Amantini takes first two Superbike wins

By Frank Wood

SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC -- Fernando Amantini scored two wins in Saturday’s Latin American Superbike Championship races to take the points lead towards the title.

Fourth fastest in qualifying, Amantini used his outside pole position to take the holeshot in the first race and pull away with no one to challenge. The Venezuelan champion had a three-second advantage after the first lap and added to his lead with every circuit. At the end of the race Amantini’s cushion was over 10 seconds.

“On the first lap, first corner I took the lead and from there I just pushed hard to set good times early in the race and then maintain those times each and every lap," he said. "I looked back two or three times but I had my dad and brother to give me signals so I knew my gap over second. Towards the end of the race my rear tire was starting to slip so I just took it easy and make sure I made no mistakes.”

The riders chasing Amantini became the race within the race as Emilio Pena (D-R), Nirio Rivero (Cuba) and Barrett Long (US) swapped positions race long .

Canadian rider Jean Francois Cyr on a stock GSX-R750 was caught mid pack from the start and was involved in a great dice throughout the race. Cyr would show great skill in braking and corner speed to close and pass the Superbikes he ran against and then to his frustration they would gather him up on the straights. Cyr had qualified in 10th and was battling over seventh place race-long to eventually settle for eighth.

“I had fun out there," Cyr said. "I can’t say I’m happy. I mean I rode well but my corner speed was faster than those guys and I was braking later and was more aggressive getting on the throttle coming out but they would out power me on the straights. There was a couple of times  I almost ran into the back of that guy, I don’t remember which number he was but he would just park it in the corners, I had to really keep an eye on that. I would have liked to be in the top five but I don’t have the power.”

The rider Cyr was dicing with was Gustavo Sanchez (Ven) on a BMW. Late in the race the pressure cooker that Cyr had created was too much for Sanchez and he low sided coming out of turn six trying to keep pace with the Canadian. Sanchez was trapped under his bike and as the red flag came out, so to did the chequered, the race complete.

Franklyn Dominguez had a poor start from the second row entering turn one on the first lap in seventh. The three time D-R champ and Parts Canada regular quickly went to work and within the first go round was challenging for third. Then on lap four Dominguez got into a vicious slide coming off turn six onto the straight. He was launched into the air but somehow kept control and re gathered to find himself in ninth place. From that point Dominguez settled into a fast but safe pace and was able to reel in most of those who passed. Dominguez ended his race seventh.

“I made a little mistake,” he explained. “I was pushing really hard trying to catch Amantini and then I tried to make up for it which was when I almost high sided. I was really lucky I didn’t crash. I’m really happy with my times so I hope to do better this afternoon.”

Dominguez's lap times were just off those of Amantini and they were the only riders in the 1:17 second bracket. Dominguez was at 1:17.246 compared to Amantini’s 1;17.179.

In the second round of the Latin American Superbike Championship it was a far different story for first leg winner Amantini as he was caught in the pack going into turn one on lap one and at completion of the first lap was running third. Midway through lap two he had moved up into second battling with the Dominican rookie star  Waldis Veras and Expedito Peralta (D-R). Dominguez was seventh with Cyr eighth at completion of lap two.

Lap three saw Dominguez move up to sixth as Amantini began to challenge for the lead. Next lap Amantini made a pass in the horseshoe turn 10 to begin what would turn out to be a vicious race long dice with 19-year-old prodigy Veras. Lap after lap these two would swap positions with the partisan crowd cheering Veras’ every move.

On lap eight Veras got into turn seven too hot and ran off track, losing four positions in the process. He rejoined and set off like a man on a mission and within two laps had displaced those who had taken advantage of his miscue and was once more a shadow over Amantini. The Dominican crowd was starting to reach the frenzy level as they watched in disbelief as their heroe, on lap 11, ran off track again.

Once more the teenager went on the charge and made up the positions he had lost and incredibly within two laps was on Amantini like a paint coat. The two took their personal duel down to the chequered flag with victory to Amantini and a close second for Veras.

With a points lead and a Latin American Championship within grasp Amantini was pleased with his second win but conceded that Veras had not made it easy.

