From Peter Frey / StarMazdaPR
2007 was another banner year for the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear. The deep talent pool included drivers from four continents and seven countries, with eight different winners in twelve races and just four points separating the 4th and 8th-place finishers in the championship. Records were set, including the first-ever back-to-back podium finishes by a female driver in the series. And, claiming the champion's share of a prize fund approaching $1.5 million, another rising star took his next step up the Mazda Motorsports Ladder.
The Champion
Dane Cameron, a 19-year-old series rookie from Sonoma, CA, won the 2007 Star Mazda Championship becoming only the second rookie champion in the 17-yeear history of the series (Ian Lacy won in his first season, in 1998). Driving the #19 JDC Motorsports/Finlay Motorsports Mazda, he clinched the championship in Round Eleven at Road Atlanta on his way to a record of three wins, six pole positions, and seven top-5 finishes, including five podiums. Cameron will follow the path established by 2005 champion Raphael Matos and 2006 winner Adrian Carrio, moving up the Mazda Motorsports Ladder to a full-season drive in the Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.
The Winners
In addition to Cameron's three victories (Houston, VIR and Toronto), seven other drivers also stood on the top step of the podium in 2007. Ron White of Santa Clara, California (#69 Wunder-Bar Mazda) drove for three teams during the season, starting out with Team G.FRO, moving to Maxwell Racing mid-season and fielding his own car for the last two races. He scored back-to-back wins for at Road America and Trois Rivières, finishing third in the championship. Also scoring two wins (Salt Lake City and Road Atlanta) was Burnaby, B.C. driver Lorenzo Mandarino. He finished 8th in the championship driving the #15 Team G.FRO/Newway Forming Mazda.
Single-race winners included Australian racer James Davison, who finished 2nd in the championship. He won at Mosport in the #7 Velocity Motorsports/Easternats Mazda. Jonathan Goring of Norfolk, CT finished 5th in the championship and won at Cleveland in the #14 Andersen Racing/Skip Barber Racing Mazda. Sixth in the championship, and winning his first race of the season in the final round at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca driving the #51 Mundill/Oral and Facial Surgery Center Mazda was Lafayette, Louisiana native Alex Ardoin.
Saint-Bruno, Quebec's Devin Cunningham won the 2006 Discovery Channel 'Star Racer' competition to find Canada's next open-wheel racing star, and won in the rain at Portland in the #33 AIM Autosport/Discovery Channel Mazda. He finished 7th in the championship. Rounding out the list of 2007 race winners was Toronto's Marco Di Leo; he qualified on the front row for more than half of the races, won the season-opener at Sebring and finished 9th in the championship driving the #21 Maxwell Racing/Nugget Mazda.
While it is not known at this point how many of these drivers will return for another season of Star Mazda Championship racing in 2008, those who do and finished in the top-10 will get to use that number on their car. If the driver moves on to another series, the team that fielded the car will retain the number.
Expert and Masters Series
The Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear is one of the only open-wheel racing series in the world to feature a championship-within-a-championship for more mature drivers in whom the competitive fire still burns brightly. The Expert Series, for drivers aged 30 to 44, was won by Dallas, Texas racer Dan Tomlin III. Driving the #56 Team Tomlin Mazda, he scored three class wins, including the season finale at Mazda Raceway (where his father, Dan Tomlin Jr., won the Master class event), and four class top-3 finishes. The Master Series for driver 45 and older, was won by Steve Hickham of Corpus Christi, Texas. Racing the #17 Maxwell Racing/HB Turbo Mazda, he complied a record of five class wins and six top-3 class finishes.
The Prizes
With the 2007 prizes approaching $1.5 million, Cameron claimed the lion's share; including a Mazda-sponsored 2008 season in the Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. Cameron has elected to race with the 2007 championship-winning Sierra Sierra/ProWorks team. He also collected $100,000 and a new Mazda RX-8 for winning the championship and $10,000 for winning Rookie of the Year. The rest of the $500,000 in cash prizes was paid deep into the field, from $70,000 for 2nd-place to $10,000 for 15th.
