2009 AMA Honda Superbike Racing at Barber Motorsports – Birmingham, Alabama

This year, the Crawfish Boil in Birmingham, Homestead Hollow, the AHDRA in Georgia, and the AMA Superbike Classic at Barber's Motorsports were all scheduled for the same weekend. Ain’t that a bitch? With the bike nights that are kicking off all over the place, I guess it's a good thing we had help covering some of this.

That Thursday ushered in the onslaught of bikes, race teams, and vendors that are generated by the Honda Superbike Classic at Barber Motorsports. A few of the bikes, along with their riders, were out to do a “meet and greet” at a few of the different business locations in and around Birmingham. We tried to get the Corona race team out at the Cycle Connections-sponsored Friday bike night outside at the Birmingham race course as we are talking to them about being one of the bike night sponsors there and at a couple of other locations, but they, along with the Red Bull race team (another bike night sponsor) were already booked. Maybe next year.

Our bud John Place, with Zoom Motorsports, hooked up our bikers once again with free weekend passes. We let people sign up for chances to win those tickets (free) at the bike nights we sponsor at Costas BBQ in Trussville, the Birmingham race course, and our new Saturday night location at the Cancun Mexican restaurant on Lakeshore. Needless to say, we made a whole bunch folks very happy.

This year Barber’s added a few more fan activities to the lineup with the Chick-fil-A Cow Herd, games and prizes at the Chick-fil-A tent, the National Guard Fan Expo, the Birmingham Zoo display with a small petting zoo, Rhett Rotten’s “Wall of Death,” featuring his 1927 Indian Scout and 1957 Harley Hummer, and a motorcycle parade lap open to all bikes (with the purchase of a parade lap ticket). They also had a pre-race grid walk and opening ceremonies in the paddock area, which gave fans the opportunity to meet their favorite racer up close and in person. And of course, there was also the American Honda display, as well as the Ducati. The fans also had a chance to get up close to the racers again on Sunday during the AMA Pro racing autograph session in the paddock area. Pretty cool, huh?

Returning for the second year was the Red Bull Air Force Skydive Team who dropped in about midday Saturday. That was pretty exciting. Parade lap tickets were sold both Saturday and Sunday for anyone to be able to ride the track during the lunch break. How cool was that? I mean who wouldn't want to have their bike out on the track Barber’s! Our local radio station, 106.9 the Eagle, who we also work with advertising our bike night, did a remote from Barber’s on Saturday.

There was an unusually high number of young AMA Pro Supersport racers who crashed, and to say that Mother Nature did not cooperate with the planned outdoor activities is an understatement. Saturday's first scheduled race was delayed by several hours as they cleaned up the track, and by Saturday evening the expected storms rolled in.

The AMA Pro SunTrust Moto G. T. class debuted at Barber's last year and was back this year for a two-hour Endurance race. SunTrust Moto GT is the only class in AMA Pro road racing that features multi-class racing with teams of riders that share a single motorcycle in a race. As a result, SunTrust Moto GT is the only series in AMA Pro racing that features rider changes and fueling during planned pitstops and features two classes of bikes racing at the same time for overall and class honors. Off and on rain shortened the schedule to our race to one hour and 15 minutes. Mark Crozier and Phil Caudill were the co-riders who took first place. That would be Crozier’s first victory since 2006 and first ever in SunTrust Moto GT competition for Phil Caudill. Second place went to the #69 bike, HurtbyAccident.com Suzuki GSX-R600 of Rodolfo Ramirez and Armando Ferrier. It was an impressive comeback for Ferrier, who was sent to UAB Medical after a crash in qualifying. Third place went to the #2 Aussie Dave Racing Suzuki, GSX – R600 of co-riders David Anthony and Hawk Mazzotta.

The SunTrust Moto GT 2 race featured father and son, Jimmy and Justin Filice, who celebrated a victory on the #64 HurtbyAccident.com Ducati PS-1000LE. The second place went to co-riders Frank Shockley and Dane Westby on the #77 Touring Sport Ducshop Ducati PS-1000LE, third-place went to co-riders Lyles Sanders and Greg Melka on the # 83 D & D Cycles Suzuki SV-650.

On Sunday everyone woke to rain and storms, and they were expected to stay with us for the duration of the day and into the evening. What a bummer.

Garrett Carter earned a convincing victory over polesitter Russ Wikle in the 12-lap AMA Pro Supersport East final at Barber's where the race started in wet conditions that dried as the race progressed, on the # 31 Ridersdiscount.com Woodcraft Yamaha YZF-R6. Second place went to Huntsville, Alabama native Russ Wikle on the #5 Roadracingworld.com Suzuki GSX-R600; third-place went to Huntley Nash on the #15 Arai/Racing Sport Services Yamaha YZF-R6.

After celebrating the shortened race due to weather delays, Supersport victory, Carter jumped back on his Yamaha YZF-R6 and competed in the AMA Pro Daytona sport bike final, presented by AMSOIL, which was won by Martin Cardenas on his #36 Team My Suzuki GSX-R600. Second place went to Jamie Hacking on his #88 Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R, and third place went to Danny Eslick on his Buell-1125R.

Dane Westby and Chris Peris tangled while battling for the final podium spot in the final series of turns where a last lap incident sent Westby to the track medical facility and later to UAB Medical for further evaluation. The #32 rider, Santiago Villa also was transferred to UAB for an evaluation after an incident in Turn One just after taking the checkered flag. Both riders were awake and alert before being transported. As the AMA Pro Daytona Sportbike Class scheduled start time approached, so also did the severe thunderstorms, and a tornado warning was issued for the area, which forced spectators and teams to take cover. After a two-hour delay, racing was able to commence. But not even storms could prevent Matt Mladin's dominance in the AMA Superbike classic race. Matt has not lost a race at Barber’s since 2006. Most of them just put on their deep grooved rain tires from Dunlop and wanted to race, rain be damned. So even in the rain they were off and running, with Matt Mladin on the #7 Rockstar/Makita Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. Second place went to Aaron Yates, on his # 23 Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000, and third-place went to Ben Bostrom on his #2 Yamaha R-1. While battling for third place on the second lap of the race, Young crashed at the exit of Turn Five, sending his #79 Suzuki cartwheeling down the track and was sent to UAB Medical for evaluation; he was awake and alert prior to transport.

For those who look forward to the wrecks at the races (shame on you!), this weekend did not disappoint. Thankfully, they will all be racing again very soon.

The WERA races are coming up soon at Barber’s, and in October, the Vintage Festival will also be returning to Barber’s. This is a Don’t-Miss weekend for those who enjoy watching the vintage bikes battle it out on the track and a great opportunity to find some much needed parts for your vintage bikes at the huge swap meet that will also be there.

And of course the beautiful Barber Motorsports Museum is open year round for you to come and experience the history of the motorcycle through the extensive collection of more than 750 motorcycles and 60 automobiles that are on display. Hope to see you there!

We would also like to thank the AMA for the winners’ circle photos; at least somebody weathered the rain to get those shots!

Write-On and Ride-On

Story and photos by Lynn Reynolds and Leigh Lilly.