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TTXGP 2012 America Round 2:

June 24, 2012 - Brammo Wins Race
From TTXGP Website:

Brammo takes the win and is joined the podium by newcomers Virginia Tech BOLT racing and Veteran Ely Schless...

 

In a marked contrast to yesterday’s downpour, race day started out in glorious sunshine.  As word about the Motoczsyz withdrawal spread through the paddock, Michael Czsyz graciously took to the commentators booth to explain why... Paraphrasing here, Czsyz explained that the bikes had only been return to the teams Portland head quaters hours before the race weekend begun, straight from the Isle of man.  A 37 3/4 mile race with two major inclines is a very different animal to a fast track and short race like PIR. He likened it to the difference between drinking Congac or shooting Tequila.  The TT required a slow release of energy. Sipping the drink to make it last a longer time rather than chugging it back for a quick burst. For the more technical this means building the pack from energy cells that support a lower C rate than the "power cells" they'd use for a TTXGP race.    

Because the bikes were delayed in transit, the team didnt have the time needed to switch battery pack so were running the TT purpose designed packs but on a fast track... inevitably, as racers do, they pushed the bikes hard which resulted on one of the bikes (Christopher Ancien's) experiencing a thermal runaway or for the layman, overheating creating smoke. The teams experience and knowledge allowed them to control the situation and cool down the pack quickly.  The fact that they had already put in an impressive performance in the qualifying session with a fastest lap time of  1:15.839 in damp to drying conditions, made the decision to pull out from the race both difficult yet sensible.  While they still had one bike in running order that could have raced today, it would have been with the risk of the same thermal problem occurring.  

This left a starting grid which included 7 racers  with Brammo Icon moving up the grid to take pole position and without any major competition, they took  the maximum number of champioship points available.  Steve Altas made really light work of  the race, putting in a stirling performace on a clearly impressive machine. 1:17.768 was his best time within the race; it should be pointed out that this race was most likely the FASTEST race in TTXGP history by average lap speed and top speed on the straights.  it's an impressive display of how far the technology has come.  The next opportunity to go faster won't come until we run on the banking at Daytona...  

"Team Icon Brammo is thrilled to come away from Round 2 with the maximum result - a 1st place finish! It's been a grueling start to the season with the crashes at Infineon, and we're happy to put that behind us and truly get our season underway with this result.  It's too bad Motoczysz weren't able to repair their bikes in time to join us on the track, as I think the racing would've been really good.  We had some power in reserve and finished the race with plenty left in the tank, so I guess we'll have to wait until Laguna to see where everyone really stacks up..." commented  Brian Wismann team leader. 

Check back later in the week with interviews with all new racers including second place racer, Matt Kent. 

 

Pilot

Team

Number

Total TIme 

Best Time

Position

Steve Atlas Team Icon Brammo 1 11:49.901  (9 laps) 1.17.768  1
Matt Kent Virginia Tec Bolt 72 12:27.921  (8 laps) 1.32.613  2
Ely Schless ProtoMoto 18 13:03.608  (8 laps) 1.36.009 3
Troy Siahaan Motorcycle.com 111 13:32.065  (8 laps) 1.38.249 4
Chris Page OMRRA Racing 9 13.32.218  (8 laps) 1.38.400 5
Kenyan kluge K Squared Racing 96 13.32.437  (8 laps) 1.37.668 6
Don Headrick OMRRA Racing 69 11.51.599  (7 laps) 1.37.727 7
Christopher Ancien Moto Czsyz 12 DNS -  - 
Michael Czsyz MotoCzsyz 11 DNS -  - 

Go to 2012 TTXGP Standings

June 24, 2012 - MotoCzysz withdraws from the race.  Read press release.

June 23, 2012 - Practice #1

From TTXGP Website:
Practice and qualifying sessions at Portland International Raceway took place under English weather conditions. The morning started out a mixture of wet and dry with the heavens opening up just before the first practise of the day. Three teams braved the wet conditions for P1. New rider Troy Siahan for motorcycle.com summed it perfectly.
“The morning was a bit sketchy. New bike, new track and lots of rain made me really nervous this morning. “   The racer was joined by bike designer and TTXGP regular, Kenyon Kluge, and new road racer Matt Kent for Virginia Tech Bolt racing team. The three bikes performed well as the pilot’s familiarised themselves with the track.
 
