After round one at Daytona International Speedway, Huntley Nash gives OnTheThrottle.TV the inside track on his preparation for round 2 of the 2012 AMA Pro Racing Superbike Series at Road Atlanta. Plus, we get a behind the scenes look at the garage of LTD Racing.
FUEL TV’s talks about JGRMX/Toyota/Yamaha Team rider Davi Millsaps’ 2012 Supercross season, where he finished 2nd overall in series points with 5 podium finishes.
Davi Millsaps himself recaps his 2012 supercross season, the upcoming nationals at Hangtown, and becoming a father for the first time.
The Dynojet / ZAG Racing Team had an awesome weekend of racing at Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, CA a week ago!
Like the first two rounds, this was the first time that the rider and team had ever seen the track and it was another lesson in fast learning for Javelin.
The Dynojet rig got a prime location in the paddock, which was great for our friends and fans to stop by and say hello. Thursday was setup day for the team and also a chance to tech our bikes early and get some prep-work done. The bikes were in fine looking form as we packed up for the night to await the morning’s first practice session. We were feeling the pressure a little more this weekend as we now understand the situation we are placed in visiting these new tracks and having very limited time to come up to speed.
Friday morning’s practice was a bit of a struggle as we tried to find a good setup while Javelin was still trying to learn the track. The team made a bunch of changes in gearing and suspension to see what we could do to help but it was a constant struggle as the faster the pilot went, the more changes were necessary. The times in practice were not where we needed them to be and Javelin was having difficulty in the chassis. We did what we could to prepare him for qualifying in the afternoon. We were surprised that the qualifying session was going to be broken into two groups because there were so many riders registered to race (52 in total). This meant that instead of getting 40 minutes in Q1, we would only get 20. This was of great concern for us and I am sure many teams as we were still learning the track. Javelin went out and pushed hard in Q1 until he had an unfortunate crash coming off of turn 11. He jumped up right away and proceeded back to the pit where we had his B bike ready to go. Getting on the B bike was a revelation as he felt much better on that bike for whatever reason and was putting in faster times. The order of the day was – the more laps he got, the faster he went. We had precious little time that qualifier and could only muster a 29th place grid position out of 52 riders. Not bad but still a ways back.
Saturday morning saw the Q2 session; historically, the second qualifier is slower than the first since it is early morning when the track is cold. This time, we elected to run the B bike only and Jav managed to move himself from 29th up to 22nd by the end of the session. That is where we would start our weekend’s races.
The first race was that afternoon and we felt pretty good but perplexed with the A bike. We would do some investigation with it later but for now we needed to keep Javelin on the bike that held his confidence. The first race was pretty decent; Jav made up positions as usual throughout the race, continuing to show dominance under braking. This is a skill that takes a long time to develop and our rider has very good control of it, consistently making up positions by driving under his competitors. The race finally flagged with the rider crossing the finish line in 17th position which was great for us. Staying in the top 20 riders having never seen the track before is very promising. At the end of the day, we worked hard trying to isolate the issues with the A bike and we did find a few things we thought might help. The A bike is more refined to us than the B bike so we thought it best to try whatever we could to get him back out on it.
Sunday morning warmup saw Javelin back out on the A bike to see if any of the changes we had made were helping but he quickly came in asking for the B bike again. This was expected and the B bike was hot and ready to roll. The warmup went well and we were ready to see what we could do in race 2. Once they fired off the grid for the second time, we thought we might be able to make up some more positions than Saturday but the race was plagued with red flags. It had to be restarted a number of times but each time Javelin was pushed higher on the grid order as they would start where they finished on the red flag. On one restart he got an amazing launch and picked up some positions but the race was flagged again. We finally got to pull off a shorter race by the end and we came in 17th again. Still not bad with all things considered: a new track, issues with the A bike, a practice crash, etc. We all packed up happy that we had continued to make strides forward and so far, have never gone backward in a race.
The team is now in prep for the next round at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, May 26th – 28th. This is an important event for us on a number of levels. First, it is a World Superbike event and that means a huge turnout of fans and teams from all over the world. It’s very important for us to race in front of an international community and we anticipate that the weekend is going to be a great deal of fun. Second, this will be the first time this year that we will race on a track we know!! Javelin is very excited as it presents a different challenge. Not necessarily learning the track but rather maximizing what he can do on a track that he knows well. We expect higher qualifying position which hopefully can get us closer to a top-10 finish. The Dynojet / ZAG Racing team is working hard here in Vegas to get the bikes sorted out and prepared for this event. Our goal is to provide a machine that is ready for what the rider wants to squeeze out of it. The pace will be very fast and we are ready for the challenge.
