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Larry Pegram was in control at Heartland Park Topeka, taking his initial career weekend sweep in AMA Pro Racing.
Beginning from the pole for the only time from 1996, the Foremost Pegram Ducati competitor headed every lap in both races.
Pegram rode to a quick lead in Race One and was rarely challenged, victorious by more than two seconds in front of
Yamaha’s Ben Bostrom.
“For me, it’s just validation,” states Pegram. “Here we beat
everybody again, and I proved to myself I can win at this level because I had lost a lot of confidence over the years riding
bikes that weren’t capable of winning. You start to wonder if it might be you, but I always knew at the bottom of my
heart that I could win races, especially if I got on a great motorcycle like this Ducati 1098R.”
Bostrom
held off a mixture of riders including Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Blake Young and Tommy Hayden and Jordan Suzuki’s
Aaron Yates to the place in the line for second.
“It’s a great track, and there are passing spots here
believe it or not,” explains Bostrom. “The bike was fantastic, and the R1 did a good job. The rider just kind
of sat on it and rode, and I was hoping to obviously race for the win. I did think I could catch Larry. Blake and I had a
bit of a battle going, and Larry jumped out there and put in really, really fantastic laps.”
Race Two endured
a harder challenge for Pegram. He was pushed through the whole race by Hayden but was still able to finish over the line at
0.333 seconds in front of the Suzuki.
“I was sweating and Tommy was all over me, he was an animal,”
states Pegram. “I could hear him back there, I could feel him. The last three laps I was riding fairly defensive. I
was still trying to set a good pace but in the places where I knew there were opportunities to pass, I wasn't giving any
room there. My hats off to him, I rode as hard as I possibly could and he was there the whole race.”
Hayden’s
second placing was his eighth of the year. Although he places second in the championship standings, Hayden has yet been able
to take a win this season.
“I was a lot stronger than Larry through two of the corners,” comments Hayden.
“I didn’t want to try a move until I thought I was close enough to make it. I tried the one spot and he got back
by and I never really got close enough again through that area. He picked it up a bit there. It’s kind of frustrating
to keep getting this close and not get a win, but I feel like I’m learning a lot in the races. I have to keep doing
what I’m doing, it can’t be too far away.”
Yamaha’s Josh Hayes, who collects three wins
himself, placed close to six seconds behind Hayden for his third stage result in four events.
The weekend’s
events created an unforeseen shadow over the safety concerns of the course. Heartland Park Topeka team worked continually
on improving the track up until qualifying day of July 31. The largest modification was the removal of a wall close to Turn
One.
Series champion Mat Mladin did not partake in either event due to safety issues associated. Although he was
absent, Mladin still maintains an easy 83-point lead in the standings with four races left. If he had of ridden, Mladin
could have claimed his seventh AMA Superbike title. He will have another opportunity in the next round, Aug. 14-16 at Virginia
International Raceway in Alton, Va.
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