Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
4&6 Racing’s Larry Denning won the Expert GTO 25-minute solo endurance race Friday at Heartland Park Raceway in Topeka, Kansas. Denning, of Springhill, Kansas, came from behind on his Pirelli-shod Yamaha YZF-R1 to catch and pass early leader Eric Wood for the victory. Wood, who rode with broken bones in both feet and ankles, was also passed by Arclight Suzuki’s Scott Harwell, riding a GSX-R600 Superbike on Pirellis to second place. Wood held on to score third on his Barden Bearings/Woodcraft Suzuki GSX-R750. Harwell’s teammate Dave Stanton finished fourth.
Bryan Bemisderfer rode his Harding Harley-Davidson/Buell Firebolt XB9R to beat Suzuki SV650-mounted Ed Key and Derek Keyes in Expert GT Lights.
The Heartland 250K Team Challenge event, and GTO class, was won by Wes Good and Shane Clarke on their Team Good Suzuki GSX-R1000. Second overall and in the GTO class were Calvin Martinez, Dave Ebben and Brent Wyffels on their Mid-Cities Motorsports 1 Suzuki GSX-R750.
Mid-Cities Motorsports 1 holds point leads in both the overall Team Challenge and GTO class Championships.
Hooters Suzuki II’s Tom Bibeau and Michael Himmelsbach teamed up on a GSX-R600 to finish third overall and win in the GTU class.
The GT Lights class was won by Hal’s Mike Ciccotto and Dan Bilansky on a Buell Firebolt XB9R equipped with development chassis parts. Roadracingworld.com Buell (David Swarts/Paul James) finished second on another Firebolt and wrapped up the GT Lights Team Challenge National Championship with two rounds left in the series.
All of the top three finishers completed 45 laps in the red-flag-shortened Team Challenge event, which ran to its 2:30 time limit versus its 74-lap full distance after being stopped short of its midway point for a crash involving Performance Cycle’s Arthur Wagner. Wagner crashed in Heartland Park’s fast and bumpy turn eight left-hand sweeper at the end of the back straightaway.
No witnesses to the crash were found, but seconds after the incident, Wagner was seen lying motionless and on fire a few feet from an unpadded concrete wall. Wagner’s Suzuki GSX-R750 was also on fire, near the wall.
Wagner was airlifted directly to a hospital in Kansas City, about 60 miles away. Early reports stated that Wagner was awake and answering questions when he left the track, but details of his condition were not released by F-USA race officials.
Friday’s CCS Race Results:
Expert GT Lights:
1. Bryan Bemisderfer (Buell 1200)
2. Ed Key (Suz SV650)
3. Derek Keyes (Suz SV650)
4. Brian Lacy (Suz SV650)
5. Greg Avello (Buell 1200)
6. Steve Nemish (Suz 650)
Amateur GT Lights:
1. Tom Short (Suz SV650)
2. Greg Williams (Suz SV650)
3. Shannon Manderfield (Kaw EX500)
Expert GTO:
1. Larry Denning (Yam YZF-R1)
2. Scott Harwell (Suz GSX-R600)
3. Eric Wood (Suz GSX-R750)
4. Dave Stanton (Suz GSX-R600)
5. Brent Wyffels (Suz GSX-R750)
6. Matt Malterer (Suz GSX-R750)
