Photography by Andrea Wilson
MILLVILLE, NJ (Sept. 14, 2013) – Team 95 Yamaha’s Hayden Gillim came out on top in a thrilling last-lap battle that involved four riders. Gillim held off a drafting Corey Alexander by a half-wheel length.
The victory moved Gillim within four points of Alexander in the SuperSport East points.
Gillim got off to a flying start and quickly pulled away from the rest of the field. Five laps in he already owned a 3.8-second lead. Behind him was a good battle between pole winner Alexander, Stefano Mesa and Tomas Puerta. Gradually Alexander began to pull a gap on Mesa and Puerta.
Out early were Travis Wyman who crashed and Miles Thornton, who pitted with bike problems.
Mid-race Alexander turned up the wick on his Suzuki and quickly closed in on Gillim. On lap 14 of the 19-lap final Alexander took over the lead, getting some help when a lapped rider balking Gillim. Shortly after he made the pass a red flag came out when Nick McFadden crashed.
The race was restarted and Alexander went back to the lead right away, but this time was being chased closely by Gillim, Puerta and Mesa. In the closing laps it was Alexander and Gillim trading the lead with out-braking moves in turn one.
The last two laps were incredibly hectic. Puerta made a series of moves to move past both Alexander and Gillim to take the lead. But on the final lap it was Gillim and Alexander once again going to the front. Out of the last turn Gillim led, Alexander drafted and pulled out just before the finish line, but came up about a half a wheel short – officially 0.007 seconds. Puerta and Mesa were all in the hunt too, finishing third and fourth. Just 0.513 separated the leading quartet.
AMA Pro Motorcycle-SuperStore.com SuperSport results – Sept. 14, 2013
1 69 Hayden Gillim Philpot, KY Yamaha YZF-R6 19 Laps
2 5 Corey Alexander Carmel, NY Suzuki GSX-R600 +00.007
3 12 Tomas Puerta Medellin, Colombia Yamaha YZF-R6 +00.464
4 37 Stefano Mesa Boca Raton, FL Yamaha YZF-R6 +00.513
5 777 Mark Miller Jr. Rising Sun, MD Yamaha YZF-R6 +15.896
6 64 Erick Sanchez Mexico City, Mexico Yamaha YZF-R6 +16.031
7 73 Sebastiao Ferreira Parauna, Brazil Yamaha YZF-R6 +16.269
8 13 Charles Weaver Roseville, CA Yamaha YZF-R6 +16.287
9 63 Devon McDonough Damascus, OR Yamaha YZF-R6 +16.722
10 68 Alex Shaw Hackettstown, NJ Yamaha YZF-R6 +16.789
