BeaveRun 6/18/2011 - 6/19/2011

 

Late June usually marks the half way point in the season for Peak Honda Racing.  2011 however has turned out to be a different beast.  With rounds being canceled, and weather that would rival the opening few scenes of The Wizard of Oz, this has not the case.  BeaveRun marks our second race of the year and it turned out to be one to remember.

 

Arriving Friday night in PA, the weather was looking about 50/50 for the weekend.  Being hopefully optimistic, the crew began work setting up for the following morning.  As it turned out, Friday night’s optimism paid off and we were woken up by the bright Pennsylvania sun.  Quick work was made of registration and tech inspection and the team was ready for the first practice session.

 

Going through the usual motions of P1, Nick Lefurgey and Oliver Gooden spent a few laps getting loose and checking the racing surface before putting their heads down and getting some lap times.  As the session progressed and the seconds fell off, so did the #91 of Oliver Gooden.  Entering T1, Oliver’s CBR600RR became unsettled and he was unable to bring it back.  Saving the bike from a high side, the #91 went off on the shallow end hard into the racing surface.  Fortunately, the crew was able to repair the bike, unfortunately Oliver was unable to remount and sat out the weekend with a damaged shoulder.  Track side medical assessed the damaged and determined it was not broken, and Gooden would visit the medical center back in Michigan for a complete set of X-rays and a MRI(results to follow).

  

 

With Oliver out for the weekend, it was up to the #53 machine of Nicholas Lefurgey and the #33 of Joe Ursini to fly the Peak Honda flag.  With practice winding down on the day, both of the remaining riders were able to shake off the cobwebs and throw down respectable times. 

 

With the weather holding out, Ursini mounted his Pirelli shod Honda and took to the grid for race 1, Medium Weight Solo 20 Novice.   Starting strong, Ursini found his pace and settled in behind the leaders for the first half of the race.  As time went on, Ursini slipped back and eventually finished a respectable 4th at the checkers.  For race 2, Medium Weight Solo 20 Expert, the #53 of Lefurgey would take to the grid.  Unfolding almost identically to race 1, Lefurgey was able to clinch a 4th place at the line. 

 

Sunday showed up with another dose of welcomed sunshine for the sprint races.  Fresh tires mounted on the remaining 2 Peak Honda Racing machines, it was time to go to work.  With 4 races on the schedule for both riders, it was to be an action paced day.  The #53 machine took to the races early and collected two 4ths on the day as well as 2 thirds, including the last race of the day where the spectators were treated to a 3 bike battle for the checkers.  With only .7 seconds separating the three at the line, Lefurgey happily collected his third place points.

 

Not to be out done, Ursini was eager to get some hardware of his own on the weekend.  Collecting 4 second place finishes, bridesmaid Ursini was able to click off his fastest laps around the 1.6 mile circuit and miss out on his first win by a mere .06 seconds! Disappointed as he may have been, we were all proud of the effort Joe put in on the weekend. 

 

Oliver would like to thank Scorpion USA, Sportbike Track Gear, and Knox Armor for their support in 2011 and for keeping him from more serious injury on Saturday. The only scratch on his skin was from helping load the bike on the crash trailer.

 

Peak Honda Racing is proudly supported by Scorpion USA, Knox Armor, Sportbike Track Gear, Uber Racing, C&S Powdercaoting, WitchKraft Motorsports, Sportbike Tire Services, Pirelli, Hotboides Racing, Pit Bull, Michelin, Vortex, GP Tech, SS Shades, Leo Vince and Swift Arrow Designs.

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