COLLEGE STATION, Texas (March 10, 2012) – Rain, wind and cold challenged the drivers and workers on hand at the first SCCA Majors program race for the middle states on Saturday at Texas World Speedway. Saturday’s races were the first of the weekend’s Texas Two Step Double National, including Sunday’s BFGoodrich Tires Southeast Super Tour.
The weather, which caused a full course caution in the first four groups of the day, slowed lap times and set the race distances at 16-laps or 40 minutes, whichever came first around the 15-turn, 2.9-mile circuit.
In Group 1 for Spec Miata, Trevor McCallion closed to early-lap leader Steve Ott under yellow, then moved his No. 90 Mazda Miata into the lead after the caution to take a victory by 1.576 seconds.
The peak of the rain came during the high horsepower Group 2, where Eric Galerne skated home with a win in STO and overall in his No. 37 Dodge Viper ACRX. David Fershtand was second overall but more than a minute behind in his GT-1 Oldsmobile Cutlass. Toby Grahovec (Showroom Stock B), Charlie Vehle (Touring 2), Tom Himes (American Sedan), James Speights (GT-3) and Charles Barnes (GT-2) all earned class wins.
Group 3, for the faster open-wheel cars, was topped by Stuart Rettie in the No. 21 Formula Mazda. Rettie navigated the course to take a 58.218-second win, with Jacek Mucha (CSR), David Burkett (Formula 1000), Gregory Byrne (Formula Atlantic), Tyler Hunter (Formula Enterprises), Bill Johnson (Formula Continental) and Marvin Hodges (Sports 2000) all earning the top trophies in class.
The track had begun to dry before the Spec Racer Ford class took the track, but on the pace lap the rains returned. Turn six caught a couple of machines off guard and sent the No. 89 of Kevin Bosien out of the race, sending the field under full-course caution. Keith Verges navigated the slick track the best, finishing with a 4.910-second margin of victory.
Group 5, full of the production classes, was topped by Matt Reynolds in the No. 71 E Production Mazda Miata. In the multi-class race, Speights (STL) earned his second win of the day, while Toby Grahovec (STU), Eric Prill (F Production), James Rogerson (H Production) and James Place (Showroom Stock C) also earned class wins.
The smaller open wheel cars ended the day, with Alex Arodoin driving the No. 2 Formula F to a wide 1:43.069 victory. The Formula Vee battle between Charles Hearn and Tyler Hunter, with Hearn on top, completed the next two spots, with C.J. McAbee finishing fourth overall and first in Formula 500.
The second round of the BFGoodrich Tires Super Tour begins at 8:30 CDT with qualifying, followed by racing from each of the six groups. Live timing from a forecasted rainy Texas World Speedway can be found at www.scca.com/sccalive.
Texas Two Step Super Tour/Majors at Texas World Speedway
