From a press release issued by Buell:

BEMISDERFER PILOTS BUELL TO VIR WIN, PADS THUNDERBIKE POINTS LEAD

Bilansky Tied for Second; Defending Champ Estok in Deep Points Hole



DANVILLE, Va. (June 27, 2004) – Harding Harley-Davidson rider Bryan Bemisderfer rode a Buell Firebolt to victory in the Formula USA National Thunderbike event at Virginia International Raceway and increased his series points lead as other contenders for the title failed to mount a challenge to the rider from Greencastle, Pa. After five of eight events on the 2004 Thunderbike series, Bemisderfer enjoys a healthy 39-point lead.

“My team did their job in giving me a good bike and I was really happy with the set up,” said Bemisderfer. “We’ve got a nice points lead, but we’re not going to lay back. We’re going to three new tracks and we want to win ‘em all.”

Tripp Nobles, riding a Buell Firebolt backed by Tilley’s Buell took the pole in qualifying for the 16-lap Thunderbike national, but finished 17th after leaving the race on lap six with a mechanical problem. Bemisderfer qualified fourth aboard his back up bike, while his teammate and defending Thunderbike champion, David Estok, started the race in sixth position but crashed just before the race was red-flagged and later restarted. Estok took the restart from the back of the grid and set the fastest lap of the race as he worked his way forward. He retired from the race on lap seven with a mechanical problem and finished in 16th position.

Bemisderfer battled with Suzuki riders Derek Keys and David Yaakov, with the lead changing hands every lap. Bemisderfer took the lead for good on the last lap while Keys finished second and Yaakov third. Hal’s Performance Advantage Buell rider Dan Bilansky finished sixth, Appleton Buell/Hoban Brothers rider Jeff Johnson was seventh and Josh Guyer of Buell of Bloomington was eighth, all were aboard Buell Firebolts.


Bemisderfer leads the Thunderbike National series with 85 points. Bilansky is tied for second with Suzuki rider Darren Danilowicz at 46 points, while Estok has faded to fifth with 41 points. The next stop on the Formula USA National Thunderbike Series is Aug. 13-15 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala.

The Formula USA National Thunderbike series is a horsepower-to-weight ratio restricted class, open to a variety of production-based motorcycles. Buell-mounted riders competing in the eight-event 2004 Thunderbike series are racing for a share of the $70,500 contingency fund posted by Buell Motorcycle Company and Buell Riders Adventure Group (BRAG).

To learn more about Buell Motorcycles, visit your local Buell dealer today and experience the pure streetfighter attitude, style, and performance only found on board a Buell. For the Buell dealer nearest you, pull into www.buell.com.