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AMAIChevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship Final Round: Virginia International Raceway AMA/&enuiu Suzuki Accessories 750cc Supersport Series Fillllllllnd: Virginia International Raceway By HENNY RAY ABRAMS PHOTO BY BRIAN J. NELSON ALTON, VA,SEPT. 29 F Virl18i11lodwwt' or Arclight Suzuki's Lee Acree, it was like coming home. The North Carolinian was one of the few riders in the Genuine Suzuki Accessories 750cc Supersport race with knowledge of Virginia Intemational Raceway. More than that, Acree, the reigning Formula USA Sportbike Champion, had won his first Sportbike main here early in the summer. On a sunny, cool aftemoon, Acree prospered again, winning a crash-filled event for his first-ever AMA professional road race victory. "Got my first Sportbike win here. Now my first 750 AMA race win comes here, so I think I can definitely call this place home now," Acree said after beating Corona Extra EBSCO Media Suzuki's Jimmy Moore by 4.863 seconds. Moore's Suzuki GSX-R750 was painted like an American flag and Moore wore matching leathers, though not in his size. With a commanding points lead after the Pike's Peak race, Moore earned the 750cc Supersport Championship by virtue of the cancellation of the Willow Springs race. He arrived in Virginia the first 2001 class champion. Butler Machinery's Robert Jensen earned his first AMA podium by finishing third. Acree was handed the lead on the ninth of 17 laps, not that he didn't , ........., u.,VirIII* llalb: Sep'A t 38,2111 1..... 1.1 PRO HONDA OILS 600 SUPERSPORT: 1. Anthony Gobert (Yam); 2. Aaron Yates (Suz); 3. filiguel DuHamel (Hon): 4. John Hopkins (5uz): 5. Kurtis Roberts (Hon): 6. Tommy Hayden (Yam); 7. Eric Bostrom (Ka..,); 8. Jake Zemke (Hon): 9. Josh Hayes (Hon); 10. Grant Lopez (5uz): 11. Lee Acree (5uz); 12. Jimmy Moore (5uz); 13. Aaron Gobert (Yam); 14. Chris Caylo< (5uz); 15. Vincent Haskovoc (5uz); 16. Robert Jensen (5uz); 17. Dalgoro 5uz (Ka..,); 18. David Ortego (5uz); 19. Tyler Wods..,orth (Yom); 20. Pedro Voliente (Yom); 21. Kevin Lehmon (Yom); 22. Justin Bloke (Hon); 23. Charles Neighoff (Yam); 24. Fnmk Wiot (Yam): 25. John Trautmann (Yam); 26. Mork Simon (5uz); 27. Roger Lee Hoyden (Hon); 28. John McGarity (5uz). TIme: 25 min.• 19.272 soc. Distance: 17 laps. 38,25 miles. Average speed: 91.038 mph. Margin of victory: 1.138 sec. PRO HONDA OILS 600 SUPERSPORT C'SHIP POINTS STANDINGS: 1. Eric Bostrom (285/3 ..,Ins); 2. Anthony Gobert (265/2); 3. Miguel DuHamel (259/2); 4. Tommy Hayden (239); 5. Josh Hayes (213); 6. Jake Zemke (195): 7. Aaron Yates (187/1); 8. John Hopkins (179); 9. Jomle Hacking (159); 10. Aaron Gobert (158); 11. Kurtis Roberts (156); 12. Roger Lee Hayden (122); 13. Jimmy Moore (120); 14. Grant Lopez (115); 15. David Ortega (109); 16. Dalgoro Suz (101); 17. Vincent Haskovec (81); 18. Lee Acree (76); 19. Tyler Wods..,orth (72); 20. Nick Hayden (58). 14 OCTOBER 10,2001 • a U c • _ n __ • CAbo-I .JImmy Moore 1881 leacla Mike C ~ (hlddenl and Ben Spl_ 1111. Wh.n two of those th crashed out, L_ Ac 148I_s there to take the win - his fI.... In AMA. Pro racing. (Right) Moore, who had already clinched the title, was able to celebrate In VIrginia. deserve it. Away quickly at the start, Acree was in second by the third lap. Already one race leader had crashed and another one wasn't long for the race. Valvoline EMGO Suzuki's Ben Spies had gotten away quickly along with Hooters Suzuki's Mike Ciccotto. Ciccotto led across the stripe for lap one, Spies in the lead on lap two, then out of the race on lap three. Ciccotto would go down on the 10th lap in turn 10, and Acree was now the leader, though Ciccotto remounted in sixth. "When Ben [Spies! fell - Ben was really, really trying to run a hard pace, probably trying to get away and when I saw him fall, Mike [Cic- cottoI had a little bit of a gap on me and so I started just trying to concentrate on maintaining it and start easing in on him, because then I could put some pressure on him, maybe he makes a mistake to where I could really get on top of him," Acree said. "I know he kept taking a couple of looks back coming out on the front straight, see if I was gaining. I don't know if he was feeling a little pressure or clipped the curb, but unfortunately he fell." Now alone at the front, Acree had 7.8 seconds on Moore in second, but he didn't know it. Acree said that he djdn't know which part of the split board was his.