Round one of the WERA National Challenge Series started off in southwest Georgia at Roebling Road Raceway. The forecast for the three day event was ominous with thunderstorms predicted for the majority of the weekend.Friday started off with early morning fog and the skies looking very grey. Matt Lynn picked up his bikes from RM Racing the night before at 10pm. Rick Matheny had built the engines a few weeks prior, so it was time to dyno tune them after Matt had finished race prepping the newly built 2009 Kawasaki ZX10 and ZX6. Friday was the WERA practice day and qualifying for the 600 SuperStock and Open Superstock classes. Matt’s goals for the day were just to get a good starting point for both of the bikes. This would be the first time that he had thrown a leg over a race bike in 6 months. Friday ended well on the 600 with Matt qualifying in the sixth starting position; however on the ZX10 he had not done as well and was starting 12th. “The ZX10 defiantly needs some work, I have tried a few different set-ups but really haven’t come up with anything” Lynn states, “This track is a fast and flowing with not very much hard braking, right now I am having some chatter issues.”Saturday started off much like Friday but only gave Matt one practice session on each bike. “Mike Fitzgerald from Ohlin’s helped me out last night with some different suggestions to try” Says Lynn. By the end of practice on Saturday Matt was making progress with the ZX6 but struggling with the ZX10 and was working hard to improve on his qualifying time from Friday.Sunday morning fog pushed practice back by an hour, but WERA shuffled the morning schedule around and all of the racers got two rounds of practice. “This morning practice went well, it was a little foggy for the first round, but I could see the track well. I am looking forward to getting gridded up and racing!” said Matt. “I entered two more races this morning just so I could try to get these bikes more sorted out before the WERA National at Talladega in just a few weeks”.Race 1 was the Open Superstock race, Matt was starting from the 12th position. Lynn got a good start and worked his way up into ninth by turn 3. On lap five Mark Junge got a better drive coming onto the front straight and passed Lynn going into turn one, Lynn tried to charge but the bike seemed not to be cooperating with his plans. With two laps to go Brian Bemister got by Matt on the front straight as well. “ I just couldn’t get the drive off of the last corner, it’s a fast right hander leading up to the long front straight, I tried another set up from Saturday, I just couldn’t put as much pressure on the front tire as I wanted to.” Lynn ended the race in 11th position.Race 2 saw Matt grid up for the 600 Superstock class, he was looking forward to this because they had been making progress with the ZX6. Starting in sixth position Lynn knew that he could work his way up to the front. When the green flag dropped Lynn Nailed the start and worked his way into fourth place by turn one. He was in touch with the lead group of Knapp, West and Jensen; as the half way flag was shown the group had gapped him just enough for Matt not to be in the draft down the long front straight. With one lap remaining Lynn held a solid fourth place finish. “I knew once those guys got out I was going to lose touch with them, they were running a really fast pace. This is the fastest I have been on the ZX6 yet, a few problems showed up so I think we will use the 600 Superbike race to try some new things. “Race 3 was the 600 superbike class, Matt was starting from the very last position since he had decided to enter at the last minute, and a stellar start saw Matt take the lead by the first turn. By lap two Lynn had gapped the field, and would take the win. “We made a few little changes nothing big, and the bike seemed to work really well, I think that we have a good starting place for Talladega.”Race 4 the final race of the day was Formula One, once again Lynn would start from the back. The green dropped and Matt got a good start, as he went into turn one he knew right away the changes they made from the first race where not going to work. On lap two he pulled in and tweaked the suspension some. “I knew this race was just to try some set up stuff, I want to get this ZX10 working. We tried some big changes and they didn’t work. I know which direction I want to go now for sure. When I went back out after I came in I lost the front in turn four, I have been fighting chatter all weekend with this thing. The bike isn’t beat up bad and I am still in once piece so everything is good.” Lynn said with a smile.The next event for Matt Lynn is the WERA National at Talladega Gran Prix on March 27 – 29thMatt Lynn Racing would like to thank all of our sponsors:
Arai Helmets, SIDI Boots, RM Racing, Michelin Tires, Ohlins USA , LeoVince Exhaust, Performance Friction Brakes, Offbeat Productions, Fuji Bicycles, Sportbike Track Gear, OCD Designs, Spiegler Performance Brakes , Marietta Motorsports , Vortex
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