Adam Jennerjahn, from the Indianapolis Region, became a third-generation medalist at the SCCA® National Championship Runoffs® presented by Sunoco when he captured gold on Sunday at Road America, the third of three Hagerty Race Days at the 60th anniversary of the event.
Jennerjahn watched his grandfather, Brian, earn a third-place finish at Road America in 2009 and his father Chris win a National Championship in 2020, both in Formula Vee, but became the first in his family to win in the Formula Enterprises 2 class with a 0.782sec victory on Sunday afternoon.
His No. 71 Jennjahn Machine Formula Enterprises/Mazda held off Eric Wisniewski on a restart with two laps to go for the final segment of a challenging race. Wisniewski went on the attack but ran wide in the first turn in the No. 25 REMAX Commercial Group/Southside Formula Enterprises/Mazda, coming back next to Jennerjahn but without the momentum he needed on the run to Turn 5 to make a pass.
Each ran identical lap times of 2:13.196 on the final lap of the race, both personal bests, leaving Jennerjahn with the advantage on the run up to the checkered flag.
“It’s a remarkable feeling,” Jennerjahn said. “I love being here. I bet I’ve watched 100 June Sprints races here in my lifetime. I finally got my first Sprints win on a Saturday this year, but my dad says it doesn’t count unless you win a Sunday race. I’d say today’s counts! It feels great.”
Getting into position to lead the race was much more difficult for Jennerjahn. He started third but fell behind Jason Conzo on the first lap before the first of three full course cautions slowed the field. He moved back up to third when Russell Turner pulled off course with a mechanical issue and was in second when he drove back around Conzo at the end of lap seven. When then-leader and Tire Rack polesitter Porter Aiken pulled off with a mechanical issue of his own on lap 10, the full course caution came out for the third – and final – time with Jennerjahn on the point and the final dash to the checkered flag was set.
In addition to the Jennerjahn family connection, the physical car carried memories for many with his team. Jennerjahn’s Alliance Autosport-prepared car was the same one driven by the late Scott Rettich, who founded Alliance Autosport and drove to seven SCCA National Championships.
“When we lost Scott and they asked me to run this 71 car, it was probably the greatest privilege I’ve had in racing outside of racing itself,” Jennerjahn said. “Being able to do this with this car, there’s obviously something special.”
Wisniewski was making his first SCCA Runoffs appearance and followed a similar path as Jennerjahn to the front of the field. He was ready to take the lead on the restart, but mother nature had other plans.
“I tried to give it everything and once I got ahead in Turn 1 the wind blew and I was sliding, trying to keep the car under control and I went off into the curbs,” Wisniewski said. “I think I went airborne for a second there but I was just trying to throw everything at him because he’s such a good driver. This whole field is amazing. We came up one place short but it was so much fun.”
Darryl Wills made his own successful move on the final restart to earn his fifth career podium and first in the class. Wills drove the No. 47 Hillenburg Motorsports Formula Enterprises/Mazda around Dean Opperman at the end of Lap 12 and drove away in Lap 13 for his first podium since his win in the Formula Mazda class in 2013.
“They’re all important. They all feel good. I took about two years off to go ride motorcycles around the country and got back into racing. Lew Hillenburg wanted to get into FEs and I said ‘why not?’ Now we’re Customer Service Reps and we build them. Eric started racing with us this year and it’s been a lot of fun. Youth is everything and it’s contagious.”
Opperman finished fourth, followed by Sunoco Hard Charger Award winner Sam Harrington in fifth. Harrington’s top-five finish came from 14th on the grid.
The 60th anniversary SCCA® National Championship Runoffs® presented by Sunoco is the pinnacle of American amateur motorsports and crowns Sports Car Club of America’s Road Racing National Champions this year at Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI, during Hagerty Race Days running Friday, Oct. 4, through Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024.
Live, online video coverage of Runoffs races, presented by Mazda, is available throughout the three days of competition at SCCA.com/runoffs-live. Live timing and scoring for each race are also available at SCCA.com/pages/runoffs-live-timing.
Below are final results for Sunday's Formula Enterprises® 2 race at the 2024 SCCA® National Championship Runoffs®, with finish position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, and laps completed.
1, (3), Adam Jennerjahn, Los Angeles, CA, SCCA Ent FE2, 13.
2, (5), Eric Wisniewski, Mason, MI, SCCA Ent FE2, 13.
3, (8), Darryl Wills, League City, TX, SCCA Ent FE2, 13.
4, (9), Dean Oppermann, Minooka, IL, SCCA Ent FE2, 13.
5, (14), Sam Harrington, Finksburg, MD, SCCA Ent FE2, 13.
6, (12), Tom Burt, Shoreline, WA, SCCA Ent FE2, 13.
7, (16), James Regan, Longmeadow, MA, SCCA Ent FE2, 13.
8, (17), Chris Jennerjahn, Hartford City, IN, SCCA Ent FE2, 13.
9, (15), Jonathan Weisheit, Baltimore, MD, SCCA Ent FE2, 13.
10, (18), Roy Hillenburg, Friendswood, TX, SCCA Ent FE2, 13.
11, (1), Porter Aiken, Dawsonville, GA, SCCA Ent FE2, 9.
12, (11), Blake Pigeon, Austin, TX, SCCA Ent FE2, 8.
13, (4), Jason Conzo, Great River, NY, SCCA Ent FE2, 8.
14, (6), Caleb Shrader, Tigard, OR, SCCA Ent FE2, 7.
15, (2), Charles Russell Turner, Montpelier, VA, SCCA Ent FE2, 6.
DNF, (7), Bailey Monette, Milton, GA, SCCA Ent FE2, 2.
DNF, (10), Steve Whitston, Georgetown, TX, SCCA Ent FE2, 2.
DNF, (13), John Yeatman, Cave Creek, AZ, SCCA Ent FE2, 0.
Race Stats
Length of Race: 52.62 miles
Overall Time of Race: 39:50.615 (avg. 79.246 mph)
Margin of Victory: 0.782 seconds
Fastest Race Lap: 2:12.748 (109.778 mph)
Lap Leaders: #21, Laps 1-9; #71, Laps 10-13
Sunoco Hard Charger: #33 Sam Harrington
Photo by: Jeff Loewe
