OXFORD, Ala. – This past weekend marked the first time that the WERA/Bridgestone National Endurance Series and the WERA/Michelin National Challenge Series have competed on the newly-reconfigured Talladega Gran Prix Raceway road course, but it was many of the same Talladega aces who won.

Saturday’s endurance race, originally scheduled for four hours, was cut slightly short due to lightning in the near vicinity. It rained for nearly an hour before the red flag came out, but the wet track was not enough to slow down Vesrah Suzuki. The Heavyweight Superbike team took the win with Tray Batey, John Jacobi and Mark Junge on a Suzuki GSX-R1000, and they had a comfortable five laps over the rest of the field.

Brand X got on the overall podium again, taking second overall and in Heavyweight Superbike. Riders Ben Walters and Brett Champagne shared the Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Third overall and first in Mediumweight Superbike were Reuben Frankenfield, Mark Junge and Russell Wikle on the Suzuki Rider Development Suzuki GSX-R600, finishing on the same lap as Brand X.

Team Moe’s/TVR’s fourth-place finish gave Chuck Ivey, Joshua Day and James Stroud first in Heavyweight Superstock on their Yamaha YZF-R1. Dalke Motorsports had a three-lap margin of victory in the Mediumweight Superstock class thanks to Giovanni Rojas, Ryan Clay, Wrenn Smith and Brian Dalke, who shared a Suzuki GSX-R600.

Blue Ridge Performance earned their first Lightweight Superbike win of the season on a Kawasaki 650R. Daniel Parkerson, Lyles Sanders and Ben Probst also had a three-lap margin over the rest of their class field.

The National Challenge expert sprint races on Sunday were a chance for Tray Batey to earn three more trophies. He got his Suzuki GSX-R1000 through Talladega’s tight layout to win both Open Superstock and Formula One, and he was victorious in Heavyweight Twins Superstock.

Joshua Day’s performance was one of the surprises of the day. In his first visit to Talladega, he took the top spot in both 600 Superstock and 600 Superbike.

Opie Caylor proved that he can still get around the Alabama track at fast pace, winning 750 Superstock by just 0.38-second over Lee Acree in one of the closest races of the day.

Dane Westby won both Lightweight Twins Superstock and Formula 2, and Jimmy Wood won 750 Superbike.

In the novice division, Russell Wikle was back to his winning ways, taking top honors in 600 and 750 Superstock, as well as 600 and 750 Superbike.

Chad Clifton won Open Superstock novice, Josh Reed won Heavyweight Twins, Luke Echols finished first in Lightweight Twins and Jake Morman won Formula 2.

The next round of the WERA National Series is in three weeks at Nelson Ledges Road Course in Ohio. More information about WERA, including updated championship points, can be found at www.WERA.com.

from WERA