From a press release issued by WERA Motorcycle Roadracing:
WERA CROWNS 56 CHAMPIONS DURING GRAND NATIONAL FINALS
BRASELTON, Ga.- The WERA Grand National Finals at Road Atlanta closed the 2004 motorcycle road racing season by crowning 56 champions during a weekend of beautiful weather and exciting racing from October 30- November 2.
The GNF was the season finale for all of WERA’s series, including the National Challenge Series, the Dunlop/WERA National Endurance Series, the Sportsman Series, which is comprised of seven regions, and the Vintage Series. The Suzuki Cup Finals were also held, bringing together the top privateer Suzuki riders in the United States.
An impressive 542 riders, comprising 1567 race entries, were on the track during the weekend, and there were no major injuries throughout the four days of racing.
Vesrah Suzuki won the tenth round of the National Endurance Series on Friday, October 31, with a three-lap margin of victory in the four-hour race. Mark Junge, John Jacobi and Tray Batey rode the Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R1000, extending their lead in the championship, which they wrapped up in round nine.
Army of Darkness won Mediumweight Superbike, finishing second overall. Sam Fleming, Mark Crozier and Jeff Walker had already clinched the class championship on their Suzuki GSX-R600.
Team InfoTech/Valter Moto won Mediumweight Superstock on a Yamaha YZF-R6, finishing third overall and winning the Mediumweight Superstock championship by less than three points. Bradley Champion and Bryan Hanson were joined by Brad Hendry for the race.
Jeff Wyler/Blue Moto took the Heavyweight Superstock win, with Mike Scruggs and Jeff Muskopf on a Suzuki GSX-R750. The team finished fifth overall. The championship in Heavyweight Superstock went to Team Xtreme II.
Deals Gap Racing won the Lightweight Superbike class championship, but the race win went to Jeff Tigert and Zoran Vujasinovic on the Twin Works Factory Suzuki SV650.
In the WERA National Challenge Series eight-lap sprint races, Tray Batey was one of the top riders with two victories. Batey won Pirelli Formula 1 on the Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R750, and he took his tenth consecutive victory in Heavyweight Twins on a Suzuki TL1000R to complete a perfect season in the class.
Robert Jensen also earned two wins. He won both 600 Superstock and 600 Superbike on a Yamaha YZF-R6.
Brian Kcraget dominated the 125 GP class, winning easily on his NESBA.com Honda RS125. He also won Formula 2 on a borrowed Honda RS250.
Greg Moore, who was riding a Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki GSX-R750 as part of the Team Hammer Talent Search, won 750 Superbike despite having a broken foot from a crash in practice.
Bradley Champion completed a perfect season in Lightweight Twins by taking his 10th consecutive win on his Suzuki SV650.
Vesrah’s Mark Junge won Open Superstock on a Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Doug Duane took the win in 750 Superbike on a Suzuki GSX-R750.
In the Novice classes, first-year road racer Matt Lynn won STAR School 600 Superstock, 750 Superstock and 600 Superbike on his Suzuki GSX-R600.
Eddie Kraft also took three Novice victories, winning Lightweight Twins, Formula 2 and Heavyweight Twins on the WitchKraft Racing Suzuki SV650.
Ryan Elleby won 750 Superbike Novice on a Suzuki GSX-R750 with a broken shoulder caused by a crash in practice.
In the Suzuki Cup Finals, Team Embry’s Brian Stokes rode his Suzuki GSX-R600 to the win in the GSX-R600 final. John Dugan rode a fierce race in GSX-R1000 to take the win. Ben Attard took the checkered flag first in GSX-R750, and Tray Batey rode to the win in TL1000.
Bradley Champion finished first in SV650, but his bike ran out of gas after the first post-race dyno run. Rules required him to put high-octane race fuel in the bike to continue the dyno runs, and the fuel put him over the horsepower limit. The win was then given to Jesse Janisch.
Complete results from the WERA Grand National Finals can be found online at www.WERA.com.
The 2004 WERA season will begin in February at Talladega Gran Prix Raceway.