June 24, 2018
Round 8: Roebling Road Raceway
FMRRA Season comes to a close at Roebling Road, Seth Starnes takes home the Overall Series Championship
Making the series’ second exodus to Savannah, Georgia, the Florida Motorcycle Road Racing Association’s 2018 championship travelled to Roebling Road Raceway for their exciting season finale.
Saturday practice saw lap times consistently dropping and a thrilling afternoon of hot flybys during the series-exclusive qualifying sessions for each class.
Sunday’s twelve-lap Grande Corsa races kicked off with the Superstock 600 class. This proved to be one of the most hotly-contested races of the day and an amazing start as onlookers saw the top four riders battling out and finishing all within one second across the line. In the first (and closest) photo finish of the day, Jamie Starace took the checkered flag by .055 seconds over Jose Lloreda. Starace sat on the top of the Expert podium followed by Daryan Martin (who turned the fastest race lap with a 1:16.221) and Brad Gordon. Jose Lloreda took the Amateur win (and the Overall Superstock 600 Amateur Championship) with Doug Royce and Frank Custureri rounding out the top three.
The Moto 3 Grande Corsa saw Kayla Yaakov making here FMRRA series debut in style. The ten-year old rookie has been lighting up tracks across the country this year and proving her mettle against racers many times here age. Unwilling to disappoint, Yaakov rode her Bridgestone-shod Moto 3 bike to a definitive win over the rest of the field. Bart Rogowski finished 1.37 seconds behind Yaakov along with Alexis Olivera, who was experiencing mechanical difficulties throughout the weekend. Michael Norman Jr., Dustin Richards, and Michael Norman formed the Superstreet 300 Amateur podium, while Chase Mollak took the Expert win. Sonja Ahrens took home the victory in the Superstreet 250 Amateur class in her FMRRA racing debut weekend.
Before an early lunch was taken, a Georgia pastime, the Superstock 1000 racers took to the 2.02 mile track for a shortened Grande Corsa. Shannon Andrus dug down and took a definitive win in the Expert category followed by Alex Irzyk and Justin Massey. Andrus’ performance this weekend ensured his title as the Superstock 1000 Overall Series Champion. Proving his dominance and securing the Overall Amateur Championship, Todd Wagner took home the Amateur victory followed by Mikey Hannon and Brian Gerrald.
The field was thankful to take a break during the hot early afternoon heat and returned to racing with the Sunoco Superbike 600 re-invigorated and ready to take advantage of the oxygenated Sunoco Apex spec-fuel’s power. Seth Starnes started from the pole, but Jose Lloreda was right behind him for the first 4 laps applying the pressure. Starnes took advantage of a small mistake that cost Lloreda some time and widened the margin all the way to the checkered flag. Starnes was joined at the victory circle by Experts Daryan Martin (Overall Sunoco Superbike 600 Champion) and Gabe Wingard, while Lloreda lead the Amateur contingent followed by Doug Royce and William Wend.
Continuing this season’s trend, Starnes ran back to back and started from the pole again in the Twins Grande Corsa. Starnes led the field to the checkered flag followed by Roger Morisette and Jonathan Pellnitz for the overall top three. Meanwhile, Kayla Yaakov made an impressive performance yet again and took the Formula Twin Amateur podium over Shawn McAlees and Alexis Olivera.
The Sunoco Superbike 1000 Grande Corsa saw Starnes back on pole again but fighting hard to keep Alex Irzyk behind him for eight laps. Ultimately, Starnes took home the top purse along with Irzyk and Shannon Andrus claiming the rest of the overall prize money for the guaranteed payout race. Todd Wagner won the Amateur ranking and was joined in victory celebrations by Derik Johnson and Brian Gerrald.
Kicking off the Sprint races, Seth Starnes started from the pole in Euro Max (over 1000cc), with Thomas Hall right behind in Euro Light. The top three overalls were close with Hurricane Racing’s Jonathan Pellnitz rounding out the finish. Mike Banner and Zachary Arnold finished second and third in Euro Max, while Pellnitz and Pete Tenhoopen made up the Euro Light (under 1000cc) podium behind Pellnitz.
Continuing her display of skill well beyond her age, Kayla Yaakov took the overall (and Moto 3 Amateur) victory in the Lightweight Sprint. Bart Rogowski, Alex Ferreira, and Jonathan Pellnitz followed Yaakov across the line and formed the Moto 3 Expert podium. Alexis Olivera and Charlie Ohana (Moto 3 Amateur Overall Champion) joined Yaakov for the Moto 3 Amateur top three. Meanwhile, in the SuperStreet 300 Amateur class, Michael Norman Jr. had one of his best rides yet this season. Taking home the win and followed by Daniel Ossa and Dustin Richards, Norman Jr. displayed his ever improving talent. German Vacca and Chase Mollak formed the Superstreet 300 Expert podium, while Sonja Ahrens again took home the Superstreet 250 victory in class.
