Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School’s (KSSS) Kevin Schwantz, Jamie James and Ted Cobb rode a Michelin-shod, ex-Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R1000 to the overall race win in Friday’s four-hour WERA National Endurance race at Road Atlanta.
One lap behind KSSS when a red flag prematurely ended the race with 11 minutes to go was Team Velocity Racing’s Mark Crozier, Ruben Frankenfield and Chuck Ivey in second place overall on a Pirelli-fitted Yamaha YZF-R1.
Team Velocity Racing’s second-place finish combined with a crash by Vesrah Suzuki, the defending Champions, resulted in Team Velocity Racing taking its first-ever overall WERA National Endurance Championship.
Vesrah Suzuki’s Tray Batey highsided in the new turn three chicane while leading 27 minutes into the race. Wizard Racing III’s Jennifer Garner then crashed trying to avoid the Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R1000, which was lying in the middle of the racetrack.
Batey went to the hospital in a private vehicle where X-rays confirmed a fracture in his right heel. Garner, who was sandwiched between her own bike and the Vesrah Suzuki, was transported by ambulance to a local hospital where she was having possible back injuries examined, according to her team.
KSSS benefited from the red flag because it erased Team Velocity Racing’s early lead and improved KSSS’s grid spot for the re-start. KSSS took advantage of the re-start situation, and Schwantz quickly passed Team Velocity Racing to take the overall race lead.
Vesrah Suzuki, meanwhile, re-started the race on its back-up GSX-R1000, essentially starting the race over, minus 17 laps.
KSSS’s James then Cobb, with the assistance of the Vesrah Suzuki pit crew, extended the team’s lead until it won by one lap. KSSS also won the Heavyweight Superbike class.
In addition to winning the overall Championship, Team Velocity Racing won the Heavyweight Superstock Championship prior to coming to Road Atlanta.
Bell’s ARNCHU Racing’s Randy Sherman and Nathan Dressman finished third overall at Road Atlanta on a Michelin-backed Suzuki GSX-R750.
Team Velocity Racing II’s Ivey, Steven Breckenridge and James Stroud rode another Pirelli-sponsored Yamaha YZF-R1 to fourth overall and the win in Heavyweight Superstock over fifth overall finisher 5150 Racing’s Justin Marm and Phil Caudill.
Army of Darkness’ Sam Fleming, Ben Walters, Jr. and Chris Peris rode a Michelin-tired Suzuki GSX-R600 to sixth overall, the Mediumweight Superbike class win in the race and the Mediumweight Superbike Championship. It was the seventh WERA National Championship for AOD.
AOD’s main Mediumweight Superbike Championship challenger, Red Star (Ben Thompson, Brett Champagne and Ty Howard) was forced to re-start the race on a back-up bike after the engine in its A-bike blew early in the race and finished 35th overall.
Dalke Motorsports’ Brian Dalke, Wrenn Smith, Josh Smith-Moore, Giovanni Rojas and Keith Marshall rode a Pirelli-equipped Suzuki GSX-R600 to the Mediumweight Superstock class victory, the seventh victory of their Championship-winning season.
Blue Ridge Performance’s Martin Musil, Mark Biletnikoff and Jeff Angus teamed up on a Pirelli-backed Suzuki SV650 to finish 15th overall and win the Lightweight Superbike category, but Chris Parish, Cale Swiger and Russell Stoddard won the Lightweight Superbike Championship with a 17th-place performance on their Dunlop-shod Ghetto Customs Suzuki SV650.