Amateur GTO:
1. Henry Chin (Suz GSX-R1000)
2. Robert Collins (Yam YZF-R1)
3. Rob Dearden
4. Jeff Harris (Apr RSV1000)
5. John Roop (Suz GSX-R600)
6. Finbar Gilsenan (Duc 916)
Expert Thunderbike:
1. Jeff Johnson (Buell 1200)
2. Derek Keyes (Suz SV650)
3. Brian Lacy (Suz SV650)
4. Paul James (Buell XB9R)
5. Jeff Harding (Buell 1200)
6. Steve Nemish (Suz SV650)
Amateur Thunderbike:
1. Tom Short (Suz SV650)
2. Paul Buxton (Suz SV650)
3. Craig Schock (Hon CBR600)
4. Greg Williams (Suz SV650)
Expert Lightweight Sportsman:
1. Matthew Silva (Hon 450)
Amateur Lightweight Sportsman:
1. John Foster (Yam FZR400)
2. Shannon Manderfield (Kaw EX500)
Expert GTU:
1. Jeff Wood (Hon CBR600RR)
2. Larry Denning (Yam YZF-R6)
3. David Stanton (Suz GSX-R600)
4. Nicky Cummings (Hon CBR600RR)
5. Scott Greenwood (Yam YZF-R6)
6. Dave Rosno (Yam YZF-R6)
Amateur GTU:
1. J.J. Zehr (Suz GSX-R600)
2. Kenny Oyen (Hon CBR600)
3. Jason Peterson (Yam YZF-R6)
4. Nic Piekarski (Yam YZF-R6)
5. Josh Lenz (Yam YZF-R6)
6. John Roop (Suz GSX-R600)
Expert Middleweight Sportsman:
1. Hank Taylor (Apr RS250)
2. John Foster (Yam FZR400)
3. Shannon Maderfield (Kaw EX400)
GP Singles:
1. Meghan Stiles (Yam TZ125)
SuperSingles:
1. Matthew Silva (Hon 450)
2. Greg Williams (Hon 500)
Amateur GTU:
1. J.J. Zehr (Suz GSX-R600)
2. Kenny Oyen (Hon CBR600)
3. Jason Peterson (Yam YZF-R6)
4. Nic Piekarski (Yam YZF-R6)
5. Josh Lenz (Yam YZF-R6)
6. John Roop (Suz GSX-R600)
Formula USA Team Challenge:
Overall:
1. Good Racing (Wes Good/Shane Clarke), Suz GSX-R1000, GTO, 45 laps
2. Mid-Cities Motorsports 1 (Calvin Martinez/Dave Ebben/Brent Wyffels), Suz GSX-R750, GTO, 45 laps
3. Hooters Suzuki II (Tom Bibeau/Mike Himmelsbach/Matt Silva), Suz GSX-R600, GTU, 45 laps
4. New England Motorsports (Mark Reynolds/Chad Healy), Apr RSV1000, GTO, 45 laps
5. Mid-Cities Motorsports 2 (Calvin Martinez/Dave Ebben/Brent Wyffels), Suz GSX-R600, GTU, 44 laps
6. Baker Race Gear (Brian Baker/Matt Malterer), Suz GSX-R600, GTU, 43 laps
7. Brute Force Racing (Eric Buckley/Derek Buckley/John Cox), Suz GSX-R1000, GTO, 43 laps
8. Hal’s (Dan Bilansky/Mike Ciccotto), Buell XB9R, GTL, 43 laps
9. Team Celtic Racing (Joseph Rozynski/Des Conboy), Suz GSX-R600, GTU, 42 laps
10. Chitown Hustlers (David Vaughn/Chris Onwiler/Brad Peterson/Kevin Gordon), Yam YZF-R6, GTU, 42 laps
GTO:
1. Good Racing, 45 laps
2. Mid-Cities Motorsports 1, 45 laps
3. New England Motorsports, 45 laps
4. Brute Force Racing, 43 laps
5. Group Therapy (Steve Haesemeyer/Keith Brewer), Hon CBR600, 41 laps
6. Performance Cycle (Arthur Wagner, Jr./Ray Bowman), Suz GSX-R750, 25 laps
GTU:
1. Hooters Suzuki II, 45 laps
2. Mid-Cities Motorsports 2, 44 laps
3. Baker Race Gear, 43 laps
4. Team Celtic Racing, 42 laps
5. Chitown Hustlers, 42 laps
6. Lithium Motorsports (Robert Olivia/Ray Visser/Ryan Sohn), Hon CBR600, 40 laps
GTL:
1. Hal’s, 43 laps
2. Roadracingworld.com Buell (David Swarts/Paul James), Buell XB9R, 28 laps