The 2023 VRRA Endurance series kicked off May 26th with clear skies and near perfect temperatures.
We had 22 teams registered and when the start of the race arrived, we had a grid of 20 machines lined up for two hours of racing action.
4 Heavyweight
6 Middleweight
8 Lightweight
2 Modern lightweight
#136 Plater Racing on their Heavyweight Yamaha YZF750 jumped out to an early lead in the heavyweight class. #33Team Who Cares was right on their tail leading the middleweight class on their Suzuki GSXR600. #357 Team Cousin in 10th place on track led the lightweight class. With #262 Wasted wages leading the Modern Lightweight class.
#1 BAKMEA (Bill And Kevin’s Most Excellent Adventure) took over the lead of heavyweight from #808 Buddha Racing on lap 45 and never looked back completing 91 laps and beating the next heavyweight team by 2 laps at the finish. #808 Team Buddha Racing in second and #136 Plater racing rounded out the top 3.
Some early pitstops shuffled the order and dropped defending Middleweight champions #252 Ludicrous Speed all the way back to 19th at the 20 minute mark. Some heroic riding by Darrell “Boom Boom” Cooney, along with an early retirement by team #33 Who Cares put them back in the class lead and first on track by lap 52. A late pitstop put them back into second place behind #818 On the Verge with 40 minutes to go. On lap 82 Ludicrous Speed was back in front and held off both #818 On the Verge in second and #4 Bad to the Bone in third. With a very tight margin of victory. Only 16 seconds separated 1st and 2nd with the top three all within a minute at the finish. The middleweight class battle looks to be one to watch this season.
Lightweights saw some shuffling in the field as well. Defending class champs #19 Mountain High Racing retired early with only 53 laps. #401 Half Fast Racing took over the on track lead on lap 43 and held it to the checkered flag. #58 Team Kawi and #147 RPM & Associates were close on their heels with #357 Cousin in 4th. In the end handicaps shuffled #401 Half Fast all the way back to 4th place and off the podium.
Modern lightweight saw team #262 Wasted Wages take the win 3 laps ahead of the second place #113 Team Shoulder Check 2.0.
Its early in the season and anything can happen in a 2 hour race.
Planning, preparation and consistency are the prime ingredients for a successful season.
See you all at Round 2 in Calabogie for our first 3 hour endurance race!
Kirby Crosby
Endurance Race Coordinator.
