In an exciting finish to the TTXGP North America season, Michael Barnes wraps up the TTXGP North America championship. The race got off to a clean start and for the first few laps, unlike previous races, most of the pack was close together. Barnes, on the Lightning Motorcycles bike led from the start to the finish, as happened in the previous TTXGP races. Further down the pack real competition happened with the 2nd and 3rd and 4th and 5th place finishers trading places several times. It was an exciting race, with all the teams performed excellently.
Michael Barnes on the Lightning Motors bike has dominated the North American series, and has proven itself to be the bike to beat in the global electric motorcycle race scene. They have raced five times this year, won three, with one loss by a nose. This time was little different, showing this bike to be in an entirely different class than the others. Barnes had lap times consistently in the 1:44 to 1:47 range, and a 135 miles/hr fastest speed through the speed trap. Unlike previous races he did not lap the entire field, demonstrating improvements made by all the teams.
An exciting contest Zoe Rem (2nd place, Team Agni) and Thad Wolff (3rd place, Team Electra) had them swap places several times. Over the season we've grown accustomed to seeing Agni in 2nd, and seeing Electra in a strong 3rd place. For one lap Electra was in the lead through the start/finish line and they traded places several times throughout the race. Zoe Rem made an unintentional contact with Thad Wolff's bike during one pass, fortunately they both recovered. Both had lap times primarily in the 1:48 to 1:52 range, and ended the race 7 seconds apart. The Agni bike experienced a partial failure in one motor, but as it has two motors Zoe Rem was able to bring the bike to the finish line, with a final lap 13 seconds slower than her fastest, and even run a cool-down lap.
Another exciting contest went on between Michael Hannas (4th place, Electric Race Bikes) and Jennifer Bromme (5th place, Werkstatt Racing). They too traded places several times. They had best lap times just 0.6 seconds apart, and both delivered lap times in the 1:53 to 1:56 range.
Coming in last was Brian Evans riding for Square Wave Racing. Their lap times were generally in the 2:15 to 2:20 range.
Improvements were made across the board over the season, and even since the Mosport race four weeks ago. One could sense this in the tone of the paddock area. On every race it has been less of a mad scramble to prepare the bikes, and this time there was an aura of relaxed competence. With the dramatic improvements they've made in just one season, it makes one wonder what next season will bring.
Before next season however is the the rest of the 2010 season. In the UK they have two remaining races, and the Italian season is due to start in September. The final race will be in Albacete Spain, in late October.
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