In Torque We Trust Wins Big At NOLA With CMRA/USNE
The In Torque We Trust team of Jim Dugger, Andy Gilliland, Jorge Guerrero Jr, Carl Price, and Walt Sipp grabbed the overall
wins in both the US National Endurance Series and CMRA Championship Endurance with their Michelin rains and Pirelli slicks-
shod Buell 1125R this past Saturday, June 18.
The Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association (CMRA) held its second round of Championship Endurance, the second round
of the US National Endurance Series (USNE), fifth round of Lightweight sprints, and first round of Solo 30 sprints, bringing over
9 hours of racing action to NOLA Motorsports Park, in Avondale, Louisiana. Morning downpours and humid temperatures in the
mid 80's made the 2.75 mile course treacherous.
The 6-Hour Championship Endurance/US National Endurance Series race was finally gridded up, with a combined grid of 23
teams, representing the Remember Brooks Gremmels - A Superbike/Heavyweight, Promomin Oil/eni - C
Superbike/Middleweight, Formula 2/Lightweight, and Modern Classic/Super Dinosaur Endurance classes. The rain continued to
come down, making deep puddles in some parts of the course, and keeping the conditions slick.
When the start lights went out, the Privateer Tools team was off to an early lead, with a fastest lap of 2:10.717, over 4 seconds
faster than the rest of the field. However, Village Idiots was stalking them in the number two spot, with LocoMotion right behind.
A tip over right before hour two cost Privateer Tools the lead, and the Village Idiots team of Cory Burleson, Chris Headley, John
Orchard and Garet Tomlinson riding their Yamaha YZF-R6 took over with the LocoMotion team of Brandon Altmeyer, Alonzo
Contreras, Ryan Max Johnson, Darrell Ricks and Mark Windham, also on a Yamaha YZF-R6 in second, and In Torque We
Trust in third headed into the second hour.
During hour two, the weather continued to make teams falter, with Team HPC and Davis Rod & Cycle/LSTD sliding into the
second and third positions, but In Torque We Trust stayed solid, taking over the lead and stretching it to one lap over the rest
of the field going into Hour 3. The rain left, and the course started drying up. In Torque We Trust switched from Michelin rain
tires onto Pirelli slicks and continued in the intermediate conditions. Davis Rod & Cycle/LSTD team of Jesse Davis, Andy
Galindo, Will Gruy, Alan Phillips, and David Tiede also switched off rains, gaining second over Team HPC. The Village Idiots
and LocoMotion also switched off rains, and still stayed in the top five. As the sun came out, temperatures rose to the 90’s and
the track continued to dry, several teams chose to stay on rains while others switched, with enough puddles on the course to
keep rains cool.
The drying track made for faster lap times and more fuel consumption, forcing strategy changes for everyone. During Hour 4,
In Torque We Trust held on to their one lap lead, while Davis Rod & Cycle/LSTD held off LocoMotion and the Village Idiots from
the number two spot. Meanwhile, the Just Can’t Quit Racing team of Pete Martins, Ron Mears, Craig Montgomery, and Jeff
Wrobel riding a Suzuki GSX-R1000 and The Skidmarks team of Chase Eason, Brady Ipock, Steven Nedd, Jay Newton, and
Brian Prescott aboard a Yamaha YZF-R6 battled into the top six. As Hour 5 progressed, LocoMotion got around Davis Rod &
Cycle/LSTD for second, Just Can’t Quit Racing edged the Village Idiots for fourth, and The Skidmarks held down sixth.
As the track continued drying and lap times dropped, it was becoming apparent that a lot of teams were going to need a fuel
“splash and go” pit stop to complete the race with about 20 minutes left. During the final hour, things got very interesting as the
strategies played themselves out. Just Can’t Quit Racing squeezed by Davis Rod & Cycle/LSTD for second, and with eight
minutes left in the race, both LocoMotion and the Village Idiots, running fourth and fifth overall, simultaneously crashed in the
same corner. It was a scramble for them, as they both had a three lap lead over The Skidmarks, but would that be enough?
As the final seconds wound down, In Torque We Trust took the checkers for the Overall USNE and CMRA win, and first in
Modern Classic/Super Dinosaur Endurance with a one lap lead over the field. Just Can’t Quit Racing was next over the line,
finishing second in both overalls, and taking the win in A Superbike/Heavyweight Endurance, followed by Davis Rod &
Cycle/LSTD, who finished third in both overalls and second in A Superbike/Heavyweight Endurance. The Village Idiots were
next, with fourth overall, and the win in C Superbike/Middleweight Endurance, and LocoMotion was right behind, with fifth
overall and second in C Superbike/Middleweight Endurance. The Skidmarks round out the top six and third in C
Superbike/Middleweight Endurance.
Veteran Buell Racer Sipp To Ride For "In Torque We Trust" Team In CMRA Endurance Championship
Walt Sipp to captain CMRA Championship Endurance Team In Torque We Trust
Dallas, TX - Walt Sipp has signed as team captain for In Torque We Trust in 2016. The team will campaign a Buell 1125r in the
CMRA Championship Endurance series, racing in the Modern Classic classification.
