Regional #6 Laguna Seca – June 5
August 25th, 2016 by Sherry Grantz
The weekend included 156 entries and Friday just about started with the usual Monterey summer fog delay, but the morning went off on time, despite the threat. Joining us for the weekend were approximately 28 racers from Competent Motorsport’s Pirelli GT3 Cup Trophy USA. All Porsches, all the time.
I want to thank all the drivers, crew members, and family that come over to the evening “Socials” to mingle with the San Francisco Region volunteer workers each night after checkered flag. It means a lot to them after long days doing their individual specialties. They start their days long before the first green flag and end their days long after the final checker. I would remind our guests, once again, that the dinners that are put on by Social Chief, Malinda Jaroch and her crew are for the SCCA volunteer workers. On the other hand, the special appetizers & liquid refreshments are ALWAYS open to ALL.
Race 2, Group 6B, SRF, SRF3
Sixteen Gen3 cars and thirteen Gen2 cars would make up the field for the 18 lap event. Umberto Milletti, #34, Bulldog Motorsports & InsideView, seems to be unstoppable this season, as he continues to set the pole positions, win his races, and setting new track records at every Group 6 races he attends. (Umberto, ever think of moving to Group 2 for a challenge?) This race was no different, as he grabbed the pole, won the race, and set a new track record of 1:38.861! Margin of victory over Jonathon Allen, #40, Off Constantly Racing, was 5.985 seconds. A distant 25.6 seconds behind the #40, was fellow Gen3 driver, Mike Smith, #64, M&L Racing. Celebrating his FIRST win in Gen2 was the #53 of Michael Boyle, HSE.com, Donata Realty. He was picked by the Emergency Crew as the Honorably Mentioned Driver of the Weekend! He had a 9.2 second advantage over Gen2 driver Hank Raymond, #11, TahoeAutoRepair.com, who finished 14th overall. A really good race was back in the mid-pack as the #88 battled the #1 of novice Andy Hettrick, RIDL. Ltd. In the end 2.3 seconds separated the two Gen3’s. They finished 16th & 17th, Andy ahead of Court.
Now for the thrills and chills which happened prior to the finish. On the opening lap in T2, Robert Kullas, #79, Brian Kullas Racing, had his O/O, while T3 had multiple cars off, as the #83 of Steven Cento, AccelRace Tek, SCCA Workers!, had an O/O, and cars #7, Bill Jordan, #8, Chris Jackson, P.T. On Call, and #86, David Kay, DB Kay & Associates, all were involved. It was observed by T8 that the #7 had nose damage. T2 had the #88 of Court Cardinal, Casino Fandango/Sierra Gold Seafood/Battle Born Autobody, put his nose into the tail of the #49 of Bob J. Hall, Linda, CSR Performance. Both continued. T11 reported the #64 had an O/O at the exit of T10. The #88 made a pit stop then went back on course. Just past half way, the #32 of Jeffrey Cook, AccelRace Tek, had side-to-side body contact with the #01 of Ed Railton, Cook Motorsports, which sent the #01 hard into the wall, driver’s right at the exit of T3. He exited the car on his own. T5 had the #2 of Lee Douglas, LADCO Pipe & Piling/East Anglia, spin off, driver’s left, in a hazardous area, and he too, exited his car. T6 had the #03 of Andrew Cook, AccelRace Tek, O/O.
Race 2, Group 5B, AS, ITS, ITA, ITB, ITC, ITX, ITR, FP, HP, GTL, STL, STU, SMG, E30, B-Spec, T3, NL
Twenty-seven cars would make up the field but on the pace lap, Brandon Miller, #92, HatchedApp.com, would stop on track with electrical issues, requiring a tow. The Pace Car would continue to lead the field down the front straight and the clock would be started. As soon as the green flag was shown to the group, the nose of #53, Terry Gibson, Steel Partners, ITA, contacted the tail of Terry McHenry, #49, AS, in T2. Both continued. After 3 laps the #77, STL of Wilson Powell, would go back paddock. Lawrence Murdter, #94, Haag Performance had an O/O in T8, the #53 had a S/C in T6, and the #49 would have his O/O in T5. On lap 10, David Oroshnik, #17, Crazy Catlady Racing would retire. Joel High, #51, Oh My God Racing, had an O/O exiting T6, while novice, Yehia Eissa, #5, Larry Oka Racing, spun, off & on in T8. T4 had Jeff Wilcox, #26. Abbey Normal Racing, O/O.
