Pihokken Takes Controversial CCS Win Over Martinez At Moroso

Pihokken Takes Controversial CCS Win Over Martinez At Moroso

© 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

CCS Florida Region
Moroso Motorsports Park
West Palm Beach, Florida
July 25, 2004

By Lisa Theobald

In a dramatic end to the day, Jim Pihokken won the Unlimited Grand Prix race by a bikelength over Marco Martinez. Martinez was the last rider to make the grid and almost missed the start of the race due to suspected suspension problems. But, Pihokken was on the gas from the drop of the green flag and nailed the holeshot, making it into turn one ahead of Ed Lis, Greg Melka, and Anthony Cabrera. Martinez was almost left behind on the grid and started back in 10th place. Pihokken used his Prieto Racing-sponsored GSX-R1000 to immediately open a gap on the rest of the field as he pulled away with the lead position. Behind him was the battle for second place as the GSX-R750 machine of Lis was being chased down by Melka and Cabrera. Martinez had maneuvered into fifth place by the end of the first lap. Cabrera also moved ahead and initiated a two-rider battle for second place with Lis. The drama started to unfold just after the halfway flags came out. Cabrera highsided and recovered his way through the turn three chicane and fell back to fifth place. Martinez was up to third, and gaining. With each lap he moved closer and closer to Pihokken, who was now 20 bikelengths ahead of Lis.

Martinez passed Lis in the middle of the fourth lap after pulling alongside him down the back straight and outpowering him to turn seven. When the white flag came out, he was a mere 10 bikelengths behind Pihokken, who had previously looked uncatchable. But, Martinez was on a mission. He closed the gap as they worked their way through turn two, but fell behind Pihokken at the entrance to the first chicane. With only a five-bikelength gap separating the top two riders, Martinez had his sights set on the top box of the podium. He pulled alongside Pihokken headed down the back straight, but couldn’t gain the advantage. Pihokken was on the gas and running for the checkered flag. It was an all out neck-to-neck run for the finish line which resulted in Pihokken running off track on the inside of the front chicane in a controversial move just before the checkered flag. Pihokken crossed the line a mere bikelength ahead of Martinez, whose amazing run from the back of the field to second place was fast enough to unofficially break his previously set track record by one second. Race officials had clocked Pihokken in the high 1:35’s, but did not record lap times on Martinez. Martinez reported that his onboard lap timer recorded a record breaking pace of 1:34.3, which is a full second faster than the standing record. And, although it’s not official, CCS Officials agreed with Martinez that he ran faster than the track record, which he had set last year.

During the post-race podium interviews, Henry DeGouw did state that cornerworkers had reported Pihokken running off the track on the inside of the front chicane. Corner cutting in the chicanes was one of the issues addressed during the rider’s meeting earlier in the day. For this infraction, racers would either perform a stop-and-go penalty or be docked a lap for cutting the corner and gaining distance. But, in this circumstance, Pihokken ran off in front of the cone (rather than behind it) while in the lead and thus, was not considered to have committed an infraction of the rules. Pihokken stated that he “never would have run off there.” He had crashed earlier in the day, during the Middleweight Superbike race and injured his shoulder. Because of his injuries, he couldn’t push the bike through the transitions in the chicanes. “They’re really killing me. And, that last one there, where I went through the grass, I went in real hot. I tried to make it and I just couldn’t push. I had no strength in my right arm to push to make the counter steering through there. I really didn’t think I was going to make the race. I had no strength in my right arm. I put some ice on it, took some Advil and I was able to do it a little off the pace.”

Pihokken also won the GTU and Middleweight Supersport races. He finished second in GTO, and third in Heavyweight Supersport. And, although he didn’t win the biggest race of the day, Martinez again won the most, taking home six first place trophies and Suzuki contingency money to boot. Martinez won the GTO, Unlimited Supersport, Heavyweight Supersport, Middleweight Superbike, Heavyweight Superbike, and Middleweight Grand Prix races. He finished third in the GTU and Middleweight Supersport races.

Lis won the Formula 40 event and finished second in Unlimited Supersport, Heavyweight Supersport, and Heavyweight Superbike races. He also finished third in the GTO race.

Steve Servis tied Pihokken as the second biggest winner of the day. He won three out of four of his classes on the Mills Ventures/Prieto Racing sponsored SV650 owned by Michael Mills. Mills had been dominating in the lightweight classes all year, but recent business and family influences have moved him from motorcycle to car racing. Although he will no longer suit up to race, Mills will continue to support the club throughout this season with his sponsorship of Servis and will remain a trackside fixture at the CCS Florida events. Servis won the GT Lights, Lightweight Grand Prix, and Lightweight Superbike races. He finished third in Lightweight Supersport.

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