SCCA Majors tour at NOLA MOTORSPORTS PARK

"jovimon7" (jovimon7) 02/09/2014 at 18:47 • Filed to: Race recap/photo dump

2

16

Where America's Best Amateur Drivers Race

Miatas, Jaguar's, BMW's, Miatas, Corvettes, Mustangs, Miatas, open wheel and more!

Did I mention Miatas? Spec Miata had a large showing.

(from scca.com) (all photo's ©jovimon7 except were noted.)

http://www.nolamotor.com/

AVONDALE, La. (February 9, 2014) – Round Two of the SCCA Mid-States Majors Tour closed with a thrilling Spec Miata race, capping a BFGoodrich Tires NOLA Super Tour weekend that ran to rave critical reviews.

Berry leads his Spec Miata rivals at NOLA. (Mark Weber photo)

SafeRacer Club Racing drivers went out of their way to praise the NOLA Motorsports Park's 16-turn, 2.75-mile circuit throughout the weekend, many here for the first time.

Sunday's schedule featured a full slate of 17-lap races.

Formula F began the day in a race that no one seemed to want to win. David Livingston's No. 85 ThermaMasters Swift/Ford spun in the race's first corner and fell to the back of the field, but regained his composure and knocked off some fast laps and he aimed back to the front.

Saturday winner Bill Kephart's No. 37 Vestial 10F/Honda spun on lap six in a battle for the lead with Wesley Cunningham's No. 33 Over Fifty/MSR Houston/Honda Swift DB-6, handing the lead to Cunningham. With no one around, Cunningham stretched his lead to as high as 11 seconds until, on lap 11, he spun and fell back to third.

At that point, Livingston was back in front, ahead of Meg Sauce's No. 10 Sportscar Performance Swift DB-6. Livingston and Sauce both spun again on lap 14, and just like that, Cunningham was back in front.

With a second chance at the top spot, Cunningham pulled away to the checkered flag, followed by Kephart and Livingston on the podium.

The Group Two race featured a fast and tight Formula Atlantic race that was derailed early when opening lap contact damaged the right rear suspension on Saturday winner Conner Kearby's No. 56 GK-Motorsports/K-Hill Swift 016 and brought out a full course caution.

Father Gaston Kearby took over the lead following the restart in the No. 69 GK Motorsports/K-Hill Swift 016a, but spent the last half of the race with his mirrors full of the No. 70 Martini/Coors Light Swift 014a. Cooper could close to the rear of Kearby's car, but with no way around, had to settle for second by just 0.786-second.

Darryl Wills swept the Formula Mazda weekend in the No. 1 Hillengburg Motorsports Formula Mazda, as did David Grant in Formula Continental (No. 59 Polestar Motor Racing Spectrum 014z), Jack Donnellan in Prototype 2 (No. 6 Kechi Energy Lola 598), and Tim Reinke in Formula Enterprises (No. 50 Formula Enterprises).

Charlie Vehle got an early challenge in the American Sedan race, as the No. 57 CH4 Resources Ford Mustang of Thomas Hines won the drag race to turn one, and held the lead on the opening lap. Vehle's No. 50 Ford Mustang moved back to the lead on lap two, and then cruised to an easy weekend sweep when Himes pulled off track with mechanical issues on the front straight.

Matt Blehm moved his Super Touring Under-winning No. 48 Nissan 240SX around Cliff Ira's Super Touring Lite-winning No. 36 Fira Motorsports Acura Integra late in the race for the overall second position, but neither driver was challenged in class on their way to weekend sweeps.

Zach Monette resumed his rivalry with David Fershtand in the GT-1 race on Sunday, following a tight duel during Saturday's race. Monette's No. 199 Optech Jaguar XKR got the jump on the No. 70 Fershtand Race Prepared Chevrolet Corvette at the green flag, and moved into the lead.

The two chased each other hard around the 2.75-mile circuit for 14 laps, with Monette in the lead. Heading into turn 13 on the lap 15, Fershtand braked very late, sliding to the inside and into the lead.

With Monette still on his bumper, the pair made a fantastic – and brave – move through the esses at NOLA, which should be a one-line portion of the track. Both cars split a pair of GT-2 and GT-3 machines to make the move, and drove to the one-to-go board.