"Walt is an talented racer and has a true passion for the sport," commented team owner Jim Dugger, adding "after talking with
Walt about race strategy and our approach for the year, it was obvious he was a great choice for captain and leading
competitive decisions for the team. Walt's experience on the 1125r platform and with racing at very competitive levels in
general were icing on the cake."
Walt joins fellow CMRA expert racers Andy Gilliland, Jorge Guerrero, Carl Price and Jim Dugger in the 6-round series.
Walt's sponsors include Arai, Arlen Ness, Bison Racing, Grant County Choppers, Ohlins, Sidi and Vortex.
In 2015, In-Torque-We-Trust competed in a portion of the series, placing two podium finishes including a win in a 3-round effort.
Walt Sipp Recaps a Successful 2012 Season
Gladstone, MO – Thrashed Bike Racing/Bison Racing rider Walt Sipp recaps what was an up and down, yet ultimately
successful 2012 racing season. The team competed in full schedules of racing with the ASRA in the Team Challenge and
Thunderbike classes as well as three events with AMA in the highly competitive Daytona Sportbike class.
In ASRA Thunderbike riding a Buell XB12R, Walt had 4 race wins (Roebling Road, Summit Point, Road America and VIR), a
second (NJMP) and a third (Blackhawk). He also had 2 poles and 2 Thunderbike class lap records (NJMP and Roebling Road).
Walt managed a fourth at the last round in Daytona despite riding with three broken bones in his wrist. That finish was good
enough to secure the 2012 ASRA Pro Thunderbike Championship. Walt commented, “This season was a lot of fun on the
Thunderbike. We ended up winning a lot of races, having great battles and bringing home the championship. I want to dedicate
this season to my late friend Dick Fish. Without him, this wouldn’t have been possible.”
In AMA competition, Walt and the team participated in the Road Atlanta, Barber and New Orleans rounds of Daytona Sportbike
on a Buell 1125R. Best finish of the season was a 19th. Walt said, “2012 was a tough year with the AMA. Daytona Sportbike is
a very competitive class and I definitely didn’t ride up to my full potential. The worst part though was a braking related failure
causing me to crash early on in New Orleans, breaking my wrist and putting us out for the weekend.”
In ASRA Team Challenge competition riding a Buell 1125RR, Sipp handled riding duties at each event winning the team’s first
Overall race at Carolina Motorsports Park and finishing on the podium 4 other times (HPT, VIR, NJMP, and Summit Point).
Going in to the last round at Daytona the team held the Overall and GTO class point leads. Unfortunately, an electrical issue
put Walt and the team out 9 laps in to the 44 lap race. In the end the team lost the Overall championship, but managed to win
the GTO class championship by a mere 9 points. Sipp said, “It was a bitter sweet way to end such a great season; sad to lose
the Overall but happy to win the class championship. We had the normal ups and down you have with endurance racing, but I’
m really proud to give Tim and the team its first Overall win.
Walt would like to thank personal and team sponsors, Arrow Aviation Company, Erik Buell Racing, Avcal Decal, Bison Racing,
KBC Helmets, Arlen Ness, Sidi, Vortex, Zero Gravity, EBC Brakes, Dunlop, EC3D Compression and Crossfit Matters.
Sipp Claims Round 3 Michelin Team Challenge in Carolina for Thrashed Bike Racing
Reliability and pace kept Buell rider Walt Sipp in position to take the overall and GTO class victory in Round 3 of the Michelin
Team Challenge at Carolina Motorsports Park. In the GTU class RnR Repsol riders Rick Beggs and Terry Taylor took their #4
Kawasaki to the GTU class win. In GT Lights Clayton Fisk and Max Grant rode the GMB Now Suzuki to the win over G-Baby
Racing's Jim Doyle and Nicole Ayers. This was the first win for GMB Now and the first time this year G-Baby has not won the
GT Lights class.
It is no secret that improvised teams with a local hot shoe can steal a round from the series regulars. In 2012 it looks like
several of the more seasoned teams have built stability into their formula for winning. There are still teams thrown together for
a couple rounds of fun, which is a great idea in itself. But several more serious teams have settled on a similar rider pairing
formula for the entire 2012 season.
Tim Ivanoff and Walt Sipp at Thrashed Bike are one example of combining a reliable team owner/rider with one fast privateer
for the entire season. Another example is Kawasaki equipped Martinez/Ferrell Performance. They pair two reliable riders,
Ferrell being a very fast privateer, with perennial Team Challenge owner and champion Calvin Martinez for a run at the
championship.
Bucking that formula and each taking different approaches are RnR Repsol and Chester Auto Repair. At RnR Repsol Rick
Beggs runs two bikes sharing riding with Terry Taylor, Jason Gibbens and Rachel Sasse. The lineup makes for a known
quantity in planning the team's year. But multiple Team Challenge Champion Eric Helmbach goes it alone on the Chester Auto
Repair BMW. Then there is another fairly new team owner in the series, Christian Meekma, who formed XRay with well-known
ASRA champion Ray Hofman, Hofman playing the role of the fast rider. There are more teams and more formulas. These are
just a few worth noting.
All this might suggest that on any given weekend you have a recipe for racing drama. and Round 3 was no exception. Beautiful
weather, a few clouds and moderate temps welcomed 110 riders to Carolina Motorsports Park this weekend. A total of 594
entries peppered classes in CCS and the Michelin Team Challenge.