Big thanks go to our friend Chris Paige for helping us at Infineon. The extra help was needed and he did an exceptional job. Thanks also to Andrew Trevitt for the constant encouragement to rider and team plus the invaluable data that has helped our rider and crew learn these tracks fast, and of course our awesome Dynojet guys – Dusty, Chris and Chuck – for all of their valuable input and assistance!
If you have need for any high performance parts or protective equipment for the street or track, please hit up our sponsors by clicking on their links. These people have all collectively come together to support our efforts this year and it would be great if we can steer more business their way through our fanbase. Please support the people that support Dynojet / ZAG Racing.
At 15, Mackenzie Ancien has already moved up to roadracing 600s. We think you should keep an eye on this young talent.
If you saw Mackenzie Ancien around her hometown of Portland, Oregon, you might think she was the average 15-year-old. She plays soccer with SC Portland, likes zebras and is a Spongebob addict.
No wonder her friends have a hard time believing that on the weekends, Mackenzie pilots a Yamaha YZF-R6 around local road courses, racing in OMRRA. “A lot of them don’t believe me at first. I have to really convince them, then they wind up asking random questions about motorcycles. They’re amazed because I’m short and small and petite, and they don’t believe I can hold up a big bike,” Mackenzie says. However, she notes that some people have the opposite reaction to her racing, saying, “Some people think it’s easy and that the bike does all the work!”
Mackenzie’s dad has joked that the doubters are welcome to come find out just how much work roadracing really is. After racing 250s last season, Mackenzie is still getting used to the bulk of the R6. “It’s been different because the bike is 200 pounds heavier,” she says. “It’s hard because I’m only five-foot-one and I’m not muscular enough! I’m getting the hang of the bike now.”
Moving up to the 600 class marked another step in Mackenzie’s evolution as a roadracer. Her dad taught her to ride when she was four, sending her out on a PW50. At eight, Mackenzie started making the transition to roadracing by doing some supermoto. An NSR50 followed, and she eventually graduated to racing 150s at Portland International Raceway. Those gave way to 250s, and now Mackenzie is on the 600.
After winning championships on the NSR50 and on her KLX110, Mackenzie came into the 250 classes ready for more. She won two 250 championships last season. Winning, Mackenzie says, isn’t always easy, but that just makes it more memorable. She recalls, “I had a race with this guy and we duked it out the entire race. I won by like 0.1 of a second. It was by a tire. It was a really fun race. We were passing each other every lap.”
Now that she’s on the R6, Mackenzie hopes to travel to more tracks to gain experience. She already rode a track day at Laguna Seca. Eventually, Mackenzie says, “I’m hoping in a couple of years to go to AMA or AFM. My goal is to get to AMA.”
Galfer USA looks forward to being there as Mackenzie’s racing career continues to evolve.
Photos of GEICO Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas from the AMA’s 2012 Great Clips West Coast Moto Jam at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA.
Photos by Brian J. Nelson/Courtesy of GEICO Suzuki
I put up a thread on a national road racing forum covering progress for getting my bike ready for the 2012 season.
The thread is located here: http://www.motorcycleroadracingforums.com/yaf_postst1730_getting-ready-for-2012.aspx
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Saturday practice #1:
Temps were 31 degrees out and there were light snow flakes falling with 15-18 MPH wind. I went out cautiously until my fingers became numb. On my last lap, the gasket on my oil filter got loose and lost all the oil onto my tires, boots, and motor. I saved the bike from a low side in T1 and quickly rolled off track.
Saturday practice #2:
I finished cleaning up the bike and refilling the oil pan when my 2nd practice was on track. The officials let me out with 0:50 left in my session to get 1 lap, so I could scrub some oil off my tires.
Results:
Sat race #4. AM HW SB – 10th place. Best lap: 1:32.107
Sat race #7. AM Unl GP – 6th place. Best lap: 1:31.182
Sunday practice #1:
Temps were 33 degrees out, and they officials called our group (group 1) late when no one was suited up. I ended up getting about 2 laps before our session was over.
