February 2013

The Inside Line February 2013, Issue Number 1

D a n n y K e lse y B a g s T h e M o st E x p e rt Win s! H o w a rd T a k e s P re mie r F o rmu la 1 S p rin t C la ss! D a vid N a p ie r Is Y e llo w P la te K in g F o r A D a y! V illa g e Id io ts G e t B ig B ik e E n d u ra n c e Win ! T e a m G re e n T a k e H o me M in i E n d u ra n c e V ic to ry!

T y

C M RA • P O

B o x 10 117 7 • F o r t

W o r t h , Te x a s

7 6 18 5

• 8 17 - 5 7 0 - 9 7 7 9

Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association PO Box 101177 Fort Worth, TX 76185-1177 Office Phone: (817) 570-9779 FAX: (888) 334-0166 www.cmraracing.com

2013 CMRA BOARD OF DIRECTORS John Orchard, President - [email protected] Jim Dugger, Vice President - [email protected] Harry Tomlinson - [email protected] Ted Phillips - [email protected] Ty Howard - [email protected] Danny Dominguez - [email protected] Eric Falt - [email protected] CMRA STAFF (listed in alphabetical order) Larry Bauer – Crash Truck Patti Bradshaw – Gate David Broom – Technical Inspector and Grid Marshal Steve Burzynski – Technical Inspector Fred Chapman – Track Chaplain: [email protected] Alan Etheredge – Registration Frank Klementich – Electronic Timing and Scoring Linz Leard – Chief Technical Inspector, Grid Marshal and Newsletter Editor: [email protected] Raynie Leard – Manual Scoring and Merchandise Norm McDonald – Treasurer Steve McNamara – Riders School Instructor: [email protected] Sara Michna – Gate Barry Nichols – Chief Cornerworking Marshal: [email protected] Roxana Nichols – Awards Official: [email protected] Bob Oertle – Announcer Jeff Phillips – Starter and Grid Marshal Jolene Rogers – Manual Scoring and Merchandise Ryan Rutkowski – Outrider Nancy Selleck – Administrator and CMRA Secretary: [email protected] Stu Selleck – Pit Steward and Grid Marshal Ted VanLaningham – Race Control Autumn Walker – Manual Scoring and Merchandise Kim Walker – Electronic Timing and Scoring: [email protected] Walter Walker – Director of Competition and Chief Rulebook Answer Man: [email protected]

On the Cover: Danny Kelsey drives onto MSRH’s front straight. Kelsey was the class of the Expert field, earning four wins on the weekend. Photo: NineSevenImages/Linz Leard

15 – 17 February MSR Houston (MSRH) – Angleton, Texas Friday: CMRA Member Practice and CMRA License School Saturday: Mini Sprints/ESS/2-Hr Mini Endurance/4-Hr Big Bike Endurance Sunday: CMRA Sprints 22 – 24 March Texas World Speedway (TWS) – College Station, Texas Friday: LSTD Track Day and CMRA License School Saturday: Mini Sprints/ESS/8-Hr Big Bike Endurance Sun: CMRA Sprints 12 – 14 April Eagles Canyon Raceway (ECR) – Decatur, Texas Friday: LSTD Track Day and CMRA License School Saturday: Mini Sprints/ESS/6-Hr Mini Endurance/Team 60 Sunday: CMRA Sprints 17 – 19 May Hallett Motor Racing Circuit (HMRC) – Hallett, Oklahoma Friday: CMRA Member Practice and CMRA License School Saturday: Mini Sprints/ESS/4-Hr Mini Endurance/Solo 30/Team 60 Sunday: CMRA Sprints 14 – 16 June NOLA Motorsports Park (NOLA) – Avondale, Louisiana Friday: CMRA Member Practice and CMRA License School Saturday: 6-Hr Big Bike Endurance/Solo 30 Sunday: CMRA Sprints 5 – 7 July MotorSport Ranch (MSR) – Cresson, Texas Friday: LSTD Track Day and CMRA License School Saturday: (1.3 mile course, CCW) Mini Sprints/ESS/4-Hr Mini Endurance (1.7 mile course, CCW) Solo 30/Team 60/Practice Sunday: CMRA Sprints 26 – 28 July Texas World Speedway – College Station, Texas Friday: LSTD Track Day and CMRA License School Saturday: Mini Sprints/ESS/4-Hr Mini Endurance/Solo 30/Team 60 Sunday: CMRA Sprints 23 – 25 August MotorSport Ranch (MSR) – Cresson, Texas Friday: LSTD Track Day and CMRA License School Saturday: (1.7 mile course, CW) Mini Sprints/ESS/6-Hr Big Bike Endurance Sunday: CMRA Sprints 27 – 29 September Eagles Canyon Raceway (ECR) – Decatur, Texas Friday: LSTD Track Day and CMRA License School Saturday: Mini Sprints/ESS/6-Hr Big Bike Endurance Sunday: CMRA Sprints 25 – 27 October Texas World Speedway – College Station, Texas Friday: LSTD Track Day and CMRA License School Saturday: Mini Sprints/ESS/2-Hr Mini Endurance/4-Hr Big Bike Endurance Sunday: CMRA Sprints

