Zero Agni win first race of TTXGP North America

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, On Two Wheels, USA, Racing

Shawn Higbee wins TTXGP North America Infineon Raceway round for Team Zero Agni – Click above for high-res image gallery

The first round of the TTXGP North America was successfully held on Sunday with Shawn Higbee of Team Zero Agni crossing the finish line first with a time of 25.33.626 for the 11-lap, 25.52-mile competition. It didn’t come easy though. The bright yellow bike from Lightning Motors (dubbed by some the “Flying Banana”) piloted by Michael Barnes used its superior power to pull out in front at the start and build up enough speed on the straights to swap the lead with the eventual winner several times in the early laps. Eventually, heat that the “banana” built up in battle caused sensors to trip and a quick re-boot was necessary before the bike could get back underway and secure second place.

Lightning Motors didn’t suffer the only electro/mechanical glitch of the day. Indeed, after qualifying third, the converted antique Norton of Team Electra succumbed to heat after only three laps, while the Mavizen TTX02 of Werkstatt Racing needed to pause for a quick reset on the first turn of the very first lap, giving up the bottom step of the podium to Mike Hannas for Electric Race Bikes in the process. Perhaps no one had a more disappointing day then the guys from Swigz.com Pro Racing, though. They apparently had problems getting their KERS ready for the race and didn’t see any track time on even the practice or qualifying days. The only silver lining for them is they got a good look at the competition they will face when the TTXGP North America hits Road America at Elkhart Lake, WI on the 4th of June.

Overall, the event is being seen as something of a success, showing that racing these alternative drivetains can create its own special blend of exhilaration. Though the best lap time of 1.56 was about 18 seconds slower than top AMA Daytona superbike orbit, we expect that, as the performance gap between the electrics and their gas-powered cousins closes, the excitement can only build. Hit the jump for official results and a statement from the eGrandPrix and check out the gallery below for a look of these history-making machines courtesy of our friends over at Asphalt & Rubber.

Gallery: TTXGP North America at Infineon Raceway