the Triumph Daytona 675 of Isachar Perez and the Ducati 848 of Carl Price. Ty Howard and his thundering KTM RC8 showed up for the Formula 1 Expert / Formula 1 Novice race with his game face on. Howard continued his unbeaten streak in the class at Hallett, but perhaps more notably, he lowered his own lap record for the circuit in the counter-clockwise direction. The previous record, set by Howard back in May, was a 1:15.398, but while being pressured by Derek Wagon’s Suzuki GSX-R750, Ty hammered out a 1:15.370 on lap number two. By this time of the day, the heat was almost unbearable, and no one was really expecting a new lap record, but Howard made it look easy. Wagnon claimed the second spot over Hallett specialist Brian Cox’s Honda CBR1000RR, who finished third. Formula 1 Novice was won by Eddie Thornton on his Yamaha YZFR6 John Keene’s ZX-6R and Toni Bui’s GSX-R750. The GMAN Productions 125 Grand Prix / Superstock D Expert / OnRoad OffRoad Cycles – Superstock D Novice featured good battles in all the classes. Former Red Bull Rookies Cup competitor and Mustang, Oklahoma resident, Austin Medrano, an occasional CMRA racer, and James Camacho, Jr., a CMRA regular, duked it out in 125 Grand Prix, literally and figuratively. Camacho initially took the point after the start of the race, but Medrano caught up quickly. The pair, both on Honda RS125s, then traded the lead and swapped paint in several corners for the rest of the race. On the last lap Camacho, Jr. held the lead going into the Bus Stop and looked like he might keep Medrano at bay, but Medrano made a gutsy move in the last corner. The two riders were stuck in the draft, but it

Cochran (385) and Contreras (523) leapfrog in the

Wagnon (111) hole-shots a talented F1 group early, but

Rookie Expert race while Cockrell plans his move.

Howard (35) takes the win on way to new lap record. 10

was Medrano who was able to fend off Camacho, Jr. by a razor thin 0.185 seconds to take the win. Hunter Morgan on another RS125 finished in third place. While the two youngsters were banging on each other at the front of the pack, Dustin Dominguez and Darrell “DJ” Ricks were fighting for the win in the Superstock D Expert race. Both riders rode the wheels off of their SV650s, and traded turns at the front of the class. There was never much daylight between the two, but on the fifth lap, when Dominguez backed it into the Bus Stop with a little too much zest, he allowed Ricks underneath and Ricks squirted by. It looked like Ricks might have the advantage, but Dominguez was able to find a way around Ricks a lap later. At the end of the eight lap race, it was, once again, Dominguez who took the win over Ricks by a whisker – 0.143 seconds – and was Ricks, once again, who had logged the quickest lap time of the pair on lap 6. In the Superstock D Novice race, it was Hayden Schultz and Jordan Scott on their SV650s squaring off again, with Schultz taking the win over Scott for the second time on the day. Scott Eichhorn put his SV650 on the box in third place. In the AVTEQ – Superbike A Expert / Superbike A Novice race, Ty Howard rode his orange KTM RC8 to victory over early leader Derek Wagnon’s GSX-R750 and Danny Kelsey and his GSX-R750. Eddie Thornton scored another win on his YZF-R6 over the YZF-R6 of Thierry Bareille and the third place GSXR750 of Travis Goodman.

Camacho (623) and Morgan (900) dice for the early lead in 125GP.

While it was veteran Eric Falt on his SV650 who led much of Formula 40 Lightweight, it was another veteran, Rick Kirk and his GSX-R600 that proved to be toying with the Garland, Texas, rider. Kirk came by on lap six and put himself in cruise mode for the win over Falt. Bill Erzal and his GSX-R600 claimed another third place finish. Meanwhile Jim Whitten was using his SV650 to dominate the SV650s of Scott Eichhorn and David Canzoneri in Formula 40 Lightweight Novice. Brian Cox used his Honda CBR1000RR – and his superior track experience – to beat John Orchard and his Yamaha YZF-R6 in Formula 40 Heavyweight. Cecil Keeling brought his Suzuki GSX-R1000 home in third spot. Contender Dewayne Davis was in the thick of things at the front of the pack early on, but crashed out unhurt in The Bitch. In Formula 40 Heavyweight Novice, Toni Bui and his GSX-R750 continued to look impressive, and won over the Honda CBR1000RR of Mitch McGuiness and the Yamaha YZF-R1 of Guillermo Gonzales.

