CCS at Summit Point

For the weekend race results, go to the CCS Results for Summit Point page.

Saturday morning Summit Point saw alternating clear skies and impending clouds all weekend. The skies opened up finally on Saturday night, and occasional sprinkles fell on Sunday afternoon along with heavy lightning. The humidity and clouds began to increase, but the expected downpour never came during the racing. The rain was so anticipated that CCS even took a break midway through the races on Sunday just to see what the weather would do next.

The racing started Saturday afternoon under cloudy conditions. But the track was in good condition and temperatures below normal for July, the weather was somewhat pleasant. Even with the not-so picture perfect weather, the grids were very large. Nearly 30 experts lined up for Expert GTU. Edward Morgan (#1) got the holeshot, but David Yaakov (#31) passed Morgan along with William Lindsay (#145) lap 2. Lindsay and Yaakov broke away, followed by Art Diaz (#83) and MARRC Middlweight Novice of the Year Tim Cochran (#537). The large field was red flagged on Lap 3 for a crash in Turn 6. The restart experienced a sense of deja vu when Morgan took the holeshot again with Yaakov, Diaz, Lindsay, and Cochran in tow. Lindsay took the lead and controlled the race even after multiple lead changes and a close battle. Eventually Diaz won the race followed by Edward Morgan and David Yaakov in what should have been called an extended sprint rather than an edurance race. Lindsay pulled off the track and did not finish the race.

In the Expert and Amateur GTO race, Jeff Gouchenour (#400) led from the green flag into Turn 1, with Art Diaz on his rear wheel, along with Nick Yoskin (#5). On the third lap Diaz could not be denied and he pulled to the front on the strength of his Yamaha R6, followed by Ed Morgan (#1) and Gouchenour. Chris Rankin, (Amateur #178) had by this time passed well into the expert field, about 3 seconds ahead of Roger Bennett (#152), and James Gaal (#153) who were running neck and neck. The experts had a tough battle, not only with themselves, but in also getting through tight packs of lappers in the Carousel. By lap 6, novices were being overtaken lapped by the expert leaders. Yoskin, sponsored by Bikeworks in Pennsylvania, took the win ahead of Edward Morgan (#1).

In the MW GP race, Tim Cochran (#537) got off the line leading Ed Morgan (#1), William Lindsay (#145), Art Diaz (#83), and Loudoun Motorsports' Mark Whitehurst (#687), all riding within arm's length of each other. In this tight battle, riders were literally nose to tail the entire race. In fact, many times it was side by side into the braking zones as the leaders swapped positions. Lindsay went on to take the win over Art Diaz. During the race there were also indications that PACE/CCS had just begun enforcing their new bellypan rule. One novice rider attempted to make his out of of duct tape and plastic bags, and had to retire when this makeshift bellypan came loose and nearly got wrapped in his rear wheel.

On Sunday, the previous evenings rain didn't disturb the track too much, but there was plenty of mud to go around. Conditions were damp but rainless, and were nearly identical to the Saturday's.

Morning practice went fairly uneventfully, and two races were held before lunch. At least that is what was planned. In Race #2, Unlimited Supersport, two riders apparently came together in Turn 5 to bring out the red flag. A lengthy cleanup time was anticipated, so lunch was started early and the race is postponed until after lunch. Chris Rankin of Randallstown, MD and Josh Ratcliffe of Furlong, PA battled the entire 7-lap race with Rankin winning by just a few bikelengths.

In Amateur HW Superbike, Mark Johnson (#113) aboard a Suzuki 600 jumped to the early lead on the start, but James Gaal (#153) made a great pass in Turn 3 to take over the leading position. Josh Ratcliffe (#555) returned from his fiery mishap in Turn 10 from last May to take the lead at halfway mark. Ratcliffe did a superb job of holding off a freight train of bikes behind him to finish on top. Gaal held on for a tight 2nd place, with Ed Andrews and John Sine taking 3rd and 4th. Up until the last turn no one was sure who would win this close race as the top 8 riders are separated by less than 10 seconds at the finish.

In what is becoming commonplace at Summit Point, the Ex/Am LW Superbike was huge - 43 bikes in 2 waves. As also expected Dave Yaakov (#31) and Brian Kcraget (#473) battled for the lead, but Kcraget held the lead for entire race. Kcraget expertly used lappers to prevent Yaakov from any trying any last ditch passing attempts. In another close battle, Steve Keener (#6) on his SV650 and Thane Stielow (#654) battled like they were leading the race, swapping positions for 6th and 7th nearly every lap.

