Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Lee Acree successfully debuted his new race team, Triad Powersports, by taking a CCS GTU race win Friday, June 27 at Virginia International Raceway on a brand new 2003 Yamaha YZF-R6.

“I just tried to get out front as quick as I could,” said the North Carolina rider. “I was able to get by Jeff Wood on his Honda. He hung tight for a number of laps, he and Scott Harwell. Harwell got by him, and Jeff faded off there. I was able to strategically put some traffic between us and get away from Scott and his Superbike a little bit.” Acree won over Harwell, who rode a GSX-R600 Superbike on 16.5-inch Pirelli slicks, with Wood finishing third on a Dunlop-shod Honda CBR600RR.

Acree also finished second in the twice-red-flagged GTO race. “Eric (Wood) was going pretty good on his 750,” said Acree. “I may have been able to keep up with him, but he was going good enough in the twisties and he had the motor on the straightaways. He had a gap before I got clear of everybody, and he rode a good race. He managed his gap and used traffic and had a good lead on me.”

Acree’s performance was all the more impressive considering his new Yamaha, although far from stock, had zero miles on it Friday morning at VIR.

“The bike had five heat cycles on it before I rolled out on it yesterday before my first practice, and I had ten laps on it before my first race on it,” said Acree. “I’ve gotta admit, right off the bat, I’m really impressed with everything. The bike feels pretty strong.

“The way I raced it yesterday was with Sunoco (race) fuel and the original oil. It’s got a Graves pipe, a Dynojet Power Commander and Ohlins suspension. The bike’s really good.

“The laps (times) I was running yesterday were consistently about a second off what I’ve been on a fully prepped bike here. I think the track’s a little down. Everyone seems to be a little off what the pace was last year.”

The 2003 season has seen Acree bounce to and from the Arclight Suzuki Formula USA team, ride once with Corona Extra Suzuki in the AMA National at Road Atlanta, test with Canadian Superbike teams and have discussions with the Ducati Austin AMA Superbike team.

“I had a couple of opportunities that just didn’t work out,” said Acree. “This dealership, Triad Powersports, I had actually talked to them back earlier in the year about putting together my own program with their help. So they went ahead and gave me a bike and sold me another one at a pretty good price.”

Many of Acree’s longtime sponsors and some new ones quickly signed on to support the privateer effort. “Pirelli came back on board pretty good for us, and Graves Motorsports really stepped up and helped us out. Joe Rocket gave me a couple of sets of leathers. Arai is sticking with me. I’ve been with Arai for the last couple of years,” said Acree. “Sidi stepped up big with some product. Vesrah just came on board like the day before I left. Tapeworks did a last-minute decal job for me. Everybody is jumping on board to help out, which is amazing to me, starting mid-season.”

Acree plans to race at select Formula USA and AMA National events for the rest of the 2003 season.

“My target is to get exposure, show everyone I’m capable of doing the job,” said Acree. “I don’t know that I have any critics out there that say I can’t do it, but if you’re not there being seen, you kind of get forgotten…and it’s awful quick to happen. I just want to go out there and show people I’m still capable of it, get some exposure and try to get back in the saddle working for somebody for next year.”

CCS Race Results
Virginia International Raceway
Friday, June 28, 2003

Expert GTO: 1. Eric Wood (Suz GSX-R750); 2. Lee Acree (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Joe Spina (Suz GSX-R750); 4. John McGarity (Suz GSX-R1000); 5. Dave Ebben (Suz GSX-R1000); 6. Joe Ribeiro (Suz GSX-R750).

Amateur GTO: 1. Donny Kelley (Hon CBR600); 2. Geoff Gray (Hon 1000); 3. William Meyers, II (Kaw ZX-7); 4. J. Michael Branson (Suz GSX-R750); 5. David Loikits (Suz GSX-R1000); 6. Andrew Dipinto (Suz GSX-R600).

Expert GTU: 1. Lee Acree (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Scott Harwell (Suz GSX-R600); 3. Jeff Wood (Hon CBR600RR); 4. Scott Greenwood (Suz GSX-R600); 5. Des Conboy (Suz GSX-R600); 6. Eric Wood (Buell 984).

Amateur GTU: 1. Donny Kelley (Hon CBR600); 2. Hector Jimenez (Hon CBR600); 3. William Meyers, II (Kaw 600); 4. Gregory Ludt (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Stephan Reynolds (Hon CBR600); 6. Brian Logan (Yam YZF-R6).

Expert GT Lights: 1. Darren Danilowicz (Suz SV650); 2. Brian Kcraget (Hon RS125); 3. Randy Rega (Suz SV650); 4. Steve Keener (Suz SV650); 5. Brian McClain (Suz SV650); 6. Dan Bilansky (Buell XB9R).

Amateur GT Lights: 1. Pete Moravek (Suz SV650); 2. Bill Davenport (Suz SV650); 3. Marshall Daniel (Suz SV650); 4. Joseph Russo (Apr RS250); 5. Richard Popielarz (Hon RS125); 6. Daniel Riter (Suz SV650).

