Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Greg Moore, Mark Junge and Brian Kcraget started the 27th annual WERA Grand National Finals with wins in Thursday’s winner-take-all Sportsman series National Championship runoffs at Road Atlanta.

Moore, a finalist in the Team Hammer Talent Search presented by Alpinestars, riding a Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki GSX-R750 on Michelin tires, grabbed the holeshot in the B Superstock race and pulled out an early lead over the large field. On lap two, veteran Vesrah Suzuki rider Tray Batey pulled clear of the pack in second but could not catch Moore.

Moore won by three seconds over Batey. “It’s wonderful,” said Moore, when asked about starting his weekend with Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki with a win. “This is exactly what I came here for – to get results for them and knowledge for me.” Freewebtown.com’s Brian Stokes, who started on row nine, finished third.

Stokes started from row 11 of the C Superstock grid and moved into second place, 2.4 seconds behind leader Mark Junge, by lap three. Vesrah Suzuki’s Junge rode flawlessly, but Stokes was able to work his way up to Junge by the last lap. Stokes was set up to pass Junge under braking at the end of the back straightaway, but a waving yellow flag in the corner squashed Stokes’ plans. Junge then protected the line coming down the hill and through turn 12 to secure his race win and National Championship. Stokes was a close second, while Rueben Frankenfield finished a solid third in the strong field.

NESBA.com/Speedwerks’ Kcraget defended his WERA 125cc GP Sportsman National Championship with a runaway win over young gun Ryan Andrews and Glen Pison. Kcraget then came back to dominate the Formula Two race on Mark Johnson’s Honda RS250.

In the final round of the points-paying WERA National Vintage series, David Roper won both the 250cc GP and 350cc GP races on his 250cc Aermacchi CRTT, Dale Burroughs won the V6 and V7 Heavyweight races on his 1986 Suzuki GSX-R1100 and Harold Page, Jr. won the V5 race on a Yamaha FZ750 and the V4 race on a 585cc Yamaha.

The WERA Grand National Finals continue with more Sportsman series sprints and the final round of the National Endurance Series Friday; more Sportsman series finals, final rounds of the National Challenge sprint series and qualifying heats for the 18th annual Suzuki Cup Finals Saturday; and more National Challenge sprint finals and the Suzuki Cup Finals on Sunday.