Series Totals: Mini Sprints – Nine (9) rounds; Big Bike Sprints – Ten (10) rounds; Mini Endurance – Six (6) rounds/22 Hrs; Big Bike Endurance – Six (6) rounds/34 Hrs; Solo 30 – Four (4) rounds; Team 60 – Four (4) rounds. The Solo 30 class is a 30 minute race for big bikes; Team 60 is a 60 minute race for two rider teams on big bikes; ESS is the E-Superstock class big bike sprint race.

CENTRAL MOTORCYCLE ROADRACING ASSOCIATION

2013 FEE SCHEDULE COMPETITION LICENSE · $145 – Annual; $105 after June 16th; $25 after September 29th · $25 – One-Weekend (one time per year) · $25 – Junior Motard ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP · $70 – Annual; $40 after June 16th CMRA LICENSE SCHOOL · $75 · No charge for Junior Motard School SATURDAY SPRINTS · Mini Sprint – First Entry – $40; Each Additional Entry – $30 · E Superstock – $55 · Solo 30 – First Entry - $80, Second Entry - $60, Each Additional Entry - $40 · Junior Motard – $15 SUNDAY SPRINTS · First Entry – $80 (Formula 1 Expert – $100) · Second Entry – $60 · Each Additional Entry – $40 TEAM 60 · Entry – $120 ENDURANCE · Big Bike - $50 per hour · Minis - $40 per hour OPEN PRACTICE (NOTE: Saturday practice fees vary depending on venue and available time) · Friday - Hallett Motor Racing Circuit (HMRC) – $130 full-day; $70 after lunch · Friday – MSR Houston (MSRH) – $140 full-day; $80 after lunch · Friday – NOLA Motorsports Park (NOLA) – $160 full-day; $90 after lunch · Practice fees are per racer for sprint; per bike for endurance teams TRANSPONDER · Purchase – $420 · Rental – $50/weekend ($420 deposit). 50% of rental fees can be applied toward purchase during same calendar year. Rental receipts required for discount · Rental – Junior Motard – No Charge ($420 deposit) MISC. ENTRY FEE INFO · Expert Sprint Class Champions – $40 off one entry for each championship · Big Bike Endurance Class Champions – $50 off one entry for each championship · Mini Endurance Class Champions – $40 off one entry for each championship · Post-Entry Fee (At-Track Entries) – $10 per entry form

Note: A Full Membership is the required membership level to race CMRA events and includes all of the perks of an Associate Membership, plus riding privileges - race number, awards, prize money, etc. Applications are available at race events or request one via email at [email protected]. You can also download one at http://cmraracing.com/forms.html.

By John Orchard, President, CMRA Board of Directors Photo: NineSevenImages/Linz Leard The 2013 CMRA season is under way and off to a fast start with our first event

complete.

