August 4 - EBC overcome early problems at Summit Point

The first lap of Saturday’s six-hour WERA National Endurance Series race at Summit Point Raceway was less than promising for TVR/EBC Brakes Yamaha: the team’s Heavyweight Superstock Yamaha YZF-R1 lost the clutch at the start of the race. Undaunted, TVR went on to finish second in class while their sister team, TVR 136, took the Mediumweight Superstock win.

James Vanderhaar was on the R1 at the start of the race, and he made just one lap before pitting for a clutch change. In a display of the teamwork that has become TVR’s hallmark, the clutch was changed on pit lane and Vanderhaar returned to the track.

“We knew we were out of the running for an overall podium, so I tried to have fun, put in some good laps and not crash. We ran a good pace, and at that point it was more important to get laps than anything,” said Vanderhaar.

Vanderhaar shared the riding duties with Reuben Frankenfield and Brett Champagne. Frankenfield agreed with Vanderhaar, saying, “We had to get back as much lost ground as possible and accumulate mileage points for the championship. We still got a lot of points.”

“We had good pit stops, and we had fun,” said Champagne. “Virginia International Raceway is next, and that will be exciting—it’s a great track and I can’t wait for the race there.”

In addition to valuable championship points, TVR/EBC Brakes Yamaha also went home with second place in the Heavyweight Superstock class despite their first-lap trouble. It marks the first time this season that TVR has not won their class, thanks to their previous five consecutive wins.

Meanwhile, TVR 136’s James Dellinger, Jeff Wrobel and Ethan Ellis had a stellar day on their Yamaha YZF-R6. The trio won the Mediumweight Superstock class after a flawless race, taking the sixth spot overall.

“We went out and had fun,” said Wrobel. “We told Ethan we’d shave his head if we didn’t win! Everyone rode well and we had a good time. We’re all working together well, and Ethan’s dad was a big help in the pits.”

This is the second victory this season for the TVR 136 team, and they were rewarded with more than just a trophy: the team took over the class championship for the first time this season.

TVR’s sponsors include EBC Brakes, Michelin, Yamaha, Aiken Motorcycle, XES Leather, MotoHeaven.com, Arai, Vortex, Repsol, EK Chains, VP Fuels, and Dyno Jet. Keep up with the team’s season and find pictures online at www.TeamVelocityRacing.com.