Expert Thunderbike: 1. Bryan Bemisderfer (Buell XB9R); 2. Darren Danilowicz (Suz SV650); 3. Ray Silika (Suz SV650); 4. Jeff Johnson (Buell X1); 5. Joel Thomas (Suz SV650); 6. David White (Suz SV650).

Amateur Thunderbike: 1. Bill Davenport (Suz SV650); 2. Marshall Daniel (Suz SV650); 3. Pete Moravek; 4. Daniel Riter (Suz SV650); 5. William Baragona (Suz SV650); 6. Steve Vento (Suz SV650).

Expert Lightweight Sportsman: 1. Doug Weaver (Yam FZR400); 2. Kevin Weir (MuZ 686); 3. Michael Tiberio (KTM 625); 4. Rhiannon Lucente (Yam FZR400).

Amateur Lightweight Sportsman: 1. Rob Stewart (Yam FZR400); 2. Joel De La Garza (Yam FZR400).

Formula USA 250K Team Challenge Results:

Overall: 1. New England Motorsports (Mark Reynolds/Chad Healy), Apr RSV1000, 69 laps, GTO; 2. Performance Cycle (Arthur Wagner/Ray Bowman.Michael Wingen), Suz GSX-R750, 68 laps, GTO; 3. Smith Brothers Harley (Jason Lewis/Colin Crichton), Hon CBR600F4, 68 laps, GTU; 4. Mid-Cities Motorsports 2 (Calvin Martinez/Dave Ebben/Brent Wyffels), Suz GSX-R600, 67 laps, GTU; 5. Hooters Northeast (Tom Bibeau/Adam David Dolbec/Michael Himmelsbach), Suz GSX-R600, 67 laps, GTU; 6. Dawgs N Pigs (Steve Keener/Peter Friedman), Suz SV650, 67 laps, GTL; 7. Mid-Cities Motorsports (Calvin Martinez/Dave Ebben/Brian Baker), Suz GSX-R1000, 66 laps, GTO; 8. Roadracingworld.com Buell (David Swarts/Paul James), Buell 984, 63 laps, GTL; 9. Brute Force Racing (Eric Buckley/Derek Buckley/John Cox), Suz GSX-R1000, 63 laps, GTO; 10. Team MD (Josh Wohlstein/Cordell Green), Suz GSX-R600, 62 laps, GTO.

GTO: 1. New England Motorsports; 2. Performance Cycle; 3. Mid-Cities Motorsports; 4. Brute Force Racing; 5. Team MD; 6. TMC (Joshua Lilburn/Hector Jimenez), Suz GSX-R750, 59 laps.

GTU: 1. Smith Brothers Harley; 2. Mid-Cities Motorsports 2; 3. Hooters Northeast; 4. Racerhouse.com (Andrew Nelson), Hon CBR600RR, 61 laps; 5. Team Celtic Racing (Des Conboy/Finbar Gilsmen/Joseph Rozynski/Sam Rozynski), Suz GSX-R600, 60 laps; 6. Zen Racing (Krishna Adrianto Pribadi/Shay Marlin/Dafan Zhang), Suz GSX-R600, 48 laps.

GTL: 1. Dawg N Pigs; 2. Roadracingworld.com Buell; 3. Bad Monkey Racing (Ray Silika/Brian McClain), Suz SV650, 52 laps; 4. JGGS Racing (Patrick Doyle/Gerald Young III), Hon Hawk 650, 47 laps; 5. Naked Boy Racing (Harold Jordan/Pete Butler), Buell 984, 41 laps.

F-USA Team Challenge Point Standings (after 4 of 7 rounds): Overall: 1. Mid-Cities Motorsports, 84 points; 2. New England Motorsports, 76 points; 3. Hooters Northeast, 52 points; 4. Mid-Cities Motorsports 2, 32 points; 5. Racerhouse.com, 21 points; 6. Performance Cycle, 20 points; 7. Brute Force Racing, 18 points; 8. Shaw Racing/Smith Brothers Harley, TIE, 16 points; 10. Performance Cycle, 14 points.

GTO: 1. Mid-Cities Motorsports, 91 points; 2. New England Motorsports, 81 points; 3. Brute Force Racing, 47 points; 4. Performance Cycle, 27 points; 5. Performance Cycle/Baker Race Gear, TIE, 20 points.

GTU: 1. Hooters Northeast, 77 points; 2. Mid-Cities Motorsports 2, 57 points; 3. Racerhouse.com, 43 points; 4. I&E Homes Racing/Smith Brothers Racing, TIE, 25 points; 6. Crowbar Racing, 20 points.

GTL: 1. Roadracingworld.com Buell, 64 points; 2. Naked Boy Racing, 31 points; 3. Bad Monkey Racing, 27 points; 4. Corner Speed Racing/3K9 Racing/Dawgs N Pigs, TIE, 25 points.