We’ve

seen

a

tremendous turnout in our first weekend with record breaking sprint entries and strong attendance all around. It’s been great to see the excitement and enthusiasm around the paddock with all of the regulars returning, and a strong showing of a significant number of new novices helping kick off a great start to the season.

Hats off to both Walter,

Nancy and all of the staff who have done an excellent job of managing each of the first two events as if that were the ‘norm’ and making each event seamless to the rest of us. Late last season in one of the town hall formats, we introduced several planned changes for 2013: Addition of Solo 30 and Team 60 races to the Saturday schedule on certain events, and scheduling longer big bike and mini endurance races. We have ten events this year, up from nine in 2012, we’re headed to NOLA for the first time and we’ve added a third visit to TWS due to its longstanding popularity and strong attendance record. Starting lights have been added to the starting grid. Additionally, the Formula 1 race has been completely revamped, including significant sponsorship recognizing Breast Cancer Research Foundation, introduction of qualifying and recognition of the top placing 600 cc motorcycle, and an awards ceremony that takes place immediately following the Formula 1 race to recognize the top performers in the premier race of the day. All of these more visible changes, and many additional smaller tweaks were made possible with ideas and collaboration from valued CMRA membership input, the Board of Directors, along with Walter and Nancy working to make the ideas a reality. With lots of great racing to go this season, I’m excited to see what the next several events bring as we roll out some of the “new” race formats mentioned above. I encourage everyone to take a look at what’s on the schedule, give something new a try and have some fun!

See you at the track! John-O

Team Green and Village Idiots Draw First Blood in the Endurance Series! Danny Kelsey, Ty Howard and David Napier Have Big Days in the Sprint Races! of the 2011 and 2012 season openers at MSR Houston to deal with. Jackets were a generally good idea and, even though Story by Linz Leard

the sun was out much of the weekend, it remained cool and

Photos by Linz Leard and Hoss McBain

breezy so getting a bit of windburn was real possibility. Still,

February 16 and 17, 2013

the weather was quite good as long as one was dressed for

MSR Houston, Angleton, Texas

it, and this meant there was no shortage racers or spectators. In fact, when registration closed on Sunday morning, there

The Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association were a record total of 753 entries. Even the old timers who kicked off the first round of the 2013 season at MSR have been around the CMRA since the days of racing on board Houston over the weekend of February 16 and 17. The tracks (okay, okay, the CMRA has never raced on board weather was a bit of a minor factor for the racers and staff tracks!) could not remember when there were more entries. members, with temperatures in the upper 50s F in the CMRA Administrator, Nancy Selleck thought that the weather mornings and reaching only the low 60s F in the afternoons, really helped the racer and spectator turnout, saying “we had with a fairly constant breeze blowing. These two factors lines from the gate out to the road,” and adding that “the tended to keep heat from the race track in addition to making paddock was completely full, and there was no place left to it a little rough for some racers, spectators, cornerworkers park.” and staff who had to be in it all day. At least, however, those

The Mini sprint races were the first bikes on the track

in attendance didn’t have the dense fog or torrential rains and saw some healthy entry numbers, especially in the K&N Motorcycles

Junior

Motard and Road & Track

Suspension

Formula 4 classes. It was youngster Hayden Giarratano that would end up with the win in Junior Motard, and in the F4

class,

William

Renville took the win while a hard charging Jim Whitten would set the fastest lap of the race while trying to run Renville down. Danny Kelsey was the class of the Expert field in the Sunday sprint races, winning four of the five he entered. Kelsey’s goal for 2013 is to regain the CMRA’s Overall Number 1 plate, a plate he last captured in in 2011. Photo: NineSevenImages/Linz Leard

The 2-Hour Mini endurance race had a healthy grid of 29 teams.