Travis Goodman (126) rails his way to a 1st in B Superstock Novice ahead of 3rd place Chaun Goins (370)

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In what was easily one of the most thrilling races of the day, the Island Racing Services – Superbike C Expert race, Dustin Dominguez and Jake Lewis would meet again. Lewis and his CBR600RR ran down Dominguez and his ZX-6R early on and then raced virtually side by side with him for much of the race. At times the two riders were wheel to wheel and bar to bar, but the racing was always clean. Lewis could never find a way around Dominguez, however, and at the end of the eight lap race, it was Dominguez who won out over Lewis by the mere 0.100 of a second. Lewis said after the race, “I was faster than Dustin in a few spots, but he knows how to protect a lead. He can get real wide. In the Bus Stop, he would back it in and I would back it in and we’d be right next to each other. We almost touched wheels one lap. It was fun.” Brandon Cleland and his YZF-R6 claimed yet another third place finish. Eddie Thornton and his YZF-R6 won again in the Ridesmart – Superbike C race, this time in convincing fashion over Thierry Bareille and his YZF-R6. Chris Hamilton climbed the rostrum for the first time on the weekend, using his GSX-R600 to capture third place.

Wagnon (111) maintains an early lead in A Superbike Expert over winner Howard (35). Third spot Kelsey (34) in tow.

The hot race weekend would close out with race #19, SASuperbike.com – Superbike B Expert / Superbike B Novice. At the start of the race, the grid would have several spots open, with some riders falling victim to the heat and not being able to make the start. Before gridding up, Dustin Dominguez sat on his bike under the momentary shade of a tree, and said, half-jokingly, “I’d like to petition to have this race shortened to four laps. I’m tired.” Yet as tired as he was, Dominguez was able to ride his ZX-6R to a solid win over the GSX-R750s of Derek Wagnon and Danny Kelsey. Toni Bui’s would grab yet another win in the Superbike B Novice class, using his GSX-R750 to win by a little over a second over GSX-R750 mounted Travis Goodman and GSX-R600 mounted Adrian Marquez. With the results posted and official, tired and heatdrained racers and their families filed out of the Hallett Motor Racing Circuit gate. One racer was heard to say, “ECR is only three weeks away on the schedule. I don’t know if we (racers) can recover from THIS weekend to make THAT weekend! And even if we do recover, how can the racing get any hotter? This weekend was on fire in several ways!” Hot, indeed.

Sometimes the best racing isn’t at the front. Phillips (6) and Hay (88) put on quite a show in the A Superstock race.

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Racing Action By Barry Nichols

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Racer’s Rides by Linz Leard

AF1 Racing’s Aprilia RSV4 Factory Years ago, when I was just a teenager, I discovered that I had an affinity towards Europeans, especially Italians. Italians seemed to me then, as they do now, exotic, lusty, sexy, a little high-strung, slightly high maintenance and, of course, a bit uncommon on this side of the globe. My attraction to Italians hasn’t changed much over the years; I am still drawn to them now as I was then. But before we go any further, I must clarify that I am, uh, of course, talking about motorcycles here. You knew that, right? When I see an Italian motorcycle, my eyes instantly start to wander a bit. I can’t help it. Such was the case when I first noticed the Aprilia RSV4 that showed up in the AF1 Racing livery at Eagles Canyon Raceway in March of this year. The RSV4 is definitely sexy and exotic and, because she’s the only one at the racetrack within the CMRA, she’s certainly uncommon. I simply had to get to know her better, so after admiring her from afar for a few races, I mustered up the courage to wander into the AF1 pits, and stare at her up close. Among all the other things I thought of Italians, the RSV4 was definitely lusty, as well, so I simply had to ask some questions about her. Aprilia RSV4s come in two flavors: the R model and the Factory model. This particular bike is the fairly rare RSV4 Factory, a 2010 model. Owned by AF1 Racing, one of the nation’s top Aprilia dealerships based in New Braunfels, Texas, this RSV4 is campaigned in several CMRA sprint classes by both Ted Phillips and Jon Francis, two AF1 employees. AF1 acquired the RSV4 in March of this year from Aprilia at a significant discount as part of a race machine development program. The bike made its race debut with the

