An impressive 85 entries in three different classes showed SuperMoto is alive and well in the region and each of those riders battled for every position around PGP’s .82-mile state-of-the-art asphalt track and over the dirt section.
“In a sport that is seeing diminishing entries throughout the country, it is safe to say SuperMoto is alive and well in the Northwest, and in fact seems to be flourishing,” said PGP owner Paul Zalud, a longtime bike racer. “This is in no small part due to the support and enthusiasm of a vast array of riders and fans in this region who have taken an active role in keeping this motorsport discipline alive and kicking.”
Fans of the sport won’t have long to wait for the next exciting event in PGP’s SuperMoto series. Round 3 is slated for Saturday, July 16, with an exclusive practice session scheduled for the day before. Doing well in Round 3 is critical as it will be the final opportunity for riders to prepare themselves for the big National Event coming up in August.
Open Amateur
The Open Amateur class was dominated by three riders all day — Paul Lammer, Mitchell Rose and Jesse Elliott — although the order they crossed the line in each event swapped from lap to lap. In qualifying, Lammer gave an early indication of his intent to be a factor with a convincing pole position, but when the green dropped for the pre-final, it was No. 2 qualifier Rose out front and in command. No. 3 qualifier Rose finished third.
In the final Lammer struck back at Rose and with a slightly faster pace he was able to hold on for the win. Rose finished second and Elliott recovered from going down early to apply pressure to the top two en route to another third-place result.
Unlimited
Ryan Pugh took command of the Unlimited in qualifying with a solid pole position, but then elected to start from the rear of the field in the pre-final. Joining him there was Dave Kemp, a late entry in the class but a quick rider in his own right. Kemp followed Pugh up the ranks during the pre-final and the two finished 1-2. In the final Pugh and Kemp were once again the riders to beat, finishing 1-2 again respectively. Joining Pugh and Kemp at the sharp end was Rick Engstrom, the No. 2 qualifier who secured the final podium spot after a great battled with both Gary Pugh and Paul Zalud.
250/450
The 250s and 450s ran together as is the norm at PGP, with several of the 250 riders taking the fight to their higher horsepower competitors. Ryan Pugh took another pole position in qualifying but it was the third overall time of 250-rider Dylan Ferreira that was most impressive as he out-qualified many 450s in the process. Ferreira has been plagued with mechanical issues all year long, however, and Round 2 would be no different as he dropped out of the pre-final before the finish.
In the final Ryan Pugh took the win over Kemp with Mitchell Rose third, but it was the 250 class that garnered the most attention when Jim Martin Suzuki began to blaze in Turn 1. Going down in turn one, sparks caught Martin’s bike on fire, the flame burning for only a few seconds before quickly being extinguished by track officials. Thankfully Martin was unhurt, and to his surprise and relief, virtually no damage was done to the bike. With attrition taking its toll on the 250 class, Matt McDonald cruised to victory over Blake Deilke, the only two riders to make it to the checkers.
35+ Veteran
The 35+ Veteran class had what was arguably the event’s best fight for the win with Gary Pugh battling Paul Zalud in the closing laps of the final en route to the victory. The two began their contest of wills in qualifying with Gary Pugh taking the pole by just over a quarter-second over Zalud. Pugh took the win in the pre-final while Zalud and No. 3 qualifier Lammer took part in a “Battle of The Pauls” for second behind him that was won by Lammer.
In the final Zalud took the fight to Lammer and then Pugh, first dispatching his rival from the pre-final for second and then reeling in Pugh to fight for the win in the final laps. Zalud came up short in the end, settling for second, while Lammer and Sam Rohrer battled for the final podium spot. This time it was Rohrer who found the advantage, and with it the third step on the podium.
PGP ‘Cash Class’
The Open Money Class, which offers a payout to 50 percent of the field, debuted in the opening round and that was one of the craziest SuperMoto races ever seen at PGP. With six riders this time it was more of a straight-forward display of skill by both Ryan Pugh and Kemp, the two riders breaking away from the pack and putting in the best laps of the day. In the final, PGP highlighted Ryan Pugh for the final two laps during the online broadcast, following the rider through every part of the course to show off what it takes to get the most out of PGP’s track.
Lammer finished in the third and final payout spot but it was the fight for fourth that was the most entertaining. Despite being outside of the money, both Jesse Elliott and Dylan Ferreira fought back and forth, with Elliott nursing an injured leg and Ferreira atop a borrowed 450. They both rode superbly but it was Ferreira who prevailed, with Elliott in fifth and Brian Coleman sixth.
Photos (all from PGP Motorsports Park)
• 6-11 SM-1: An impressive field of 85 riders took part in Round 2 of the Stars of PGP SuperMoto Series on Saturday, June 11 at PGP Motorsports Park in Kent, Wash.
• 6-11 SM-2 Open Amateur class winner Paul Lammer (73) leads Jesse Elliott (221) and Mitchel Rose (305).
• 6-11 SM-3 Ryan Pugh (6) goes into a turn with Dave Kemp (88) following in the Unlimited Class.
• 6-11 SM-4 Matt McDonald (902), winner of the 250 Class.
• 6-11 SM-5 Gary Pugh (10) and Paul Zalud (3) catch some air in the 35+ Veteran Class.
• 6-11 SM-6 Dylan Ferreira (13) finished just out of the money in the Open Cash Class.
On the Web
Visit www.pacificgp.com, become a fan of “Pacific Grand Prix” on Facebook or follow @pacificgp on Twitter.
About PGP Motorsports Park
PGP Motorsports Park is the Northwest’s premier multi-purpose racing facility and is located in close proximity to the greater Seattle metropolitan area. Named “Best Guys Weekend Destination” for 2010 in the KING 5 Evening Magazine Best of Western Washington contest, the track is easy to get to and inexpensive to utilize, making PGP a rare combination of top-level racing excitement and affordability. For more information on PGP events and services, visit www.pacificgp.com or call (253) 639-7223.
PGP Motorsports media contact
Paul Zalud, (206) 390-9858, paul@pacificgp.com
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