Overall & GTO
In this event Walt Sipp rode the Thrashed Bike Buell 1125 to victory while teammate/owner Ivanoff managed the pit operation
for the team. Having finished fourth and third in the first and second rounds respectively the win was a welcome result for the
team's preparation as they work to make their two Buell's more reliable.
Leading early in the race, and perhaps the favorite to win the Overall and GTO after taking the first two rounds at Roebling and
Heartland Park, was the Martinez/Ferrell Performance Kawasaki 1000. But a late-race miscalculation contributed to the team's
runner up finish. After a blazing start and holding the lead for 43 laps Jason Ferrell pitted for fuel and a rider change
relinquishing the lead to Helmbach's BMW. Helmbach pitted four laps later handing the lead to Sipp's Buell. Martinez now on
board the Kawasaki took the lead again as Sipp pitted on lap 57. On lap 62 Sipp re-assumed the lead as Martinez pitted to
hand the ZX10R back to Ferrell.
Ferrell, thinking Sipp's Buell to be a lap down, upon re-entry made no attempt to re-pass Walt Sipp. Sipp assumed Ferrell
would be coming and was managing the fasted pace he dared on a tire that was becoming more of a challenge with each
passing lap.
As the pair of riders saw the white flag Ferrell realized that Sipp received it first and that he (Ferrell) would need to make a pass
on Sipp on the last lap for the win. Ferrell made up no time on Sipp through the turn 4-5-6-7-8 complex and could not catch
Sipp on the back straight leaving no real opportunity to make up the 3-second gap.
Sipp commented on the podium that he had the Flu and that tire management on a bike without traction control was a chore.
But anyone could see his pride in having overcome those challenges, bringing the burly Buell home for the win. Eric Helmbach,
also sick from a bad cold, finished third in GTO and overall.
Sipp, Farrell, Miller Take Michelin PRO Series Openers
Bloomingdale, GA Temperatures in the mid-seventies set the stage for potentially record-breaking lap times as the paddock
prepared to compete in Round One of the 2012 Michelin PRO Series. A number of past champions were on hand and the
action got started with Michelin Pro SportBike.
Michelin Pro ThunderBikes
In Michelin PRO Thunderbike Walt Sipp intended to use pole position to full advantage, but a less-than-perfect start opened
the door for Ducati rider Ray Hofman to control the pace for the first three laps. Sipp, riding a Buell, and Bob Robbins, also a
Ducati, trailed Hofman. Russell Masecar was fourth.
Hofman and Sipp's duel opened a gap to the field as the pair ran laps in the low 1:16's. By lap four, Sipp pushing ever harder
and made his way past Hofman in Turn One. With Hofman behind, Sipp shifted his focus to pushed his Buell XB12R to a new
ASRA PRO Thunderbike race lap record for Roebling Road at 1:15.872 on lap seven, eclipsing former record-holder Trey
Yonces' mark from 2011.
Said Sipp, "Ray was riding really well. I didn't want to make a mistake and look over the wrong shoulder like I did yesterday and
let him come around me. This allowed me to start off the season well and thanks to everybody for helping me out
Hofman added, "I started drifting back towards the end of the race. There was one lapper that held me up in Turn Three, but I
didn't have what it took today to catch Walt. He had a good race. The Michelin tires were working great. Indy Ducati is helping
me out on this bike, so I'm real thankful for those guys.
Bob Robbins rode a nice race hanging in ahead of Masecar's Suzuki at the end. Bob added, "Third place is good. These guys
were in another zip code, but that's okay. I I was out there and held onto it. Russell Masecar was chasing me down. Good
pace. The bike is working beautiful."
Gino Angella placed his Ducati fifth behind Masecar.
Jason Farrell Scores Round One Win - Michelin Team Challenge at Roebling Road
Calvin Martinez and Jason Farrell teamed up for the Round One overall victory and GTO top spot on their Martinez Farrell
Motorsports Kawaski ZX10R. Martinez and Farrell fielded two entries, one with Calvin Martinez and Dustin Young sharing
duties, but it was Farrell riding solo who out-paced 2011 Overall Champion Eric Helmbach's Chester Auto Repair BMW and the
BEI/Vesrah Endurance GSXR entry of Billy Etheridge and Tim Bemisderfer.
Farrell started from the third row behind Bemisderfer and BMW-mounted Nate Kern on the outside of row one. At the drop of
the green flag Walt Sipp on the Thrashed Bike Racing Buell 1125 edged out Kern down the front straight. But by the entry to
turn one Jimmy Cohrs muscled his way past the duo for the lead. By the middle of lap two Cohrs opened a two-second gap
from Bemisderfer, Kern and Sipp. Farrell was missing from the lead pack as on the first lap a shifter bolt backed out forcing
him to pit for a quick repair. As Cohrs and the field came around, Farrell rejoined a lap down but even with the leaders.
By lap four Helmbach had moved up to second behind Cohrs with Bemisderfer trailing. Dan Heverly on the Angry Peaches
GTU entry secured the GTU lead from the #62 RNR Repsol Kawasaki by lap four. RNR's #4 Repsol entry was third in class.