CMRA shortly afterwards. The RSV4 is a liquid cooled 4-cylinder 4-stroke displacing 999cc. The engine configuration is a V4, which is quite unique these days as most other liter bikes are inline fours or V-twins. One of the benefits of a V4 is that it allows the bike to be narrow and maintain a low center of gravity, two things that are especially helpful when determining handling manners of a motorcycle. As European companies tend to be, Aprilia are passionate about racing; the company races what it sells. If you pay any attention to World Superbike racing, and you should, you know that Max Biaggi is dominating the series on an RSV4, and the development to put Biaggi’s bike into the winner’s circle didn’t come solely from factory testing, regional development is paramount, too; this bike was designed to be a racer from the ground up. Phillips states, “Aprilia is one of the smaller niche brands, so it’s important to get it out there in local racing to promote the brand, and promote AF1 Racing. We do everything in house start to finish - from the setup and tuning, to the (hopefully) podium finishes, to the race reports and marketing. Our 1st Person perspective gives us a unique insight compared to other dealers, the more we learn about the bike the better we can support our customers.” After a short pause, Phillips adds, “Not to mention the bike is bananas to ride!” Phillips calls 2010 “a developmental year” on the RSV4, one that AF1 Racing is employing to learn the bike more fully and better understand how to make the best use of all things performance available for it. Phillips calls the motor “SuperStock legal”, but that’s just a modest term for “bone stock”. Except for a custom fuel injection map built by Jon Francis, and a traction control map that both Phillips and Francis have tinkered with, the engine in the RSV4 has never been apart. “The bikes haven’t been out long and no one has had any reason to open up an engine yet”, says Phillips. But just because the engine is stock doesn’t mean it’s not a worthy and lethal track weapon. Phillips says the RSV4 makes about 144 horsepower on AF1’s Factory Pro eddy current dyno (which equates to about 166 rear wheel horsepower on a Dynojet dyno), which is just a few ponies shy of the 150 true horsepower recorded by a Suzuki GSX-R 1000 that belongs to a front-running racer within the CMRA on their same dyno. But while the internals of the engine are stock, there is no shortage of trick bits on this motorcycle everywhere else. From the factory the bike comes with magnesium case covers and oil pan, variable velocity stacks, huge Brembo

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monobloc calipers, and a ramp-style slipper clutch, so there’s little need for improvement in these areas. The RSV4 Factory is also graced with adjustable chassis geometry, a very trick feature. Further track preparations by AF1 Racing include Catalyst bodywork, full titanium Leo Vince exhaust system, Bazzaz fuel control module with quickshifter and traction control, unlocked Aprilia race map, Rizoma rearsets, OZ forged wheels, CRG adjustable levers, Ferodo XRAC brake pads and custom exhaust bypass block off plates. The suspension on the Factory RSV4 is top-shelf Ohlins stuff, so only the usual tweaking and set-up is needed to get the suspenders working nicely. Phillips debunked my “all Italians are a little highstrung” belief as mostly a myth, saying that working on the bike is no more difficult than any Japanese bike. “We just do oil changes every other race weekend and plan on a valve adjustment every season.” He adds, “The Bazzaz box couldn’t be simpler to use for updating fueling, traction control or the quickshifter. Ride by wire provides three mapping options and lets the ECU determine the best throttle blade position for any throttle/RPM combination.” Phillips also says that after spending a little time working on the bike, one quickly realizes how well thought out and engineered the V4 is. He says, “unlike previous Aprilia models, oil changes only take about ten minutes with a wet sump system and a spin on filter, and unlike other competing V configurations the valve adjusters are the shim-under-bucket type and can be adjusted in the frame”. If necessary, the entire power plant (engine, throttle bodies, airbox, ECU) drops straight down out of the frame with minimal effort. So it’s clear that the bike is designed, engineered and bred to race, but what is it like to ride it? Well, Phillips says it’s fast and handles well. It doesn’t feel like an inline four or a V-twin. It is small and narrow, like a 600 class motorcycle, and it’s also lightweight, tipping the scales at somewhere around 395 pounds, thus the RSV4 has all the ingredients to be great on the racetrack. But the thing Phillips says he most enjoys about riding the bike is the sound that emanates from the engine. He describes the motor noise as a “deep guttural growl”, not like the howling of the typical inline four cylinder engine. Phillips says, “It sounds pissed off at 8,000 RPM, full on furious at 10,000 RPM, and surpasses nuclear rage on its way to 14,000 RPM. Imagine the sound your significant other would make if you told her you were cheating on her. It’s exactly like that, except good.” Yep. That sounds to me like the typical – and perfect – Italian! Ted Phillips and Jon Francis can be usually be found contesting the RaceworX - Superstock A, Formula 1, and AVTEQ – Superbike A classes on CMRA race weekends. 18

