Tytler Cycle Racing’s Hank Vossberg won Sunday’s MotoAmerica Talent Cup race over CTR/D&D Cycles’ Bodie Paige, with Team Roberts’ Kody Kopp third. Warhorse Ducati/American Racing’s Alessandro Di Mario was fourth, ahead of Royalty Racing’s Carson King in fifth.
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More from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:
When the confusion over finishing positions from the second of two Parts Unlimited Talent Cup races at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course finally settled on Sunday, Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Hank Vossberg was the beneficiary as he went from second to first with CTR/D&D Cycles’ Bodie Paige on the short-end of the change as he was demoted from first to second in the red-flag-shortened race.
There was some confusion at the end of the race as to who won, but clarity and the final decision came via MotoAmerica Regulation 1.27(c), which states that results are determined by the last official timing loop crossed before the red flag. Thus, Vossberg was declared the winner by .723 of a second.
Vossberg and Paige had an epic, race-long battle that pulled them over 10 seconds clear of the pack fighting over third place. On track, that fight went to Team Roberts’ Kody Kopp with the three-time AMA Pro Singles Flat Track Champion seemingly earning his first-career podium finish as the Talent Cup completed its fourth of seven rounds at Mid-Ohio. A few hours after the completion of the race, however, Kopp was disqualified for an illegal frame modification.
Kopp’s DQ moved everyone up a spot.
Championship points leader Alessandro Di Mario was just .140 of a second behind Kopp with those two swapping the spot throughout the final laps of the race. They were joined by Royalty Racing’s Carson King and Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing’s Sam Drane in fifth and sixth, with those four separated by just half a second at the finish. Again, with Di Mario moving to third, King was bumped up to fourth with Drane fifth.
Bettencourt Racing’s Nathan Bettencourt, D&D Certified Racing’s Landen Smith, Envy Powered By Warhorse’s Derek Sanchez, Ice Barn Racing’s Solly Mervis, and Real Steel Honda’s Ian Fraley rounded out the top 10.
Notable among the non-finishers was MP13 Racing’s Ella Dreher, who was taken out of the fight for third by a mechanical DNF, and Rossi Motorsports Powered By 3:16’s Rossi Garcia was the rider who brought out the red flag with his last-lap crash.
With four of seven rounds in the books, Di Mario leads the title chase over Drane by 38 points, 168-130. Paige is third with 122 points, and Vossberg jumps to fourth with 108 points.
Talent Cup Race 2
- Hank Vossberg
- Bodie Paige
- Alessandro Di Mario
- Carson King
- Sam Drane
- Nathan Bettencourt
- Landen Smith
- Derek Sanchez
- Solly Mervis
- Ian Fraley
Quotes
Hank Vossberg – Winner
“It’s really good. It’s not the way I want to win, but the race was awesome. Just wanted to push it from the beginning. I knew the track was a little sketchy, but it was dry enough to push the pace. I didn’t really know what our gap was back to the rest of the group until Bodie (Paige) passed me. I saw plus 8 on the pit board. So, I knew I could kind of set behind Bodie and plan out an attack for the last lap. I just kind of sit in the draft not wanting to push it and risk a mistake. I was able to sit in the draft and pass him on the last lap. It sucks with the red flag and everything coming out. But it was a great way to win.”
Bodie Paige – Second Place
“Today was good. We were definitely moving along better than we were yesterday. The track was difficult with the mixed conditions, but me and Hank (Vossberg) were definitely comfortable right from the start, and we managed to create a little gap, which I’m thankful so it wasn’t so chaotic. The last lap it was just unfortunate, but that’s racing and that’s the rules. It sucks and it will hurt for a little bit, but we have VIR next week and I’m sure we can get a win or two there and I’m sure it will be better than this round.”