WERA/Michelin National Challenge Series

Jeff Wood takes three of three at Summit Point WERA National while keeping undefeated streak alive

Jeff Wood began his intense three week stretch of National-level races this past weekend at Summit Point West Virginia with the WERA/Michelin National Challenge Series. The Higgins Powersports/Roadracingworld.com-backed rider expected stiff competition from the WERA National regulars but what he didn’t count on was the unexpected challenges Mother Nature added to the July 31st through August 2nd event. In the end however the Massachusetts-based rider overcame all obstacles and walked away with wins in all three classes entered while riding both his 2008 Suzuki GSX-R 1000 and 2009 Kawasaki ZX-6. Wood also continuing his 600cc undefeated streak, now at 21 consecutive wins, over the 3-day contest.

Action started on Friday July 31st with practiced scheduled all day though Wood was only able to get in two early sessions before the heaven’s opened up and completely flooded the track. With water in the paddock up to the axles of Wood’s Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Kawasaki ZX-6 the remainder of practice was canceled and a single practice session was added onto Saturday’s program.

Wood was able to get ample laps on the very slick post-flood track however by deciding to race, for the first time in his career, the 6-hour WERA Endurance Challenge at the insistence of friend and rival Rob Jensen. At the last minute on Saturday Wood joined Jensen and local fast guy Tim Bemisderfer on the BEI Racing Team GSX-R 1000 and went toe-to-toe with the defending class champions and powerhouse Vesrah Team. During the grueling six-hour ordeal Wood clocked an amazing 102 out of 234 laps and the last-minute team was on the verge of handing the 7-time championship winning Vesrah squad their first loss of the season as BEI pitted in for the final time. It was not to be however as a jammed final front tire swap cost the Wood/ Jensen/ Bemisderfer team a full minute in the pits, and eventually the race, with Vesrah squeaking to the line a mere 25 seconds in front of the BEI Team, spear-headed by endurance racing rookie Jeff Wood.

Jeff Wood’s true racing focus began with the start of the WERA/Michelin National Challenge Series races. The elements struck the wild West Virginia track one final time though and riders were greeted with gray rain-filled skies as they awoke Sunday morning. Racing officials made the decision to shorten each race by half making each race a true ‘sprint’ with only 4 laps available to decide the outcome of the rain-affected races. Wood’s first race of the day was Open Superstock on his 2008 Suzuki GSX-R 1000 and marked his first wet race on a 1000 in years. Wood quickly got to pace and circulated the slippery wet 2.0 mile circuit 3 seconds per lap faster than his closest competition and took the checkers 12 seconds ahead of 2nd place finisher Tim Bermisderfer. With no break before his next race, Wood immediately jumped on his Kawasaki ZX-6 and proceeded to take his second win of the day, another wet affair, in the 600cc Superstock class. This marked Jeff Wood’s 21st consecutive win on the new-for-2009 ZX-6 and set the stage for his final race of the weekend.

With the sun now shining and the track semi-dry Jeff Wood lined up for the last race of a very long weekend once again on his now slick-mounted Suzuki GSX-R 1000. Four laps later the Higgins Powersports/Roadracingworld.com rider took his 3rd win of the weekend running low 1:14s on the damp circuit with Bermisderfer and Tray Batey rounding out the Top Three in Formula 1.

Wood now prepares for two more consecutive weekends of racing with his most competitive stretch of contests still ahead. August 13th through 16th sees Wood head to Virginia International Raceway (VIR) for the next two weeks as the WERA Cycle Jam takes over the Virginia track followed immediately by Round 10 of the AMA Pro Racing National Guard American Superbike Championship series on August 21st through 23rd.

Jeff Wood “That certainly was a weird weekend, we even had a flood!” said Wood. “We got three more wins this weekend in a range of conditions and I was able to put in some good wet laps, which I haven’t done in a while. Adding on the 6-hour race was an interesting experience and we almost had one there as well. There are some big races coming up so it was nice to get some time on both the Team Higgins Powersports / Roadracingworld.com Suzuki GSX-R 1000 and Kawasaki ZX-6 and the bikes are working great. VIR is one of my favorite tracks and we’re looking to have a good showing at Cycle Jam and the AMA National.”

About Jeff Wood: Jeff Wood is a second-generation road racer based out of the New England region. From 2005 to 2008 Jeff won an astounding and unprecedented 11 National American Sportbike Racing Association (ASRA) Championship titles and is current National #1 plate holder for the Championship Cup Series (CCS). Wood is also the co-owner of the Penguin Roadracing School, the United States’ oldest motorcycle roadracing school. For more information on Jeff Wood please visit: http://www.facebook.com/jeff.wood.racing

Jeff Wood Racing is proud to partner with: Higgins Powersports, Roadracingworld.com, Dunlop, Maxima, LeoVince, Dynojet, Penske, Vesrah, Woodcraft, Armour Bodies, Vanson, Arai, TCX, Held, Street and Competition, GMD Computrack, Sprocket Specialist, SRE, Zero Gravity, K&N, Rob’s Dyno Service, LD Designs, and AestheticRain

More, from a press release issued by TVR/EBC Brakes Yamaha:

TVR/EBC Brakes Yamaha Overcomes Early Problems at Summit Point

SUMMIT POINT, W. Va.””The first lap of Saturday’s six-hour WERA National Endurance Series race at Summit Point Raceway was less than promising for TVR/EBC Brakes Yamaha: The team’s Heavyweight Superstock Yamaha YZF-R1 lost the clutch at the start of the race. Undaunted, TVR went on to finish second in class while their sister team, TVR 136, took the Mediumweight Superstock win.

James Vanderhaar was on the R1 at the start of the race, and he made just one lap before pitting for a clutch change. In a display of the teamwork that has become TVR’s hallmark, the clutch was changed on pit lane and Vanderhaar returned to the track.

“We knew we were out of the running for an overall podium, so I tried to have fun, put in some good laps and not crash. We ran a good pace, and at that point it was more important to get laps than anything,” said Vanderhaar.

Vanderhaar shared the riding duties with Reuben Frankenfield and Brett Champagne. Frankenfield agreed with Vanderhaar, saying, “We had to get back as much lost ground as possible and accumulate mileage points for the championship. We still got a lot of points.”

“We had good pit stops, and we had fun,” said Champagne. “Virginia International Raceway is next, and that will be exciting””it’s a great track and I can’t wait for the race there.”

In addition to valuable championship points, TVR/EBC Brakes Yamaha also went home with second place in the Heavyweight Superstock class despite their first-lap trouble. It marks the first time this season that TVR has not won their class, thanks to their previous five consecutive wins.

Meanwhile, TVR 136’s James Dellinger, Jeff Wrobel and Ethan Ellis had a stellar day on their Yamaha YZF-R6. The trio won the Mediumweight Superstock class after a flawless race, taking the sixth spot overall.

“We went out and had fun,” said Wrobel. “We told Ethan we’d shave his head if we didn’t win! Everyone rode well and we had a good time. We’re all working together well, and Ethan’s dad was a big help in the pits.”

This is the second victory this season for the TVR 136 team, and they were rewarded with more than just a trophy: the team took over the class championship for the first time this season.

TVR’s sponsors include EBC Brakes, Michelin, Yamaha, Aiken Motorcycle, XES Leather, MotoHeaven.com, Arai, Vortex, Repsol, EK Chains, VP Fuels, and Dyno Jet. Keep up with the team’s season and find pictures online at www.TeamVelocityRacing.com.