Entry count for the weekend at MSRH topped 750, which was the most that anyone could remember, including the old, crusty racers who have been around since the dawn of time. The high entry count ensured that not only the grids were full of row after row of racers, but also that paddock space was at a premium. Photo: Hoss McBain

Honda CBR250 across the stripe in third place with 96 laps. Of note, and something observed

by

many

who

watched the race, was the sea of yellow shirts in the race; Provisional Novices made

up

a

very

large

percentage of Mini endurance team members. After

the

Minis

cleared pit road, the 4-Hour Big Bike endurance race teams took their turn on the track. This race also had 29 teams entered, and included the now-familiar classes of A Superbike, Formula

2,

C

Superbike,

and

Modern

Classic Endurance, and there For 2013, there’s no drop of a green flag to start the races, was a solid contingent of all classes represented (although but instead the CMRA is employing a start light similar to what Formula 2 was feeling the effects of perennial class is used in AMA, World Superbike and MotoGP racing. The champions, Faltless Racing combining their efforts with light is definitely different than the flag, and for some will take another team, and moving up to another class). some getting used to. In the Mini endurance race, Green

At the start of the race, the 212Decals.com team (Dirk

Machine (Jesse Davis and Brandon Altmeyer) didn’t seem to Anderson, William Guthrie, Brandt Dillon, Eddie Thornton) have a problem with it and took an early lead on their set the pace on a Suzuki GSX-R1000 and held off the Kawasaki Ninja 250 that they would end up keeping much of the race, including when it mattered most – when the checkered flag flew. Green Machine completed 99 laps to claim the overall Mini endurance win, first place in the Formula 4 class, and the allimportant early season momentum that comes with the points lead. RyderHard Racing (Ken Ryder and Jay Newton), also on a Kawasaki Ninja 250, came home with a solid second place, two laps back of Green Machine, while MC Racing (Jim Whitten and Joseph Caruso), a team new to the Mini endurance fray for 2013, brought their

The 2-Hour Mini endurance race had 29 entries, including the Wiley Coyote Wacing (36) entry. Here young Ashley Wilson is at the controls of the bike. Ashley is but one of several women who donned leathers and raced with the CMRA at the first event of the 2013 season. Photo: Hoss McBain

Yamaha R6

of

YZFVillage

Idiots

(John

Orchard, Chris H e a d l e y , B r a n d o n Cleland, Garet Tomlinson) and the

Kawasaki

ZX-6R of Lone

Connor Blevins (6), always a threat for the front of the pack, had a great day at MSRH, carding a pair of 2nd place finishes and a pair of 3rd place finishes in his four sprint races. Here Blevins is pursued by Craig Montgomery (49) and Garet Tomlinson (22). Photo: Hoss McBain.

Star Track Days. Meanwhile, the Yamaha

YZF-

R6

of

LocoMotion (Mark Windham, Ryan

Max

Johnson, Matt Vastine, Alonzo Contreras) pulled up onto the class. LocoMotion surprised a few folks when they held on to heels of the top three and served notice that they were finish third overall while nabbing second place in C Superbike. contenders.

The Village Idiots winning an endurance race is really not

Eventually 212Decals.com surrendered the lead to news, but their winning the first Big Bike endurance race of Village Idiots, but on lap 73, with the Idiots now ahead by the season served notice that the defending 2012 Big Bike almost a lap, the red flag was brought out for a crash on the endurance champions will not be giving up the Overall Big exit of Turn 17 involving AF1 Faltless Racing (Eric Falt, Bill Bike endurance Number 1 plate without a fight. On Sunday, the weather conditions were just about

Erzal, Ted Phillips, Ronnie Hay, Jon Francis). It took the better

part of 30 minutes to tend to the injured rider and get to a the same as Saturday – still on the cool side, and still a bit restart, but when the teams lined up and took the start light breezy. In fact, in some areas around Angleton there had again, 212Decals.com and Village Idiots were locked into a been some overnight rain, but the track itself was spared from battle for the front as the the two teams were earlier in the the wet stuff. Like Saturday, there were a huge number of race. During this fight for the front of the pack, Village Idiots Provisional Novices gridding up and getting their race on, and recorded a 1:39.3 lap, which would end up being the fastest more than a couple were quite quick in their respective races. lap of the race. The team would then essentially seal the deal The generally favorable weather also meant that a huge when 212Decals.com had to make an unscheduled pit stop, number of spectators from the large metro Houston area or, perhaps, it was 212Decals.com that sealed the deal for poured into the track to see the CMRA racers turn wheels in the Idiots. Meanwhile, it was somewhere during this time that anger. LocoMotion moved ahead of Lone Star Track Days for third place in the race.

