Edwards, Gessner Continue Winning Streaks as WMRRA Makes History at TRMP

WMRRA Round 3, The Ridge Motorsports Park, May 26-27, 2012

The Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association took the show on the road last weekend for the first races of any kind held at the newly constructed Ridge Motorsports Park. Track owner Rod Powell was on hand at the historic occasion to make sure the visiting racers felt welcome at the new facility, and to commemorate the occasion with the first ever race lap record holder Eli Edwards, who ran an impressive 1:41.385 in the 600 Supersport class on Saturday.

“Eli is fast, smooth, and really, a true gentleman. We could not ask for a finer ambassador to hold the first ever track record.” said Powell. “Now it may be that today, Sunday, May 27th, 2012, in the second day of racing, the WMRRA racers will set an even faster pace, but you can only have one first track record.”

The weekend started on Saturday with Edwards’ domination of the 600 and 750 Supersport classes and with the Saturday Novice race, where Wes Stults set a blistering pace at the front. In the Open Singles class, John Gessner once again fended off early challenger Tim O’Mahony for the win, and Eric May put a daring last-lap move on Rhett Halpin at the top of the Ridge complex for the win in 650 Supersport Twins. Track Owner Rod Powell presented all the weekend’s class winners with special commemorative shirts signed by himself and WMRRA club president Tim O’Mahony.

Sunday began with an amazing battle between 250 Ninja riders Bill Cameron and Wendy Leber, both fighting hard and only inches apart right up to the checkered flag, while visiting racer Brian Bartlow ran away at the front for the win. The Sunday Novice race saw a repeat of Wes Stults’ fast, smooth performance from Saturday to win the 45-rider race.

600 Superbike was the third of an incredible five wins over the weekend for #1 plate holder Eli Edwards, seemingly untouchable at the new track on any bike. After his dominating performance, Eli even found time on Sunday afternoon to give his 5-year-old son some riding lessons on his Honda CRF50 in the track parking lot. It helps to start them early.

WMRRA’s famously fanatical vintage racers showed up ready for a fight with some familiar faces at the front, David Fallon, Tim O’Mahony and Gary Ryder all bringing home wins on the older iron.

The Peter Lenz Memorial 125GP grid was the largest in years, with several racers dusting off their 125’s to take advantage of the great weather and the chance to race at the new track. Defending class champion John Gessner once again found his rhythm early and pulled a disappearing act at the front, setting a personal best lap of 1:54.4 in the process while Tim O’Mahony and Mick Hart rounded off the podium. The 250GP race also started with Gessner getting away at the front, but soon being slowed enough by the Heavyweight Early GP bikes that wily veteran O’Mahony saw an opportunity to make up time on the brakes into Turn 13. Unfortunately, the braking move didn’t go as planned, and O’Mahony ended up in the gravel and unable to make the restart.

The highlight of the afternoon was the barn-burner battle for second place in Formula Ultra between Mark DeGross and Ryan “Chromie” Sutton, the two passing, drafting and swapping paint all the way to the finish line, while Eli Edwards rode his bucking and weaving R1 to victory.

The Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association was formed in 1974 to organize and promote the sport of motorcycle roadracing in Washington State. WMRRA Currently races at two tracks in the state, Pacific Raceways in Kent, Washington, and the newly constructed The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington. To learn more, go to www.wmrra.com, or contact club president Tim O’Mahony at [email protected]

Saturday, May 26, 2012:

600 Supersport:

1. Eli Edwards, Yamaha R6

2. Adam Robarts, Yamaha R6

3. Jeff Seehorn, Suzuki GSXR600

4. Ryan Sutton, Yamaha R6

5. Kevin Klemmer, Yamaha R6

750 Supersport:

1. Eli Edwards, Yamaha R6

2. Ryan Sutton, Yamaha R6

3. Adam Robarts, Yamaha R6

4. Mark DeGross, Honda CBR600RR

5. Kevin Klemmer, Yamaha R6

Saturday Novice:

1. Wes Stults, Yamaha R6

2. Steven Bleistein, Kawasaki ZX6R

3. Chase Glidden, Yamaha R1

4. Jason Lindquist, Triumph Daytona 675

5. Chris Larrabee, , Kawasaki ZX6R

Open Singles:

1. John Gessner, Honda RS125

2. Tim O’Mahony, Honda RS125

3. Mick Hart, Honda RS125

4. David Matthews, Honda RS125

5. Gary Ryder, Tigcraft SRX

650 Supersport Twins:

1. Eric May, Suzuki SV650

2. Rhett Halpin, Suzuki SV650

3. Robert May, Suzuki SV650

4. Eric Featherstone, Suzuki SV650

5. Ted Hawkins, Suzuki SV650

Open Supersport:

1. Mark DeGross, Honda CBR1000

2. Ken LaLonde, Ducati 1198

3. Cody Koth, Suzuki GSXR750

4. Bez Cajee, Ducati 848

5. Matt Metcalf, Yamaha R1

Middleweight GP Twins:

1. Barry Carlson, Suzuki SV650

2. Robert May, Suzuki SV650

3. Eric Featherstone, Suzuki SV650

4. Eric May, Suzuki SV650

5. Chris Burgess, Suzuki SV650

Sunday, May 27, 2012:

Ultra-Lightweight Sportsman:

1. Brian Bartlow, Kawasaki Ninja 250

2. Bill Cameron, Kawasaki Ninja 250

3. Wendy Leber, Kawasaki Ninja 250

4. Chris Page, Kawasaki Ninja 250

5. Tim Weig, Kawasaki Ninja 250

Sunday Novice:

1. Wes Stults, Yamaha R6

2. Steven Bleistein, Kawasaki ZX6R

3. Chase Glidden, Yamaha R1

4. Jason Lindquist, Triumph Daytona 675

5. Chris Larrabee, Kawasaki ZX6R

600 Superbike:

1. Eli Edwards, Yamaha R6

2. Ryan Sutton, Yamaha R6

3. Jeff Seehorn, Suzuki GSXR600

4. Kevin Klemmer, Yamaha R6

5. Mark DeGross, Honda CBR600RR

500 Vintage

1. David Fallon, Aermacchi 350

2. Jim West, Honda CB350

160 Vintage:

1. Tim O’Mahony, Honda CB160

2. Mick Hart, Honda CB160

3. Arash Nadershahi, Honda CB160

4. Mark Etheridge, Honda CB160

5. Neil Jensen, Honda CB160

750 Vintage:

1. Gary Ryder, Norton Commando

2. Duncan Craick, Seeley Westlake

3. Tom Mellor, Triumph Trident

4. John Lacey, BSA Rocket 3

125GP:

1. John Gessner, Honda RS125

2. Tim O’Mahony, Honda RS125

3. Mick Hart, Honda RS125

4. David Matthews, Honda RS125

5. David Waterworth, Honda RS125

Lightweight Superbike:

1. Tim Weig, Suzuki SV650

2. Eric May, Suzuki SV650

3. Ted Hawkins, Suzuki SV650

4. Robert May, Suzuki SV650

5. Curt Johnson, Suzuki SV650

750 Superbike:

1. Eli Edwards, Yamaha R6

2. Jeff Seehorn, Suzuki GSXR600

3. Allister MacKinnon, Suzuki GSXR750

4. Kevin Klemmer, Yamaha R6

5. Jason Doody, Yamaha R6

Formula Thunder:

1. Ted Hawkins, Suzuki SV650

2. Tim Weig, Suzuki SV650

3. Eric May, Suzuki SV650

4. Rhett Halpin, Suzuki SV650

5. Jesse Washington, Triumph Daytona 675

Heavyweight Early GP:

1. Jerry Kassebaum, Suzuki GSXR600

2. Scott Claboe, Honda CBR1000

3. Greg Canright, Yamaha R6

250GP:

1. John Gessner, Honda RS125

2. Gary Ryder, Tigcraft 660

3. David Matthews, Honda RS125

Ninja 250 Cup:

1. Brian Bartlow, Kawasaki Ninja 250

2. Wendy Leber, Kawasaki Ninja 250

3. Bill Cameron, Kawasaki Ninja 250

4. Chris Page, Kawasaki Ninja 250

5. Tim Weig, Kawasaki Ninja 250

Open Superbike:

1. Mark DeGross, Honda CBR1000

2. Allister MacKinnon, Suzuki GSXR750

3. Jared Barnes, Suzuki GSXR750

4. Cody Koth, Suzuki GSXR750

5. Donny Schultz, Suzuki GSXR1000

TFS:

1. Kyle Staples, Honda CBR600

2. Curt Johnson, Suzuki SV650

3. Greg Canright, Yamaha R6

Open GP Twins:

1. Bez Cajee, Ducati 848

2. Tony Connell, Suzuki SV1000

3. Tim Maund, Ducati 1098

Formula Ultra:

1. Eli Edwards, Yamaha R1

2. Mark DeGross, Honda CBR1000

3. Ryan Sutton, Yamaha R6

4. Jeff Seehorn, Suzuki GSXR600

5. Allister MacKinnon, Suzuki GSXR750

To learn more about The Ridge, go to www.ridgemotorsportspark.com