Who’s Under The Helmet? Rick & Cameron Kirk by Linz Leard Second, third and even fourth h a d m a n y f a t h e r / s o n r a c i n g generation roadracers are not an partnerships over the years. Dads uncommon thing. In fact, racing and their kids could just as well be families often seem to be the rule out playing stick and ball games rather than the exception to it. For together, but they somehow choose e x a m p l e , a t t h e W o r l d to don a helmet and leathers and Championship level, Valentino climb on motorcycle to see how fast Rossi’s father, Graziano, raced the they can get around a race track. Grand Prix circuit from 1978 until 1982, current World Superbike racer Such is the case of Richard “Rick” Leon Haslam’s father, Ron, had a Kirk, expert #820, and his son, long Grand Prix career lasting from Cameron Kirk, expert #821, who are 1977 until he retired in 1993, and the father and son racers from Pryor, legendary Roberts family needs no Oklahoma. Rick has a history with introduction – Kenny Roberts, Sr. the CMRA and Cameron is quickly raced and won everything in the making one, so I wanted to take a 1970s and early 1980s and his sons few minutes to learn a little bit more went on to win championships in about these guys. Of course, in both AMA and in the Grand Prix. addition to a few “normal” questions related to roadracing, I also asked Of course roadracing families at the Rick and Cameron some random, club level are even more prominent off-the-wall questions in an effort to than they are at the upper echelons get to know Who’s Under the of roadracing, and the CMRA has Helmet?

Inside Line: What do you do in real life, Rick? Rick Kirk: Well, for about the last 10 years I have been driving a truck. IL: You've been around roadracing a long time, a true fast guy from back in the day. Tell us a little about when and how you first got into roadracing way back when. RK: I started out in the dirt like a lot of other guys. I had some injuries and started looking for something else to go have fun at. I had an old Honda Nighthawk that I was riding on the street, and I heard about a track day/riders school thing at Hallett, so I went. (I rode my bike to and from the track!) I had a ball and I was hooked.

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IL: As you know, there are some old IL: You kind of left roadracing in the huge antennas for big places such as school racers still dragging their knees mid-1990s. If you weren’t racing, what ESPN. in the CMRA, some guys you were the heck were you doing? racing with back in the day. So how

IL: You were an off-road racer before

about sharing a story or two about RK: I retired from racing in 1998. I felt getting into roadracing. Woods racing, some of the guys you had the most fun like it was time to devote more time to enduros, hare scrambles, that kind of racing with back then? Do you have my family and get a real job. I just wish thing, correct? When did you first get any particular CRRC/CMRA races that I would have stayed a little more your first motorcycle and when did you you recall being especially memorable?

involved in the sport but its fun to be first start racing? back and having a little fun again.

RK: Let’s see if I can remember that far

CK: Yes, I started out doing motocross

back! Well, it seems like every race IL: I hadn’t seen you in a while when I when I was about 6. I got my first bike back then was a battle: Britt Turkington bumped into you at Hallett in the when I was 4. It was a Yamaha PW50 at Oak Hill and Hallett, trading paint at summer of 2009. Cameron was a and yes, it had purple wheels and a Hallett with Dewayne Davis, Marvin yellow-shirt provisional novice taking purple seat! Haha! But that’s what got West and Alfred Bernard, but probably new rider’s school on a Suzuki motard me started rippin’ around the yard, and the most memorable was around 1997 at the time. How did you guys decide to eventually going pro when I was 16, at TWS. John Ulrich and the Suzuki come out and get Cameron on the racing 450s in motocross and cross team came for a WERA National. I had roadrace track?

country.

a good battle with Tray Batey, and I came out on top on an ultra fast Robert RK: Cameron kind of followed the same IL: Everyone that goes roadracing has Blevins Kawasaki ZX7, got the track path that I did, racing motocross, cross some kind of goal or aspiration. Many record, and another cool part was I country etc. He got banged up a little, a that do this just want to have fun, while t h i n k J o e P r u s s i a n o w o n 7 5 0 few broken bones, so last year I finally others want to move up and go pro SuperSport and Chris Rankin won the talked him into giving roadracing a try racing, contesting for championships at 600 SuperSport. It was a great and, to me, he seems like he is really the national level or beyond. What weekend for the CMRA guys.

progressing nicely.

about you, Cameron? What would you like to do in the sport?