In the Expert classes, many of the usual suspects appeared at the front of the pack, and when it was all said

Village Idiots would not be headed after this, and the and done and the weekend’s races were over, Danny Kelsey team would take not only first place in the C Superbike class, had turned in a stellar performance on his pair of Pirelli-shod but also claim the overall Big Bike endurance win. Suzukis to claim a total of five podiums: four wins and a 212Decals.com would cross the finish line in second place second place. On his Suzuki GSX-R1000, Kelsey took wins overall, which was good enough for first in the A Superbike in Raceworx A Superstock Expert, High Performance

Alan Phillips tells Jim Whitten (27) where he was on the gas after the finish of the Formula 4 race while Provisional Novice Trey Morris (369) and Novice David Kobierowski (669) roll back to the pits. Photo: Hoss McBain.

Crew.com A Superbike Expert and bagged a second place finish in the CMRA’s premier Breast

Cancer

Research

Foundation/P1

Racing Formula 1 Expert race. When riding his Suzuki GSX-R750, he captured wins in the B Superstock Expert and B Superbike Expert classes. Kelsey said that the MSR Houston races amounted to a “breakthrough weekend” for him as his goal is to regain the CMRA’s Overall Number 1 plate that he had previously held after winning it during the 2011 season. Excited to ride his GSX-R1000, giving him what he feels will be a much needed boost in power

that he’s lacked in the past, Kelsey said, “We are only going his effort to catch the leader, Danny Kelsey. For 2013, to get better on the 1000 as the season progresses. I look Howard’s powerful KTM is wearing Dunlop tires again, and forward to more exciting racing throughout the remainder of Howard lauded them by saying that his first race weekend the season.” Meanwhile, the current CMRA Overall Number 1

back on the round, black sticky hoops “felt great." In the Novice division, it was Provisional Novice

plate holder, Ty Howard, has, in 2013, scaled back on the David Napier on his Suzuki GSX-R750 that had, perhaps, the number races he competes in on race weekends, but that best day of all as he went undefeated in all of his races. Napier wouldn’t stop him from finding his way to the front of the pack took wins in all four of his races: Lone Star Track Days B in the races he did grid up for, and indeed, Howard took not Superstock Novice, OnRoad OffRoad Suspension A only the pole position during qualifying, but also claimed the Superstock A Novice, North Texas Superbikes B Superbike win in the inaugural Breast Cancer Research Foundation/P1 Novice, Body Evolution Fitness Center Formula 40 Racing Formula 1 race on his KTM RC8R. The Formula 1 Heavyweight Novice, and North Texas Superbikes A race is designed to be the headline sprint race for the CMRA Superbike Novice. Napier’s wins, though, didn’t come without in 2013, and, as mentioned previously, boasts a timed 10 some pressure, as several other Novice speedsters including minute qualifying session whereby the riders are gridded up Mark Patterson, Doug Frenchak, Jay Newton and Chris for the race in order of their best lap time during the qualifying Hamlett took turns hounding Napier until the checkered flag. session. Qualifying, by the way, hasn’t been seen in many In fact, some of these racers won races of their own during years in the CMRA, and proved to be exciting to watch for the weekend, albeit races that Napier wasn’t entered in, not racers and fans alike. Also, the Breast Cancer Research that this makes their accomplishments any less impressive, Foundation/P1 Racing Formula 1 race boasts a sizeable cash especially because the Novice grids were jam-packed with purse for the top finishers, including the top 600 finisher, and racers, new and returning, and made for some seriously a portion of the entry fee is donated to the Breast Cancer exciting racing. Research Foundation.

