Mid Day Showers Shake Up SCCA Majors At Hallett

By:
On:
In: Racing News

Gambling on the precipitation during 25-minute timed races on Saturday at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit rewarded many SCCA Mid-States Conference drivers and caught others out throughout the afternoon.

 
The day started sunny, but by the third race of the afternoon had turned into an on and off rain that started up again just as a dry line began to form. That left tire choice and driving talent to decide the race winners in 26 Runoffs-eligible classes.
 
Matt Reynolds was the star of the day, lowering his existing track record in E Production on his way to a runaway win in the No. 71 Reynolds Bros. Racing Mazda Miata. Reynolds hopped out of the E Production machine and climbed immediately into front row of the Spec Miata race, which is where the fun really started.
 
Reynolds actually earned the lead on the opening lap before falling behind Jim Drago’s No. 2 East Street Racing Miata and Craig Berry’s No. 45 Berry Marble and Granite Miata, just before rain started to fall. With everyone on Hoosier Tires made for dry pavement, lap times immediately fell. Reynolds got around Berry and then Drago, climbing into the lead to win going away in the No. 74 Reynolds Bros. Racing Miata.
 
Michael Pettiford matched the feat with Touring 1 and Touring 2 wins in his class-configured No. 41 Go 4 It Racing Schools Chevrolet Corvettes.
 
Adding his name to the rain masters on a very difficult Hallett circuit was Alan Marshall. In a big bore group that included GT-1, GT-2, Touring 1 and American Sedan, Alan Marshall drove his No. 103 IHS Racing Mazda RX-7 to a GT-3 win, second overall to Mike McGinley’s GT-2 No. 50 Chevrolet Corvette, and turned the fastest lap of the race. Marshall was one of the few cars in the class running on rain tires, but the call was the correct one as the rain continued to fall.
 
A video interview with each of the winners is available on SCCA.com at SCCA.com/HallettSatInterviews. Each driver told the story of their race win in their own words.
 
The winners on the day included:
 
American Sedan: Jim Wheeler, Lenexa, Kan., Pontiac Trans-Am
B-Spec: John Phillips, Sealy, Texas, Toyota Yaris
E Production: Matt Reynolds, Fair Oaks, Texas, Mazda Miata
F Production: Eric Prill, Topeka, Kan., Mazda Miata
H Production: Chris Alban, Maryland Heights, Mo., Volkswagen Golf GTI
Formula 500: Jack Walbran, Saint Louis, Mo., Scorpion/Rotax
Formula 1000: James Michael, Fort Worth, Texas, Stohr F1000
Formula Atlantic: Tyler Hunter, Denver, Colo., Swift 014a/Toyota
Formula Enterprises: Henry Donohoo, Arvada, Colo., Formula Enterprises/Ford
Formula F: James Stiehr, Evergreen, Colo., Piper DF5/Honda
Formula Mazda: Brekk Harris, Hurst, Texas, Formula Mazda
Formula Vee: Charles Hearn, Houston, Texas, Vortech/Volkswagen
GT-1: David Fershtand, Fort Worth, Texas, Chevrolet Corvette
GT-2: Mike McGinley, Overland Park, Kan., Chevrolet Corvette
GT-3: Alan Marshall, San Antonio, Texas, Mazda RX-7
GT-Lite: Roy Lopshire, Blue Springs, Mo., Toyota Tercel
Prototype 2: Joseph Shannonhouse, Aurora, Colo., Van Diemen/Mazda
Spec Racer Ford: Grayson Strathman, Jennings, Okla., Spec Racer Ford
Spec Racer Ford Gen 3: Richard Stephens, Bixby, Okla., Spec Racer Ford
Super Touring Lite: Cliff Ira, Kansas City, Mo., Acura Integra
Super Touring Under: Anthony Simmers, Boulder, Colo., Volkswagen GTI
Spec Miata: Matt Reynolds, Fair Oaks, Texas, Mazda Miata
Touring 1: Michael Pettiford, Louisville, Colo., Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Touring 2: Michael Pettiford, Louisville, Colo., Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Touring 3: Bob Schader, Lafayette, Colo., Nissan 350Z
Touring 4: Toby Grahovec, Little Elm, Texas, BMW Z4
 
The Mid-States Conference returns to Hallett on Sunday morning with the second of the doubleheader races for all seven run groups. Sunday’s forecast has a lower chance of rain than Saturday, opening up the run groups again.
 
All of the action can be found at SCCA.com/SCCALive.
Adam Sinclair
Latest posts by Adam Sinclair (see all)
Post Views: 59