Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Penguin Racing School’s Jerry, Eric and Jeff Wood combined to take six CCS regional race wins Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida.

Father Jerry, age 55, won the Lightweight GP on his Yamaha TZ250 and finished third in the Heavyweight Sportsman sprint, after crashing his Ducati 944 out of the lead on the second lap and remounting.

Jeff tasted victory three times on his Suzuki GSX-R600; winning in GTU, Middleweight Supersport and Middleweight Superbike. His brother Eric won the first race of the day, GTO, and the last race of the day, Unlimited Grand Prix, on his Dunlop-slick-shod Suzuki GSX-R750 Formula USA Unlimited Superbike.

In the red-flag-interrupted GTO race, Eric Wood went from third to first when defending CCS Florida Regional Champion Marco Martinez crashed his Suzuki GSX-R1000 on lap two and second-place rider Rick Narup took evasive action to avoid Martinez. From there, Eric Wood managed to hold off Michael Barnes to take the win.

Riding Per Hogdahl’s Honda NSR500V Grand Prix bike to second place, Barnes suffered Carpal Tunnel Syndrome symptoms in the GTO race and chose to sit out the rest of the day.

In the Unlimited Grand Prix, Eric Wood again came from behind to take the race lead from Martinez on lap two of six, turned a 1:27.40 on lap three (the fastest lap of the weekend) and pulled away to win by four seconds.

“We come down here every year. It’s a great winter break,” said Eric Wood. “This is the first time I’ve been completely healthy at the end of the year, and my bike was working great – I hardly had to touch it all weekend. So it was a lot of fun and not a lot of work, and that’s what this weekend is all about.

“Our family winning a bunch of races is good. It helps enforce all of the things we teach at the school.”

Somewhat overshadowed by the Wood family’s performance, Lucky Racing’s Darren Luck took race wins in Heavyweight Superbike and Unlimited Supersport, earned several other podium finishes and wrapped up eight CCS Florida regional class Championships, winning the 2002 CCS Florida Regional Champion. Based on his number of Championships, Luck is the winningest rider in CCS Florida region history, according to CCS Florida race boss Henry Degouw.

“Not bad for a first-year Expert, huh?” said Luck. “I couldn’t have done it without the help from sponsors like Cheetah Bodywork and Pirelli tires.” Luck said he planned to contest the Formula USA Sportbike and Unlimited Superbike classes, as well as chase local contingency money, in 2003.

Another new Expert, Alex Ferreira, won three races in his Expert racing debut on his 2wf.com-sponsored Suzuki SV650. Ferreira won in GT Lights and Lightweight Superbike and took a second in Lightweight Supersport to Erick Maillard.

Ferreira won several Amateur CCS National Championships at the CCS Race of Champions in October.

2000 Irish 600cc Champion Declan Swanton fought to finish third in GTU on a borrowed Kawasaki ZX-6R after the clutch started slipping on the second lap of the race. Swanton then borrowed a Yamaha YZF-R6 in the middle of Sunday afternoon’s race program and won the Middleweight GP race on the unfamiliar machine.

Swanton came over for the CCS races at Homestead with hopes of getting his name out in the American road racing scene and landing an AMA Supersport or Superstock ride for 2003. Swanton, age 23, finished third in the 2001 British Junior Superstock Championship and raced in the 2002 European Superstock Championship for EMS Racing on a Suzuki GSX-R1000 before breaking his back early in the season.

CCS Unlimited Grand Prix Results:

1. Eric Wood, Suzuki GSX-R750, 6 laps
2. Marco Martinez, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -4.1 seconds
3. Darren Luck, Suzuki GSX-R750
4. Rick Narup, Suzuki GSX-R750
5. John Dalton, Suzuki GSX-R1000
6. Jim Pihokken, Suzuki GSX-R750
7. Scott Ritchey, Suzuki GSX-R1000
8. Edward Lis, Suzuki GSx-R750
9. Charles Sandoz, Aprilia RSV1000
10. Travis Pepin, Suzuki GSX-R750