Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki’s Chris Ulrich, 22, qualified fastest for Saturday’s AMA Superstock race at Road America, turning a lap on his Suzuki GSX-R750 in 2 minutes, 15.653 seconds for an average speed of 106.153 mph. Tomorrow’s final event is 10 laps on Road America’s 4.0-mile road course.
Ulrich’s Valvoline EMGO Suzuki reached 156.975 mph in speed traps at the start/finish line on the front straightaway at Road America, located in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Ulrich is currently 5th in AMA Superstock points after 5 of 10 rounds and has been plagued this season with injuries. He will undergo surgery on his right shoulder after the season ends.
His teammates, Tom Kipp and Marty Craggill, qualified 10th and 12th-fastest for Saturday’s Formula Xtreme race despite crashes.
Kipp fell on the third lap of Friday Formula Xtreme practice, literally spinning out when he accelerated out of turn five on the team’s new-spec GSX-R1000, which makes 20 more horsepower and is 5 mph faster than the versions raced year to date. Kipp was uninjured.
Craggill also had a moment in turn five during practice, avoiding crashing but during his near-crash flying up off the seat, smashing the windscreen–which then cut his neck–dragging his left foot under his rear wheel and bending the left footpeg and shift lever with his knee, which was abraded in the process. Craggill struggled in qualifying after the incident.
