Mykrrr’s post-race press release:
2SB riders In hunt for podium finish in 2002 M.A.S.S. stock class
For immediate release:
Circleville OHn2StrokeBuzzRacing rider Mike Rodriguez (mykr. or M2) gained valuable points towards an overall podium finish in M.A.S.S. (MidAmericanScooterSport) stock class scooter racing.
It was a hard fought battle for points with friend and fellow Chicago racer Ryan Bastianelli. Both riders were well matched in power and riding skill to keep their bikes within inches of each other in both heats. This was a classic vintage vs. modern battle with M2 riding a bone stock Vespa P200 and Ryan on a new Moped Hospital-tuned Kymco Super 9.
Circleville Raceway Park (CRP) is a challenging short track with more corners than you can shake a stick at. Not the best when muscling a Vespa P200 around the tarmac. The skies looked dark when the riders took to the track for AM practice but the “Circleville Weather Dome” came out and the skies cleared up for the remainder of the race day.
“The first race was THE most tiring race I’ve ever run” said M2, who quickly got used to his latest race bike, “When I saw the crossed white/green (denotes halfway point in race) I couldn’t believe that I had 5 more laps to go.” Ryan and M2 were battling it out from the drop of the green flag with m2. holding on until the second to last corner of the final lap where Bastianelli passed the Vespa rider and took the checkered flag for 4th place.
The second heat of the day started much the same as the first, with m2 battling Ryan for 4th place after a clean start. On the 8th lap, m2 passed Ryan on the inside of turn seven and kept the buzzing twist n go scooter off until the end of the race.
Points accumulated from CRP bring M2 just TWO points shy of Matt DeVries (M5), who is currently in 3rd place overall in stock class making it a great battle going into the final race at Gateway International Raceway (GIR). Although Matt is one of M2’s teammates and a good friend, the gloves are off for the last race of the 2002 season on Oct. 5 in St. Louis. “GIR is a big track so some more development will be done within the next two weeks to get some more top end out of the bike.” said M2.
M2 and 2StrokeBuzzRacing would like to thank the Ohio YSR League (OYL), CRP, all the M.A.S.S. racers/supporters for a great race, oh, and thanks to M5 for not showing up to CRP.
The next, and final, event for the 2002 M.A.S.S. race season is Oct. 5th at Gateway International Raceway, St. Louis MO.
For more information contact:
Mike Rodriguez aka mykr. aka m2, 2SB team member (email)
2strokebuzz.com/racing (Still under construction for the 2002 season.)