LEXINGTON, OHIO, JULY 15 – Bartel’s Harley-Davidson/Scrubblade’s Tyler O’Hara stretched his championship lead with a hard fought win in the Vance & Hines XR1200 race on a sunny day at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
The race was a replay of most every race this season, with three riders separating from the field and fighting among themselves for the various podium spots. The other two riders were Kyle Wyman (KLR Group/Spyke’s Harley-Davidson) and Michael Barnes (MOB Racing/Teterboro Rams).
Wyman led the first two laps before O’Hara took over and held the lead until lap seven, when Barnes led for a single lap. Then it went back to O’Hara as Barnes slotted into second.
The last of the 11 laps began with Wyman stealing second from Barnes in the first turn, then setting out for O’Hara. Wyman would try O’Hara in the hard braking Turn 6 right, but O’Hara knew it. All race long he’d been strong into the braking zone and the last lap was no different.
Wyman tried hard to make the move, losing some momentum. He caught back up to O’Hara in the final Carousel, but couldn’t make his way around on the run to the flag.
The margin of victory was .135 sec. Barnes was another .216 sec. back in third.
O’Hara’s third win of the season extends his championship lead to 11 points, 195 to 184. Barnes is third with 166 points.
Travis Wyman (Harv’s Harley-Davidson) was alone in fourth. Michael Corbino (XP Motorsports) built up a small gap until the final lap when Ruthless Racing/Deeley’s Harley-Davidson’s David Estok made a late run. He’d finish sixth.
Mid-Ohio marked the end of the regular season and the beginning of the $60,000 XR Showdown, which starts with the next V&H XR1200 race at the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix. The top ten riders in points ending this race qualify for the five-race XR Showdown, which awards $30,000 to the winner and another $30,000 in a points fund to be paid to second through tenth.
Vance & Hines XR1200 Results:
1. Tyler O’Hara
2. Kyle Wyman
3. Michael Barnes
4. Travis Wyman
5. Michael Corbino
6. David Estok
7. Benny Carlson
8. Shane Narbonne
9. Darren James
10. Josh Chisum
