Barnes Takes Title, $25,000

Paul Carruthers | October 7, 2012

AVONDALE, LA, OCT.7 – Chances are you won’t see a more wild finish than the one that came in the finale of the Vance & Hines XR1200 Series at the NOLA Motorsports Park on the outskirts of New Orleans today as Tyler O’Hara reached over with his left hand and dragged himself past Michael Barnes on the run to the checkered flag.

When $25,000 is up for grabs, things happen. But the grab and pull that helped O’Hara reach the checkered flag first also got him docked a lap, costing him a shot at victory and a certain second place, and giving Barnes the championship and the money that went with it.

The two had been fighting over the lead for the duration of the red-flag interrupted race. They did so for the first five laps, and they did so for the second five laps. And it all came down to the run to the flag and what was the most bizarre scenario long-time race watchers had ever seen. Barnes shut off the throttle and started pointing at O’Hara as the pair cross the finish line, the veteran of many a war having never seen, much less been a part of, anything like this.

O’Hara celebrated on the cool-down lap, picked up the crashed Michael Corbino and rode to the winner’s circle – only to find out that he’d been docked a lap and was out of the top three.

When it was all sorted out, Barnes had the win, the championship and the $25,000 that went with it after earning his third win of the season. Shane Narbonne was gifted second place with Benny Carlson ending up third.

O’Hara was credited with 11th place.

XR1200 Final
1. Michael Barnes
2. Shane Narbonne
3 Benny Carlson
4. Michael Corbino
5. David Estock
6. Josh Chisum
7. Eric Haugo
8. Brice Cooper
9. Paul James
10. Chris Hamilton