In GT Lights the GMB Now Racing Suzuki 650 of Clayton Fisk led from the start. Mark Gage on the DaytonaSportbikes.com SV
ran second and G-Baby Racing's Jim Doyle was third on another Suzuki 650.
Bemisderfer passed Cohrs on lap eight for the lead. Helmbach, Kern & Sipp trailed the pair. Cohrs got back past Bemisderfer
on lap nine but on lap 11 Cohrs pulled his GSXR behind the wall. On the following lap the order in GTO was Bemisderfer from
Kern with Sipp turning one of his best laps a 1:14.747. Helmbach was fourth and Justin Neyra was fifth on a ZX10R. RNR's
#62 machine led GTU just ahead of Dan Heverly riding the Angry Peaches entry. Ray Hofman lay third in GTU on Christian
Meekma's XJR Racing. Fisk led from Doyle in GT Lights with Gage was third.
On lap 48 Tim Bemisderfer pitted for his rider change and Jason Farrell had the chance he was looking for to take the lead.
Said Farrell, "A bolt backed out on the first lap. I came in. We fixed it and when the field came around I was a lap down. The
bike was good and we did the whole race on the same tires."
Farrell scored the win with Helmbach second and Bemisderfer and Etheridge rounding out the podium for the Overall and
GTO.
After the race Billy Etheridge said, "Tim started and went to lap 50 where the team took on a rear tire and fuel and then I took
over and brought home." Etheridge managed a third with Eric Helmbach taking the second slot for Chester Auto Repair. Walt
Sipp finished fourth. Sipp said, "When the ignition problem went away we were doing some good times. Only the rear tire
degradation kept us from bring it to the other guys today."
Kern and Alfredo Braca teamed on the BMW. Kern started the race from the front row and they switched riders on lap 38.
Braca commented, "I took the bike from Nate. Everything was good, but I started to lose rear traction towards the end of the
race. I pulled in to check the pressure, but there was nothing wrong so I continued. We had zero issues on the BMW."
In GTU Premier Racing's Daniel Dougherty snagged the top step and finished sixth overall. Second in GTU went to Angry
Peaches' riders Dan Heverly and Allison Fournier. Said Allison, "Dan started the race and with about 25 to go he handed off to
me. The bike was good but the tire was starting to go off a little toward the end." Third in GTU were Rick Beggs and Jason
Ebbens on the #62 RNR Cycles Repsol Kawasaki.
Nicole Ayers teamed up with Jim Doyle on the G-Baby SV. Nicole started the race and did 25 laps, her first time at Roebling.
And they won GT Lights. The G-Baby team is going try and do at least five rounds in 2012 in their hunt for the GT Lights
Michelin Team Challenge title.
Bill Wissinger and Mark Gage ran the DaytonaSportbikes.com entry with Mark starting and handing off to Bill just over halfway.
Other than Bill reporting he was 12" taller than an SV rider should be there were no problems and they came home second in
GT Lights behind G-Baby. Third in GT Lights, Clayton Fisk and Brad Faas shared the GMB Now SV650. Clayton started the
race and handed of to Brad. When Brad put it into gear to leave the pits the clutch basket had failed. The engine stalled and
they could not re-enter the race. The failure put them third.
Walt Sipp and Thrashed Bike Racing Announce 2012 Racing Plans
Breaux Bridge, LA – Thrashed Bike Racing/Bison Racing rider Walt Sipp announced today that He will make a return to the
AMA Daytona Sportbike Series as well ASRA Team Challenge and ASRA Thunderbike riding for Tim Ivanoff’s Thrashed Bike
Racing and the late Dick Fish’s Bison Racing.
With the AMA, the team will participate in the Road Atlanta, Barber and New Orleans rounds of Daytona Sportbike on a Buell
1125R. The team also plans a full championship assault on the ASRA Team Challenge Series riding the Buell 1125RR as well
as the ASRA Thunderbike Series riding a Buell XB12R.
Sipp said, “I’m really happy with what we have put together for 2012. Last year Tim and I came close to a couple championships
with the ASRA in our first season working together. We learned a lot and really think we can improve for this season.” He
continued, “Thunderbike should be fun as well. Last year I did only two races, but was able to win them both. I’m hoping for
more success in the class this year and hopefully win a championship for my late friend. Dick may not be around anymore, but
his memory lives on and I know he’d be happy with what we’re doing. Bison Racing is backing our return to the AMA.”
Tim added, “We had an exciting year in the 2011 ASRA Team Challenge series and expect to bring our A game to the series
again this year. The ASRA series has been great preparation to step into a limited appearance with AMA Pro Racing. Walt
has been an excellent partner and we are looking forward to the start of the season. A big thank you to the volunteer pit crew
all last year and Thanks especially to my partners Cyril and David Guidry at Arrow Aviation for helping me realize the Team’s
potential.
Walt would like to thank personal sponsors, Bison Racing, KBC Helmets, Arlen Ness, Vortex, Zero Gravity, EBC Brakes and
EC3D Compression.
The team would like to thank Arrow Aviation Company, Erik Buell Racing, and Avcal Decals for their continued support!
