|
06/06/02
Carlson Makes It Two In A Row at SuperBikers2
June 2, 2002
Briggs&Stratton Motorplex
Road America
Elkhart Lake, WI
By Glenn Curtiss
Ben Carlson, riding his First Concrete Cutters of Wisconsin/Strobel
Oil/Orca Investments/4&6 Racing/Two Brothers Construction/Torque
Center/Glenn Curtiss sponsored Husqvarna NOX, had everything
fall into place for him to bring home another SuperBikers2
Premier Supermotard class win and collected some more
Husqvarna contingency too.
The weather forecast for the day called for a chance
of rain. The track stayed dry and the racing was red
hot. After starting from the second row in his qualifying
race, Carlson had to battle with class rivals for a
couple of laps. Jesse Janisch, aboard his Pro Plates,
DGTR Metal Works, Torque Center, Southeast Sales, Mid-Cities
Motorsports sponsored Honda CR250 and Scott Diedrich
kept Carlson at bay while they were battling for the
top spot for themselves. Diedrich managed to slip past
Janisch for the lead on the second lap. Carlson had
worked his way past Janisch on lap three. By the end
of lap four, and a couple of deep late braking maneuvers
later, Carlson grabbed the lead from Diedrich and he
never let go it. The Husqvarna of Shane Myers and the
brand new KTM of John Altmann filled out the top five
finishers at the finish.
The Premier Supermotard final event saw a group of
hard chargers all jam their way into the first turn
at the start. Ben Carlson came out of that turn first
and never looked back. Scott Diedrich, Shane Myers,
Jesse Janisch, and John Altmann had their own race going.
Diedrich held the second spot throughout the race. Janisch
swapped spots with Myers for third place. Even with
several laps of battle with Altmann, Myers did manage
to hold onto the fourth spot until lap ten. He then
tried relentlessly to regain the position, but was held
in the fifth position.
During all of the position swapping behind him, Carlson
was putting on a show of big long impressive slides
into many of the turns and long crossed up wheelies
out of the last turn and up the front straightway. Carlson
also put a gap of over 15 seconds on the second place
bike. Diedrich, Janisch, Altmann, and Myers completed
the top five finishers of the class.
The Middleweight Supermotard class qualifying race
saw Scott Diedrich and his Honda CRF450 pulling double
duty. The class points leader went right back to where
he left off from the previous race weekend. The Caolle
Bros.&Diedrich/Pro Motorsports sponsored rider jumped
out to the front at the start of the heat race and stayed
there. In the final Diedrich stayed true to form and
ran up front from the minute the green flag dropped
to the wave of the checkered at the end. Jim Thompson
and Andy Mauk swapped and exchanged the second spot
for most of the race with Thompson taking it for good
on laps nine. Ron Zastrow and Todd Schuh filled out
the top five.
Combined Sport Motard/Lightweight Supermotard action
saw Steve Reinke take the checkered flag over Shane
Myers. Myers, in his second race of day and running
in the Sport class, took the early lead. Reinke, running
in the Lightweight class, took over the lead spot on
lap four. Reinke and Myers continued to battle for several
laps. At the end, it was Reinke taking the win in the
Lightweight Supermotard class and Myers grabbing the
win in the Sport Motard class. Both riders put a 12
second gap to next closest finisher.
|
