ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (September 18, 2013) – Rainfall kept any SafeRacer provisional pole positions from changing hands on Wednesday at the 50th SCCA® National Championship Runoffs® at Road America, though the sun shone through by the completion of the second day of qualifying.
Early morning rains inundated the 14-turn, four-mile race track, and only 13 of the 58 E Production and GT-Lite moved onto the track. All morning long, each time the track began to dry, another shower soaked the asphalt. After a picture perfect qualifying day on Monday, none of the 14 classes on track before lunch saw significant traffic.
By the early afternoon, the sun had poked through the clouds and the track started to dry. Rick Harris, of Longmont, Colo., was the first to make a major gain in his F Production No. 8 Jesse Prather Motorsports/Hoosier Mazda Miata. Harris, after rear suspension issues on Monday, turned a lap of 2:36.161 to move from 27th to seventh on the grid.
Jeff Loughead, of Darien, Ill., moved from 14th to the second row of the grid in Formula Vee, knocking three seconds off of his Monday time in the No. 8 Hoosier Tire/L.L. Loughead, DDS Vortech CR04/Volkswagen. Loughead’s time of 2:42.071 moves him to third on the grid with one more day of qualifying remaining.
Formula Atlantic, the final group of the day, saw the top of its time charts rearranged. Sedat Yelkin, of Canfield, Ohio, improved his provisional SafeRacer pole time to a 2:01.836 (118. 192 mph) in the No. 75 Everclear Swift 014a/Toyota. Keith Grant, of Germantown, Tenn., and Michael Mallinen, of Liberty Lake, Wash., moved from 16th and 18th place to second and third, respectively during the session. Grant’s No. 40 Polestar/Hoosier Swift 014a/Toyota turned a lap of 2:02.672, while Mallinen’s No. 71 Swan Racing/MAZDASPEED Motorsports Swift 016a/Mazda posted a 2:02.977 on his final lap of the session.
All 28 classes will get one more 30-minute qualifying session on Thursday for the final chances at a SafeRacer Pole Award and to set the grids for National Championship races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Follow all the live timing and scoring at www.scca.com/runoffs. Live Twitter stream is available @SCCALive. Follow this week’s activities on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SCCAOfficial.
The 50th SCCA National Championship Runoffs®, The Pinnacle of American Motorsports, will crown Sports Car Club of America’s Club Racing National Champions at Road America, Friday, September 20 through Sunday, September 22.
Each race will be broadcast live on www.speedcastTV.com. ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – Provisional polesitters following Wednesday’s qualifying sessions for this week’s 50th SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Road America, with class: provisional pole sitter, hometown, car, fastest time (speed); second place driver, hometown, car, fastest time (speed). * - Denotes better than existing track record.
American Sedan: Tom Sloe, Newbury, Ohio, Ford Mustang, 2:26.570 (98.247); Andy McDermid, Howell, Mich., Ford Mustang, 2:27.632 (97.540).
*B-Spec: Joel Weinberger, Hinsdale, Ill., MAZDA2, 2:54.936 (82.316); Shawn Young, Bensenville, Ill., MAZDA2, 2:55.153 (82.214).
*C Sports Racing: Lee Alexander, Las Vegas, Nev., Stohr WF1/Suzuki, 1:59.638 (120.363); Jason Miller, Sheboygan Falls, Wis., WynnFurst/Kohler, 2:01.815 (118.212).
D Sports Racing: Chris Farrell, Salt Lake City, Utah, Stohr WF1/Suzuki, 2:01.662 (118.361); Tom Bootz, Evansville, Ind., Stohr WF1/Suzuki, 2:04.205 (115.937).
E Production: Aaron Downey, Rossmoor, Calif., Mazda RX-3, 2:29.795 (96.131); Jim Daniels, Germantown, Tenn., Mazda Miata, 2:29.995 (96.003).
F Production: Mark Carpenter, Charlotte, N.C., Acura Integra, 2:33.193 (93.999); Kevin Ruck, Delaware, Ohio, Acura Integra, 2:33.304 (93.931).
H Production: Lawrence Loshak, Grafton, Wis., Honda CRX, 2:41.750 (89.026); Jay Griffin, Titusville, Fla., Honda CRX, 2:43.003 (88.342).
*Formula 500: James Weida, West Lafayette, Ind., Scorpion S1/Rotax, 2:21.517 (101.755); Michael Mueller, Plymouth, Wis., Red Devil/Rotax, 2:21.715 (101.612).