The season-ending banquet, ably hosted by SPEED Channel commentators Brian Till and Calvin Fish, included not only championship prizes for the top-15 drivers, but also a number of other awards:
The Team Championship for the Star Mazda team scoring the most points based on finishes throughout the season by their top two cars: JDC Motorsports ($10,000)
Racing for Kids Award for the driver making visits to children's hospitals and scoring the most points at designated Racing for Kids events: Alex Ardoin ($1,000 and $1,000 donated to the hospital of his choice)
Quartermaster Clutch Performer Award for the driver gaining the most positions in the championship during the final six races of the year: Dan Tomlin III ($5,000 and trophy)
BBS Hard Charger Award for the driver who gained the most places from start to finish in every race of the year: Ron White (Custom-made coffee table and set of BBS road wheels)
VP Fuel Most Improved Driver Award, a consensus award among all series participants for the individual who has shown the most progress as a driver from the beginning to the end of the season: Alex Ardoin ($5,000 and trophy)
Performance Friction Crew Member of the Year Award, a consensus award for the most valuable member of a particular team who's efforts have also benefited other teams and the series: Kate Gundlach of John Walko Racing ($1,500)
President's Cup / The Spirit of Star Mazda, a consensus award for the person who best typifies the qualities and character that represent the Star Mazda Championship: Dan Tomlin Jr. ($2,500)
Records and Notable Achievements
Natacha Gachnang of St. Gingolph, Switzerland, set a series record for female racers with back-to-back podium finishes driving the #35 AIM Autosport Mazda. Gachnang only ran seven of twelve races, but still finished 15th in the championship.
Nick Haye, the Hollywood, California-based driver of the #37 JDC Motorsports/ Quantum Sphere Mazda, had an up-and-down season that included two 15th-place finishes, but also two podiums, two top-5s and five top-10s. He finished 4th in the championship and is planning a return to the Star Mazda Championship in 2008 with his eye on the big prize.
At Trois Rivières, a street circuit barely two race cars wide in most places, Dallas, Texas driver Russell Walker, put on an aggressive and substantial display of car control in the #29 Pavecon/John Walko Racing Mazda. He turned only one lap in qualifying, started last and was still able to slice and dice his way up through the field to finish 4th. And in the same race, Quebec newcomer Yannick Hofman, driving his first-ever Star Mazda race after two seasons in Formula BMW, showed he will be a force to be reckoned with when he joins the series full-time next season after qualifying 8th on the starting grid and finishing 5th in his #00 Jig-A-Loo/Andersen Racing Mazda.
Graduates on the Gas
After 17 years as one of the premier open-wheel driver development series in North America, the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear can lay claim to a long and distinguished list of alumni, including the America's most recent F1 driver, Scott Speed, rising Champ Car star Graham Rahal, and IRL standout Marco Andretti. 2005 Star Mazda champion Raphael Matos won the 2007 Champ Car Atlantic championship with Sierra Sierra (which got its start as a Star Mazda team) and will be moving up to Champ Car in 2008.
And such is the quality of education provided by the Star Mazda championship that the 2004 champion, Michael McDowell, after racing both Champ Cars and Daytona Prototypes, has moved over to NASCAR and is making his mark there as well. In 2007, his rookie year in the ARCA RE/MAX series, he scored nine pole positions, led a series-high 822 laps, scored fifteen top-10 finishes and won four races on his way to a 2nd-place finish in the championship. He has signed to race in the Nextel Cup series for Michael Waltrip and ran his first Craftsman Truck race at Martinsville on October 20th. His race was cut short by an accident on lap 181 of the 200-lap event, but he still finished ahead of former Formula One World Champion Jacques Villeneuve, Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti and Grand-Am Rolex Series 'phenom' Colin Braun (another Star Mazda Championship graduate).
