By Frank Wood- The Sturgess Cycle Triumph team weathered extremely hot and humid conditions at the sixth round of the AMA PRO Go Pro Daytona Sportbike series in the Triumph Superbike Classic held at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama this past weekend and came away with mixed results.
Kenny Riedmann, making his second appearance on the AMA tour this year took to the track on the Sturgess Triumph 675 triple on Friday and came away with a fast lap of 1:33.159, placing in 21st position in a field of twenty eight riders, clearly not where he wanted to be.
Before his afternoon qualifying runs Riedmann gave feedback to the Sturgess Triumph crew of Jon Cornwell, John Chemello and Roland Riedmann and with the necessary massaging of the British sportbike he posted a much improved 1:31.600. “The bike was working well so they made some slight adjustments to the suspension and that really helped.” The Caledon, Ontario rider commented. “In the second qualifier I got my time down a bit more (1:31.434) but by then we had made some major changes.”
In round one of the AMA double header format Riedmann admits to a poor start and a cautious approach to the first lap. “It was crazy out there. Guys were running into each other, running off track, a couple of guys crashed. I just slowed down a bit and waited for the craziness to sort itself out then on lap two I put my head down and started passing guys. It was so hot out there (41 degrees) the tires were almost melting, I was sliding, everyone was. I had to push really hard. After I got by Ben Young and Shane Narbonne I settled into my own pace and tried presrve the tires and myself.” Kenny placed the Sturgess Triumph in 17th position at race end.
In race two Riedmann had a good start that came to a bad end. “I got a great start this time, I think I was into sixteenth right off the bat and started passing guys. I came up on Fernando Amantini and tried to pass him but I slid and high-sided.” Amantini did not crash in the incident but he was forced to take an off track excursion and returned to action unscathed, Riedmann was not so fortunate. The Triumph rider was thrown into the air, landing on the track and sliding to a stop at trackside. “It was quite a ride,” he laughed. “I got in the Birmingham newspaper.” Riedmann recieved a number of injuries including a dislocated shoulder, “I popped that in by myself, it’s a little sore but it’s ok”, several stitches to his elbow and a bruised heel.
In spite of the injuries Riedmann will ride the AMA series test in New Orleans from June 26-27 and will be back in competition in the AMA Pro series on July 13 on the Mid Ohio Road Course.
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