Joined Mar 2005
57 Posts | 0+
Algonquin, IL
The Loire Racing Aero P.A. Husaberg team had another successful pre-season outing this weekend at the 3rd annual Stateline Supermoto Challenge in Primm, NV. For those of you not familiar with this event, it is by far the largest stand alone supermoto event in North America (if not the world), boasting over 600 entries for the 3 day event. The event has classes for everything from pee-wees to the top pro's, and even some ATV's and Utility vehicle classes!
The racing started Friday with Team races. Robert Loire and Mike BERGman represented the Force well in the highly competitive Pro team event. With all the top pro teams in attendance including the factory Honda, Yamaha, KTM, Husqvarna, and Aprilia teams as well as many other top privateer team, Mike and Robert mixed it up with the best of them. In the end they came home 8th out of 35 teams!
On Saturday, Robert got the day off, but Mike carried the blue and yellow flag high in the Vet +35 class. Mike put in a great performance to land his FS650 on the podium in 3rd place, beaten only by Enduro Legend turned SM star Steve Hatch and Hollywood Stuntman / professional everything rider Jimmy Roberts.
Sunday was when the real action was happening in the Open Pro class. A total of 98 riders were signed up trying to get a chance at the 35 positions on the main event starting grid. It was basically most of the top 20 from all 3 AMA Pro class mixed together and thrown out on the track (then add another 30 top local experts just for kicks)!
With this much talent, the heat races were pure chaos! Mike showed his veteran savy once again, and got a great start in his heat, avoided the incidents, and ran a great race to take 3rd place and a direct transfer to the main event. Robert wasn't so lucky.
After some bad luck in the heat race, Robert found himself in the LCQ. A brilliant holeshot, got Robert into a race long battle with multi time national winner, and factory Husky rider David Baffleuf. The two had a great battle, trading some rubber on multiple occasions until Baffleuf was able to make a final pass stick on the last lap and take the win. Robert came home second with a transfer to the main.
When the main event finally rolled around Mike and Robert lined up with 35 of the best Supermoto riders from the around the world (representing at least 7 countries)! Having come from the LCQ, Robert had a very poor grid position, but once again latched on to Baffleuf and started to pick their way through the field. At about the 1/3 point of the race Robert got a little anxious to get around a rider that Baffleuf had just passed to move into the top ten, and lost the front end. It was a simple crash, but it put him all the way to the back of the field again. Another great charge brought him to 19th place by race end. Mike rode a very consistent race, but a few mishaps midrace saw that he would come across the line in 23rd position.
All-in-all, it was a great weekend for the guys. The bikes ran flawlessly (as usual) all weekend, and they were able to get their new Berringer brakes dialed in as well as making some final tweeks on the Factory Connection suspension settings.
We would like to thank all of our sponsors that help to make this happen including: Loire Performance, Michelin Tires, Dixie Sales, Husaberg Sweden, Aero P.A., Factory Connection, Berringer Brakes, JMS Performance, MXWebsites.com
We will have one final spring tune up race at the Superbikers2 season kickoff in Kaukauna, WI on May 6 before the AMA Pro season kicks off in St. Louis on May 20th.
Best Regards,
Colin Horn
The racing started Friday with Team races. Robert Loire and Mike BERGman represented the Force well in the highly competitive Pro team event. With all the top pro teams in attendance including the factory Honda, Yamaha, KTM, Husqvarna, and Aprilia teams as well as many other top privateer team, Mike and Robert mixed it up with the best of them. In the end they came home 8th out of 35 teams!
On Saturday, Robert got the day off, but Mike carried the blue and yellow flag high in the Vet +35 class. Mike put in a great performance to land his FS650 on the podium in 3rd place, beaten only by Enduro Legend turned SM star Steve Hatch and Hollywood Stuntman / professional everything rider Jimmy Roberts.
Sunday was when the real action was happening in the Open Pro class. A total of 98 riders were signed up trying to get a chance at the 35 positions on the main event starting grid. It was basically most of the top 20 from all 3 AMA Pro class mixed together and thrown out on the track (then add another 30 top local experts just for kicks)!
With this much talent, the heat races were pure chaos! Mike showed his veteran savy once again, and got a great start in his heat, avoided the incidents, and ran a great race to take 3rd place and a direct transfer to the main event. Robert wasn't so lucky.
After some bad luck in the heat race, Robert found himself in the LCQ. A brilliant holeshot, got Robert into a race long battle with multi time national winner, and factory Husky rider David Baffleuf. The two had a great battle, trading some rubber on multiple occasions until Baffleuf was able to make a final pass stick on the last lap and take the win. Robert came home second with a transfer to the main.
When the main event finally rolled around Mike and Robert lined up with 35 of the best Supermoto riders from the around the world (representing at least 7 countries)! Having come from the LCQ, Robert had a very poor grid position, but once again latched on to Baffleuf and started to pick their way through the field. At about the 1/3 point of the race Robert got a little anxious to get around a rider that Baffleuf had just passed to move into the top ten, and lost the front end. It was a simple crash, but it put him all the way to the back of the field again. Another great charge brought him to 19th place by race end. Mike rode a very consistent race, but a few mishaps midrace saw that he would come across the line in 23rd position.
All-in-all, it was a great weekend for the guys. The bikes ran flawlessly (as usual) all weekend, and they were able to get their new Berringer brakes dialed in as well as making some final tweeks on the Factory Connection suspension settings.
We would like to thank all of our sponsors that help to make this happen including: Loire Performance, Michelin Tires, Dixie Sales, Husaberg Sweden, Aero P.A., Factory Connection, Berringer Brakes, JMS Performance, MXWebsites.com
We will have one final spring tune up race at the Superbikers2 season kickoff in Kaukauna, WI on May 6 before the AMA Pro season kicks off in St. Louis on May 20th.
Best Regards,
Colin Horn
