Cardenas Beats Herrin in SportBike Final

Henny Ray Abrams | June 6, 2010

ELKHART LAKE, WI, JUNE 6: M4 Monster Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas held off Team Graves Yamaha’s Josh Herrin to win a closely fought Daytona SportBike race on a breezy afternoon at Road America.The race showed promised from the start, with seven riders fighting in the lead pack before attrition and traffic began to take a toll.One of the first out was Team Graves Yamaha’s Tommy Aquino, who slowed dramatically from fourth place on the tenth lap. By now Herrin was leading Cardenas, with Vesrah Suzuki’s Cory West part of the lead group.

Latus Racing’s Steve Rapp (Duc) was a second back with Project 1 Atlanta’s Dane Westby (Yam) another second back. Then a gap of 4.4 secs. to defending class champion Danny Eslick (Geico Powersports/RMR Suzuki).Starting the 11th lap Cardenas drafted into the lead, taking it into turn one. Herrin took it back and the pair used a lapped rider to shed Cory West. Now it was down to two.When they crossed the line to start lap 12 Cardenas looked back and Herrin sped by on the other side, the gap only .035 secs. at the line. Rapp was alone, as was West. It was down to two.The same finish line scenario played out ending the 12th lap and starting the final tour of the 4.05-mile road course. Herrin looked back to the wrong side and this time it was Cardenas’ turn to speed past.For the final lap, Herrin probed and prodded, but Herrin hung tough. When they came out of the final corner Cardenas had enough of a lead that Herrin couldn’t catch a tow.The margin of victory was .275 secs.Rapp was alone in third, giving him a solid 2-3 weekend.Cory West fell down to third in front of Westby, with Celtic Racing’s P.J. Jacobsen alone in sixth.Eslick dropped to seventh, but remains second in the championship. Herrin leads with 216 to 198 for Eslick and 184 for Cardenas.

Results:

1.Martin Cardenas (Suzuki)

2. Josh Herrin (Yamaha)

3. Steve Rapp (Ducati)

4. Cory West (Suzuki)

5. Dane Westby (Yamaha)

6. P.J. Jacobsen (Suzuki)

7. Danny Eslick (Suzuki)

8. Clinton Seller (Yamaha)

9. Chris Fillmore (Suzuki)

10. Bobby Fong (Ducati)