*Formula 1000: Lawrence Loshak, Grafton, Wis., JDR F1000/Suzuki, 2:04.786 (115.398); Jeremy Hill, Toronto, Ont., Photon VD07/Suzuki, 2:05.587 (114.662).
Formula Atlantic: Sedat Yelkin, Canfield, Ohio, Swift 014a/Toyota, 2:03.089 (116.989); Jason Byers, Livonia, Mich., Swift 014a/Toyota, 2:03.633 (116.473).
Formula Continental: Peter Portante, Plainville, Conn., Van Diemen RF01/Ford, 2:11.394 (109.594); Christopher Miller, Edina, Minn., Van Diemen/Ford, 2:11.721 (109.322).
Formula Enterprises: Scott Rettich, Camden, Ohio, Formula Enterprises/Mazda, 2:13.403 (107.944); Denny Marklein, Dodgeville, Wis., Formula Enterprises/Mazda, 2:16.425 (105.942).
Formula F: Tim Kautz, Geneva, Ill., Piper DF3D/Honda, 2:21.221 (101.968); Reid Hazelton, Burlington, Wis., Van Diemen RF92/Ford, 2:21.375 (101.857).
Formula Mazda: Doug Peterson, Bonita Springs, Fla., Star Formula Mazda, 2:16.042 (105.850); Alan McCallum, Houston, Texas, Star Formula Mazda, 2:16.424 (105.553).
Formula Vee: Michael Varacins, Burlington, Wis., Speedsport AM-5/Volkswagen, 2:41.293 (89.279); Brad Stout, Webster Groves, Mo., Vortech/Volkswagen, 2:41.782 (89.007).
GT-1: Cliff Ebben, Appleton, Wis., Ford Mustang, 2:03.917 (116.207); Michael Lewis, Poway, Calif., Jaguar XKR, 2:03.943 (116.182).
*GT-2: Andrew Aquilante, Chester Springs, Pa., Chevrolet Corvette, 2:14.320 (107.207); Trent Hindman, Ocean, N.J., Porsche GT3 Cup, 2:14.460 (107.095).
GT-3: Mike Henderson, Alpine, Calif., Mazda RX-7, 2:23.405 (100.415); Joe Kristensen, London, Ont., Acura RSX, 2:23.907 (100.065).
GT-Lite: Robert Lentz, Chantilly, Va., Nissan Sentra SER, 2:33.281 (93.945); Bob Clark, Glendale, Wis., Honda CRX, 2:35.389 (92.671).
*Spec Miata: Jim Drago, Memphis, Tenn., Mazda Miata, 2:41.862 (88.965); Craig Berry, Tyler, Texas, Mazda Miata, 2:42.250 (88.752).
Spec Racer Ford: Brian Schofield, Lakeland, Fla., Spec Racer Ford, 2:37.974 (91.154); Mike Miserendino, Bakersfield, Calif., Spec Racer Ford, 2:38.041 (91.116).
Sports 2000: Mark Mercer, Aurora, Colo., Lola 90/91/Ford, 2:18.276 (104.140); Tony Sleath, Dearborn, Mich., Carbir CS2/Ford, 2:16.426 (103.255).
*Super Touring Lite: Rob Huffmaster, Clarkston, Mich., Mazda RX-8, 2:32.995 (94.121); Jim Drago, Memphis, Tenn., Mazda Miata, 2:33.996 (93.509).
Super Touring Under: Marc Hoover, Cameron Park, Calif., Mazda Miata, 2:24.693 (99.521); Elivan Goulart, Shelton, Conn., Lotus Exige, 2:26.644 (98.197).
*Touring 1: Andrew Aquilante, Chester Springs, Pa., Chevrolet Corvette, 2:14.673 (106.926); David Pintaric, Canfield, Ohio, Dodge Viper ACR-X, 2:19.666 (103.103).
* Touring 2: Kurt Rezzetano, Phoenixville, Pa., Ford Mustang GT, 2:24.619 (99.572); Andy Wolverton, Papillion, Neb., Chevrolet Corvette, 2:24.722 (99.501).
*Touring 3: Chad Gilsinger, Marysville, Ohio, Acura TL, 2:31.631 (94.967); Chris Puskar, Charlotte, N.C., Honda S2000, 2:16.427 (94.143).
*Touring 4: Michael Scornavacchi, Matthews, N.C., Ford Mustang, 2:40.493 (89.724); Greg Vandersluis, North Olmstead, Ohio, Ford Mustang, 2:16.428 (88.994).
50th SCCA National Championship Runoffs
