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Formula USAILockhart-Phillips Unlimited Superbike Series Round 1: Daytona International Speedway leads to the West Horseshoe. As he pulled out onto the banking, Bemisderfer then put about 30 lengths on Barnes. Barnes made up 20 lengths by the time they entered the chicane, and he pulled in behind Bemisderfer to set up the slingshot at the line for the win. The move was successful, as Barnes drafted past Bemisderfer to win by a mere bike length. Bemisderfer admitted on the podium that he didn't hold much hope of defeating Varnes in a draft war. "I was hoping I could get a little drive coming out of the chicane," Bemisderfer said. "I guess I got it about as close as you can. I think anybody else on this bike would have won this thing, but with a 210-pound farm boy on it, it just doesn't like to come down the straightaway like that." Meanwhile, Fania pulled about one second clear of the Morris/Smith/Brian Bodine battle to finish third. Morris, Smith and Bodine rounded out the top six. "I thought I might be able to work up to the front, but then it got interesting because I looked back and a lot of guys were coming up behind me," Fania said. "It got really tough." Just as in the Lockhart Phillips USA Unlimited Superbike event, all Buell Lightning finishers received eight points after Formula USA officials declared the Daytona event a wet race. By virtue of his bonus point for eaming the pole position, Vames leads the series, with nine points. BUW. UGHTNING: I. Michoel Bom..: 2. Bryon Bemisderfer; 3. Anthony Fania: 4. Richie Morris; 5. Jason 5rTtith; 6. Brian Bodine; 7. 8. Scott Korol; 9. DtJrrert James; 10. Shawn Smith; 11. Gregory AveUo; 12. Steve Luxem; 13. Paul James; 14. Jeff Harding; 15. Clint Brotz; 16. Dougl"s Burton; 17. Mllrk Reynolds. TIme: 18 min., 51.000 sec. Distance: 28.48 miles Winner's avg. speed: 90.653 mph Margin of victory: 00.042 sec. FORMULA USA/BUELL LIGHTNING SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 1 of 8 rounds): 1. Michoel Bomes (9/1 win); 2. (TIE) Bryon Bemisderfer (8)/Anthony Fenio (8)/Richie Mord. (8)jJoson Smith (8){Brion Bodine (8)1 Scott Korol (8)/Oorren Jome. (8)/Shown Smith (8)/Gregory Avella (8)/ Steve Luxem (8)/Poul Jome. (8)/Jerr Herding (8)/Cllnt Brotz (8)/Oo09le. Burton (81/Mork Reynold. (8). hytona Inte",8tIanal Speedw8y hytDna Budo Flarlu ....Ib: Man:h 3, ZD02 [Rallllll 1 of 81 Upcoming Rounds Round 2 - Summit Point, Wes1 Virginia, May 26 Round 3 - Loudon, New Hampshire, June 16 pretty good, looking to see if what we were trying with the suspension was working. Everything seemed to go smoothly. The bike was working really well. I can't complain." Harwell kept a lock on the runnerup spot, finishing another 2.52 seconds ahead of Kling, the latter just happy to be running well at all. "I just couldn't get myself to go into the first corner fast," Kling said. "I had a couple little problems here that I need more time to work on, but it's a sprint race, and you have to go right from the beginning. Acree and Harwell rode here last fall, and they know where to go. I'm just trying to fmd my way back." Acree finished the day with a similar acing of the Expert Heavyweight Supersport class. After a brief scuffle with" 14K The Movie" rider Eric Wood and Harwell, Acree once again pulled away, amassing a 5.14-second lead by just the second lap. The North Carolinian finished 11.9 seconds ahead of Wood, who rode a Suzuki GSX-R750. Harwell finished third, also on a Suzuki 750. Team Cruise America's Jason DiSalvo also put in a noteworthy performance, coming from 16th place on the opening lap to challenge former Daytona 200 winner Jon Ashmead - also off the eighth row - for fourth at the line. Earlier in the day, DiSalvo had no trouble burying the competition aboard his Honda 250 in the Expert lightweight Grand Prix. DiSalvo jumped into the lead from the fifth row of the grid and proceeded to put a hurting on the rest of the field, finishing just over 26 seconds ahead of the runner-up, Vickery Motorsports' Ty Piz, and thirdplaced finisher Greg Esser, on the Fabweld Honda. Piz passed Esser right at the stripe for second. "My starts have always been pretty good on the 250," DiSalvo said. "That bike really feels like home to me. The 750 is fun, but it's different. I wasn't even running very fast on it today. I'm looking forward to [Sunday'sl 250cc GP [Expert Middlweight GPj race and the Unlimited GP race." DiSalvo would grab his second victory of the weekend in the Expert Middleweight Grand Prix on Sunday, albeit after a strajght fight with Jeff Wood and Lake Country Motorsports' Scott Hermersmann. Wood attempted to check out early in the race, but Hermersmann kept pace with the leader while DiSalvo worked his way into third place on the infield on lap two. He then got around Hermersmann and Wood before the West Horseshoe a lap later. Wood was able to motor past DiSalvo, only to lose Championship Cup Series Daytona International Speedway By Shenandoah Honda's Timothy Bemisderfer grabbed the holeshot all the way from the eighth row. Harwell came from the outside of row two tG join up with Acree - from the middle of row four - as the field sorted itself out on the infield. The two riders worked past Bemisderfer, as did Manning Construction's Fritz Kling to make it a three-rider battle of Suzuki GSX-Rs. Harwell held the point when the field raced across the stripe to start lap two, but Acree slipped past Harwell for good on the back straightaway before they came around again. Acree then picked up the pace, creating a margin that was around 2.42 seconds by lap three. He would continue to build on that advantage, crossing the finish line with 11.230 seconds in hand. "We were trying some stuff on my Supersport bike to see if it was transferable to our Formula USA bike... some different spring rates and stuff," Acree said. "I wouldn't say that I was taking it easy out there. I was riding SCOTT ROUSSEAU DAYTONA BEACH, Fl, MAR. 2-3 hile some might question the worth of the five-lap sprints that made up the bulk of Saturday's race schedule, and are also sprinkled into the Formula USA National Road Race Series program on Sunday, Lee Acree doesn't. The Arclight Suzuki rider made good use of Saturday's program to sort out his racing equipment for Sunday's events, scoring two victories in the process. "They [sprints] are definitely valuable when you're trying to fine-tune your setups," Acree said. "We're still working on some things, so every lap we can turn helps us more and more." After starting the day by finishing second to Penguin Racing School's Jeff Wood in the Expert Middleweight Supersport final, Acree diced with Arclight Suzuki teammate Scott Harwell in the Expert Unlimited Supersport final. IFrom lett to right! Eric Wood, Scott Harwell and Lee Acree battle In the Expert Unlimited GP c..... Harwell _n this race, but Ac.... won two. others. 12 MARCH 13, 2002' cue I • n."",.