AMA XR1200: McWilliams Takes Barber

AMA Pro Racing

Jeremy McWilliams battled with fellow racing veteran Michael Barnes in a rain-soaked 11-lap duel at Barber Motorsports Park Sept. 26 to become the first rider to win races on a Harley-Davidson XR1200 motorcycle on two continents.

McWilliams, who won the 2010 Henderson XR1200 Trophy champion in the British Superbike Series riding for Warr’s Racing, made his AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series debut at Barber riding for HOG Racing.

He qualified third among the 11 riders entered in the event behind Celtic Racing’s P.J. Jacobsen and fellow debutant Michael Barnes (Jones Brothers/Eric Stump Racing).

McWilliams and Barnes battled nose to tail for the first 10 laps, with Jacobson a close third, until the final lap, when McWilliams broke free to lead Barnes across the start/finish line by a 2.747-second margin. Jacobsen finished third, followed by Robert Tinagero (RMR/Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing), Paul James (James Gang/Hoban Brothers Racing), Matthew Heidel (Shar-Tuff), and Paul Schwemmer (Brady-Schwemmer Racing).

Harv’s Harley-Davidson’s Travis Wyman and Michael Corbino (RMR/Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing) crashed out on earlier laps, and Joe Rozynski (RMR/Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing; mechanical) and Jake Holden (RMR/Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing; illness) were unable to start the race.

Jeremy McWilliams says: “It was a totally fantastic weekend for the whole crew. Riding the XR1200 in an AMA round and taking the win was the icing on the cake after lifting the British Championship less than a month ago. Just two weeks back I thought I’d thrown any chance of competing here away when I smashed myself up a bit in Spain. The wet weather probably played to my favor as I didn’t have to work so hard in those conditions. Had it been dry I guess it might have been a little tighter but I was confident either way.”

With the close of the five-race 2010 Vance & Hines series, RMR/Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing’s Danny Eslick, winner of the first three rounds, was crowned the series champion with 96 points, followed by Travis Wyman (88) and Jake Holden (67).

Danny Eslick says: “It was cool to be a part of [the series]. I’m 100 percent for championships on American made bikes. It was a lot of fun to ride, and hopefully we can put something together for next year.”

2010 AMA Pro Vance & Hines Championship Final Points Standings:

1. Danny Eslick, 96 points

2. Travis Wyman, 88

3. Jake Holden, 67

4. Paul James, 62

5. P.J. Jacobsen, 54

6. Joe Rozynski, 50

7. Matthew Heidel, 44

8. Eric Stump, 37

9. Kyle Wyman, 36

10. Jeremy McWilliams, 31

11. John Ashmead, 27

12. Michael Corbino, 27

13. Shawn Higbee, 25

14. Michael Barnes, 25

15. Steve Atlas, 25

16. Shawn Conrad, 15

17. Robert Tinagero, 18

18. Paul Schwemmer, 14

19. Aaron Frank, 13

20. Mark Cernicky, 0