MONTEREY, CA, SEPT. 27 – For at least three-quarters of today’s Formula Xtreme final at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Erion Honda teammates Jake Zemke and Josh Hayes appeared to be everything but teammmates, the pair racing for victory and not giving each other an inch in the process.
By the end of the 17 lapper, however, Zemke had pulled clear, beating Hayes by 1.1 seconds after the early flurry of passes and repasses subsided somewhat.
Third place went to Steve Rapp on the Attack Kawasaki, the Californian with the broken thumb having his hands full throughout the race with Team M4 EMGO Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas, the Colombian figthing to the end but coming up. 384 secs. short at the finish line.
Rapp’s teammate Chaz Davies rode to an uncontested fifth place, 4.5 seconds ahead of Pegram’s Ducati Larry Pegram. Yamaha-mounted Michael Beck was seventh, one second behind Pegram and barely ahead of Cory West. Rockwall Honda’s Aaron Gobert and Tony Meiring rounded out the top ten.
Zemke, who wrapped up the title at the last round at Road Atlanta, ends the season with 299 points to 254 for Hayes. Rapp was another five points back in third. Pegram ended the series ranked fourth with 240 points and Davies completed his first year on the Kawasaki in fifth place with 198 points.
Xtreme Final
1. Jake Zemke (Honda)
2. Josh Hayes (Honda)
3. Steve Rapp (Kawasaki)
4. Martin Cardenas (Suzuki)
5. Chaz Davies (Kawasaki)
6. Larry Pegram (Ducati)
7. Michael Beck (Yamaha)
8. Cory West (Suzuki)
9. Aaron Gobert (Honda)
10. Tony Meiring (Yamaha)