Interested parties may contact Tim Ivanoff at tim@arrowaviationco.com
The In Torque We Trust team of Jim Dugger, Andy Gilliland, Jorge Guerrero Jr, Carl Price, and Walt Sipp grabbed the overall
wins in both the US National Endurance Series and CMRA Championship Endurance with their Michelin rains and Pirelli slicks-
shod Buell 1125R this past Saturday, June 18.
The Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association (CMRA) held its second round of Championship Endurance, the second round
of the US National Endurance Series (USNE), fifth round of Lightweight sprints, and first round of Solo 30 sprints, bringing over
9 hours of racing action to NOLA Motorsports Park, in Avondale, Louisiana. Morning downpours and humid temperatures in the
mid 80's made the 2.75 mile course treacherous.
The 6-Hour Championship Endurance/US National Endurance Series race was finally gridded up, with a combined grid of 23
teams, representing the Remember Brooks Gremmels - A Superbike/Heavyweight, Promomin Oil/eni - C
Superbike/Middleweight, Formula 2/Lightweight, and Modern Classic/Super Dinosaur Endurance classes. The rain continued to
come down, making deep puddles in some parts of the course, and keeping the conditions slick.
When the start lights went out, the Privateer Tools team was off to an early lead, with a fastest lap of 2:10.717, over 4 seconds
faster than the rest of the field. However, Village Idiots was stalking them in the number two spot, with LocoMotion right behind.
A tip over right before hour two cost Privateer Tools the lead, and the Village Idiots team of Cory Burleson, Chris Headley, John
Orchard and Garet Tomlinson riding their Yamaha YZF-R6 took over with the LocoMotion team of Brandon Altmeyer, Alonzo
Contreras, Ryan Max Johnson, Darrell Ricks and Mark Windham, also on a Yamaha YZF-R6 in second, and In Torque We
Trust in third headed into the second hour.
During hour two, the weather continued to make teams falter, with Team HPC and Davis Rod & Cycle/LSTD sliding into the
second and third positions, but In Torque We Trust stayed solid, taking over the lead and stretching it to one lap over the rest
of the field going into Hour 3. The rain left, and the course started drying up. In Torque We Trust switched from Michelin rain
tires onto Pirelli slicks and continued in the intermediate conditions. Davis Rod & Cycle/LSTD team of Jesse Davis, Andy
Galindo, Will Gruy, Alan Phillips, and David Tiede also switched off rains, gaining second over Team HPC. The Village Idiots
and LocoMotion also switched off rains, and still stayed in the top five. As the sun came out, temperatures rose to the 90’s and
the track continued to dry, several teams chose to stay on rains while others switched, with enough puddles on the course to
keep rains cool.
The drying track made for faster lap times and more fuel consumption, forcing strategy changes for everyone. During Hour 4,
In Torque We Trust held on to their one lap lead, while Davis Rod & Cycle/LSTD held off LocoMotion and the Village Idiots from
the number two spot. Meanwhile, the Just Can’t Quit Racing team of Pete Martins, Ron Mears, Craig Montgomery, and Jeff
Wrobel riding a Suzuki GSX-R1000 and The Skidmarks team of Chase Eason, Brady Ipock, Steven Nedd, Jay Newton, and
Brian Prescott aboard a Yamaha YZF-R6 battled into the top six. As Hour 5 progressed, LocoMotion got around Davis Rod &
Cycle/LSTD for second, Just Can’t Quit Racing edged the Village Idiots for fourth, and The Skidmarks held down sixth.
As the track continued drying and lap times dropped, it was becoming apparent that a lot of teams were going to need a fuel
“splash and go” pit stop to complete the race with about 20 minutes left. During the final hour, things got very interesting as the
strategies played themselves out. Just Can’t Quit Racing squeezed by Davis Rod & Cycle/LSTD for second, and with eight
minutes left in the race, both LocoMotion and the Village Idiots, running fourth and fifth overall, simultaneously crashed in the
same corner. It was a scramble for them, as they both had a three lap lead over The Skidmarks, but would that be enough?
As the final seconds wound down, In Torque We Trust took the checkers for the Overall USNE and CMRA win, and first in
Modern Classic/Super Dinosaur Endurance with a one lap lead over the field. Just Can’t Quit Racing was next over the line,
finishing second in both overalls, and taking the win in A Superbike/Heavyweight Endurance, followed by Davis Rod &
Cycle/LSTD, who finished third in both overalls and second in A Superbike/Heavyweight Endurance. The Village Idiots were
next, with fourth overall, and the win in C Superbike/Middleweight Endurance, and LocoMotion was right behind, with fifth
overall and second in C Superbike/Middleweight Endurance. The Skidmarks round out the top six and third in C
Superbike/Middleweight Endurance.
Veteran Buell Racer Sipp To Ride For "In Torque We Trust" Team In CMRA Endurance Championship
Walt Sipp to captain CMRA Championship Endurance Team In Torque We Trust
Dallas, TX - Walt Sipp has signed as team captain for In Torque We Trust in 2016. The team will campaign a Buell 1125r in the
CMRA Championship Endurance series, racing in the Modern Classic classification.
