Team Valvoline EMGO Suzuki had reason to celebrate at Brainerd International Raceway on Saturday. The 3.0-mile road course was the scene of the squad’s first podium finish of the AMA season.
At the green light, Vincent Haskovec quickly guided his Formula Xtreme Suzuki GSX-R600 forward from a second row grid position into third place. He then proceeded to track down the front-running factory riders and challenge them for the lead.
“In the morning session we found a solution that helped us go significantly faster, and I was really looking forward to the race,” Haskovec said after picking up the first Formula Xtreme podium of his career. “The leaders got about three or four seconds ahead of me early, and I was a little surprised I was able to catch up with them.”
For a majority of the final, Haskovec would lose some ground on the straight but he continued to close back in on the leading duo in the infield of the ten turn course. Fighting to maintain the hot pace required to stay up front, Vincent’s hard charging pursuit resulted in a major moment that threatened to end his stellar run. The Czech born rider held onto to finish third, however, a nice reward after several top performances this season that ended short of a podium finish.
“They stepped up their pace into the 1:38s, and I tried really hard to stay with them,” he continued. “In Turn 6, I went up on the curbing. With the lean angle, I hit the pavement (curb) and bent my front wheel. I just had to concentrate on bring it home in third then. I’m really happy to get that podium.”
Adding to team’s Saturday success was another fine Brainerd performance by Chris Peris. The youngster followed up his impressive top-five Friday practice showing by earning a second row grid position during today’s qualifying session.
The Canadian qualified his Michelin-shod GSX-R600 Supersport machine in seventh position with a best time of 1:40.394.
Steve Rapp will line up directly behind Peris in tomorrow’s 13-lap Supersport final. The Californian qualified in eleventh after posting a fast lap of 1:41.052.
Haskovec and Rapp will also be competing in Sunday’s Superstock final. As expected, the high-speed characteristics of the raceway with its long straight have not been an ideal fit for the team’s GSX-R750 when compared with the rival 1000cc machines.
Haskovec will start from the third row after qualifying in eleventh at 1:38.968, while Rapp will line up on the fourth row following his thirteenth place qualifying effort (1:39.338).