The Amateur MW Supersport race was full of action, and much of it from the MARRC cornerworkers! On the 2nd lap, the race was red flagged for a crash in Turn 5. The cleanup was quick and the race restarted only to have another red flag for an incident in the Turn 1 braking zone. Jason Whitney (#799) and his Honda 600 went down in the large field of bikes near the first braking marker, tumbled to the entrance of the turn, and caught fire. Apprently the violence of the crash caused its fuel tank to rupture and spray fuel on the hot engine. Corner captain Liz Brinson was quick to act with the rest of her crew, and snuffed the fire before it spread too far. Cleanup took some time in order to clear the track of the bike, its oil and spilled gasoline, even with assistance from workers from Turns 2, 3, and 10. Fortunately, Jason wasn't injured in the crash.

Another large grid, this time with 41 machines, lined up for the Amateur HW Supersport race. James Gaal (#153) got the holeshot into Turn 1, closely followed by Rodger Bennet (#152) on a Yamaha R6. Bennet took the lead going into Turn 3. But the pass went for naught when the red flag came out on lap 2 when a bike went down in Turn 6 and required an ambulance. So, on the restart Bennet learned from his mistake and took holeshot himself, quickly followed by Gaal, Josh Ratcliffe (#555), and Richard Johnson (#176). At halfway Bennett still had a narrow lead, but Ratcliffe drafted past for the lead. The three top riders slowly pulled away from the rest of the pack as the field gradually began spreading out. Bennett, from Newport News, VA, still had plenty of fight left in him as passed Ratcliffe on the last lap to win by a slim margin.

During the MW Superbike Expert, Ed Morgan (#1) rode an inspired race, given plenty of motivation from Art Diaz and David Yaakov who were right on his tail. Morgan took the leas on a great pass into Turn 3, and stayed in the lead running lap times bordering on the MW lap record. The race stayed very close until the end, with all riders running a very fast pace, but Morgan's Fredericktown Yamaha R6 stayed in front for the win.

The last two races of the day may have been its best. In the Amateur MW Superbike race, another large grid took the green flag with Rodger Bennett and Richard Johnson in the lead. After a few laps, it looked like the race would come down to those two riders as they gapped the top 10 riders. But Thomas Novelli of Chester Springs, PA had other ideas, and boldly moved into 3rd and closed the gap from the trailing group to make it 3 Yamahas battling for the lead. With just under a lap to go, Novelli got by Johnson and set his sights on Bennett and pulled off an amazing win by drafting past the front straight to go from 3rd to 1st in one lap and take the win.

In the final race of the day, 25 expert riders lined up for the Unlimited GP and its $1000 purse. Race favorite Tim Bemisderfer was gridded closer to the back row than the front row, but nevertheless completed the first lap in 5th place, close behind a leading Art Diaz and Edward Morgan. Bemisderfer slowly worked his way forwarded, helped along by William Lindsay pitting under a Meatball flag for jumping the start. With only Diaz and Morgan ahead of him, Bemisderfer picked off Morgan on lap 5. The next lap, Bemisderfer used the draft to pinch Diaz at the start finish line as the white flag waved over them. Bemisderfer was able to build a small cushion of 2 bikes lengths around the two-mile circuit to win the race.

The cornerworkers did a valiant job the entire weekend, cleaning up several oil spills around the track and working through the high humidity. Thanks go to all of their hard work for making it a successful weekend.

Top photos of the weekend:

	Even though CCS announced at the beginning of the season that belly pans would be required on all racebikes by July, some riders either didn't get the message, or didn't get a visit from UPS. Obviously, Darren Danilowicz (#35) built his bellypan at the last minute with help from the Summit Point Cafe and some safety wire. A large number of racers besides Darren had to make due with this quick fix.
	Just because its not raining during the race doesn't mean that racers don't have to contend with mud and water. Rain from Saturday night left a big mud puddle for Ross Graham (#114) to find outside of Turn 1. Ross expertly released the brakes, got off the seat, and motocrossed through the mess before settling the bike down and getting it back on track. We would have posted other pictures of racers navigating through the mud, but Ross was the only one to enter and exit on two wheels.
	The start of the Expert GTU on Saturday rewarded CAD Racing's Dave Yaakov (#31) the holeshot. Right on his heels is William Lindsay (#145), Art Diaz (#83, behind Lindsay), and Tim Cochran(#537).

If you want Glen to get your picture and have it appear on these pages, put a MARRC sticker on your bike. That's it! For more information about Glen and see the rest of his outstanding work from the weekend, go to his pages at www.seapup.com.

We can always use help reporting on what happens over the weekend, since there really is so much that happens. If you have stories you would like to share, any pictures or race reports send them to