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Knapp scores first career pole in Daytona SportBike at VIR

(8/14/2009)  Taylor Knapp scored his first career AMA Pro Racing pole position and the second of the season for a Buell motorcycle aboard his Latus Motors Buell 1125R during Daytona SportBike Superpole shootout qualifying today at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Va.

Finishing Basic Qualifying earlier in the day in second position, Knapp was the second to last rider to take to the track in the evening’s 10-rider Superpole shootout, besting second place starter Jake Zemke (Erion Honda) by 0.430 second with a 1:28.233-second lap. Knapp secured his first career Superpole when the final rider in the shootout, Team M4 Suzuki’s Jason DiSalvo, crashed during his hot lap.

“It’s my first pole position and it feels awesome,” said Knapp. “I'm always fighting my way to the front, so I’m looking forward to the race. I thought I made a mistake, coming out of 2 or 3 and spun up, but the rest of the lap was good.”

Knapp’s performance topped a dramatic day in Daytona SportBike action that saw co-points leader Martin Cardenas crash in practice and break his hand, but still put in a Basic Qualifying performance good enough for 13th position on the grid, one spot behind his championship rival Danny Eslick aboard the Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing/RMR/GEICO Powersports Buell in 12th place. Eslick and Cardenas are tied atop the Daytona SportBike standings with 318 points apiece heading into the final four races of the season.

Founded by visionary motorcycle designer and former privateer racer Erik Buell in 1983, Buell Motorcycle Company, a subsidiary of Harley-Davidson, Inc., produces sport motorcycles, motorcycle parts, accessories and apparel, including the 1125R superbike, 1125CR café racer, and air-cooled XB-series Ulysses, Firebolt, and Lightning.

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