"Walt is an talented racer and has a true passion for the sport," commented team owner Jim Dugger, adding "after talking with
Walt about race strategy and our approach for the year, it was obvious he was a great choice for captain and leading
competitive decisions for the team. Walt's experience on the 1125r platform and with racing at very competitive levels in
general were icing on the cake."
Walt joins fellow CMRA expert racers Andy Gilliland, Jorge Guerrero, Carl Price and Jim Dugger in the 6-round series.
Walt's sponsors include Arai, Arlen Ness, Bison Racing, Grant County Choppers, Ohlins, Sidi and Vortex.
In 2015, In-Torque-We-Trust competed in a portion of the series, placing two podium finishes including a win in a 3-round effort.
Walt Sipp Recaps a Successful 2012 Season
Gladstone, MO – Thrashed Bike Racing/Bison Racing rider Walt Sipp recaps what was an up and down, yet ultimately
successful 2012 racing season. The team competed in full schedules of racing with the ASRA in the Team Challenge and
Thunderbike classes as well as three events with AMA in the highly competitive Daytona Sportbike class.
In ASRA Thunderbike riding a Buell XB12R, Walt had 4 race wins (Roebling Road, Summit Point, Road America and VIR), a
second (NJMP) and a third (Blackhawk). He also had 2 poles and 2 Thunderbike class lap records (NJMP and Roebling Road).
Walt managed a fourth at the last round in Daytona despite riding with three broken bones in his wrist. That finish was good
enough to secure the 2012 ASRA Pro Thunderbike Championship. Walt commented, “This season was a lot of fun on the
Thunderbike. We ended up winning a lot of races, having great battles and bringing home the championship. I want to dedicate
this season to my late friend Dick Fish. Without him, this wouldn’t have been possible.”
In AMA competition, Walt and the team participated in the Road Atlanta, Barber and New Orleans rounds of Daytona Sportbike
on a Buell 1125R. Best finish of the season was a 19th. Walt said, “2012 was a tough year with the AMA. Daytona Sportbike is
a very competitive class and I definitely didn’t ride up to my full potential. The worst part though was a braking related failure
causing me to crash early on in New Orleans, breaking my wrist and putting us out for the weekend.”
In ASRA Team Challenge competition riding a Buell 1125RR, Sipp handled riding duties at each event winning the team’s first
Overall race at Carolina Motorsports Park and finishing on the podium 4 other times (HPT, VIR, NJMP, and Summit Point).
Going in to the last round at Daytona the team held the Overall and GTO class point leads. Unfortunately, an electrical issue
put Walt and the team out 9 laps in to the 44 lap race. In the end the team lost the Overall championship, but managed to win
the GTO class championship by a mere 9 points. Sipp said, “It was a bitter sweet way to end such a great season; sad to lose
the Overall but happy to win the class championship. We had the normal ups and down you have with endurance racing, but I’
m really proud to give Tim and the team its first Overall win.
Walt would like to thank personal and team sponsors, Arrow Aviation Company, Erik Buell Racing, Avcal Decal, Bison Racing,
KBC Helmets, Arlen Ness, Sidi, Vortex, Zero Gravity, EBC Brakes, Dunlop, EC3D Compression and Crossfit Matters.
Sipp Claims Round 3 Michelin Team Challenge in Carolina for Thrashed Bike Racing
Reliability and pace kept Buell rider Walt Sipp in position to take the overall and GTO class victory in Round 3 of the Michelin
Team Challenge at Carolina Motorsports Park. In the GTU class RnR Repsol riders Rick Beggs and Terry Taylor took their #4
Kawasaki to the GTU class win. In GT Lights Clayton Fisk and Max Grant rode the GMB Now Suzuki to the win over G-Baby
Racing's Jim Doyle and Nicole Ayers. This was the first win for GMB Now and the first time this year G-Baby has not won the
GT Lights class.
It is no secret that improvised teams with a local hot shoe can steal a round from the series regulars. In 2012 it looks like
several of the more seasoned teams have built stability into their formula for winning. There are still teams thrown together for
a couple rounds of fun, which is a great idea in itself. But several more serious teams have settled on a similar rider pairing
formula for the entire 2012 season.
Tim Ivanoff and Walt Sipp at Thrashed Bike are one example of combining a reliable team owner/rider with one fast privateer
for the entire season. Another example is Kawasaki equipped Martinez/Ferrell Performance. They pair two reliable riders,
Ferrell being a very fast privateer, with perennial Team Challenge owner and champion Calvin Martinez for a run at the
championship.
Bucking that formula and each taking different approaches are RnR Repsol and Chester Auto Repair. At RnR Repsol Rick
Beggs runs two bikes sharing riding with Terry Taylor, Jason Gibbens and Rachel Sasse. The lineup makes for a known
quantity in planning the team's year. But multiple Team Challenge Champion Eric Helmbach goes it alone on the Chester Auto
Repair BMW. Then there is another fairly new team owner in the series, Christian Meekma, who formed XRay with well-known
ASRA champion Ray Hofman, Hofman playing the role of the fast rider. There are more teams and more formulas. These are
just a few worth noting.
All this might suggest that on any given weekend you have a recipe for racing drama. and Round 3 was no exception. Beautiful
weather, a few clouds and moderate temps welcomed 110 riders to Carolina Motorsports Park this weekend. A total of 594
entries peppered classes in CCS and the Michelin Team Challenge.
