Team Lee's Performance Center
Mid-Season Report
For 2007 the Lee’s Performance Center/AMA Prostar team starts the season with a new line up. Richard Gadson joins the team on a Suzuki GSX-R1000 running in the SuperStreet class while Dave Owen comes aboard as the crew chief. Lee will take the seat on a GSX-R1000 running in the highly competitive 1000cc SuperSport class.
At the opening round of the AMA Prostar series in Valdosta, GA. Shierts qualified #1 on a bike that was borrowed from fellow land speed racer Rich Yancy. Since the new 2007s were not out yet Lee, like many other teams were still running 2006 models. In Super Street action Gadson went out in the second round.
At the next round in Commerce, GA the team had the new 2007 GSX-R1000 and Lee again qualified #1, this time with a full .1 second lead over the next closest competitor. Before Lee could do further damage to the competition rain would force an end to the racing action in Georgia.The finals of the Commerce race were moved forward to Virginia where Lee would eventually take the win over John Hall in the SS-1000 class. In the SuperStreet class Richard made it to the quarter finals thanks to Dave Owen’s and his use of the Innovate Motorsports data logger. With the unit in place Gadson was able to go quicker each round until the quarter finals where he would lose a Gadson v. Gadson race that had everyone’s eyes watching to see if student, Richard could get a win over uncle and teacher Rickey.
For the Lucas Oils Nationals in Virginia, Gadson qualified 4th with a solid 8.15 second pass in the SuperStreet class but would fall in the second round of eliminations to Darren Burnette due to a big spin off the line. Meanwhile, Shierts would qualify 3rd in 1000-SS but when he was unable to control a track long wheelie in the first round, it would end his day of racing as well.
The next round of racing took the team to Memphis for the Schnitz Racing Memphis Blues Nationals where Shierts would again set the pace for the rest of the field in 1000-SS with one of the best passes of the 2007 SS series. The 9.12-156 mph pass netted Lee a first round bye and the second round saw Lee making another quick run at 9.15 that could carry him to the semi finals. Now facing Eddie Murphy in the semis, Lee had a bad launch and the bike bogged off the line which allowed Eddie to take the win.
In SuperStreet action Gadson, who is the only competitor running a 1000cc bike had a rough weekend facing the larger and more powerful bikes that dominate the class. Gadson is never one to lie down and this race was no different. He rode the GSX-R1000 all weekend while facing mechanical gremlins that would eventually lead to a missed shift and a hurt engine at the big end of the Memphis track. Look for Lee and Richard to be contenders all year with Dave’s help in the AMA Prostar series as they get ready to head to Ohio.
Lee’s Performance would like to give special thanks to Dawn (Sunny) Shierts for her outstanding support to the team this year as well as their sponsors listed below.
2007 Season Sponsors
Lee’s Performance Center
www.Leesperformance.com
704-599-1507
Cheraw Iron and Metal recycling. Mark (No I don’t drive NASCAR) Martin
843-532-5742
Innovate Motorsports
www.innovatemotorsports.com
949-502-8400
RedLine Oil
www.redlineoil.com
Brock’s Performance Products
www.brocksperformance.com
937-298-6818
Penske Shocks
www.pensekshocks.com
610- 375-6180
Catalyst Racing Composites
www.catalystracingcomposites.com
760-510-9799
Vortex Racing
www.vortexracing.com
800-440-3559
ZeroGravity Racing
www.zerogravity-racing.com
805-388-8803
Worldwide Bearings
www.worldwidebearings.com
800-575-3220
