Touring Sport Ducshop Ducati Cement MotoGT Lead
Touring Sport Ducshop Ducati took their fourth consecutive win at Virginia International Raceway today, strengthening their lead in the Suntrust MotoGT2 endurance championship. Rider’s Ryan Elleby and Corey Rech rode the championship leading #77 PS1000LE to a class victory and to third overall despite crashing both in practice and the race.
The team’s VIR curse* continued right to the checkered flag. Frank Shockley crashed the #38 bike in yesterday’s qualifying session and the team worked hard to get it ready for today’s race. Elleby then crashed testing some suspension changes during this morning’s practice and all attention turned to getting the #77 bike race ready, leaving no time for the #38 bike and Shockley and Pete Friedland had to sit out the race. Elleby started the two hour race and had secured more than a lap lead on second place Coatzymoto Int. Racing by the time he handed the bike to Rech. Shortly into his stint Rech crashed but was able to pick the bike up and return to the pits. By the time the team fixed the damage and returned him to the race they were in second place. It took just a lap for Corey to regain the lead and held it to the checkered flag.
“This was the hardest race we’ve ever ridden,” said team owner Frank Shockley as he watched his two riders on the podium. “I can’t believe we had so much trouble but the sportsmanship in the paddock pulled us through. I want to say a big thank you to the Hurt by Accident and Coatzymoto teams for helping us out with spare parts.”
The next race at New Jersey Motorsports Park is an important one for the team. They need only finish ahead of the Pair of Nine Kawasaki to secure the championship, which would be their third consecutive in the series.
* Last year’s round at VIR was disastrous for the team. Intermittent rainfall had them gambling on tire choices and forced pit stops saw them finish in fifth place. The previous year the oil cooler broke while they were leading the race.
Source: Ducshop Press Release
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