Kipp Stumbles, Then Slips Past Merkel For 750cc Win

A quick start and a quick smile were followed by an all too familiar sight for Tom Kipp.

Despite getting off the line quickly, he was once again speeding through the exhaust of Daytona champion Fred Merkel.

To make things worse, Kipp almost lost control of his 750cc Supersport bike nearly three laps into Saturday’s race at the Pomona Fairplex, where the second stop of American Motorcyclist Assn. Championship Series is being held.

Kipp had finished second to Merkel at Daytona on March 11 and, with Merkel stretching his early lead to nearly six seconds, a repeat was possible.

But Merkel went down on the fourth lap, and Kipp slipped into the lead for good.

“I was surprised to see him riding it so hard with his lead,” Kipp said. “I did the same thing the lap before, but I was able to get up.”

Kipp, who races for Yamaha and won the AMA 750cc Superbike National Championship last year, pushed his lead to six seconds to beat Thomas Wilson and James Randolph, both of whom ride for Kinko’s Kawasaki.

“I tried to stretch (the lead) out the best that I could, but (Wilson) wouldn’t let me get away,” Kipp said.

But Wilson said he didn’t consider trying to overtake Kipp.

“I was never focused on Tom,” Wilson said. “I didn’t even realize I was in second until about three laps after I was. Then I saw Tom and said, ‘Oh, I’m in second.’ ”

Merkel recovered from his spill and eventually finished sixth.

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Motorcycle Notes

In the 125cc Grand Prix, Rodney Fee won, followed by Honda teammates Takahito Mori and Billy Graef. . . . In the Superteams competition, the Erion Racing team of Kevin Erion, Larry Pegram and Michael Barnes won.