Bikes rock Rockingham finals

Words by Tim Hailey and Kay Burk
Photos by Tim Hailey

Fabulous weather, large fields, a huge crowd, and tight points battles made for a perfect finish to the Mickey Thompson MiRock Superbike Series Nov. 7-8 at Steve Earwood’s Rockingham Dragway in the sand hills of North Carolina.

Jeremy Teasley, Orient, Ohio, ran 8.169/179.02 to defeat Coby Adams, Mooresville, NC, who ran a close 8.272/177.11.

Jeremy Teasley beat Adams Performance team boss Coby Adams in an all-Kawasaki ZX14 HTP Performance Real Street final. Running a comparatively mild motor this time around, Teasley used superb, consistent riding to make his way through the competitive field. On board Roger Starrette’s blue ’14, builder/tuner Adams was getting reacquainted quickly to riding a big bore bike with a big shot of nitrous. By the end of the weekend Adams was smooth as silk, but not strong enough to get past Teasley.

Former Pro Sportbike champ (in 2007 and 2008) Vinnie Demito and rival Rodney Williford both moved up this year to the 68-inch Orient Express Pro Street class. Williford won the first race of the year, Demito, the second, and so began a season long points battle that neither seemed to want to win. Demito struggled with the MTC Gen2 clutch and Williford lost the tune-up when he changed fuel systems.

In stepped perennial champion of everything Mike Slowe, who threatened to steal yet another Pro Street crown. But Williford and Demito rose up to the challenge at The Rock, meeting in the final and vanquishing Slowe’s hopes despite Mikey’s number 1 qualifying 7.17. Slowe spun and lost to Williford in the semi.