Sunday practice #2:
Went out there for the entire session still trying to scrub off the oil on my tires. Temps were in the low 40′s and still riding cautiously.
Results:
Sun race #5. AM Unl SB – 9th place. Best lap: 1:29.425
Sun race #11. AM Unl SS – 10th place. Best lap: 1:30.750
Summary:
I had the same issues as the opening round in 2011 with low temps and wasn’t feeling confident. My best lap times were about 7-8 seconds slower than what I ended last season with. The practices temps were 31-33, the race temps where 51-54 with wind 15-18 MPH. Conditions were ugly, but I still had a great time out there.
Upcoming events for May:
May 4: Friday practice – NJMP
May 5 – 6: CCS Atlantic round 1 – NJMP
May 14: track day – NHMS
May 19 – 20: LRRS round 2 – NHMS
Thank you for your support.
Jim McConville
#105
When he’s not working for AMA Pro Racing, Randy Stem is riding his Galfer-equipped FJR. And did we mention that he gets to drive the pace car?
If you’ve ever attended an AMA Pro Road Racing event, you might have marveled at how organized everything was in the paddock. Row after row of semis and trailers neatly parked, and no one fighting over who gets which spot on pit lane.
Not surprisingly, that kind of order doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of careful planning by AMA Pro Racing’s Operations Supervisor, Randy Stem. Randy’s work doesn’t end with the planning, though.
“With direction from Dave McGrath, I design where all the semis park and am responsible for moving everyone in. I also design the hot pit lane: where canopies go, and how much space they get,” Stem says. He adds, “Then after that I drive the safety car.”
Randy’s work with AMA Pro Racing comes from a lifelong love of both motorcycles and racing. Randy flirted with a career in racing once upon a time, but he says, “I got hurt twice on my dirt bike and spent a couple of weeks in the hospital. I didn’t want to get hurt again, and I realized that I’m not as fast as I thought I was! I realized that I could be there and be a part of it still.”
These days, Randy rides a 2005 Yamaha FJR1300 equipped with Galfer steel-braided brake lines and rotors. “I’m extremely happy; it’s a great upgrade. I’ve got the same rotors that Celtic Racing uses on their 600s for their racing,” Randy says.
The FJR is part of a long line of motorcycles that Randy has owned over the years. His first motorcycle was a 1969 BSA 250, and he has never really seen the necessity of owning a car. “When I met my wife 42 years ago, all I had was a bike. All I ride today is a motorcycle,” he says.
Randy commutes on his motorcycle every day and he is about to reach 56,000 miles on his odometer. He also enjoys touring on the FJR. For his 62nd birthday last year, Randy and a friend did a four-day tour of Colorado. The pair covered an impressive 1900 miles on the trip.
Randy’s love of motorcycles, and of racing, was instilled by his dad, who rode Harleys and Indians during the World War II years. Randy and his brother were often treated to nights at the flat track in their hometown of Portland, Oregon. Randy started riding himself at eight years old.
When he grew up, Randy took a fire rescue course at England’s famous Silverstone circuit. Later, he and his wife operated a fire rescue crew at a track in Phoenix, Arizona. Their great reputation eventually brought them to the attention of AMA Pro Racing.
Randy says he’s finally reaching retirement age, but he hopes that translates into more riding on his FJR and more work with AMA Pro Racing. “I love doing the AMA stuff and enjoy working the races, and I want to be more involved,” he says. Randy might have Galfer brakes, but he’s not stopping anytime soon.
The 2012 Bermuda Motorcycle Racing Club’s (‘BMRC’) National Championship Series has commenced under beautiful Bermuda weather this past Sunday, May 6, 2012. It has been six months since Team Tuned’s young riders have competed in a motorcycle race event which fueled their spirits into action when the green flag dropped to start their race heats. 2012 will see Team Tuned riders Bruce Degrilla Jr. and Kewuan Gilbert defend the championship titles which they won in 2011 within the GP125 and Formula classifications respectively.
