Mickey Thompson Performance Tires MiRock Superbike Series
event: Fast by Gast WPGC Bike Fest
when: July 17-18, 2010
where: Maryland International Raceway in Budd’s Creek, MD, USA
Teasley Doubles Up in Pro Street
story and photos by Tim Hailey
Although Jeremy “Target” Teasley’s famous HTP Performance Real Street win streak was broken, a new one started in Orient Express Pro Street. In the heat of the summer, Teasley’s nitrous-huffing Kawasaki ZX14 has proven to be the most competitive and consistent combination in a class that has been dominated by turbocharged bikes for nearly 10 years.
Rodney Williford
After leaving the tree within .001 of each other, Teasley ran 7.31 to pull ahead of number 2 plateholder Rodney Williford for the rain delayed June race final round win. Rodney’s turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa was on a top end charge but ran out of racetrack.
Bud Yoder
Sunday’s race saw plenty of Pro Street upsets, with number 1 qualifier Bud Yoder breaking in the water box before his round 2 match with Sean “Skinny” Walsh. Sean carried that break all the way to his first Pro Street final against Teasley, and stepped up by taking the tree and running his quickest lap of the weekend. “Yeah, I guess the sun shines on a dog’s ass every so often,” said Walsh. “I got super lucky when Bud broke.” But not lucky enough to keep Teasley and the Adams/RS team from their second Pro Street win of the event.
Sean Walsh
“Both the finals were very close, and it felt pretty good to get two Pro Street wins with a nitrous bike,” said Jeremy. “Garron (crew chief Garron Miller), Coby, and Roger (owner/tuner Roger Starrette) are starting to get a very good handle on it, which gives me an easy bike to ride. So they get all the credit, I just show off how good their skills really are.”
“The kid definitely rode it in the finals,” said Garron. “Wheelied, short shifted it, and pulled out a win again. But that Pro Street Kawasaki was a bracket bike. I think Roger wanted to put it in Pro ET, Quick 32, and win them all!”
“After we got the Pro Street bike halfway figured out, we didn’t touch it all weekend,” said Coby. “We really couldn’t ask for a better motorcycle than that, with those Roger Starrette Racing nitrous jets. I think he tells us there’s a certain jet in there, but it’s really bigger!”
And the team’s Pro Street points total got dramatically bigger as well. “I was looking at the points,” said Jeremy. “We made a big jump (up to second behind Williford) and I’m hoping to keep it up for the next three races. We’ll see.”
Steve Smithers
Defending points champion Vinnie Demito’s up and down year took a decidedly down turn in Maryland when his ‘Busa broke in qualifying and he failed to make the field.
Steve Smithers drove all the way from Kansas and was determined not to go home empty handed. He beat Ehren Litten in the Pro Street B final after a full, four round raceday.
And Walsh, though his beautiful blue bike is for sale at a bargain $25K, is enjoying his first Pro Street season. “It’s great this year going to each race with no expectations,” said former Pro Sportbike winner Sean. “I have a lot more fun that way. The bike is easier to ride for sure when its long, but I'm always gonna be a fan of the short wheelbase bikes. All these long bikes do is spin every other pass and that gets old quick. But the competition is sick in this class so it’s a lot of fun. I mean last year it was really just me and Anthony (Navarro) battling it out, and now you have so many people who are flying it’s crazy.
“I gotta thank my boys for always getting me going fast and helping—Anthony and Mikey (Slowe), of course, and Timbo (Uhlman) for letting these guys bring my bike to the races and letting me stay in the RV with them. He has really helped me out a lot with that and that's probably the only reason I'm able to get out and race this year. And Joe Franco. He’s always pushing us back and helping us in between rounds.”
But the Big Thanks get said by the winners. Teasley thanked Kawasaki, Monster Energy Drink, Muzzy’s, Adams Performance, GPR, Carillo, Vortex, Litz Racing, Michelin and Richie’s Tires, Worldwide Bearings, IMMI Cargo Buckles, Roost MX, NGK, Schnitz Racing, K&N Filters, Motul, Fuelab, Speedcell, Gale Speed, Simpson Race Products and Vanson Leathers.