By Shan Moore

The Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association kicked off its 2006 campaign with round one of its 10-round series at Oak Hill Raceway near Henderson, Texas, this past weekend. Despite temperatures that dipped into the lower 20s, 520 sprint entries and 29 mini endurance teams braved the cold to compete in the opening round.

Action got underway on Saturday with the first round of the Shogun Motorsports Mini Endurance Series, which pays a $500 purse. The 4-hour race was won by Team K&N. The Honda RS85-mounted team also topped the Formula 4 division. Mini Backmarker Racing claimed the overall runner up spot and second in the Formula 4 class on a Yamaha TZ85, while GMAN Racing 2 finished third overall and third in Formula 4 on a Honda RS85.

Excel Racing (KTM 65) finished fifth overall and topped the Formula 5 division, while Team JP (Derbi 50) took top honors in the Formula 6 division with a 10th overall finish. Thunderdonk Racing (YSR XR100) claimed the win in the Formula 7 class with an 11th overall finish.

In Saturday’s Mini Sprint races, Ryan O’Donnell ran away with the Formula 4 class win, topping second place finisher Robert Nickell by eight seconds, and Richard Desmond claimed the Formula 6 win over Conner Blevins.

In the Formula 5 race, Derek Wagnon finished 17 seconds ahead of Richard Eads to take the win, and Rob Rundell beat Jason Keene to the flag to win the Formula 7 class.

The Empower Your Future Junior Motard race was won by Randall Falt, with Brandon Altmeyer, Esteban Sanchez and Ethan Waller rounding out the top four.

During Sunday’s Sprint-race action, defending CMRA number one plate holder, Ty Howard, claimed the Island Racing Fast Lap of the Weekend Award, which pays $150 to the rider with the fastest transponder-timed lap. Howard turned a 1:25.345 en route to his win in the Komodo Racing C Superstock Expert race class, which pays a $250 purse. Howard, riding an Adrenalix-sponsored Kawasaki 636, also took wins in the Racing Performance Services B Superstock Expert race, which pays a $150 purse; the Pace American Trailers Formula 1 race, which pays a $1000 purse; Sum of all Parts A Superstock Expert race, which pays a $150 purse; and the Motorcycles Unlimited C Superbike Expert race, which pays a $150 purse.

The Roadracingworld.com Formula 2 Expert race, which pays a $150 purse to the top five finishers in the Formula 2 Expert class, was won by Zac Chapman, riding a Suzuki SV650, with Chris Romeo and Steven Sinclair rounding out the podium. Ryan O’Donnell finished fourth in the Formula 2 Expert class, followed by Ken Moffitt, Derek Wagnon and Jesse Davis.

Other sponsored-class winners included Clayton Schutz, who won the Action Kawasaki of Mesquite Clubman race, which pays a $100 purse; Danny Kelsey, who won the Moto Liberty C Superstock Novice race; Randall Kienast, who won the RaceworX A Superbike Expert race, which pays a $150 purse; Dustin Dominguez, who won the South Central Race Center D Superbike Expert, which pays a $150 purse; Brian Driver, who won the WINN Racing Formula 1 Novice race; Ryan O’Donnell, who won the Northwest Honda 125 GP, which pays a $150 purse; and Eric Falt, who won the Avteq Formula 40 Lightweight Expert class, which pays a $150 purse.

The CMRA returns to action with round two of the series at Motorsport Ranch, near Cresson, Texas, on March 24-26.