Unlimited Supermoto Race Recap at Detroit Supermoto
The Orange Men of Kurt Nicoll, Brian Capper and Johnny Lewis took 3rd, 4th and 21st respectively. Nicoll and Capper ran smooth and fast from the start of practice till the checkered flag. Lewis had a chance for a podium until a mishap had him tumbling in the whoops.
Reigning AMA PPG Supermoto Unlimited champion Ben Carlson kept his perfect title defense intact at Waterford Hills Road Course, claiming his fourth class win in as many tries this season. The Factory Aprilia Rip It Energy ace faced perhaps his stiffest challenge yet since jumping to the Italian manufacturer from long-time employer KTM this season, and it came from teammate Darryl Atkins.
The Australian Aprilia team boss pushed the Wisconsin resident throughout the 12-lap affair before Carlson slipped away to 1.412-second margin of victory in the end.
French Supermoto star Xavier Bellerophon was in podium contention early before a miscue dropped him down to an eventual 19-place run. Team KTM HMC’s Kurt Nicoll took maximum advantage, slotting into third and holding the position to the conclusion of the contest. The third-place finish is Nicoll’s third straight podium result after missing the opening race of the season.
He was followed to the stripe by his South African teammate, Brian Capper, on his identical works KTM560SMR. For a time it looked as if all three factory KTM pilots would run in formation but youngster Johnny Lewis crashed out on lap 5. He ended his day in 21st.
I felt good out there. I missed practice on Saturday this week and that probably did not help for the race. I still feel like I am getting better and better each week. I was pinched off at the start moving back in like 5th or 6th, and it was hard to make a pass to get up with Benny (Carlson) and Daryl (Atkins) in the early laps, and then by the time I moved to third it was to late.
- Kurt Nicoll
Robert Loire came home in fifth aboard his Husaberg FS650c, followed by BP Racing’s consistent Josh Chisum. Rockstar Hart & Huntington Tattoo’s Travis Marks picked up seventh, with KTMHutt.com’s Cory Gabbert, Marks’ teammate Donald Wanat, and AJAX KTM’s Monte Frank completing the top ten.
Source: AMA Pro Racing