GP125 Classification
Bruce was the first member of the team to take to the track to compete in the first heat of the GP125 category. The class sees a return of Keanu Wilson (2011 Superbike Champion) and Cyril Whitter (Team Tuned Coach) to the 125 class in 2012. The depth of the talent across all three riders provided intense speculation of the battles to come over the 3 heats of the day. Heat one saw all three riders battle from the start of the race with Bruce and Keanu eventually breaking away into a two-way battle for the win. Keanu managed to make a late race pass on Bruce for the lead and eventual victory in race one.
Race two and three proved to be a turn of events in Bruce’s favour. The 2011 Champion stayed calm and composed as he battled with his rivals in the two final heats of the day taking hard fought victories and the championship lead.
Formula Classification
Kewuan started his championship campaign off in dominate form take a clean sweep of victories in the Formula Classification in the season opener. The class ran alongside the Supermoto & Superbike classifications which provide quite entertaining for the crowd. Kewuan engaged in head to head battles with 2011 Supermoto Champion Peter Terceria and Superbike racer Cody Sousa-Saints.
Peter and Kewuan swapped positions several times over the course of the 3 race heats enjoying the thrill of close & hard race competition. With 3 victories under his belt Kewuan leads the Formula Classification championship standings heading into round 2 of the championship.
The next round of the 2012 BMRC National Championship Series is scheduled for Sunday, May 20, 2012.
Race 1
GP125 – Bruce Degrilla – 2nd
Formula – Kewuan Gilbert – 1st
Race 2
GP125 – Bruce Degrilla – 1st
Formula – Kewuan Gilbert – 1st
Race 3
GP125 – Bruce Degrilla – 1st
Formula – Kewuan Gilbert – 1st
We would like to thank all of our sponsors for their continued dedication and support of our program: CellOne, Capital G, Zurich, Bermuda Custom Mechanical, Autobahn Accessories, Independent Management Ltd., Autobahn Cycles, Tuff Dogs, Sub Zero, Kymco Bermuda, Galfer USA & Vortex Racing.
See more photos from the BMRC Season Opener on Team Tuned’s Facebook page
The MRA opened its season this past weekend in Byers, CO at High Plains Raceway with great attendance. Highlighting the event was Number 945, Shannon Moham, bringing home 8 race wins. Moham, MRA’s Clubman Class Champion, is known for his “ironman” tactics during the race season. It isn’t uncommon for Moham to compete in 8-12 races in one race weekend, but winning eight of them is extraordinary for anyone!! Moham states, “It’s not the first time I’ve run so many races, but it is the first time I’ve won all but one and I’m pretty proud of that!” Saturday’s wins included Lightweight GP, LW Endurance, and HW Endurance. Come Sunday, Moham came in first in Middleweight Superbike, Modern Vintage GTU, Supertwins GTU, Heavyweight Superbike, and the premier class Race of the Rockies GTU!
With approximately 10 years of racing under his belt, he can find his way around a track. Racers like Shannon Moham know that it’s the sponsors who make all the difference in a race season– “I couldn’t have done it without the support of all my amazing sponsors. Race Tech has been a huge part of my success in racing. They build an amazing shock and their suspension is the best around. Huge thanks go out to Sydney and Michelle at Race Tech for taking such great care of us”. Moham also noted, “We made a change to Dunlop tires this year, and I have to say, it seems to have been the right move. They make an exceptional tire that held up extremely well the entire weekend, and I want to give a big shout out to Steve Mils for helping us. I’m energized to be on Dunlop tires and to see where we go this year.” “Special thanks to Mark with Renegade Fuel,” says Moham. “He set us up with their top of the line fuel, SX4 and SX4 Plus, and it makes a difference. Renegade definitely gives you that extra horsepower.”
Shannon also sends out sincere appreciation to the following: Nordic Nursing, Woodcraft, Vortex, GPR Stabilizer, Galfer, Lockhart Phillips, Silkolene, Ogio, Pit Bull, 35 Motorsports, Rex at Tri City Cycle, Vickery Motorsports, K&N, Bazzaz Performance, Motonation, Rocky Mountain Photo, Racing Batteries USA, Worldwide Bearings, Pit Posse, his wife Segren, daughter Denver, Mom, and the Papajohns.
Next up is Round 2 at PPIR in Fountain, CO, May 19th and 20th. Shannon Moham plans on being there and, has obviously set the bar high!
Here are some of the photos we snapped at the final Supercross race for the 2012 season at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, NV.