Overall & GTO
In this event Walt Sipp rode the Thrashed Bike Buell 1125 to victory while teammate/owner Ivanoff managed the pit operation
for the team. Having finished fourth and third in the first and second rounds respectively the win was a welcome result for the
team's preparation as they work to make their two Buell's more reliable.
Leading early in the race, and perhaps the favorite to win the Overall and GTO after taking the first two rounds at Roebling and
Heartland Park, was the Martinez/Ferrell Performance Kawasaki 1000. But a late-race miscalculation contributed to the team's
runner up finish. After a blazing start and holding the lead for 43 laps Jason Ferrell pitted for fuel and a rider change
relinquishing the lead to Helmbach's BMW. Helmbach pitted four laps later handing the lead to Sipp's Buell. Martinez now on
board the Kawasaki took the lead again as Sipp pitted on lap 57. On lap 62 Sipp re-assumed the lead as Martinez pitted to
hand the ZX10R back to Ferrell.
Ferrell, thinking Sipp's Buell to be a lap down, upon re-entry made no attempt to re-pass Walt Sipp. Sipp assumed Ferrell
would be coming and was managing the fasted pace he dared on a tire that was becoming more of a challenge with each
passing lap.
As the pair of riders saw the white flag Ferrell realized that Sipp received it first and that he (Ferrell) would need to make a pass
on Sipp on the last lap for the win. Ferrell made up no time on Sipp through the turn 4-5-6-7-8 complex and could not catch
Sipp on the back straight leaving no real opportunity to make up the 3-second gap.
Sipp commented on the podium that he had the Flu and that tire management on a bike without traction control was a chore.
But anyone could see his pride in having overcome those challenges, bringing the burly Buell home for the win. Eric Helmbach,
also sick from a bad cold, finished third in GTO and overall.
Sipp, Farrell, Miller Take Michelin PRO Series Openers
Bloomingdale, GA Temperatures in the mid-seventies set the stage for potentially record-breaking lap times as the paddock
prepared to compete in Round One of the 2012 Michelin PRO Series. A number of past champions were on hand and the
action got started with Michelin Pro SportBike.
Michelin Pro ThunderBikes
In Michelin PRO Thunderbike Walt Sipp intended to use pole position to full advantage, but a less-than-perfect start opened
the door for Ducati rider Ray Hofman to control the pace for the first three laps. Sipp, riding a Buell, and Bob Robbins, also a
Ducati, trailed Hofman. Russell Masecar was fourth.
Hofman and Sipp's duel opened a gap to the field as the pair ran laps in the low 1:16's. By lap four, Sipp pushing ever harder
and made his way past Hofman in Turn One. With Hofman behind, Sipp shifted his focus to pushed his Buell XB12R to a new
ASRA PRO Thunderbike race lap record for Roebling Road at 1:15.872 on lap seven, eclipsing former record-holder Trey
Yonces' mark from 2011.
Said Sipp, "Ray was riding really well. I didn't want to make a mistake and look over the wrong shoulder like I did yesterday and
let him come around me. This allowed me to start off the season well and thanks to everybody for helping me out
Hofman added, "I started drifting back towards the end of the race. There was one lapper that held me up in Turn Three, but I
didn't have what it took today to catch Walt. He had a good race. The Michelin tires were working great. Indy Ducati is helping
me out on this bike, so I'm real thankful for those guys.
Bob Robbins rode a nice race hanging in ahead of Masecar's Suzuki at the end. Bob added, "Third place is good. These guys
were in another zip code, but that's okay. I I was out there and held onto it. Russell Masecar was chasing me down. Good
pace. The bike is working beautiful."
Gino Angella placed his Ducati fifth behind Masecar.
Jason Farrell Scores Round One Win - Michelin Team Challenge at Roebling Road
Calvin Martinez and Jason Farrell teamed up for the Round One overall victory and GTO top spot on their Martinez Farrell
Motorsports Kawaski ZX10R. Martinez and Farrell fielded two entries, one with Calvin Martinez and Dustin Young sharing
duties, but it was Farrell riding solo who out-paced 2011 Overall Champion Eric Helmbach's Chester Auto Repair BMW and the
BEI/Vesrah Endurance GSXR entry of Billy Etheridge and Tim Bemisderfer.
Farrell started from the third row behind Bemisderfer and BMW-mounted Nate Kern on the outside of row one. At the drop of
the green flag Walt Sipp on the Thrashed Bike Racing Buell 1125 edged out Kern down the front straight. But by the entry to
turn one Jimmy Cohrs muscled his way past the duo for the lead. By the middle of lap two Cohrs opened a two-second gap
from Bemisderfer, Kern and Sipp. Farrell was missing from the lead pack as on the first lap a shifter bolt backed out forcing
him to pit for a quick repair. As Cohrs and the field came around, Farrell rejoined a lap down but even with the leaders.
By lap four Helmbach had moved up to second behind Cohrs with Bemisderfer trailing. Dan Heverly on the Angry Peaches
GTU entry secured the GTU lead from the #62 RNR Repsol Kawasaki by lap four. RNR's #4 Repsol entry was third in class.
