Hayden snatches SuperBike win

From AMA Pro Racing

ALTON, VA - Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Tommy Hayden took his fourth AMA Pro SuperBike win of the season by 0.005 secs. over pole position winner Ben Bostrom at the 2.25-mile Virginia International Raceway in Alton, VA on Saturday.

Bostrom led on his Pat Clark Motorsports Yamaha coming down to the line but in a mighty move Hayden pulled out and just crossed the line inches ahead of Bostrom. The fun wasn't over for Hayden who, in his successful attempt to win the race, was out of position at that very high speed part of the track and he used all of his considerable skills to wrestle his Suzuki under control after he found himself running wide off the track onto the grass. He brought it back under control and took a critical victory in his pursuit of Josh Hayes and his Team Graves Yamaha team. 

"We started coming to the finish and I had huge momentum when I pulled out," Hayden commented on his pass for the win. "The way I was pointing too, when I pulled out, I never even got pointed towards turn one I don't think. I started leaning a little and I just had the biggest front slide I think you can have without crashing. I pretty much thought I was down and somehow I just stayed in the throttle and steered it back up and pointed out in the grass and hoped there was nothing out there I couldn't see, any ditches or nothing coming up and just tried to ride it out. It feels good, I really feel like I needed this one today."

Hayes, by virtue of leading the most laps in Saturday's race, has a one-point lead over Hayden in their close battle for the National Guard SuperBike Championship. Hayes took the lead on lap four and led until lap 10, when Ben Bostrom asserted himself into the mix by grabbing the lead from Hayes in turn one. Hayes responded and took the lead right back the next lap and he led for the next nine laps until Bostrom moved ahead on lap 21, which enabled Hayden to get by Hayes as well. Bostrom led as the last lap began but Hayden made a big late braking move into turn one and took the lead but Bostrom was able to fight right back and retook the lead two corners later and looked a likely winner until Hayden made his great move heading down to the flag to take the win. 

Behind the riveting battle for the win, Larry Pegram on his Foremost Insurance Ducati finished fourth after dueling with Jake Zemke on the National Guard Jordan Suzuki, Zemke's Jordan Suzuki teammate Brett McCormick of Saskatoon, Taylor Knapp on the RidersDiscount.com Suzuki and a front row starting Eric Bostrom on his Cycle World Attack Performance Suzuki. Knapp actually finished fifth ahead of McCormick, Bostrom and Zemke. 

John Hopkins made his return to the series and he rode his M4 Monster Energy Suzuki extremely well, running in a solid fourth place for most of the race until he went down in turn four near the end of the race.

Another rider making a comeback was Jordan Suzuki rider Aaron Yates and he practiced and qualified his regular #23 Jordan Suzuki on the outside of the second row. Yates elected not to start Saturday's race, however. He wasn't absolutely sure he would bring his best to the race, which was run in very hot and humid conditions.

Race Results
1. Tommy Hayden (Rockstar ·Makita ·Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 23 Laps
2. Ben Bostrom (Pat Clark Motorsports) Yamaha YZF-R1 +0.005
3. Josh Hayes (Team Graves Yamaha) Yamaha YZF-R1 +0.303
4. Larry Pegram (Foremost Insurance ·Pegram Racing) Ducati 1098R +20.615
5. Taylor Knapp (RidersDiscount.com) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +22.272
6. Brett McCormick (Jordan Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +25.297
7. Eric Bostrom (Cycle World Attack Performance Yoshimura Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +25.388
8. Jake Zemke (National Guard Jordan Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +34.647
9. Chris Ulrich (M4 Monster Energy Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +50.489
10. Jordan Szoke (Waznie Racing Ciclo Werks BMC Dewildt Honda) Honda CBR1000RR +58.235
11. Chris Clark (Pat Clark Motorsports) Yamaha YZF-R1 +1:05.197
12. Shane Narbonne (DASPerformance.com) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1:05.379
13. Skip Salenius (Run 1 Racing Motorsports) Yamaha YZF-R1 22 Laps
14. Geoff May (Erik Buell Racing) Buell 1125RR +18.205
15. John Hopkins (M4 Monster Energy Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 18 Laps
16. Eric Haugo (Viking Moto) Suzuki GSX-R1000 16 Laps
17. Kenny Rodriguez (Graham Motorsports) Yamaha YZF-R1 1 Lap
18. Aaron Yates (Jordan Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 DNS