Opening weekend at MSR Houston set a high

Howard, in his only other appearance on the grid at watermark for not just some of the racers, but also the CMRA. MSR Houston, took home a second place in the The next stop on the schedule is Texas World Speedway in HighPerfomranceCrew.com A Superbike race. Howard would mid-March. Texas World Speedway is generally a great later blame his inability to fight for the win in that class on venue for racer turnout and awesome action, and the CMRA getting a poor start. He did turn the fastest lap of the race in and its racers cannot wait.

Photos: NineSevenImages/Linz Leard Jay Newton (314) looks to be a solid contender in the Novice classes this season. The youngster from Montgomery, Texas, was in the top 5 of his races all day, and stood on top of the podium in the Formula 1 Novice race.

The all-female team of Leather & Lace (33) looked consistently quick on the track, but in the end could only muster a 19th overall finish in the 2-Hour Mini endurance. Quicker pit stops will help them.

Dewayne Davis (680) battled bike gremlins all weekend long, but managed to figure it out long enough to garner a 2nd place finish in the Formula 40 Expert race.

Clearing pit road after an endurance race is always an exercise in controlled chaos. RyderHard Racing (1) packs up their Kawasaki Ninja 250 after the 2Hour Mini endurance race while GDI Racing (39) looks to move in their Yamaha YZF-R6 before the start of the 4-Hour Big Bike endurance race.

Bill Syfan (17) twists the grip of his Honda RS100 during the Formula 4 Mini sprint race. The “Syfanator” would end up finishing the race in the 4th spot.

CMRA Outrider, Ryan Rutkowski (329) buckles his helmet and prepares to take to the track to get in some practice.

Lone Star Track Days (10) finished 4th overall in the Big Bike endurance race. Here Mark Niemi puts the team’s Kawasaki ZX-6R through its paces.

Griff Richardson (730) was one of many Provisional Novices to grace the grids of the CMRA races at MSR Houston.

Race director Walter Walker calls a quick riders briefing before the start of the 4-Hour Big Bike endurance race to cover some last minute - and important - details. When Walter calls a briefing, if you’re a racer, you’d best be in attendance.

David Napier (380) has logged lots of laps as a track day guy, but when it came time to put numbers on his bike and grid up with the CMRA, he quickly asserted himself as the man to beat in 2013 in the novice classes. Napier won the most Novice races on the weekend.

Cornerworkers. Without them, you don’t race. Period. It’s an often lonely and, in harsh weather conditions, uncomfortable job, but someone’s gotta do it. The CMRA is thankful for those who do.

Chaos Racing (6) suffered some of their own chaos in the 2-Hour Mini endurance race, and finished far down the results sheet in 23rd spot.

Jim Whitten (27), always stylish and colorful, had one of the best races of the day in the Formula 4 Mini race, but came up a whisker short to William Renville (not pictured) for the win.

Ty Howard, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation/P1 Formula 1 Expert race winner, tells how he got the win - and his share of the prize money - during the awards ceremony.

Cool and breezy conditions impacted racers and staffers alike. Here manual scorer Raynie Leard, who has moved up to a staff spot after a year and a half as a cornerworker, manages a smile while getting a windburn.

ST II (24) are often near the front of the field in the Big Bike endurance events, yet do so with a very quiet and unassuming presence. At MSR Houston, the team would claim a 7th overall and 4th in class.

Steve McNamara grins in excitement as his son, Nick Doolan, brings home a 3rd place finish in the Formula 3 race.

NORDCO Racing took home 5th overall and 2nd in class in the 4-Hour Big Bike endurance race. Here Mike Rochester gives the team’s Yamaha YZF-R1 a workout while heading onto MSR Houston’s front straight.

Brandt Dillon (717) flogged his BMW S1000RR at MSR Houston, putting in some inspired rides, and nabbing several podiums on the day. However in the end, the best he could do was a 2nd place finish in A Supestock Expert, which ain’t too shabby at all.