Second checkered flag of the weekend went to Sean Wheeler, #06, AV8 Supercars, with a 25.89 margin of victory. Almost a repeat of Saturday’s race, second “class” victories for the weekend also went to Tim Auger, #07, Augersmiles.com, Baja Cantina, Invisalign, in STL, Tao Takaoka, #72, Toro Racing/Red Line Oil, in ITS, Tupper Hull, #50, Wonder Inc., in ITA, Bill Okell, #1, Fram, Autolite, Castrol, East Penn, DuPont, JB Auto Parts, in NL, Terry McHenry, #49, in AS, and Patrick Casey, #95, Larry Oka Racing, in GTL. Jeff Francis, #4, Sherwin Williams, started at the rear of the field, not setting a qualifying time, finished 6th overall and claimed the victory in Touring 3, while Gregory Hoff, #97, Larry Oka Racing, was the winner in ITX, finishing 7th.
Race 2, Group 2B, FA FB, FS, P1, P2, FE, FM, S2, DSR
After the Sunday lunch, Group 2B had 20 cars for the 18 lap race. On the opening lap, in T2, Edd Ozard, #32, PacWest Solutions, had an O/O. T11 reported that David Roberts, #53, up from CalClub, was scrubbing tires. After completing 5 laps, John Manfroy, #81, Kevin Mitz Motorsports, Dauntless-Stohr, Jongbloed, Taylor Race Engineering, Hooosier, pulled off, driver’s left, against the wall just past Start/Finish. Allan Svela, #5, up from CalClub, was slow in T9. The #81 backed down the re-entry ramp and drove into the back paddock. T2 had Gregory Perrin, #42, American Standard Concrete Pumping, spin, O/O. On lap 8, the #00 of Jake Parsons, had an O/O at the T10 exit, as Graham Rankin, #21, had his in T4. James Dayson, #12, S/C in T6, and Rod Rice, #71, had his in T2. On lap 16, the double yellows came out when the #32 got into the tires in T4 after dropping his tires off driver’s left and went, nose first, into the tire barriers on driver’s right. The checkered flag went to the Safety Car.
Jim Devenport, #23, Cranbrook Group, Inc., led flag to flag, gaining full points in P1. Only 4.784 seconds behind Jim was the winner in FA, the #00. FB winner was the #71, finishing 4th, while Brandon Aleckson, #83, Dan’s Upholstery, Hoosier Tires, was victorious in FE, as well as Andy Juner, #88, Bob’s Better Boxes, in DSR. All of the above gained their second checkered flags of the weekend. Congratulations! The #53 was the top P2 entry.
Race 2, Group 3B, ITE, GT1, 2, 3, PC, GTA, SP, EP, N3, NL, SS, T1, 2, 4, E46
Only 11 cars made up the field for the 19 lap event, which would finish with six different class winners, 5 would pick up their second checkered flags of the weekend. Rick Cameron, #24, Winchester Auto Parts, had a number of issues throughout the session. It started with a S/C in T5 on lap3, five minutes later he had an O/O in T11, had a plus three reading with “Sound”, made his way to the Pit Lane and finally took his car back paddock. After 9 laps, Scott Graf, #09, Eat Fish, Eat Crab, pulled into the Pit Lane with flames showing, which were quickly extinguished. His race was done. Robert Brayton, #73, S/C in T5, and Dean Fothergill, #3, Fontaine Metal Products, O/O in T9. After completing 16 laps, Ken Muth, #14, Eat fish, Eat crab, American racer tire, took his car back paddock.
As the checkered flag came out, Rob Davis, #95, RDavisCPA.com, led flag to flag in his GT1 Camaro, going 2 for 2 in the class. Also bagging their 2nd checkered flags of the weekend were the #3 in ITE, who finished 28.231 seconds behind Rob, T2 winner, Clark Nunes, Fastrack Investments, Inc., The Development Company, Premier Properties & Estates in Touring 2, the #14, in GT2, and Matthew Insley, #56, Pasillas Tire Service, in EP. Garnering his first checkered flag of the weekend was PC winner, Lars Mapstead, #69, Legendary Finds.
Race 2, Group 4B, FF, CF, FV, FST, F5, FC, FFTS
This weekend most of the class winners would go two for two and the second Group 4 race was no different, as Timothy de Silva, #3. DFR, TLP Racing, Harindra de Silva, not only led flag to flag, but bagged his second FC win. Margin of victory was 21.229 seconds. Guy Tolomeo, #36, took his second class win in FF, finishing 14th, while, Richard McClosky, #6, Geezer Racing-PRI Motorsports, took his second victory lap of the weekend in CF.