On the last lap, Monette ran hard up the inside into turn one, but wasn't close enough to make a pass. A similar move under braking in turn two was too much, and Monette's Jaguar spun – giving Fershtand a free pass to the finish. Monette recovered to finish second.

Stan Czacki moved his No. 00 Whitehead/DGI/SchaafAuto Acura RSX Type-S around Luis Rivera's No. RPM Motorsports Mazda Miata at the start, and stayed there until lap six, when Rivera found his way around. That was a short lived arrangement, as Czacki was back in front a lap later. Czacki held on the rest of the way for the win.

James Rogerson celebrated his birthday by running away from the H Production field in his No. 66 Hoosier/MSR Houston/Over 50 Motorsports Honda Civic, jumping away at the start and keeping in front of the field to the finish.

On Saturday, Denny Stripling drove his No. 4 Lightspeed Motorsports Spec Racer Ford away to a blowout victory. On Sunday, Keith Verges was determined that wouldn't happen.

Verges did his part, moving away from the green flag in tandem with Stripling and taking the lead for the first time with a hard-braking maneuver in the No. 69 Apex Driving School SRF entering turn one.

Stripling moved back in front in the back half of the course on lap 11, then watched it disappear again on lap 13 with yet another turn one pass.

Verges wasn't finished yet. For four laps, he kept the red and white machine of Stripling behind him, weaving through the twisty circuit but unable to break free. Verges was practically mistake free over the final laps, however, and stayed in front by 0.353-second at the finish.

Spec Miata was a four-car train in the last half of the race, left to be decided between Craig Berry's No. 29 Berry Marble and Granite/East Street Racing Miata, Voytek Burdzy's No. 4 Advanced Autoparts Mazda Miata, and the No. 51 Boots Transportation Miata when Tom Brown's No. 27 Advanced Autoparts/Custom Wireless Miata experienced a mechanical issue on lap 14.

Burdzy held the point on lap 16, protecting the inside into one as Berry looked for a way around. It didn't work in turn one, but it set up a pass in turn three and gave Berry's black and green machine the lead with one to go.

Searching hard for an opening, Burdzy's last shot at the win was under braking in turn 13. Burdzy locked up his brakes and couldn't get close enough for a pass, with Berry, Burdzy and Ferranti crossing the stripe in order for the podium.

The Mid-States Conference returns to action March 15-16 at Eagles Canyon Raceway in Decatur, Texas, with Rounds Three and Four of the 12 race season.

Results and more information from the BFGoodrich Tires NOLA Super Tour from NOLA Motorsports Park is available at !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

Avondale, La. - Provisional race winners for Sunday's BFGoodrich Tires NOLA Super Tour, Round Two of the Mid-States Conference Majors Tour at NOLA Motorsports Park. Drivers are listed by Class: name, hometown, and car.

American Sedan: Charlie Vehle, Danbury, Texas, Ford Mustang
B-Spec: Joe McClughan, New Braunfels, Texas, MAZDA2
Formula 500: Timothy Friest, Leavenworth, Kan., KBS Mk VII/Rotax
Formula Atlantic: Gaston Kearby, Corpus Christi, Texas, Swift 016
Formula Continental: David Grant, Germantown, Tenn., Specturm 014z
Formula Enterprises: Tim Reinke, Conroe, Texas, Formula Enterprises
Formula F: Wesley Cunningham, Houston, Texas, Swift DB-6
Formula Mazda: Darryl Wills, Deer Park, Texas, Formula Mazda
Formula Vee: Stevan Davis, Danielson, Ga., Racer's Wedge SB-1/Volkswagen
E Production: Jesse Prather, Topeka, Kan., Mazda MX-5
F Production: Eric Prill, Topeka, Kan., Mazda Miata
H Production: James Rogerson, Pearland, Texas, Honda Civic
GT-1: David Fershtand, Fort Worth, Texas, Chevrolet Corvette
GT-2: Don McMillon, Texarkana, Texas, Chevrolet Corvette
GT-3: William Gonzalez, Houston, Texas, Mazda RX-7
Prototype 2: Jack Donnellan, Chickasha, Ok., Lola 598
Spec Miata: Craig Berry, Tyler, Texas, Mazda Miata
Spec Racer Ford: Keith Verges, Dallas, Texas, Spec Racer Ford
Super Touring Lite: Cliff Ira, Kansas City, Mo., Acura Integra GSR
Super Touring Under: Matt Blehm, Rosharon, Texas, Nissan 240SX
Touring 2: Steven Coleman, Azle, Texas, Ford Mustang
Touring 4: Stan Czacki, Truth or Consequences, N.M., Acura RSX-S

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > jovimon7 02/09/2014 at 18:54

0

For amateur racing levels, SCCA remains unrivalled basically.