Other Feet on the Ladder
Zameron, Matos and McDowell aren't the only Star Mazda Championship graduates taking another step up the ladder this year. A number of drivers are taking advantage of career opportunities resulting from their performance in the Star Mazda Championship.
In partnership with Star Mazda sponsor Performance Friction, Walker Racing (which runs both Team Australia in the Champ Car World Series and a Champ Car Atlantic team) tested Star Mazda drivers Ron White and Alex Ardoin at Putnam Park Road Course in Mount Meridian, Indiana in late September. And James Davison recently bested four other hot young drivers including an A1GP pole winner and the IMSAA Lites champion -- in a two-day Indy Pro Series test at Sebring International Raceway with Sam Schmidt Motorsports. Jonathan Goring and Jonny Baker, Andersen Racing's two full-time Star Mazda drivers this year, also both received Indy Pro Series tests as part of the team's incentive program.
Also, just as some of the Star Mazda Championship drivers are climbing the ladder, some Star Mazda teams are moving on to other forms of racing. In previous years, the Atlantic championship-winning Sierra Sierra team started in Star Mazda, as did B-K Motorsports, the team currently fielding the Mazda-powered American Le Mans series LMP2 prototype. For next year, Hickham Motorsports, which fielded the father/son team of Steve Hickham Jr. and Steve Hickham Sr. (the Masters Series champion), will move up in 2008 to a Mazda RX-8 endurance racing effort. The duo hopes to make their debut as co-drivers at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January.
New Stars Begin to Shine
Even as this year's rising stars begin to shine in new directions, the light from a new set of stars is beginning to illuminate the 2008 Mazda Motorsports Ladder.
Joel Miller, the 19-year-old racer from Hesperia, California, who scored five wins and finished on the podium in all 14 of the 2007 BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda Series races, has won a fully-sponsored ride in the 2008 Star Mazda Championship. He has already tested with one top team, is talking with others and will make his decision in the near future.
And two standouts from the 2007 Snap-On Stars of Karting Presented by the Indy Racing League, Tyler Dueck and Scott Jenkins (who won the overall Stars of Karting championship) have both been awarded tests later this year with a top Star Mazda Championship team.
While plans are still being finalized, there will be both new teams and new sponsors coming into the Star Mazda Championship in 2008, as well as a number of talented new drivers. This, in addition to changes announced at the season-ending banquet regarding the series' switch to new Goodyear radial racing tires and the implementation of standing starts next season, makes it clear that 2008 will be another step up the ladder for the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear.
For more information on the Star Mazda Championship and its drivers, as well as the Mazda Motorsports ladder system, please visit www.starmazda.com and www.mazdausa.com .
NASCAR's Brian France reacts to SMI's purchase of NHIS
Statement from Brian France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 2, 2007) – Today's announcement that Speedway Motorsports Inc. has purchased New Hampshire International Speedway is yet another indication that the NASCAR industry continues to grow and thrive. Capitalizing on NASCAR's national appeal and growth, the Bahre family created a passionate fan base and developed a valuable venue that has hosted the largest sporting events in New England including 26 consecutive sellouts.
The success of NHIS, and the desire of the Bahre family to sell, made the track very attractive to SMI and several other interested buyers. SMI has a highly regarded record for hosting some of the most successful and enjoyable race events in all of NASCAR, and there's no doubt that will continue.
While we don't have any details about SMI's plans for NHIS, all sanctions for 2008 have been signed and finalized. As a result, there will be no location changes to the 2008 schedule that was released last month. This is important to the fans, competitors, broadcast partners and sponsors who have already made plans for the 2008 races.
Looking beyond 2008, NASCAR will continue to consider requests by any track operator, including SMI, to relocate race dates. Under NASCAR's "realignment" plan, we have worked with track owners to relocate race dates to meet the needs of our growing national fan base. Ultimately, any change must meet NASCAR's objectives and serve our fans.