“It was a hard hard race right from the first lap," Amantini said. "When I got the lead I tried to put in really hard laps but the weather got hotter, we thought it was going to cool down a bit, and the rear tire was slipping a lot so Veras was able to catch me and pass me, then I passed him and we started to fight for the win. As we got to the last of the race I started to guard every line to stay close to the inside to close the door so that he doesn’t have a chance to pass.

"For me for sure it was really fun to race like that, fighting in the first corner, fighting in the last corner, it was fun. I knew coming here that the local riders who know the track would make it hard for me and in that race it was."

Meanwhile, somewhat unnoticed because of the battle up front, Dominguez fought his way up into third but his hold was tenuous. He had two riders directly behind him who were obviously on better handling bikes and it is a credit to Dominguez that he was able to tame the beast and keep those riders at bay to the end of the race.

“No, that was not easy for me,” Dominguez commented. “I worked very very hard to keep it on the podium. Andrew Nelson gave me a lot of help that made my bike work so much better than the first race so I am very thankful to Andrew. I did the very best I could not only for the Dominican fans but for Canada too.”

Cyr fought the good fight but had the same handicap as he experienced in leg one. He ran in ninth position but had the leaders in sight. At each end of the track where the tight corners beckoned Cyr would close on the group in front, at times moving into seventh spot only to see his efforts evaporate as the litre bikes got to the straights.

“These superbikes are killing me on the straights,” Cyr explained. “They’re getting like 10 or 15 bike lengths on me and I have to work very hard to make it back up then they leave me again on the straightaway, that’s what’s killing me. I can’t even get into their draft, they just pull away. I went quicker in that race so we improved but my motor is a 750. It’s bone stock; the best bike to have here is a 1000.”

In support class qualifying Canadian riders did very well indeed. Brian Kamp on the Racer5/Riders Choice/Blue Streak entry took pole position in the Amatuer class with a lap time of 1:22.834. Vanessa Gareau-Dominguez was fourth fastest for a front row starting position with Samantha Goyer in eighth, Andre Lavoie ninth and Paul Hollister in 10th.

“It feels great,” enthused Kamp. “I didn’t stay out there very long because I knew I have the 600 class qualifying coming up. I saw Vanessa out there but I couldn’t reel her in so I’m kinda surprised I had a better time. I think I can get better times than that; it’s just a matter of being consistent, a matter of keeping hydrated. For us it’s quite hot here and it’s easy to lose energy. My game plan for tomorrow is to get out front and get away from them.”

Quebec fast-boy Sylvain Dery was fast qualifier in the 600 Sportbike class on his Hyundai Shawinigan-sponsored Yamaha with Joey McRae riding the Kahuna Powersports/Graves Yamaha/Fast Co. Yamaha taking second spot and Gareau on the Seamont/Holt/Orion Motorsports bike taking the final front row position in fourth.

“I lowered my lap times about a second and a half by following Andrew [Nelson]’s advice so it turned out to be pretty good," Dery explained. "The bike was handling really good, it doesn’t make a lot of power because it is just a stock motor but I think I can win with it. I just want to beat Joey.”

Photos from the event and festivities can be seen at http://www.pbase.com/don_empey_photography/dominican and will be updated daily.

Results Round One
1. Fernando Amantini (Ven) (Kaw)
2. Nirio Rivero (Cuba) (Suz)
3. Expidito Peralta (D-R) (Suz)
4. Emilio Pena (D-R) (Suz)
5. Barret Long (USA) (Duc)
6. Marco Martinez (Ven) (Suz)
7. Franklyn Dominguez (D-R) (Kaw)
8. Jean Francois Cyr (Can) (Suz)
9. Franklin Reveron (Ven) (Suz)
10. Amouris Sosa  (D-R) (Suz)

Results Round Two
1. Fernando Amantini (Ven  Kaw)
2. Waldis Veras (D-R  Suz)
3. Franklyn Dominguez (D-R  Kaw)
4. Emilio Pena (D-R  Suz)
5. Marco Martinez (Ven  Suz)
6. Nirio Rivero (Cuba  Suz)
7. Expidito Peralta (D-R  Suz)
8. Jean Francois Cyr (Can Suz)
9. Maurico Roque (Guat  Yam)
10. Franklin Reveron (Ven Suz)