SONOMA, CA, MAY 6 – Celtic Racing/Orient Express Racing/National Guard’s James Rispoli held off a determined Dustin Dominguez (Latus Motors Racing Castrol Triumph) to win the twice red-flagged Supersport race on a sunny Sunday in the California wine country.
It took three tries for the race to run to term and the main combatants changed over the course of the day.
The final was a 10-lap race that began with Road Race Factory/Red Bull’s Thomas Puerta (Yam) in the lead before being passed by Rispoli on the seventh lap overall to take the lead. At the time, Puerta’s teammate Hayden Gillim was third ahead of Stefan Mesa, Elena Myers, Saturday’s winner Dustin Dominguez, and Jake Lewis. Of that pack, Dominguez would be the most mobile.
By the end of the eighth lap Dominguez had made his way into fourth, 1.33 secs. behind Gillim and closing. Dominguez caught the lead trio on the 10th lap and moved past Gillim for third in turn four. Now only Rispoli and Puerta lay ahead.
Puerta fell victim to Dominguez in turn four on the 13th lap, with only Rispoli ahead and two laps to go.
Dominguez pressed Rispoli to the flag, but to no avail and Rispoli had his third win of the year-he’d also won in Daytona and Road Atlanta-and a burgeoning Supersport West points lead. After four Supersport West races, Rispoli has 107 points to 63 for Elena Myers, the SuzukiScoopFans on Facebook rider who finished 11th. Gillim is now third with 61.
Puerta came under threat from Lewis (Vesrah Suzuki) and Gillim, who Lewis passed on the final lap. Lewis finished fourth, Gillim fifth, then a big gap to Stefano Mesa (Kneedraggers.com Yamaha).
AMA Supersport Results:
1. James Rispoli (Suzuki)
2. Dustin Dominguez (Triumph)
3. Thomas Puerta (Yamaha)
4. Jake Lewis (Suzuki)
5. Hayden Gillim (Yamaha)
6. Stefano Mesa (Yamaha)
7. Cory Alexander (Suzuki)
8. Garrett Willis (Honda)
9. Travis Ohge (Yamaha)
10. Colter Dimick (Yamaha)
