Eslick and Buell on the podium again at Barber
Buell Press Release - May 4, 2009

Rapidly changing track conditions led to limited setup time in both wet and dry conditions, and in Saturday's first leg of the double-header, Eslick finished eighth following an 11th place starting position on the grid. He was followed home closely by Latus Motors' Taylor Knapp in ninth and GEICO Powersports/RMR teammate Michael Barnes in 11th.

 

In Sunday's rain-delayed Race Two, Eslick charged from an 11th place start up to third on the final lap, crossing the start/finish line just 0.027-second ahead of Millenium Technologies' Aprilia rider Chaz Davies and less than two tenths ahead of Barnes to take the final spot on the podium after Dane Westby and Chris Peris crashed out of the race ahead of him on the final lap. It was Eslick's fifth podium finish of the season.

 

"It was definitely a surprise," Eslick said. "I was running just a little better than the top 10 and picked a couple of guys off, and was stuck in [a battle for] fifth going back and forth with Chaz (Davies). That was the pace that I was comfortable at and that was pushing it. We were all over the place, so I didn't want to crash and give a whole bunch of points away, I just wanted to finish and get through this weekend without losing too many points and move on. Third is awesome."

 

The championship points leader coming into Barber, Eslick heads into Round 5 of the season at Infineon Raceway trailing Monster Energy Kawasaki's Jamie Hacking by just three points in the Daytona SportBike standings and one point ahead of Team M4 Suzuki's Martin Cardenas, who won both SportBike races at Barber.

 

Eslick's teammate Michael Barnes converted his 10th place slot in Friday's Superpole into an 11th place finish on Saturday and 5th place on Sunday, his highest finish of the season and a signal that the veteran rider has fully recovered from a pre-season hand injury.

 

 

"I'm excited with my first top five finish," Barnes said. "I would have to say my hand has been 100 percent since Atlanta, but I have gotten a late start to the season. We're making progress with the setup and I'm looking forward to getting more development time, especially after Infineon as we head back to some of the east coast tracks, especially Road America."

 

In other AMA Pro Barber results, the James Gang/Hoban Brothers team of Paul James and Jeff Johnson finished fifth in the Moto-GT1 class aboard their H-D/Buell of Appleton 1125R. The championship-leading Liberty Waves Racing team crashed out and was disqualified and fined for reentering Saturday's shortened Moto-GT endurance race with a damaged bike which oiled the track late in the race.

 

Bilansky Rides to ASRA Pro Thunderbike Win at Road America

 

Hal's H-D/Buell/Hal's Speed Shop rider Dan Bilansky rode a Buell Firebolt XB12R to win the Thunderbike National at the ASRA Michelin Pro Series event at Road America. It was the second Thunderbike National win of the season for Bilansky, who leads the series in championship points.

 

"I messed up last weekend so I've been a little anxious to get back on the track," said Bilansky, who crashed on a wet course at the ASRA Michelin Pro Series race at Topeka on April 26. "I'm riding a little beat up but once you get on the bike the adrenalin takes over."

 

Bilansky was the top qualifier for the Thunderbike National, with a 2:33.795-second lap of the four-mile Road America course. Bilansky took the lead at the start of the seven-lap race with Suzuki rider Ed Key just two bike-lengths back. Key dropped out on lap four with a mechanical problem, and Bilansky was not challenged for the duration of the race. Hal's H-D/Buell/Hal's Speed Shop rider Joel Spalding was second on a Buell XB12R, followed by Ducati 749 rider Greg Langman. Buell riders Jay Smith (Kegel H-D/Buell) and Robert Pirog (Illinois H-D/Buell) finished fourth and fifth.

 

"This is a big track with a couple of long straights, and it puts as much stress on the motorcycle as Daytona," said Bilansky. "But the Buell ran strong through five races this weekend. Hal's gives me a good motor and it's a really reliable motorcycle."

 

After three events on the 2009 ASRA Michelin Pro Series Thunderbike schedule, Bilansky leads with 92 points, followed by Spalding with 75 points, Joe Rozynski (Soundwaves.com/H-D/Buell of Frederick) with 53 points, and Sam Rozynski (Soundwaves.com/H-D/Buell of Frederick) with 51 points.

 

The next event on the 10-race ASRA Michelin Pro Series schedule is May 23-25 at Summit Point Motorsports Park, Summit Point, W.V.

 

Buell Riders Win Motorsports.com CCS Sprint Races

 

Jay Smith rode a Buell XB12R to win the Amateur Lightweight Grand Prix and Amateur Lightweight F40 classes in Motorsports.com CCS sprint competition at Road America. Bilansky won Expert Thunderbike.

 

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