Round 8 was the site of many narrow finishes and did not fail to disappoint, yet again, in the Superstock 1000 class. Alex Irzyk bested Shannon Andrus across the line by .863 seconds in the Expert class. Ricardo Sune joined the two on the Expert podium. Todd Wagner made a definitive performance in the Amateur ranks and proved why he will be moving up to the Expert class next season (having taken home multiple class championships and the Overall Amateur Championship). Brian Gerrald and Daniel Gourley finished out the Amateur podium.
Jamie Starace gave the crowd a show in the Formula 40-600 Expert race with his battle against Brad Gordon. The two diced it up for six laps, but ultimately Starace was the first across the line followed closely by Gordon and Alejandro Rei. Pete TenHoopen took the Amateur win with Andrea Diotallevi and Maykel Perez joining him in victory circle.
Yasmany Castillo returned to the FMRRA series in style after taking last season and most of this season off. In a fantastic narrow victory (.323 seconds) over Jose Lloreda and William Wend, he took home the win in the Bridgestone Cup 600. Shannon Andrus, Derik Johnson and Geo Loriol made a full MPH Racing sweep of the podium in the Bridgestone Cup 1000.
The Twins Combined Race (featuring Production Twins and Formula Twins) featured a mixed assortment of rides, and ultimately saw Seth Starnes take the overall victory followed by Shawn McAlees and Roger Morisette. Mark Tenn and Chase Mollak joined Starnes on the Formula Twin Expert Podium, while Kayla Yaakov followed McAlees and led Brandon Gindlesperger (Formula Twin Am Overall Champion) across the line in the Formula Twin Amateur ranks. Jonathan Pellnitz bested his season rival Carl Cohen in the Production Twin Expert class with a definitive victory. Morisette had a stunning performance coming in third overall and lead Production Twin Amateur Yvette Lamar across the line (who took home the Overall Masters Amateur Championship by one point)!
Kirk McConnell made his second appearance in FMRRA, after Jennings GP earlier this season, and demonstrated his talent to the paddock. McConnell locked up the Formula 40-1000 race with a clear lead, followed by Amateurs Brian Gerrald, Pete TenHoopen, and Christopher Dooley. Robert Fellman and Ricardo Sune joined McConnell for the Expert Podium.
The Superstock 600 Expert race saw another photo finish across the line with Jamie Starace taking the win over Seth Starnes by a mere .116 seconds. Brad Gordon was battling for the lead throughout the race and ultimately came across the line in third. He may have been third in the race, but Gordon still took ownership of the Superstock 600 Expert Overall Championship. Jose Lloreda dominated the Amateur racers and took home the victory along with Doug Royce and Frank Custureri in second and third respectively.
Reappearing after a short break Kirk McConnell took home the victory (again) in Formula 50-1000, this time leading Alejandro Rei across the line by only .474 seconds. The two were joined on the Expert podium by Drew Daly. Mike Banner and Pete TenHoopen took the Amateur accolades respectively.
By far the closest of the day, onlookers were treated to an amazing battle at the front of the Sunoco Superbike 600 Sprint. Seth Starnes, Doug Royce, and Thomas Hall were trading positions and staying three-wide throughout the track. Ultimately Starnes took the win, with Royce and Hall right behind (only .171 and .34 seconds apart). James Turgeon joined Starnes and Hall on the Expert Podium in third. Meanwhile, Frank Custureri and Yasmany Castillo made yet another appearance in victory lane rounding out the Amateur top three.
In the final race of the day, the Sunoco Superbike 1000 Sprint, Seth Starnes and Alex Irzyk pushed each other to the limit. Their lap times dropping lap after lap, Irzyk made his move and took the lead in lap three, only to have it taken back the following lap. Starnes crossed the line only 0.669 seconds ahead of Irzyk (who turned faster lap times throughout the race) with a Top Gun-style flyby on the pit wall. Shannon Andrus had the honor of joining the two on the final podium for this season. Todd Wagner, Daniel Gourley, and Derik Johnson led the Amateur field to the end of the season and secured their positions on the final Amateur podium.
Florida Motorcycle Road Racing Association will be hosting their Season Championship Awards Party during the offseason and returns for their fourth Championship Series in November after taking the summer off.
FMRRA would like to thank all their 2018 sponsors for their support of our passionate racers and the sport as a whole.
Sunoco Racing Fuels
Southern Racing Fuels
Palm Beach County Sports Commission
Chirino Insurance
Pabst Blue Ribbon
Bridgestone Tires
Vanson Leathers
MYLAPS Sports Timing
Florida Track Days
Full Season Championship Results and Individual Race Results are conveniently available online at:
https://panamsbk.com/championships/
More photos and videos are available at
