September 21, 2006
Braselton, GA - Not even Hollywood could have scripted a more perfect weekend for Josh Hayes. Nor could the Erion Honda rider have imagined a better result: his second win of the season and a maximum 38-point bounty for scoring pole position and most laps led, all of which helped move the Mississippi native from third to first in the FX title fight with just one round remaining.
“Everything just went so good this weekend,” said Hayes after winning in front a large posse of friends and family who’d made the trip to Braselton from Gulfport, MI. “That Erion Honda is so fast. I can’t say enough about the team and everything that’s led us to this point. We knew we had to come out of here with maximum points. We had a goal and luckily we were able to do it. Man, I’m just excited for everybody.”
Hayes led the race from flag to flag, holding off Eric Bostrom for the entire 15-lap contest. Bostrom did make a run at him on the final lap, only to be held up by lappers in turns five and 10. Hayes would take the win by 0.823 second.
Bostrom went on to take second, with DiSalvo third, and Hayes’ Erion Honda teammate Aaron Gobert fourth. The Rockwall Honda duo of Ryan Andrews and Ty Howard crossed the stripe in sixth and seventh, respectively, with Heyser Cycle Honda’s Eric Wood just behind in eighth.
A mere eight points now separate Hayes, at 321, Eric Bostrom (318) and Jason DiSalvo (313) as the series moves into its final event at Mid-Ohio on September 30, promising a last-round dogfight every bit as heated as last year’s showdown between Team Honda’s Miguel Duhamel and Jake Zemke. And Hayes for one couldn’t be happier.
“Man, it’s going to be a show, isn’t it?” asked the new series leader. Indeed it will be.
Round 11 of the AMA Superbike Championship gets underway at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH, on September 29–October 1.
AMA Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series, Rd. 10
1. Josh Hayes – Honda
2. Eric Bostrom – Yamaha
3. Jason DiSalvo – Yamaha
4. Aaron Gobert – Honda
5. Michael Barnes – Suzuki
6. Ryan Andrews – Honda
7. Ty Howard – Honda
8. Eric Wood – Honda
9. Brian Stokes – Yamaha
10. Tony Meiring – Suzuki
AMA Lockhart Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series Points Standings
1. Josh Hayes – 321 – Honda
2. Eric Bostrom – 318 – Yamaha
3. Jason DiSalvo – 313 – Yamaha
4. Aaron Gobert – 264 – Honda
5. Ryan Andrews – 224 – Honda
6. Michael Barnes – 181 – Suzuki
7. Tony Meiring – 179 – Suzuki
8. Ty Howard – 168 – Honda
9. Blake Young – 160 – Suzuki
10. Opie Caylor – 133 – Suzuki