IL: You did some AMA racing in the IL: Okay, Cameron, your turn. What do early 1990s, right? Tell us a little about you do in real life?

CK: My goal is to just be successful at

that experience.

being a good racer and have a great Cameron Kirk: Well I have done a lot time doing it. I will try my best and push

RK: It was awesome! I won a few of different things over the last few as hard as I can to make it to the top nationals had a couple of factory rides years just trying this and that, looking level of the sport, but my dad has with Suzuki and Honda. I got to go to for something I enjoy doing for a career. always told me just do your best and Japan a couple of times, and I also got And I still haven’t found it, so for now have fun. That’s the most important to run the Match Races in England.

I’m working on the road for my friend’s thing. dad’s company building and repairing

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IL: Compared to dirt bikes and off-road IL: Okay, question for the both of you. a one-on-one flogging, uh, I mean racing, what part of roadracing do you What’s the coolest part about lining up instruction, from Kenny Roberts riding enjoy the most? What’s the least on the grid next to each other?

clapped out Honda XR100s and

enjoyable part of roadracing by

whatever else he might have laying

comparison?

RK: I think its something that not a lot around at his ranch. Which one would of parents get to do. You know, bang you choose?

CK: Roadracing is fun because it is just bars with your kid at 100 mph! But a different kind of racing than I have really it’s very rewarding to me RK: That’s a no brainer for an old ever done before. I grew up on a dirt personally to see him do so well.

guy. Come on! Wouldn’t you want to

bike and that’s all I knew. I had never

ride with a guy who can dirt track a

really even been on a street bike until a CK: It is definitely cool to line up with Yamaha V-Max? little over a year ago when I threw my your dad at the races and then, leg over the old 1997 Honda F3 at better yet, have to ride as hard as I can CK: One thing I have figured out about Hallett. It took some getting used to but to outrun him! Being able to turn 1:22s riding any bike and being able to go fast it’s just like anything else once I figured at Hallett on classic bikes, for example, on it is having control and having it on it out. Then it was all about going faster bangin’ off of each other in the turns, any terrain. Two days with Kenny railin’ and winning races and that’s what I did. well, it doesn’t get much better than XR100s at his ranch? Sign me up! And now here I am part way through that! my first full season as a

IL: Here’s the last random question. If

roadracer running up front with the IL: Obviously you guys travel together you could magically drop a second per experts. The least enjoyable thing to the races. Who does the lion’s share lap by simply switching to a pair of about roadracing versus off road bikes of the driving?

boots, one day-glo orange and the

is not getting to just hop on the bike and

other day-glo pink, would you do it?

take off through the field and ride

CK: Well, since dad is a truck driver, whenever you want like I could on a when he gets home the last thing he RK: Well, of course, but I think dirt bike. Dewayne Davis tried it in the early wants to do is get behind the wheel, so I do as much of the driving as I can. 1990s and it didn’t work. IL: Does your dad offer any coaching or

TWS is a pretty long haul for us so it racing advice, or does he kind of let you takes my dad, my grandpa and me to CK: Well, heck yeah I would! Isn’t that learn things on your own? how Dominguez is so fast? Haha! pull that one off on Saturday evening CK: My dad has been an awesome

after work to make it.

coach for me! He has pretty much IL: Okay, hypothetical question time for taught me all of it. He showed me body the both of you! You both have an position, the right lines, and a few opportunity to get two hours of one-onsecrets here and there from back in the

one coaching from Jorge Lorenzo riding day. Haha! But after that it was up to his Yamaha M1 MotoGP bike at Laguna me to throw the knee down and go fast. Seca, or spend two whole days getting

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Through the Linz Photos by Linz Leard

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JOIN THE CMRA TODAY!!! Two levels of membership are available: ASSOCIATE MEMBER $70.00 (January 1st, 2010 to December 31st, 2010) $40.00 (July 12th, 2010 to December 31st, 2010) Allows volunteer participation as a race official along with a host of benefits, subscription to The Inside Line (the CMRA's newsletter), access to members-only Message Board on the CMRA website, voting rights and racer discounts at local motorcycle shops.

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