SCCA National Runoffs -- Pontiac Solstice wins 2 classes!!!!

[Ramair-WS6]

Knowles Crowned Touring 2 Champion at SCCA Runoffs


http://www.scca.org/newsarticle.aspx?hub=1&news=3200



TOPEKA, Kan. (October 14, 2007) – Don Knowles, of Pittsboro, N.C., won his fourth SCCA National Championship by dominating the Touring 2 race at the 2007 SCCA National Championship Runoffs Presented by AT&T. William Ziegler, of Stamford, Conn., and Edward Zabinski, of Hallandale Beach, Fla., finished second and third, respectively.

Second-starting Zabinski had a great start in his No. 79 theracingcoach.com Pontiac Solstice, but polesitter Knowles powered his No. 35 Phoenix Performance/Iracing.com/Hoosier Pontiac Solstice into the lead by Turn One. From there, it was no looking back for Knowles, who steadily pulled away from the rest of the field. He finished the 18-lap race with a 3.112-second margin of victory, after slowing down for a victory wave to his crew.

“It has been a long nine days,” Knowles said. “The weather was difficult, and then we blew the turbo in this morning’s warmup. We only had two and a half hours until the race and we had to change it. We took a turbo off a street car, replaced the race car turbo with it, performed all the checks and made sure all the hoses were on. Meanwhile, while this was going on, I was over in the corner throwing up. I really wasn’t stressed about it for the race though. I figured that on the pace lap it would either be right or it would blow up-nothing I could do about it. I got through Turn One alright and figured everything was okay, so I just focused on the race.”

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Heinricy Takes Showroom Stock C SCCA National Championship

http://www.scca.org/newsarticle.aspx?hub=1&news=3180



TOPEKA, Kan. (Oct. 12, 2007) – John Heinricy, of Royal Oak, Mich., captured his 11th Sports Car Club of America National Championship today, his first in Showroom Stock C, at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs Presented by AT&T at Heartland Park Topeka. Joel Lipperini, of Pittston, Pa., and Joe McClughan, of New Braunfels, Texas, completed the top three.

Driving the No. 32 Phoenix Performance/Hoosier Chevrolet Cobalt SS, Heinricy started second and moved past early leader and polesitter Lipperini on lap eight. Heinricy’s run to his 11th title was not easy, though, as Lipperini’s No. 81 Hankook Tire/RaceShopper.com Honda Civic Si attacked him for the duration of the 18-lap, 45-mile race around the 2.5-mile circuit.

On the race’s final lap, Lipperini slid wide in turn nine giving Heinricy a small gap. Two corners later, Heinricy clipped the inside of the curb and went up on two wheels, allowing Lipperini to gain back some ground. In the end, Heinricy’s Cobalt beat Lipperini’s Honda to the finish by 0.922-second.

“It was a great run,” Heinricy said. “We had the Chevy Cobalt set up great for the race. The whole team did a really good job. All I had to do was the driver stuff when I got in, but boy, did Joel and Joe make me do it!

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Flory Scores SCCA SSB National Championship in Rookie Run

http://www.scca.org/newsarticle.aspx?hub=1&news=3197



TOPEKA, Kan. (Oct. 13, 2007) – Ken Flory, of Commerce Twp., Mich., captured his first Showroom Stock B title at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs Presented by AT&T in his first try. Lee Niffenegger, of Delaware, Ohio, and Toby Grahovec, of Chicago, completed the top three.

Driving the No. 8 Hoosier/Competition Graphics Pontiac Solstice, Flory started second but took the lead at the start over polesitter Michael Scornavacchi Jr.’s No. 25 Hoosier/Phoenix/Carbotech Pontiac Solstice at the start. He built up a three-second lead that evaporated when the caution came out on lap six to retrieve a disabled car.

On the restart, Niffenegger went to the front from fourth place in his No. 43 Honda/Hankook/Cobalt/DC Sports Honda Civic Si. However, the lead was short-lived, and Flory out-broke the Honda into turn four. From there, he never looked back, winning by 4.174 seconds.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet but it feels pretty good,” Flory, who is a crew member for Team Cadillac in SCCA SPEED GT competition said. “This is my first Runoffs and to be on the podium is great.

“At the start, the Honda behind me hit me hard and gave me a huge launch so I was able to get maybe a car length on Mike [Scornavacchi] into Turn One and I just continued on from there. At the restart, I was able to put in underneath Lee [Niffenegger] going into turn four and pulled away from there. Turn One and Turn Two were a mess because of the mud. At Turn Eight and Nine, I think that all three of us went off there. Someone about three laps from the end hit the apex at Eight and put a lot of mud on the track. All of us went off but all of us were able to save our cars and continued on.”

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[Beau]

Nice job Morgue-Warnedher. Bad turbo.. Great...

[New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66]

Good news for Pontiac. Looks like fun. I didn't know Topeka had a road course. May have to head down there and check it out. Those cars are expensive, but if I could get a sponsor however ...

I'm helping my neighboor with his IMCA Modified here in Cedar Rapids, and he knows a guy who runs a 360 Sprint car at Knoxville. He came up once to help us in the pits. I was asking him about how you go about getting a sponsor. Interesting conversation ...

My dream is to be at a track day event, and have some guy come up and offer his card and say, "I like how you drive. Be interested in driving for us?"

I was at a track day at MAM (Mid-American Motorplex) and a bunch of race set up Vipers were there. Tommy Archer was there. I guess they fly in drivers to drive those cars. Even that would be cool.