From a press release issued by Proforma:

BLAKE YOUNG BATTLES AT BLACKHAWK FARMS

With the final AMA Superbike Series event at Virginia International Raceway re-scheduled for October 9-10, Madison, Wisconsin’s Blake Young made good use of the September 18-19 weekend by racing in a CCS event at Blackhawk Farms in nearby South Beloit, Illinois, earning Suzuki Cup contingency and beating top riders along the way. Blake, 16, rode his Young America-sponsored Suzuki GSX-R600 and GSX-R750 against riders on larger displacement bikes in several events.

The weekend started with the 30-minute GTO race on Saturday. Blake ran second to Kawasaki ZX-10R-mounted Shawn Conrad for the majority of the 19-lap race. With three laps to go, Blake’s bike suffered a mechanical problem with the engine that caused him to slow, but he was able to hold onto second place to the finish. In the 30-minute GTU event later that day, Blake had an early battle with Shawn Conrad and Joe Gill before pulling away for the win. Hearing that Blake’s GSX-R750 could not be fixed in time for Sunday, Vesrah Suzuki team owner and racer Mark Junge drove back to his shop and picked up a GSX-R750 that he loaned to the Young America team for Sunday’s sprints. Mark Junge’s mechanic Mark Oatly even helped the Young America team swap the suspension components from Blake’s bike to the loaner bike.

Junge may have regretted his act of kindness the following day. Blake used the borrowed GSX-R750 to battle first Shawn Conrad, then Mark Junge himself in the eight-lap Heavyweight Supersport race. Starting the last lap, Mark passed Blake into turn one, but Blake countered right back and held him off to win by two bikelengths. In the Unlimited Supersport race, Mark Junge used his GSX-R1000 to power past Blake on the 750 and win the event. In the Middleweight Supersport event, Blake used his GSX-R600 to again battle with Shawn Conrad and Joe Gill, with Mark Junge coming through the large pack from a poor grid position to threaten Blake’s lead. Blake held on to win by four bikelengths.

Young America crew chief Rick Bretl would like to send a special thanks to Mark Oatly, Mark Junge and Tom Bretl for all their hard work over the weekend.