Arclight Suzuki’s Scott Harwell and Jeff Wood took two unexpected CCS/Formula USA race wins Friday at Daytona International Speedway.
Riding a Dunlop-shod GSX-R750, Harwell was credited with the win in the red-flag-interrupted GTO race. Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Geoff May led every lap of both parts of the GTO race on his Pirelli-shod 2005-model GSX-R1000, but he pulled into the pits on the final lap.
“I’m just trying to get my new bike dialed in,” said May. “I just wanted to get out front and get some clean laps because the morning practices are ridiculous.”
Rojo Racing’s Jason Perez, 20, then appeared to finish first on his Dunlop-equipped Yamaha YZF-R1, but in the provisional results distributed to the media late Friday afternoon, Perez was listed as fifth.
Harwell, who was third on the track at the flag, immediately in front of his teammate Wood, was credited with the win on the provisional GTO results.
Later, Harwell and Wood teamed up to win the Team Challenge endurance race (which it originally planned to use as a long test session) on Harwell’s GSX-R750. Wood led most of the race on his GSX-R750 while Harwell ran second on the track. On lap 12 of the scheduled-for-56-laps event, Wood pitted to make changes to his bike, handing the lead to Harwell just before a red flag stopped the race.
After a long clean-up delay and with sunlight fading, the field was gridded for a three-lap sprint to the finish. Harwell resumed his lead from the re-start to the final lap, when he came onto pit lane to hand off to teammate Wood, who got on the bike (fulfilling the rule-mandated rider change under green-flag conditions) and rode the last 1000 feet of the race to take the checkered flag and win on pit lane. Arclight Suzuki was also credited with the GTO class win.
“We didn’t even plan to stay out there,” Harwell told Roadracingworld.com. “We didn’t even think about it until the red flag break when we were leading.”
Second place went to two-time defending Team Challenge Champions Yochum Motorsports’ Shawn Conrad and Kevin Gordon on a Michelin-fitted Suzuki GSX-R750. Unlike Arclight Suzuki, Yochum Motorsports intend to campaign the entire F-USA Team Challenge series.
Third overall and first in the GTU class was Dan Ortega and James Ptak on the Kingpin Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.
Rightsforbikers.com’s C.J. Czaia, John Linder, Bob Fisher and Ben Matheson were the provisional winners of the GT Lights class on a Suzuki SV650.
Winner of the Solo class (which does not require a rider change during the race but also does not get ranked in the overall results) was 2004 Isle of Man Formula One TT winner John McGuinness, who rode his Aim Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R British Superbike.
McGuinness, a two-time winner of the AMA 250cc Grand Prix race at Daytona, plans to enter the AMA Superbike race March 12 and is using the entire trip to Daytona as preparation for his 2005 British Superbike season.
There were 60 entries among the four classes of the Team Challenge race.
Other provisional Expert sprint race winners Friday were:
Aaron Gobert, who won the red-flag shortened GTU race on his factory Yamaha YZF-R6 Supersport bike over Wood and Harwell; Dan Bilansky, who won the 25-minute GT Lights event on his Hal’s Performance Buell Thunderbike; Jerry Wood, who rode a Ducati Supermono to a Ultra Light Superbike victory; Dave Estok, who rode a Harding Buell to win in CCS Thunderbike; Richard Croly, Jr., who piloted a Hooters Suzuki GSX-R750 to a narrow victory in Formula 40; David White, who rode a Ducati 1000 Supersport to win Lightweight Formula 40; and 16-year-old Ryan Clay, who was the only entry in the Infinity 125cc GP.
Friday’s official race results will not be available until Saturday, March 5.
More, from a press release issued by Daytona International Speedway:
NASCAR Employee Turning Heads As Motorcycle Racer
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., (March 4, 2005) — During the work week, Nicole Hoffman focuses on four-wheel racing machines as part of her job at NASCAR, where she serves as Manager in the Brand and Consumer Marketing department.
But on weekends, the 30-year-old Port Orange resident focuses on two-wheel racing machines when she competes in the Championship Cup Series events, including this weekend’s races at historic Daytona International Speedway.
“I’m the lone office in our department that has motorcycle stuff everywhere,” Hoffman said. “Of course, everyone has NASCAR photos and favorite drivers. I’ve have a couple of those but I’m the bike person in the office. I’ve got huge posters of some of my favorite riders. I think I have converted a few people and definitely generated some interest.”
