Road atlanta v8 stockcar report
07-24-2009, 05:16 PM
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Drifting
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Road atlanta v8 stockcar report
Road Atlanta, the "Darlington" of north american road courses. A race track that that will "reach out and slap you," if you don't respect her, was the venue for the latest round of the V8 StockCar series. Running with the Atlanta Region SCCA at their double SARRC event, nearly thirty big bore racers showed up to do battle.
Bill Riddell and Bob Mayer used different tactics to their advantage in V8 StockCar's two GT classes July 18 & 19 at Road Atlanta but the result was the same. Both Riddell and Mayer came away with double wins for the weekend and in Mayer's case, the points lead in the V8 GT-2 class.
Riddell, who had qualified third in V8 GT-1 behind Charlotte, Vermont's Dave Machavern and Thomasville North Carolina's Scott Murphy let the two heavyweights slug it out early in Saturday's race. Machavern, in his Heritage Automotive Group Corvette and Murphy in his similar racer went at it tooth and nail, swapping the lead several times and cutting the weekends quickest laps. On lap eight Murphy, leading by a few car lengths over Machavern, felt his motor go off song and he parked it a lap later. Machavern appeared to be home free with a front straight lead over the cool Tommy Riggins built 1963 wide body Falcon of Riddell. Disaster struck on lap 13 of 14, when Machavern, heading down the hill toward turn twelve had the left rear tire blow resulting in a snap spin with the front end hitting the wall. Riddell, who had been running smooth, consistent laps the entire race with no drama cruised home for the V8 GT-1 win. Gene Felton brought out his old Kelly Series Buick. Powered by a V6, Felton's racer was down a couple hundred horsepower but ran well none the less coming home 11th overall. In the V8 GT-2 class, Bob Mayer, wheeling his fast Jax Beach Cigars C6 Corvette ex World Challenge racer, sat on the pole, led wire to wire in class, finished fifth overall, enjoying mixing it up with the higher horsepower stock cars and GT-1 types. Fast Eddie Lewis ran his best laps ever at Road Atlanta and kept Mayer in sight in his beautiful ZO6 Corvette and came home second in class, with Rob Lepoard third in another Vette and William Wade fourth in his Ferrari 360 Challenge car.
In V8 GTA, there was a good of group cars qualified within a second or so of each other with Kurt Roehrig on the pole in his new, yellow late model type.
Roehrig led early and was flying but by lap 5 it was obvious something was amiss on the car as his lead had evaporated and he was quickly being overhauled by Tony Amico and Greg Walker. Two laps later Roehrig had parked it with the brakes severely overheated.
Amico went on to take the win over Greg Walker and George Lutich running the class fast lap along the way. Marshall Mcleod from Raleigh North Carolina and Randy Walker from Lexington, Kentucky also ran strong races. Tres Childs did a good job in his new GTA ride after racing mostly in T-1 this year in a Corvette. New dad Randy Gay returned to the GTA class wars and garnered an 8th place finish in what was really a shakedown for his new ride.
In the V8 SPO class for the higher horsepower stock cars, Charlotte, NC's Larry Hoopaugh and Naples, Florida's Lee Arnold qualified 1-2.The duo never ran more than a couple of car lengths apart during the race and swapped the lead a couple of times. In the end Arnold used a bit of braking advantage to get by and hold off Hoopaugh until the checker. Paul Breehne ran strong in third for most of the race but succumbed to motor issues on lap 11.
On Sunday with Machavern out of action due to the previous days crash damage and Murphy's motor making some ugly noises Bill Ridell would have it all his way easily dominating the rest of the V8 GT-1's and winning overall. Lee Arnold again took the V8 SPO honors after Larry Hoopaugh's steed suffered mechanical woes. In V8 GTA, Butch Kummer was on the pole after clocking a 1:31 and change in the 90 degree heat, his fastest laps ever. At the green Kummer took off and was leading comfortably several laps into the race when he tangled with a very slow backmarker. The resulting front end damage led to tires rubbing, crooked steering, fading brakes and fading chances. Kummer soldiered on in his wounded ride eventually being caught and passed by Greg and Randy Walker, Hollywood and Marshall Mcleod. The Walkers went at it hard, with dad Randy pressing Greg at every corner. At the checker Greg was able to hold pop off with Hollywood coming home 3rd and Mcleod 4th. The V8 GT2 order was the same as Saturday with Mayer again finishing 1st in class and 5th overall. Lewis, Leopard, Wade and Attaway followed.
V8 Radio on Racetalkradio.com will feature race reports and commentary from Butch Kummer and Lee Arnold, check it out.
Next up for the group is Daytona International Speedway, August 8 & 9.
The V8 Series thanks its' marketing partners: SCCA, Atlanta Region, Road Atlanta, RaceTalkRadio.com, TrackTek Race Fuels,Hoosier, Goodyear, Mo's Gold,Howe, FiveStar, RaceCar Engineering, DRP, RacingJunk.com, Roehrig-Enders, GrassRoots Motorsports Magazine, Racing Limo's, Dash Racewear, SaferRacer, Randy Lajoie and Hess Racing Products.