Twenty-one cars would compete in the 21 lap event as right from the start, James Hakewill, #88, had an O/O in T6. On lap 2, Harindra de Silva, #96, DFR, would have his in T3. Lap 5 saw the #52 of Manuel Leonardo, BigWheels.net, S/C in T6, while T9 reported the #15 of Ray Bill Dormandy, Cecelia Rose Foundation, to be slow through their turn. After making a pit stop he went back out on course. The #52 had another S/C in T4 on lap 9, while the #96 had another O/O in T6. With under 5 minutes remaining, T4 reported that Alan Dezzani, #75, DezzaniDigitalArt.com, was slow as he was heading towards T5, where he pulled off driver’s right exit, suffering a mechanical issue. Lap 20 had the #12 of Michael Bernstein, have an O/O in T6.
Race 2, Group 7B, SMT, SSM, SM
Twenty-seven Miatas would make up the grid for their final race of the weekend, which would have 16 laps when the checkered flag came out. Prior to the “green”, both Joe Rombi, #48, Flying Meatball, and Tim High, #51, Oh My God Racing, would take their cars to the back paddock. Lap 1 had the #50 of Tupper Hull, Wonder, Inc., have an O/O in T2. On lap 3, again in T2, he put his nose into the tail of the #54 of Brian Cross, causing the #54 to spin. Both continued. After 3 laps, Cole Gibson would retire the Steel Partners, #53. In T4, Brent Hatchet, #1, Red Line Oil/A Tool Shed Equipment Rental, Inc., had an O/O, while over in T6, novice, Dan Azar, #02, Envie Skin & Body, spun, O/O, taped the tires, but continued. Just past half way, novice, Brendan Hermalyn, #16, Larry Oka Racing, had an O/O in T8, and after completing 7 laps, Greg Powell, #52, would make a pit stop due to a blown engine in his Blanche Powell sponsored machine. T8A saw action on lap 9, when Kirk Uhrlaub, #84, Cook Motorsports, had an O/O, and the next lap had Doug Alvis, #46, Barley’s Travels, Joslin’s Martial Arts Roseville, do the same. T2 had the #16, stuck, driver’s right, which brought out the double yellows, as well as the Safety Car on lap 13. The green came back out with only 2 minutes remaining as the #92 of Brandon Miller, HatchedApp.com, went off driver’s right in T11.
A new set of class winners would make their way down to the Starter’s stand for their well-deserved checkered flags and victory laps. The overall race winner and top dog in SMT was Roland Kamber, #90, Precision Identity/Larry Oka, with only a .393 second margin of victory over a hard fought battle with the #07 of Tim Auger, Augersmiles.com, Baja Cantina, Invisalign. Coming in 3rd overall was Tommy McCarthy, #23, Du-All Safety, to claim the win in SM. Starting last and making his way throughout the field to finish 5th overall but 1st in SSM was Randy Evans, #7, Oh My God Racing. In doing so, the Emergency Crew picked Randy as their choice for the Driver of the Weekend award.
Spec Racer Ford Festival Race, Group 6C, SRF, SRF3
The grid for the festival race was determined by the fastest lap in Race 2. Pole-setter Umberto Millett, #34, would clinch his third win of the weekend in SRF3. He managed to hold off a relentless Jonathon Allen, #40, but barely, as the margin of victory was a mere .904 seconds. Michael Boyle, #53, held off the charge on Andrew Cook, #03, to bag his second ever class win in SRF Gen2. The time differential between them was only 2.1 seconds.
Twenty-six cars would compete in the 17 lap event. The #34 had an O/O in T4 early on, as did the #11 of Hank Raymond, in T2. On lap 5, Joe Briggs, #9, had an O/O in T2. Lap 9 had Vince Balch, #12, S/C in T11. On the next lap Brandon Lewis, #5, had his O/O in the exit of T10. T2 had the #32 of Jeffrey Cook, stuck way out south in the gravel, as a Hyme joint on the lower control arm broke. The double yellows came out on lap 11 when Robert Kullas, #79, went nose first into the wall hard in T8A. With under 5 minutes remaining it was back to green flag racing. T8 had body contact between the #3 of Bruce Richardson and the #12 which dislodged the nose of the #12.
The only novice winner for the weekend was: Group 5. Yehia Eissa, #88, ITX, from Saratoga.
See you there,
Steve “Speedy” Jaroch, SFR-SCCA Announce Chief