Jensen And Denning Dominate At ASMA Season Finale, Jensen Sets Lap Record Arroyo Seco Raceway November 13, 2005 by Andy Ruhl Kneedragers.com rider Robert Jensen and 4&6 racing’s Larry Denning traveled together to Arroyo Seco Raceway for the season finale November 12th and 13th. Both riders were almost unbeatable in their respective classes, if not for Jensen’s misfortune at the start of the Formula Arroyo Unlimited GP race. Denning won the Middleweight Supersport and Superbike races, as well as the Formula Arroyo Unlimited GP, while Jensen won the Heavyweight Supersport and Unlimited Supersport races. Jensen set the lap record in the process, 1:08.70, about half a second faster than Kane Lasky’s record set earlier in the year. The Formula Arroyo Unlimited GP race was red flagged on the first lap due to a crash at the first turn. Jensen was involved in a three bike altercation just seconds after the start of the race. Mike Shreve on his Michelin shod Yamaha R6 nailed the holeshot with Hunter Shingler close behind on his Michelin shod Yamaha R6. Roger Heemsbergen was in 3rd on his Michelin shod Suzuki GSX-R 750. Jensen, on his Michelin shod Suzuki GSX-R 750, got a flyer of a start from the back row and was about to settle into forth place when a collision occurred between Jensen and Heemsbergen at the first turn. It appeared that Jensen ran out of track on the inside of the first turn and took to the dirt, losing traction and colliding with Heemsbergen. Last month’s winner David Siminski on his Pirelli shod ZX-6R was too close to miss the collision and also crashed. Jensen apologized to Heemsbergen, and he and Heemsbergen later agreed the crash was a “racing incident” and the incident ended amicably between the two. Fortunately neither suffered major injury, but both riders were not able to continue the race. Siminski appeared unhurt and was able to make the restart. Unfortunately this was Siminski’s third crash on the weekend. At the restart, Hunter Shingler grabbed the holeshot, this time with Siminski, Shreve and Larry Denning on his Pirelli shod ZX-6R not far behind. Shingler was able to pull out a five second lead on the battle for second place behind him as Denning had difficulty getting around Shreve and Siminski in the opening laps. Denning’s patience paid off once he made his way through traffic. He set off after Shingler when he became clear of Siminski and Shreve, and passed Shingler three laps later. Shingler was just slightly off Denning’s pace, as both pulled away from the battle for third place which now involved Shreve, Siminski and Ivan Garza in his first time out on his new Pirelli shod Kawasaki ZX-6RR. Denning took the win, with Shingler in second and Shreve passing Siminski on the last lap for third. Mike Shreve’s 3rd place finish in the Formula Arroyo Unlimited GP secured his overall ASMA championship for the 2006 season, a title he held in 2003. “Rob (Jensen) and Roger (Heemsbergen) would have made the race a little more interesting, but I’m happy with the way I rode. I decided to take it easy through the 1st turn and fortunately I missed the crash,” Denning said after the race. Heemsbergen and Jensen were likely to have challenged Denning for the win. Denning’s comments clearly describe the very different approaches that he and Jensen had to their races on the day. In the only race they participated in together, the Formula Arroyo Unlimited GP headliner, it was Denning’s more calculated approach which earned him the win. Jensen won his races earlier in the day in a commanding, lead from the first lap style which turned out to be the wrong approach to the Formula Arroyo race where Jensen’s race ended in the first turn. Robert Jensen won both of the races he finished, however. He won the Heavyweight Supersport and Unlimited Supersport races by leading from the first lap. The local riders had no answer for Jensen’s impressive speed as Jensen won his races by almost half a lap. In the Heavyweight Supersport race, where Jensen set the track record on the fifth lap, Ivan Garza grabbed the holeshot but was reeled in by Jensen within two corners. David Siminski finished second on his Advanced Kawasaki sponsored ZX-6R, with Ivan Garza in third on his Edge Kawasaki sponsored ZX-6RR. In the Unlimited Supersport race, it was Jensen, Siminski and BSRacing’s Tom Savoca on his Michelin shod CBR1000RR on the podium. Larry Denning won the Middleweight Supersport and Superbike races. In the Middleweight Supersport race, Denning was patient at the start and ended up in fifth place on the first corner behind Mike Shreve, Hunter Shingler, David Siminski and Ivan Garza. Denning was in third place by the end of the first lap, and in the lead by the end of the third lap. Mike Shreve finished second, with Ivan Garza in third. Mike Shreve grabbed the holeshot of the Middleweight Superbike race but was quickly reeled in by Denning. Denning won, with Shreve in second and and Shingler in third. The Southwest Thunder race was won by BSRacing’s Pat Bushell on his Michelin shod Ducati 999R, almost half a lap ahead of Mike Browne on his Ducati 999. Randy Miller finished third on his Yamaha TZ250. The Unlimited Superbike race was won by Scott Bergen of Vicious Cycle on his Dunlop shod GSX-R1000. He was followed closely the entire race by Ivan Garza on his new Kawasaki ZX-6RR, but Garza eventually faded and finished third. Tom Savoca finished second on his teammate’s Michelin shod Ducati 749R. Arroyo Seco Raceway is near Deming, NM. For more information, visit www.ASMAracing.com or call Roger Heemsbergen at 505-494-4794.