Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.
By Beth Wyse
Tray Batey, John Jacobi and Mark Junge rode the Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R1000 to their eighth consecutive WERA National Endurance Series win, in a 6-hour race held Saturday at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in Oklahoma.
Mark Crozier, Jeff Walker and Sam Fleming finished second overall and first in the Mediumweight Superbike class on the Army of Darkness Suzuki GSX-R600, seven laps behind Vesrah at the finish.
Bradley Champion, Nicky Wimbauer and Brian Hanson nursed a slipping clutch to finish third overall and first in the Mediumweight Superstock class on the Team InfoTech/Valter Moto Yamaha YZF-R6.
Shan Ball took the lead at the start of the race on the Under Dog Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 while an intermittent rain fell. Ball was followed by Champion on the InfoTech Yamaha and Batey on the Vesrah Suzuki. Ball led the opening laps before Batey caught up and took the lead.
The rain stopped and the track was nearly dry by the one-hour mark of the race.
The only red flag of the race came out after two hours and 50 minutes of racing when a crash left debris on the track. After 15 minutes, the green flag came out again. Junge took the lead at the restart and continued to gain laps on the rest of the field.
Billy Ethridge and Mark Edwards won in the Heavyweight Superstock class on the Team Xtreme II Yamaha YZF-R1, finishing fifth overall.
David Gallan, Sean Bratt and Don Medina rode the METRO Powersports Racing Suzuki SV650 to the victory in the Lightweight Superbike category, in their first endurance race. They were 14th overall.
RESULTS:
1. Vesrah Suzuki (Mark Junge/Tray Batey/John Jacobi), Heavyweight Superbike, Suz GSX-R1000, 243 laps
2. Army of Darkness (Sam Fleming/Mark Crozier/Jeff Walker), Mediumweight Superbike, Suz GSX-R600, 236 laps
3. Team InfoTech/Valter Moto (Bradley Champion/Nicky Wimbauer/Brian Hanson), Mediumweight Superstock, Yam YZF-R6, 234 laps
4. Team Velocity Racing (Chuck Ivey/Steven Breckenridge/Reuben Frankenfield), Mediumweight Superstock, Suz GSX-R600, 231 laps
5. Team Xtreme II (Billy Ethridge/Mark Edwards), Heavyweight Superstock, Yam YZF-R1, 230 laps
6. Shogun/Team Alaska (Ben Thompson/Logan Young/Mike Sanchez/Marcus McBain/John Orchard), Mediumweight Superstock, Suz GSX-R600
7. Ricochet Racing (Kevin Suffridge/Lee Fields/Greg Moore/David Weber/C.R. Gittere), Mediumweight Superstock, Suz GSX-R600, 228 laps
8. Team Chicago (Dan Schmitt/Steve Karson/Phil Caudill), Mediumweight Superstock, Yam YZF-R6, 227 laps
9. Velocity Crew Racing (Kevin Perkins/Paul Youngman/John Joseph/Larry Goldstein), Mediumweight Superbike, Suz GSX-R600, 226 laps
10. Neighbor of the Beast (Melissa Berkoff/Scott Fisher/Ty Stranger-Thorsen), Mediumweight Superstock, Yam YZF-R6, 226 laps