New Class of Majors Champions Crowned in Five Conferences - Speedway Digest

A total of 140 new SCCA U.S. Majors Tour Conference Champions have been decided across 28 classes in five geographically-based conferences. This marked the first year of the expanded SafeRacer Club Racing Program, filling the demand for increased events on the east coast.

While the growth of the program is a positive step for the Club Racing program, what is most important is the inclusion of 28 additional deserving SCCA Majors Conference Champions across the five conferences that represent the entire lower 48.

Based on number and variety of championship titles won in 2015, Scott Rettich, of Columbus, Ohio, was the big winner this past season. Rettich landed a total of three Majors Conference Championships in three different classes, and three different conferences, all at the controls of SCCA Enterprises-constructed cars. Rettich wrapped up the Spec Racer Ford crown in the Southeast Conference, then moved on to win the SRF Gen3 battle in the Northeast. He concluded the season by taking home the Formula Enterprises title in the Northern Conference.

Tim Kezman, of Franksville, Wisconsin, tied Rettich for the total number of championships won throughout the season, however Kezman’s titles were spread over two different classes within two conferences. In Southeast Conference competition, Kezman wrapped up the Touring 2 title. As part of the Northern Conference, Kezman was the season-long winner in both T2 and GT-2 classes.

Five drivers managed to fight off championship challengers to win two Conference crowns in 2015. Chuck Moran, of Oakton, Virginia, was the Formula Continental winner in the Southeast and Northeast Conferences while Michael Scornavacchi, of Matthews, North Carolina, was the Touring 4 champion in the same conferences. Jack Walbran, of St. Louis, Missouri, took home the Formula 500 winner’s hardware in the Southeast and Mid-States Conferences.

Completing the list of dual-title winners were Michael Pettiford, of Louisville, Colorado, and Matt Reynolds, of Fair Oaks, Texas. Pettiford struck gold in the Touring 1 and Touring 2 classes in the Mid-States Conference while Reynolds did the same in E Production and Spec Miata in the same Conference.

While winning the multiple championships in one season is impressive, holding one title for years on end is also difficult. In its third full season of competition, the SCCA Majors has produced a group of nine drivers that have won at least one title each season. Jim Wheeler, of Lenexa, Kansas, has completed the defense of his American Sedan title in the Mid-States Conference for three years. Aside from winning multiple championships this season, Moran has also shown he can find is way to the top year after year. This was his third consecutive FC title in the Eastern or Northeast Conference. Like Moran, Reynolds is also a three-time champ, but in E Production.

David Fershtand, of Ft. Worth, Texas, has a stranglehold on the GT-1 class in the Mid-States Conference following his third-consecutive class win, while John Bower, of Granada Hills, California, has proved to be the top dog in the GT-Lite class in the Western Conference.

Eric Prill, of Topeka, Kansas, completed the three-peat in of the Mid-States Conference F Production class. Alex Mayer, of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, Rettich and Kirk Kindsfater, Eaton, Colorado, all completed the triple.

Seven drivers fended off the all challengers to complete a successful two-time defense of their championship titles. These drivers represented four of the five conferences. The Western Conference only saw one successful title defense, that of Bower. Each of the other 27 classes featured new blood at the top of the standings.

The Mid-States Conference had three repeat class winners, including Pettiford (Touring 1), Chuck Hearn (Formula Vee) and Jonathan Goodale (GTL).

Two drivers in the Northern Conference were able to convert their season-long performances into a second consecutive Majors title. Richard Walke (Super Touring Lite) and Gregory Gauper (H Production) earned the title of two-time defending champions.

Preston Calvert (T2), was the lone representative from the Northeast Conference while Jacek Mucha (P1) was up to the test in the Southeast Conference.

The complete standings for the 2015 SCCA U.S. Majors Tour season can be seen at SCCA.com/Majors.

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.