Chris Hamlett (916) takes his turn at the front of the B Superbike Novice race. When the checkers waved, however, he would wind up in the runner-up position by a scant 0.099 seconds.

BRAWP Racing (48) hams it up for the camera after the 2-Hour Mini endurance race. The team took home a solid 8th place overall finish in the race.

A record 753 entries for the weekend meant that registration at MSR Houston was a busy place to be. At least it was warm inside.

Hayden Giarratano (199) ran away with the K&N Motorcycles Junior Motard race, claiming a decisive victory on his Piranha ZTX90.

Darrell “DJ” Ricks (3) helped Team EDS to a win in the Formula 2 class in the 4-Hour Big Bike endurance race.

Misfit Racing (88) came away with an 11th overall finish in the 2-Hour Mini endurance race. They celebrated by buying a shot of whiskey for everyone at the track at the end of the day. Okay, fine. They didn’t.

You don’t get to wear that Number 1 plate without having done something right somewhere along the way. The 2012 Big Bike Overall endurance champions, Village Idiots, picked up at MSR Houston where they left off in 2012 - winning. Here Idiot Chris Headley hustles the team’s Yamaha YZF-R6 off the corner and down the front straight. The Idiots would win the Big Bike endurance race by a one lap margin when the day was done.

Andy Gilliand (170) lofts the front end of his Suzuki SV650 ever so slightly as he applies power on the exit of a turn. Gilliand struggled with fuel pump issues all weekend. With parts borrowed from friends and competitors, he finally made some races at Sunday’s end, notching a pair of 4th place finishes along with a 3rd place finish in D Superbike Expert.

Robert Whyte (383) and John Byus (171) were this close for much of the Formula 40 Novice race. Whyte and his Ducati Hypermotard would maintain the advantage at the finish line.

Dovie Smith (27) cracks the throttle open in the K&N Motorcycle sponsored Junior Motard race, and would go home with a hard fought 6th place finish.

Other than the yellow Provisional Novice shirts given to new racers, t-shirts over leathers aren’t really CMRA approved attire, and red shirts are a definite no-no. That said, do as this guy’s shirt says and no one will get hurt.

Ty Howard didn’t win the most races on Sunday, but he did qualify his KTM RC8R on the pole of, and won the inaugural Breast Cancer Research Foundation/P1 Racing - Formula 1 Expert race. A 10 lap race, for the first few laps it looked like the race could go to any one of several racers, but Howard eventually put on his race face and stretched out a win by more than 8 seconds by the time it was over.

Desert Rats Racing (47) on their Yamaha YZF-R1 leads the Yamaha YZF-R6 of LocoMotion (88) onto the front straight at MSR Houston during the 4-Hour Big Bike endurance race. At the end of the day, though, it would be LocoMotion who would finish 3rd overall in the race while the Desert Rats would slip back to 6th overall.

Crazy Dog Racing finished the 4-Hour Big Bike endurance race in 19th overall position on their Honda CBR600RR, matching their bike number.

Daniel Adams (8) would claim a victory in the D Superstock Expert race, the first race of the day on Sunday, and then bag several other podiums before the day was done.

CMRA race announcer, Bob Oertle, readies to interview the top finishers in the Formula 1 Expert race. Brandon Cleland (975, and standing in leathers on the right of the picture), is still recovering from a nasty crash at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit last year, but is back in action and running near the front of the pack. Cleland finished 7th in the F1 Expert race.

Hell Kittens Racing (50) talk pre-race strategy before the start of 2-Hour Mini endurance race.

Bobby Davies (707), wearing white plates for 2013, finished 3rd in the Rookie Expert race.

CMRA Race Director, Walter Walker, performs a bit of last minute prep work to his son’s Formula 6 Mini race bike.

The sun sets on the first weekend of the 2013 CMRA race season. Where hundreds of motorcycles were howling at full throttle just minutes earlier, the view down the front straight at MSR Houston is actually quite calming at the end of the day. Photo: Alan Phillips

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