Having spent the day at the track at a free practise session on Friday, Brammo’s Steve Atlas chose to sit it out. As the home track of the remaining racers, each took the decision to stay dry.
 
The afternoon session was a totally different picture both with the weather and on the track. A total of 9 bikes got ready to go out for the qualifying session with the much-anticipated return from the Isle of Man of MotoCzysz.
 
Ray Crepeau, General Manager for MotoCzsyz, was working on the bikes post the qualifying session; the bikes were only delivered yesterday evening and were out racing today with very little set up time.  “Practice went well today especially with a brand new rider Christopher Ancien.  We should see a gain of 3-4 seconds in each bike tomorrow once we have a little more set up time.  We are looking forward to racing tomorrow.”  Michael Czsyz and Christopher Ancian comfortably scored a pole and second place position on tomorrow’s grid.
 
Defending TTXGP North American Champion Steve Atlas was happy with his qualifying session stating, “I was 2 seconds faster than yesterday, and got my fastest time in the last lap so know I have plenty of battery to do more tomorrow” 

Fourth place Matt Kent was a little more hungry for better performance times;  “it went well but we still have some more testing to do tomorrow morning with some different parameters we want to try-out to get back up to where we were this April… “
 
Special shout out goes to Ely Schless; veteran EV racer who was out here today racing on his 25th wedding anniversary.  “I had to be out here racing in my home state, and it was a lot of fun, I was out there pushing myself like I was actually racing this afternoon, it was a lot of fun; love it here”
 
Kenyon Kluge of K Squared racing team and Zero Motorcycles was happy as expected with all four of the Zero bikes out there racing today.  Not only did he and Troy Siahaan take place in both of the TTXGP sessions they also entered into the Ninja 250 cup on their Zero’s!   “Qualifying was really good fun, at one point we were drafting each other and having a good time racing amongst our selves.  Working like that together like we did we all achieved faster times than we could have expected if we had just gone out there and raced on our own. In fact both Siahann and I were up 20 seconds on our practice lap time so it was a good result and more importantly a lot of fun.  The Ninja cup was just a but of fun to see if we could keep up with the gas bikes. We did pretty well through all the corners but they had us on the straights.  We raced each other thought going back and forth and had fantastic time all the while learning the course for tomorrows race.”
 
Troy Siahann echoed this sentiment.  “Ninja 250 cup race was a lot fun especially as I think I beat Kenyon! I was learning a new bike; what it could do as well as the best lines on the track to take getting better and faster with each lap. Myself, Chris Page and Kenyon had a 3-way scrap during the qualifying session and it was hilarious.  I honestly think electric bike racing has already gained at lot of traction, [eSuperstock] is definitely a viable racing category and its going to be the way of the future.”
 
We’ll catch up with Chris Ancien from Motoczysz, Chris Page and Don Headrick from OMRRA Racing tomorrow. 
 
Tune into http://www.portlandlive.com/ at 2:05 tomorrow afternoon to catch the race as it happens from PIRs security camera feed!


Pilot Team Number Fastest Laptime Position
Christopher Ancien MotoCzysz 12 1:15.839 1
Michael Czysz MotoCzysz 11 1:15.958 2
Steve Atlas Team Icon Brammo 1 1:18.949 3
Matt Kent Virginia Tec Bolt 72 1:34.494 4
Ely Schless ProtoMoto 18 1:37.441 5
Chris Page OMRRA Racing 9 1:40.593 6
Don Headrick OMRRA Racing 69 1:40.783 7
Troy Siahaan Motorcycle.com 111 1:141.040 8
Kenyan kluge K Sqaured Racing 96 1:41.100 9




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TTXGP 2012 World Championship
TTXGP 2012 America Round 4
TTXGP 2012 America Round 3
TTXGP 2012 America Round 1
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TTXGP 2012 Euro Round 3
TTXGP 2012 Euro Round 2
TTXGP 2012 Euro Round 1
TTXGP 2012 Australia Round 3
TTXGP 2012 Australia Round 2
TTXGP 2012 Australia Round 1
TTXGP 2012 Australia Round 1 TTXGP PR
TTXGP 2012 Australia Round 1 Catavolt Race Report
TTXGP 2012 Brammo Eric Bostrom PR
TTXGP 2012 Muench Laguna Seca PR
TTXGP Team Icon Brammo PR
TTXGP Muench Katja
TTXGP 2012 Schedule PR
TTXGP 2012 Aust Sched PR
TTXGP UEM Partnership PR
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