NASA comes closer and closer but SCCA remains the gold standard by which all amateur racing is measured in the USA.

proud member since 2008

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > jovimon7 02/09/2014 at 19:11

0

Also, is it really that difficult to pluralize words by simply adding an "s"?

I fixed your typos.

jovimon7 > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 02/09/2014 at 19:14

1

You beat me to it, I knew that didn't look right, never post before proofreading.Thanks. because Miatas

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > jovimon7 02/09/2014 at 19:17

0

No problem!

Kailand09 > jovimon7 02/09/2014 at 19:30

0

how hard is it for one to get into these races? I don't really know much about SCCA.

shinsen > jovimon7 02/09/2014 at 19:43

1

jovimon7 > Kailand09 02/09/2014 at 20:00

0

Check out www.scca.com and www.nasaproracing.com , learn what you can from their websites then find out when they'll be at a track near you. They offer car control clinics and High Performance Driver Education (HPDE) where you have class room training and drive your car on track with an instructor. Great fun!

Kailand09 > jovimon7 02/09/2014 at 20:34

0

When I can afford a race car, I plan to try it out!

Looking at all their different series is confusing as to what is what, though.

jovimon7 > Kailand09 02/09/2014 at 21:18

0

You don't need a race car, your daily driver will do fine for HPDE as long as it's in decent shape. (tires, shocks, no leaks etc.) From NASA"s website "As a general rule, an "unmodified" factory vehicle will pass tech without any problems. Basically, all you need is a safe car and a helmet. The car does not have to be fancy or fast. Students bring everything from a Hyundai to a Ferrari. Read the requirements for the other miscellaneous items required." It's all about learning and having fun.

ITA Hondaboy > Kailand09 02/09/2014 at 21:38

1

Also, if you want to go just watch a race and talk with some of the racers (we're all amateurs, this is a hobby!), all that you need is to be an SCCA member and show up to registration while it is open.

SCCA also has a track day program, it's called PDX. Depending on your area, sometimes NASA has this market, sometimes SCCA has a strong program. In other areas, it might be a different more regional club.

Regardless, when you start out, it's all about seat time. Drive something with relatively little mods to maximize time on track.

Kailand09 > jovimon7 02/09/2014 at 21:47

0

Oh definitely, but I currently do not actually own my car.

Or funds for new tires, for that matter.

Solid advice though, when the time comes I will definitely start off with my DD probably at HPDE. Thanks!

Kailand09 > ITA Hondaboy 02/09/2014 at 21:49

0

Thanks for the answer.

I definitely have gone to watch, there is a local autocross that's run in the stadium parking lot. Really fun to watch, actually.

I just need to have a job so I can own my car, and then I'll run it! haha

jovimon7 > Kailand09 02/09/2014 at 22:01

1

Yes, it does take a few dollars, mostly tires and maintenance. Old saying, "Speed cost money, how fast do you want to go?"

It's a "Porch-uh" > Kailand09 02/09/2014 at 22:18

1

Start going to events as a spectator and talking to drivers. Most events are free, or the track may charge a small entrance fee ($10 or so). Learn the classes and see what interests you.

A great place to start is a NASA HPDE (High Performance Driving Event), which often run in conjunction with NASA race weekends. You can take your street car out and run it, and there's plenty of free instruction. You can also use HPDEs to practice with your dedicated track car.

Spec classes (Miata, 350Z, 944, etc) are "relatively" cheap to compete in, since the spec setups limit how crazy you can get with the car, and generally it's up to the drivers. If you're going to compete wheel-to-wheel, you'll need a competition license as well. Time Trials (aka Time Attack) require you to come up through the HPDE ranks (there are 3-4 HPDE groups).

Whatever way you go, be prepared to start draining you bank account.

Kailand09 > jovimon7 02/09/2014 at 22:44

0

Heard that one. Hopefully, if all goes well, I'll be able to at least get to the track within the next year or two.

ihatecars > jovimon7 02/10/2014 at 01:20

0

theres a rotary in there. i remember seeing it at its home track msr houston