Mickey Thompson Performance Tires MIRock Superbike

Series

Suzukis come out on top at Rockingham

Words and photos by Tim Hailey

The 10th annual FBR Shop Nationals—round 6 of the 2012 Mickey Thompson Performance Tires MIRock Superbike Series—were shaping up to be a Kawasaki vs. Suzuki battle. But the results show that Suzukis used the best Rockingham Dragway track surface so far this year to great advantage.

Multi-time DME Real Street champ Jeremy Teasley has always conducted his business on a Roger Starrette-tuned, nitrous Kawasaki ZX14, but Johnny "Turbo" Dobrin’s turbocharged Exoticycles Suzuki Hayabusa has dominated the 2012 season. Coming into The Rock, though, it was Rickey Gadson’s Chris Jones-built, turbo Kawasaki ZX14R that was making all the noise. Gadson beat Dobrin in Indianapolis on the brand new bike that just debuted at MIR in July.

But Teasley qualified number 1 on Saturday and ran .001 off of his own overall record on Sunday, laying down a 7.764 in round 1 of eliminations. Suddenly struggling to find power on the big end, Gadson lost to Dobrin in the semis. Teasley’s .055 light in the final left Dobrin’s .131 far, far behind. But the ‘Busa’s turbo power came on quick and strong, propelling Dobrin to a 5.16 eighth mile and 7.765 winning ET past Teasley’s 7.859.

Two time defending Orient Express Pro Street champion Rodney Williford knows a thing or two about hustling turbo ‘Busa power down the track, but current points leader Joey Gladstone did it best on Saturday. Gladstone’s DME Racing Hayabusa qualified number 1, then ran tantalizingly close to giving Rockingham its first 6 second streetbike pass with a 7.007 in the semis.

But despite having lane choice for the final and a .080 to .135 jump on Williford at the tree, Gladstone spun at mid-track and gave up the win with a 7.13 to Rodney’s second straight 7.02. Williford now moves to within a round and a half of Gladstone for the championship.