Bill Riddell and Bob Mayer used different tactics to their advantage in V8 StockCar's two GT classes July 18 & 19 at Road Atlanta but the result was the same. Both Riddell and Mayer came away with double wins for the weekend and in Mayer's case, the points lead in the V8 GT-2 class.
Riddell, who had qualified third in V8 GT-1 behind Charlotte, Vermont's Dave Machavern and Thomasville North Carolina's Scott Murphy let the two heavyweights slug it out early in Saturday's race. Machavern, in his Heritage Automotive Group Corvette and Murphy in his similar racer went at it tooth and nail, swapping the lead several times and cutting the weekends quickest laps. On lap eight Murphy, leading by a few car lengths over Machavern, felt his motor go off song and he parked it a lap later. Machavern appeared to be home free with a front straight lead over the cool Tommy Riggins built 1963 wide body Falcon of Riddell. Disaster struck on lap 13 of 14, when Machavern, heading down the hill toward turn twelve had the left rear tire blow resulting in a snap spin with the front end hitting the wall. Riddell, who had been running smooth, consistent laps the entire race with no drama cruised home for the V8 GT-1 win. Gene Felton brought out his old Kelly Series Buick. Powered by a V6, Felton's racer was down a couple hundred horsepower but ran well none the less coming home 11th overall. In the V8 GT-2 class, Bob Mayer, wheeling his fast Jax Beach Cigars C6 Corvette ex World Challenge racer, sat on the pole, led wire to wire in class, finished fifth overall, enjoying mixing it up with the higher horsepower stock cars and GT-1 types. Fast Eddie Lewis ran his best laps ever at Road Atlanta and kept Mayer in sight in his beautiful ZO6 Corvette and came home second in class, with Rob Lepoard third in another Vette and William Wade fourth in his Ferrari 360 Challenge car.
In V8 GTA, there was a good of group cars qualified within a second or so of each other with Kurt Roehrig on the pole in his new, yellow late model type.
Roehrig led early and was flying but by lap 5 it was obvious something was amiss on the car as his lead had evaporated and he was quickly being overhauled by Tony Amico and Greg Walker. Two laps later Roehrig had parked it with the brakes severely overheated.
Amico went on to take the win over Greg Walker and George Lutich running the class fast lap along the way. Marshall Mcleod from Raleigh North Carolina and Randy Walker from Lexington, Kentucky also ran strong races. Tres Childs did a good job in his new GTA ride after racing mostly in T-1 this year in a Corvette. New dad Randy Gay returned to the GTA class wars and garnered an 8th place finish in what was really a shakedown for his new ride.
In the V8 SPO class for the higher horsepower stock cars, Charlotte, NC's Larry Hoopaugh and Naples, Florida's Lee Arnold qualified 1-2.The duo never ran more than a couple of car lengths apart during the race and swapped the lead a couple of times. In the end Arnold used a bit of braking advantage to get by and hold off Hoopaugh until the checker. Paul Breehne ran strong in third for most of the race but succumbed to motor issues on lap 11.
On Sunday with Machavern out of action due to the previous days crash damage and Murphy's motor making some ugly noises Bill Ridell would have it all his way easily dominating the rest of the V8 GT-1's and winning overall. Lee Arnold again took the V8 SPO honors after Larry Hoopaugh's steed suffered mechanical woes. In V8 GTA, Butch Kummer was on the pole after clocking a 1:31 and change in the 90 degree heat, his fastest laps ever. At the green Kummer took off and was leading comfortably several laps into the race when he tangled with a very slow backmarker. The resulting front end damage led to tires rubbing, crooked steering, fading brakes and fading chances. Kummer soldiered on in his wounded ride eventually being caught and passed by Greg and Randy Walker, Hollywood and Marshall Mcleod. The Walkers went at it hard, with dad Randy pressing Greg at every corner. At the checker Greg was able to hold pop off with Hollywood coming home 3rd and Mcleod 4th. The V8 GT2 order was the same as Saturday with Mayer again finishing 1st in class and 5th overall. Lewis, Leopard, Wade and Attaway followed.
V8 Radio on Racetalkradio.com will feature race reports and commentary from Butch Kummer and Lee Arnold, check it out.
Next up for the group is Daytona International Speedway, August 8 & 9.
The V8 Series thanks its' marketing partners: SCCA, Atlanta Region, Road Atlanta, RaceTalkRadio.com, TrackTek Race Fuels,Hoosier, Goodyear, Mo's Gold,Howe, FiveStar, RaceCar Engineering, DRP, RacingJunk.com, Roehrig-Enders, GrassRoots Motorsports Magazine, Racing Limo's, Dash Racewear, SaferRacer, Randy Lajoie and Hess Racing Products.
