Central US Supermoto Points Races Heat Up in Springfield

Central US Supermoto Championship Event 4: Mid State Kart Club. The stifling heat in the heart of the Prairie State may have kept some Central US Supermoto contenders away, but 30 riders used the first Gateway Supermoto round of the championship series to elevate their season points standings. In the process, they thrilled spectators with fierce racing and noteworthy performances.

(PRWEB) July 28, 2005 -- Gateway Supermoto, with operational support from Donelson Cycles (www.donelsoncycles.com) and podium prizes donated by Speed Of Life Photography (www.speedoflifephotos.com), played host to the fourth round of the Central US Supermoto Championship at the Mid State Kart Club track in Springfield, Illinois. At race time, the temperature was a punishing 93 degrees, with no clouds in the sky, and no breeze to offer any relief. To compound the days challenges, the Mid Sate Kart Clubs dirt section had been lengthened since last year, to include twice as many jumps and three times as many pavement "crossings." The new dirt section sported a set of four low jumps at its beginning that could be taken as a double-double by the more dirt savvy riders. Immediately following these jumps was the new finish line, yet another wrinkle in the ever-changing course.

The Middleweight (450) class was the first to take the starters flag, With Nick Daniels on a Scottys Speed Shop/Fatboy Racing Honda leaping to an early and indomitable lead. Decatur motard Clayton Shambaugh, riding a borrowed Honda, put on a breath-taking race in second place. Shambaugh used more corner speed and lean angle than any other rider, entering the fast left handers with visible suspension judder at both ends on the entries, and ragged traction front and rear at the apexes. Just a second off Shambaughs pace, Chase Guthrie, on a Bloomington Powersports Honda, fended off the constant pressure of Kurt Marmors passing attempts. Marmor, on a Halls Cycles/Bridgestone Gas Gas, could only keep up the pressure for eight laps, and eventually slipped out of the fight for third place. Daniels won the event handily, with a large margin over Shambaugh, who in turn crossed the line several seconds ahead of Guthrie. The race win launched Nick Daniels into 4th place in the Central US Supermoto Middleweight Championship standings, while Guthries third place finish moved him into 10th place in the larger championship.

Next to the starting line was the Mini Moto class, flush with four of the top five Central US Mini Moto championship contenders. Kevin Walter, the championship leader going in to the round, got a smashing start on his Rich King sponsored KTM. He led the opening laps until Honda mounted Tyler Williams, caught and passed him. Further back, Ricky Leak on a Mid-Illini Motorsports Yamaha, stalled in the dirt on the opening lap, recovered, and then steadily worked his way through the field. On the last lap, he passed the Honda of Nick Hansen to grab third place. Tyler Williams win took a five point bite out of Kevin Walters championship points lead, and leapfroged Williams to second place in the standings over Nick Hansen.

Brian Luxems wild ride on a two stroke Yamaha was the highlight of the Sport Moto class main event. Luxem went down on the first lap in the dirt section, surrendering a good 20 seconds to Mike Harlow Sr., the race leader. Harlow, on his Schaumberg Honda/Wiseco CR450F, put considerable distance between himself and the developing battle for second place. Steven Maddox spent the first half of the race protecting the second spot from John Schallert, who dogged Maddox with pass attempts lap after lap. It was Brian Luxem, in a huge comeback, who broke up that battle, passing Schallert and then Maddox at the halfway point of the race. Over the remainder of the race, Luxem steadily cut into Mike Harlow Sr.s lead, catching Harlow on the final lap. Harlow held on to victory by the closest of margins, taking the checkers and extending his lead over Luxem in the Central US Sport Moto championship to eight points.

