Herrin hangs on for SportBike win

From AMA Pro Racing

LEXINGTON, OH - After it was all said and done, it looked like business as usual for AMA Pro Daytona SportBike points leader Josh Herrin and his Team Graves Yamaha. He took his fourth win of the 2010 season from pole position on Saturday but for the many lucky fans in attendance at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, this was another of what is now the standard fare in this exciting class. 

After a race-long battle with five-time 2010 race winner Martin Cardenas, once again riding his M4 Monster Energy Suzuki with style and speed, reigning Daytona SportBike Champion Danny Eslick on his GEICO Powersports Suzuki and the surprise of the show, Bobby Fong with his DNA Energy Drink Ducati, Herrin posted another classic win by just 0.045 secs. 

And battle is what happened for the entire 21-lap race at the 2.4-mile circuit. At the start, Eslick got a perfect launch and led into the tight left-hand first turn. Slotting in right behind him was the fourth-starting Cardenas followed quickly by the other front row qualifier, Team Latus Motors Ducati rider Steve Rapp. Herrin was a surprising fourth with Fong a strong fifth, looking for more.

This group settled into a cut and thrust battle with Herrin quickly making a move from fourth to second at the end of the long back straight. Then Cardenas took a turn at the front on lap six and although he was being challenged at different parts of the track, he led the next 10 laps until Herrin got by for three laps. Meanwhile, Rapp had dropped back and had his hands full with Team Graves Yamaha rider Tommy Aquino, who eventually took fifth from Rapp towards the end of the race. 

Back at the front, Fong was quickly becoming the star of the show as he ran as high as second with a great move on Herrin in the Carousel. Eslick dropped back but quickly rejoined the first three for the sprint to the flag. Cardenas looked like he had it under control as he led laps 19 and 20 but then Herrin made a big move to take the lead again going up into the Key Hole turn. But then Cardenas took first back at the end of the long back straight before Herrin retook the lead on the tight backside of the circuit. 

At this point, Eslick and Fong were dicing, causing Eslick to overcook, it putting him off the track and dropping him to fourth at the flag. Fong then made a last lap, last turn charge for the win and was only inches behind Herrin at the flag to take second; his and the CNR Motorsports team's best finish of their AMA Daytona SportBike careers.

For all of his hard work, Cardenas ended up third, which keeps him in the chase for the championship. He is now just 10 points behind Eslick and 41 behind Herrin. Behind Aquino and Rapp, Chris Fillmore and his Vesrah Suzuki teammate Cory West as well as Clinton Seller (Project 1 Atlanta Yamaha),  Josh Day on his Four Feathers Racing Yamaha and P.J. Jacobson on his Celtic Racing Suzuki had their own private battle for seventh through 11th.

J.D. Beach put on a display of speed and skill in a totally dominant win in the first of two AMA Pro SuperSport races. After a flawless start, Beach took his fourth SuperSport win of the season by the largest margin of victory seen this year, 20.126 seconds. 

Finishing second was Beach's Rockwall Performance Yamaha teammate Cameron Beaubier who battled back from fourth place in the early stages of the race. Once he worked his way up to second Beaubier ran down the surprising Dustin Dominguez and stayed in touch with Beach in the East Division SuperSport Young Gun championship.

Race two for both classes will be Sunday. SPEED will have flag-to-flag coverage of all National Guard SuperBike and Daytona SportBike races from Mid-Ohio in same weekend broadcasts. A full TV schedule can be found at http://www.speedtv.com/schedule/filter/program/948061.

Daytona SportBike Race Results
1. Josh Herrin (Team Graves Yamaha) Yamaha YZF-R6 21 Laps
2. Bobby Fong (DNA Energy Drink CNR Motorsports Ducati) Ducati 848 +0.045
3. Martin Cardenas (M4 Monster Energy Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R600 +0.251
4. Danny Eslick (GEICO Powersports ·RMR ·Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R600 +6.998
5. Tommy Aquino (Team Graves Yamaha) Yamaha YZF-R6 +9.051
6. Steve Rapp (Team Latus Motors Racing) Ducati 848 +9.420
7. Chris Fillmore (Vesrah Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R600 +33.788
8. Cory West (Vesrah Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R600 +33.814
9. Clinton Seller (Project 1 Atlanta) Yamaha YZF-R6 +34.129
10. Josh Day (Four Feathers Racing) Yamaha YZF-R6 +34.172
11. P. J. Jacobsen (Celtic Racing) Suzuki GSX-R600 +34.491
12. Michael Barnes (Prieto Performance) Yamaha YZF-R6 +43.442
13. Michael Beck (DNA Energy Drink CNR Motorsports Ducati) Ducati 848 +57.909
14. David Anthony (Aussie Dave Racing) Yamaha YZF-R6 +58.614
15. Paul Allison (Chronic Motorsports) Yamaha YZF-R6 +59.039
16. Kris Turner (Turner`s Cycle Racing) Suzuki GSX-R600 +59.373
17. Russ Wikle (Wikle Racing) Suzuki GSX-R600 +1:10.958
18. Marcos Reichert (Rockwall Performance) Yamaha YZF-R6 +1:11.357
19. Fernando Amantini (Team Amantini) Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R +1:18.838
20. Kyle Wyman (Harv`s Harley-Davidson) Yamaha YZF-R6 +1:24.956
21. Michael Morgan (Autolite RIM Racing) Suzuki GSX-R600 +1:31.064
22. Santiago Villa (RoadRacingWorld.com Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R600 20 Laps
23. Dane Westby (Project 1 Atlanta) Yamaha YZF-R6 +29.015
24. Matt Spannan (Team Qyb) Suzuki GSX-R600 +1:01.150
25. Sam Rozynski (Chronic Motorsports) Yamaha YZF-R6 12 Laps
26. Melissa Paris (MPH Racing ·Inc.) Yamaha YZF-R6 11 Laps
27. Tony Kasper (ESP/Speedcell/24.7) Yamaha YZF-R6 10 Laps
28. Dominic Jones (Four Feathers Racing) Yamaha YZF-R6 7 Laps
29. Doug Polen (Ducshop Racing) Ducati 848 4 Laps
Race Time: 31:29.463
Margin of Victory: 0.045
Best Race Lap: Josh Herrin (1:29.044)