In GT Lights the GMB Now Racing Suzuki 650 of Clayton Fisk led from the start. Mark Gage on the DaytonaSportbikes.com SV
ran second and G-Baby Racing's Jim Doyle was third on another Suzuki 650.
Bemisderfer passed Cohrs on lap eight for the lead. Helmbach, Kern & Sipp trailed the pair. Cohrs got back past Bemisderfer
on lap nine but on lap 11 Cohrs pulled his GSXR behind the wall. On the following lap the order in GTO was Bemisderfer from
Kern with Sipp turning one of his best laps a 1:14.747. Helmbach was fourth and Justin Neyra was fifth on a ZX10R. RNR's
#62 machine led GTU just ahead of Dan Heverly riding the Angry Peaches entry. Ray Hofman lay third in GTU on Christian
Meekma's XJR Racing. Fisk led from Doyle in GT Lights with Gage was third.
On lap 48 Tim Bemisderfer pitted for his rider change and Jason Farrell had the chance he was looking for to take the lead.
Said Farrell, "A bolt backed out on the first lap. I came in. We fixed it and when the field came around I was a lap down. The
bike was good and we did the whole race on the same tires."
Farrell scored the win with Helmbach second and Bemisderfer and Etheridge rounding out the podium for the Overall and
GTO.
After the race Billy Etheridge said, "Tim started and went to lap 50 where the team took on a rear tire and fuel and then I took
over and brought home." Etheridge managed a third with Eric Helmbach taking the second slot for Chester Auto Repair. Walt
Sipp finished fourth. Sipp said, "When the ignition problem went away we were doing some good times. Only the rear tire
degradation kept us from bring it to the other guys today."
Kern and Alfredo Braca teamed on the BMW. Kern started the race from the front row and they switched riders on lap 38.
Braca commented, "I took the bike from Nate. Everything was good, but I started to lose rear traction towards the end of the
race. I pulled in to check the pressure, but there was nothing wrong so I continued. We had zero issues on the BMW."
In GTU Premier Racing's Daniel Dougherty snagged the top step and finished sixth overall. Second in GTU went to Angry
Peaches' riders Dan Heverly and Allison Fournier. Said Allison, "Dan started the race and with about 25 to go he handed off to
me. The bike was good but the tire was starting to go off a little toward the end." Third in GTU were Rick Beggs and Jason
Ebbens on the #62 RNR Cycles Repsol Kawasaki.
Nicole Ayers teamed up with Jim Doyle on the G-Baby SV. Nicole started the race and did 25 laps, her first time at Roebling.
And they won GT Lights. The G-Baby team is going try and do at least five rounds in 2012 in their hunt for the GT Lights
Michelin Team Challenge title.
Bill Wissinger and Mark Gage ran the DaytonaSportbikes.com entry with Mark starting and handing off to Bill just over halfway.
Other than Bill reporting he was 12" taller than an SV rider should be there were no problems and they came home second in
GT Lights behind G-Baby. Third in GT Lights, Clayton Fisk and Brad Faas shared the GMB Now SV650. Clayton started the
race and handed of to Brad. When Brad put it into gear to leave the pits the clutch basket had failed. The engine stalled and
they could not re-enter the race. The failure put them third.
Walt Sipp and Thrashed Bike Racing Announce 2012 Racing Plans
Breaux Bridge, LA – Thrashed Bike Racing/Bison Racing rider Walt Sipp announced today that He will make a return to the
AMA Daytona Sportbike Series as well ASRA Team Challenge and ASRA Thunderbike riding for Tim Ivanoff’s Thrashed Bike
Racing and the late Dick Fish’s Bison Racing.
With the AMA, the team will participate in the Road Atlanta, Barber and New Orleans rounds of Daytona Sportbike on a Buell
1125R. The team also plans a full championship assault on the ASRA Team Challenge Series riding the Buell 1125RR as well
as the ASRA Thunderbike Series riding a Buell XB12R.
Sipp said, “I’m really happy with what we have put together for 2012. Last year Tim and I came close to a couple championships
with the ASRA in our first season working together. We learned a lot and really think we can improve for this season.” He
continued, “Thunderbike should be fun as well. Last year I did only two races, but was able to win them both. I’m hoping for
more success in the class this year and hopefully win a championship for my late friend. Dick may not be around anymore, but
his memory lives on and I know he’d be happy with what we’re doing. Bison Racing is backing our return to the AMA.”
Tim added, “We had an exciting year in the 2011 ASRA Team Challenge series and expect to bring our A game to the series
again this year. The ASRA series has been great preparation to step into a limited appearance with AMA Pro Racing. Walt
has been an excellent partner and we are looking forward to the start of the season. A big thank you to the volunteer pit crew
all last year and Thanks especially to my partners Cyril and David Guidry at Arrow Aviation for helping me realize the Team’s
potential.
Walt would like to thank personal sponsors, Bison Racing, KBC Helmets, Arlen Ness, Vortex, Zero Gravity, EBC Brakes and
EC3D Compression.
The team would like to thank Arrow Aviation Company, Erik Buell Racing, and Avcal Decals for their continued support!
Interested parties may contact Tim Ivanoff at tim@arrowaviationco.com
Walt Sipp.com
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