The Open Premier main event was remarkable both for its championship implications and its display of spectacular racing effort. Coming into round four with a five point lead in the Open class championship, Robert Loire launched his Aero PA/Wiseco KTM to an impressive holeshot. Loire led the first lap, but couldnt hold off the Honda mounted Scottys Speed Shop/Fatboy Racing duo of Nick Daniels and Matt Pursley. Pursley, riding a bike borrowed from fellow competitor Pat Ferrell, kept the blazing fast Daniels in sight lap after lap, as both of them extended their lead over Loire. With a truly impressive effort, Pursley pushed his borrowed Honda beyond its limits in the last lap to close the two second gap, only to lowside off the course in the next-to-last corner just as he had pulled even with Daniels. Pursley, unhurt, remounted the bike in time to preserve a second place finish ahead of Loire. Loires 20 points for third place extended his championship lead to a whopping 25 points. Daniels win bumped him up several places to sixth in the championship, and his teammate Pursley climbed up the standings to eighth.
Robert Loire

The Lightweight class race was an orderly affair up until the last lap. Chase Guthrie, on a Bloomington Powersports Honda, led from flag to flag, taking an easy victory. Brian Luxem, again riding a Yamaha two stroke, rode to an easy second place. The next fastest rider in the class, Honda pilot James Williams, appeared to have his podium position sewn up until a last lap crash in the dirt, which allowed Kevin Walter to take third place. Luxems second place finish pushed him up to third in the Central US Lightweight Supermoto points chase, and Walter is now tied for fifth in the championship.

The Veterans Open class race saw the most exciting and most richly rewarded podium finish of the day with Mike Harlow Sr.s phenomenal performance. Riding the only Sport Moto legal bike in the class, and stung by a first lap crash in the dirt, Harlow re-mounted his Schaumberg Honda/Wiseco CR-F and engineered an astonishing comeback. Doug Scronce, on his Huber Performance/D&K Motorsports Honda, had an explosive start, leading the first full lap. Dan Andersohn, riding an Andersohn Development/Keller Motors Honda, snatched the lead on lap two, and ran away from the field, making his eventual victory look easy. Scronce spent the first three quarters of the race holding off the KTM of Robert Voorhees. All the while, Harlow gained back his lost ground, an amazing feat on stock rims. Finally, Harlow caught and passed Voorhees, breaking his spirit. In fact, Harlow very nearly caught Scronce, but had to settle for third place the hard way. For his incredible effort, Harlow was rewarded with his new status as the Central US Supermoto Vet class championship points leader.

The day was capped off with two exhibition classes, the Micro Mini race, and the Open Money Dash for Cash". Jordan Williams ran the field with an easy Micro Mini victory on his Kawasaki, and Nick Daniels took home the lions share of the Open Money purse.
Jordan Williams

Gateway Supermoto will host two more Central US Supermoto Championship rounds in Springfield, the next a night race on August 27th, and the final round of the series on October 30th. Detailed series information and photographs can be found at the Gateway Supermoto web site www.gatewaysupermoto.com

Results
OPEN PREMIER:1.Nick Daniels (Hon);2.Matt Pursley (Hon);3.Robert Loire(KTM);4.Corey Jones(Hon);5.Fred Thomas(Hon)
MIDDLEWEIGHT:1.Nick Daniels(Hon);2.Clayton Shambaugh(Hon);3.Chase Guthrie(Hon);4.Kurt Marmor(Gas);5.Robert Voorhees(KTM);DNF Pat Ferrell(Hon)
LIGHTWEIGHT:1.Chase Guthrie(Hon);2.Brian Luxem(Yam);3.Kevin Walter(KTM);4.James Williams(Hon);DNS Pat Ferrell(Hon)
SPORT MOTO:1.Mike Harlow Sr.(Hon);2.Brian Luxem(Yam);3.John Schallert(Yam);4.Steven Maddox(Hon);5.Joe Forbes(Hon)
VET OPEN:1.Dan Andersohn(Hon);2.Doug Scronce(Hon);3.Mike Harlow Sr.(Hon);4.Robert Voorhees(KTM);5.Allen Hansen(Hon)
MINI MOTO:1.Tyler Williams(Hon);2.Kevin Walter(KTM);3.Ricky Leak(Yam);4.Nick Hansen(Hon);5.Jordan Williams(Hon);6.Aaron Stein(KTM);7.Nick Koelling(Hon)
OPEN MONEY (Exhibition):1.Nick Daniels(Hon);2.Robert Loire(KTM);3.Chase Guthrie(Hon);DNF Matt Pursley(Hon);DNF Corey Jones(Hon)
MICRO MINI (Exhibition):1.Jordan Williams(Kaw);2.Aaron Renschler(Hon);3.Mitchell Stein(Hon);4.Slade Pruitt(Hon)

# # #