A few of Hoffman’s NASCAR co-workers will visit her pits during this weekend’s events. Hoffman, who competed in Friday’s Ultra Lightweight Superbike event and is scheduled to compete in Lightweight Supersport on Saturday, also has the interest of NASCAR President Mike Helton and International Speedway Corporation CEO and NASCAR Vice Chairman and Executive Vice President Jim France.
“I get so much support from all my friends at NASCAR, especially from Jim France and Mike Helton,” said Hoffman, who carries both France and Helton’s names on her motorcycles as token of her appreciation. “They’ve been so supportive. Jim and Mike, any advice or help that I need, they’ve been there.”
This year, Hoffman, who races along with her husband Jeff, is making the move to the expert division. She won the national championship in the amateur ranks of the Ultra Lightweight Superbike last year and says she’s ready for the next challenge.
“It was the right time,” said Hoffman, who is entering her third year of racing. “I had no hesitation. I knew that I kind of spent my time in the amateur ranks and felt that I needed to get with faster riders to get me to the next level. I felt like I hit a plateau and my lap times did too. I think I need that extra push from other people in my class to get me faster.”
Hoffman understands there’s going to be a learning curve in the expert division.
“My goal is to get a top 10 finish in my races,” Hoffman said. “There’s lot of great racers out there. It’s going to be tough. This year, my goal is to learn from a lot of the faster racers out there. I do still have a lot to learn on the track. Being an amateur was a great experience but once you move up you’re with faster riders. There’s definitely a lot to learn.”
Another part of the learning process for Hoffman this weekend at “The World Center of Racing” is figuring out the twists and turns of the newly configured 2.95-mile road course.
“I love the new configuration,” Hoffman said. “It’s tricky. It’s technical in the infield which I love. I’m a very technical racer and love tight turns.”
Team Challenge: Arclight Racing’s Scott Harwell and Eric Wood unofficially won the red-flag shortened Formula USA Team Challenge final on their Suzuki. In an ingenious strategy Harwell rode the entire race and pulled in on the checkered flag lap to hand off the bike to teammate Jeff Wood, who rode the bike 1000 feet to take the checkered flag from pit road.
“I checked with the race director and said it was legit,” Harwell said of the team’s unorthodox strategy. “I grew up in NASCAR country, and those teams always come up with some unique strategy.”
Brit John McGuiness, a two-time Daytona 250 Grand Prix winner took second overall riding the Solo Division. Third went to defending Formula USA Team Challenge champs Yochum Motorsports out of Germantown, Wis. Yochum’s Shawn Conrad smiled when told of the way Arclight won the race.
“That was pretty clever,” he admitted. “We’re in the series for the long haul and those guys are only racing Daytona so it really doesn’t hurt us in the big picture.”
Tickets to any of the motorcycle races at Daytona International Speedway are available online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.
Friday’s Results
Expert GT Lights 1. Dan Bilansky, Delafield, Wisc., Buell 2. Robert Fisher, Sarasota, Fla., Suzuki 3. David Yaakov, Rockville, Md., Suzuki
Amateur GT Lights 1. Justin Hunter, Palm Harbor, Fla., Suzuki 2. Darla Martinella, Daytona Beach, Fla., Buell 3. Brad Faas, Odenton, Md., Suzuki
Expert GTO 1. Scott Harwell, Lincolnton, N.C., Suzuki 2. Eric Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Suzuki 3. Jeff Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Suzuki
Amateur GTO 1. Gene Paul, Gilchrist, Columbus, Ohio, Suzuki 2. Charles E. Walsh, Winston-Salem, N.C., Kawasaki 3. Luis Rodriguez Soto, Rio Grande, PR., Suzuki
Akrapovic GTU Amateur 1. Brian McCormick, Co Waterford, Ireland, Yamaha 2. Gustavo Laya, Miami, Fla., Honda 3. Krishna Adrianto Pribadi, Pittsburgh, Pa., Honda
Akrapovic GTU Expert 1. Aaron Gobert, Marietta, Ga., Yamaha 2. Jeff Wood, Mansfield, Mass., Suzuki 3. Scott Harwell, Lincolnton, N.C., Suzuki
Expert Ultra Light Superbike 1. Jerry Wood, Prospect, Mass., Ducati 2. Duane Francis, Pompano Beach, Fla., Triumph 3. Nicole Hoffman, Port Orange, Fla., Aprila
Infinity 125 GP 1. Ryan Clay, Lula, Ga., Aprila
Amateur Ultra Light Superbike 1. Craig Townsend, Wendell, Mass.,Ducati 2. Daniel Denison, San Jose, Calif., Honda 3. Anthony Martorelli, Orlando, Fla., Kawasaki