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Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series -SHORTIBUJrSWEET Zemke Again, Over Duhamel rr he Formula Extreme final at Infineon Raceway got started at the end of a sunny and breezy Saturday in Sonoma, California, and once again the two factory Hondas of Jake Zemke and Miguel Duhamel breezed their way into the top two spots on the podium, showing the others the fast way around the track. Unfortunately, the race was ended prematurely after a serious crash by M4 EMGO Suzuki's Vincent Haskovec. After going down on his GSX-R600 in turn five, his condition required him to be airlifted to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Haskovec is listed in stable condition, but he suffered multiple injuries, including broken ribs, a punctured lung, broken clavicle and a back injury. He will undergo surgery in the next couple days. The AMA determined that the race had run a sufficient distance to be considered complete and at their discretion called it after nine laps. Zemke was declared the winner, with Duhamel second and Attack Kawasaki's Ben Attard third, with Duhamel visibly upset at not having the opportunity to have another shot at Zemke. "We both know that the point for most laps led is really important at this point in the championship:' Zemke said. "We were both going for it, and luckily I ended up getting it. I knew that Miguel was going to try getting back by to lead some more laps and try to get that point, and I knew that it was going to be a scrap all the way to the end. We were both running really competitive times. This morning [in practice] Miguel 28 was topping the charts, but then I was able to have a good race." At the start, it was American Honda's Duhamel getting the holes hot over Attack Kawasaki's Attard, but M4 EMGO Suzuki's Haskovec was quickly into second place as they crested turn two. Duhamel's teammate Zemke was quickly into third. At the end of lap one, it was Duhamel, Haskovec, Zemke, Attard, Robert Jensen, Danny Eslick and Chris Peris. Haskovec was all over Duhamel on lap two, and the Suzuki rider looked like he wasn't about to give up his position to Zemke. The order at the front didn't change, with Duhamel, Haskovec, Zemke and Attard starting to put a little bit of a gap on Jensen, Peris and Eslick. On lap four, Zemke decided to get going, passing Haskovec with his sights set on Duhamel. Attard was starting to drop a little behind the leading trio of Duhamel, Zemke and Haskovec on lap five, with Jensen still in close tow behind. The battle at the front got exciting as Zemke challenged Duhamel for the lead. The two started trading paint between turns six and seven before they headed into the esses. Zemke got the lead but Duhamel wasn't about to give in to his teammate. By lap six, Zemke and Duhamel started to pull away from the second group, now headed by Attard, who got around Haskovec on lap six. Zemke turned his fastest lap of the race - a I:38.37S on the sixth lap - as did Duhamel, turning a I:38.460; both riders were inside of their qualifying times by almost a half a second. The battle at the front was hectic between MAY 25, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS By BLAKE CONNER PHOTOS BY BRIAN Zemke and Duhamel with the two taking every opportunity to pass each other between the turn-six carousel and the esses, the two riders touching on a few occasions. "We always seem to have these great battles:' Zemke said, "and nothing bad ever happens. "It's always fun to race with Miguel, and he is someone that I trust a lot, and hopefully he trusts me, too:' Zemke added, laughing. With the two Honda riders in a battle of their own, Attard was in a solid third but was unable to cut laps in the I:38-second range, a full second to a second-and-a-half off the leaders. "My bike was getting better, but the tire took a while to come in:' Attard said. "I was definitely nervous and riding tight [earlier in the race]." Haskovec was going backward at this point and dropped into the I:40s while the leaders battled out front. A good battle between Jensen, Peris and Eslick raged behind the front four. Duhamel started to put the pressure back on Zemke, with the two continuing to swap positions. It looked a sure bet that the battle would go down to the wire with neither rider willing to give up. The red flags flew early on the I Ith lap, with Haskovec crashing his Suzuki in the downhill right-hand turn five. The medical helicopter was called in to airlift Haskovec to a nearby Santa Rosa hospital. The AMA decided to call the race, with the finishing order determined by reverting back to the end of the ninth lap. Zemke J. NELSON AND TOM RilES was declared the winner, followed by Duhamel, Attard, Jensen, Peris, Eslick, Alex Gobert, Clint McBain, Opie Caylor and Kevin Lacombe. "I was hoping they would restart it," Duhamel said. "Coincidence seems to be happening a lot and not favoring myself. Unfortunately, I don't know what the process is that goes into deciding when the race ends." "I wanted to race all the way to the finish," Zemke said. "You're expected to race to a checkered fiag not a red flag, but they're the governing body, and they make the rules, and we just play by them." Zemke now leads the series with 142 points after winning his third Formula Xtreme event in a row, followed by Duhamel on I3S with a win at Daytona. Rookie Eslick holds down third with 97 points, followed by Alex Gobert on 87 and Nicky Moore on 82. eN INFINEON RACEWAY SONOMA, CAUFORNIA RESULTS: MAy 14, 2005 (ROUND 4 OF 10) FORMULA XTREME: I. jake Zemke (Hon); 2. Miguel Duhamel (Hon); J. Ben Attard (Kaw): 4. Robert Jensen (Yam); S. Chris Pens (Yam); 6. Danny Eslick (SuI); 7. Alex Gobert (HOfl); 8. Clint McBain (Suz); 9. Opie Caylor (Suz): 10. Kevin Lac.ombe (Suz); II. Nicky Moore (Yam); 12. Shea Fouchek (SlIt): 13. Nathan Hester (Yam); 14. Eric. Gulbransen (Due); IS.Annado Ferrer (Yam); 16. Thomas Montano (Hon); 17. Eli Edwards (Suz): 18. Justin Filice (Hon); 19. VICtor Chirinos (Yam); 20. Matthew Binns (Suz); 21. Craig Wierman (Suz); 22. Marl< Deg"'" (Hon). Time: 14 min., 49.624 se<:. Distance: 9 laps, 19.98 miles Average speed: 84.50 mph Margin of victory: 0.152 sec. Fastest lap: jake Zemke, lap 6. 1:38.375 FORMULA XTREME C'SHIP POINTS STANDINGS (After 4 of 10 rounds): L Jake Zemke (142/3 wins); 2. Miguel Duhamel (135/1 win); 3. Danny Eslick (97); 4. AJex Goben (87): S. Nkky Moo," (82): 6. Ch,;, Pe'" (78): 7. (TIE) Opie Caylor (69)fTaylor Knapp (69); 9. Vincent Haskovee. (66); 10. Armando Ferrer (63); II. Nathan Hester (60); 12. Ben Attard (56): 13. Justin Filice (45); 14. Tim Knutson (44); 15. Ryan Andrews (43).