Thunderbolt Thunder: This weekend’s doubleheader at New Jersey Motorsports Park currently has 196 cars on the entry list. That list includes local drivers who call NJMP home, as well as racers from up and down the east coast competing in the U.S. Majors Tour.

Jason Rabe, running this weekend in Spec Racer Ford, got his start at the South Jersey circuit. Lee Brahin, in Formula Atlantic, is a track principal.

The NJMP site has a unique history. The Millville Army Air Field opened as a gunnery school for fighter pilots for the Republic P-47 “Thunderbolt” in 1941. NJMP has embraced this rich history by naming its marquee 2.25-mile circuit “Thunderbolt Raceway.” The facility’s second 1.9-mile road course – Lightning Raceway – is named after the P-38 Lightning, another World War II fighter aircraft.

Green Flags: With just four rounds to go in the Eastern Conference Championship, points are at a premium. The season consists of this weekend’s doubleheader at New Jersey Motorsports Park, and the finale doubleheader at Watkins Glen International… Chuck Moran has finished on the podium, including a sweep of Summit Point, in all six races that he’s participated in this season in Formula Continental. Two more strong finishes would put him in range of a championship…Richard Fohl can break his F Production tie with Curt Zitza this weekend, as Zitza is not on the entry list. Fohl has perfect attendance in the Eastern Conference this season… Three wins, seven podiums, and just one DNF make up Stevan Davis’s linescore this season in Formula Vee. He holds a commanding point lead in the class… Dillon Machavern celebrated his 18th birthday this week, and holds the GT-1 lead with three wins this season. The youngster drives a unique 1963 Ford Falcon in the class… Steven Lustig has won half the races this season in GT-3. Two more wins aren’t out of the question this weekend for the point leader… Four straight wins have Robert Lentz atop the GT-Lite standings…. Despite running in one of the most competitive classes, Danny Steyn has seven finishes of second place or better, including three wins. The outlier? A fifth place finish at VIRginia International Raceway…Tray Ayres has just a 10 point lead over defending National Champion Cliff White in Spec Racer Ford. Expect both to be in contention each day this weekend… Raymond Philibert is the STL leader, supporting the program at every round this season… Three wins in Touring 1 for George Winkler has his Ford Mustang at the top of his class… Matthew Pullano missed the opener at Sebring in Touring 2, but has since rattled off six straight wins. He’ll try to go eight for eight this weekend… Brian Price has wins in five of the last six, with the lone blip a runner-up. That has elevated him to the Touring 4 lead.

Family Fun: New Jersey Motorsports Park is open for spectators at this weekend’s Eastern Conference Majors Tour. Tickets are available at the gate for $10 on Friday, $15 on Saturday and $20 on Sunday, and include access to the grandstands and paddock to get up close and personal with the race cars. Children 12 and under are free. Event/Circuit: U.S. Majors Tour Eastern Conference - Rounds Nine and 10 of 12 New Jersey Motorsports Park 14-turn, 2.25-mile road course

Qualifying: Seven Race Groups Friday, May 31 at 8:30 a.m. (25 minute sessions – morning for Saturday races, afternoon for Sunday races), Saturday, June 1 at 8:30 a.m. (15 minutes for Saturday’s races)

Races: Seven group races: Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2, following qualifying Race Lengths: 20 Laps on Saturday, 22 laps on Sunday Timing/Scoring: Live Timing & Scoring, lap notes and streaming track PA audio via the SCCA® Pit Board are available for all sessions through www.scca.com/sccalive.  

Jersey Devil National-US Majors Showcase 2013 U.S. Majors Tour