The industry owes Bob and Gary Bahre a debt of gratitude for their leadership and commitment to NASCAR. All of NASCAR wishes the Bahre family well during this time of transition. They will always be considered pioneers in NASCAR.
From Ramsey Poston, NASCAR Public Relations
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 2, 2007) – Today's announcement that Speedway Motorsports Inc. has purchased New Hampshire International Speedway is yet another indication that the NASCAR industry continues to grow and thrive. Capitalizing on NASCAR's national appeal and growth, the Bahre family created a passionate fan base and developed a valuable venue that has hosted the largest sporting events in New England including 26 consecutive sellouts.
The success of NHIS, and the desire of the Bahre family to sell, made the track very attractive to SMI and several other interested buyers. SMI has a highly regarded record for hosting some of the most successful and enjoyable race events in all of NASCAR, and there's no doubt that will continue.
While we don't have any details about SMI's plans for NHIS, all sanctions for 2008 have been signed and finalized. As a result, there will be no location changes to the 2008 schedule that was released last month. This is important to the fans, competitors, broadcast partners and sponsors who have already made plans for the 2008 races.
Looking beyond 2008, NASCAR will continue to consider requests by any track operator, including SMI, to relocate race dates. Under NASCAR's "realignment" plan, we have worked with track owners to relocate race dates to meet the needs of our growing national fan base. Ultimately, any change must meet NASCAR's objectives and serve our fans.
The industry owes Bob and Gary Bahre a debt of gratitude for their leadership and commitment to NASCAR. All of NASCAR wishes the Bahre family well during this time of transition. They will always be considered pioneers in NASCAR.
From Ramsey Poston, NASCAR Public Relations
A1GP: No Rest for Canada's Hinchcliffe
Hinchcliffe, with a total of 18 race starts under his belt for A1 Team Canada, has been kept busy since the Brno event, primarily with his TV commitments. In addition to being an accomplished open-wheel racer, the 20-year-old is quickly forging a reputation as a talent behind the microphone co-commenting on the Champ Car World Series for Eurosport TV.
His colorful commentary skills haven't gone unnoticed and when the Champ Car World Series headed down-under to Australia two weeks ago Hinchcliffe was invited by the local broadcaster, Network 7 Television, to fulfill commentary duties on the Surfer's Paradise race. While it literally meant hopping out of his A1GP car in the Czech Republic, flying back to Canada for less than a day then hopping back on a plane to Australia, it was an opportunity too good to turn down for 'Hinch'!
"It was a mega experience," reflected Hinchcliffe upon his return. "They wanted someone who had up-to-date knowledge of Champ Car to help out with the broadcast and the people at the series kindly recommended me to Network 7 as they knew I'd been following everything through my work with Eurosport. The Australian operation was huge and instead of having to work off of the feed given to us, which is usually the case, we got to call the shots of the coverage which was just fantastic as a commentator!"
He continued, "From a professional point of view it was a really cool experience for me and recreationally it was great to fit in another trip to Australia. Last time I was there I ended up barrel-rolling the A1GP car at Eastern Creek so this was a bit more pleasurable in that I didn't cause any damage and was able to commentate on the drama on-track as opposed to being the drama!"
Having returned to Canada and readjusted himself to the various time-zone changes, James finds himself preparing to pack his bags once again. Visiting another A1GP destination, Hinchcliffe is heading back to Mexico City and the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez next weekend to commentate on the final round of the Champ Car World Series for Eurosport.
Looking to fit in a couple of well-earned days off in Mexico following the race, James will be reaching for his passport shortly after his return to Canada as he plans to relocate temporarily to England in mid-November to lessen the travel demands on him during the A1GP season.
With 'The World Cup of Motorsport' heading to the Far East visiting Malaysia and China before Christmas, and New Zealand and Australia in January, James, along with the rest of the Canadian crew will be well versed in the art of long-haul travel!
Round 3 of the 2007-08 A1GP season is hosted at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, Friday 23rd - Sunday 25th November - www.a1gp.com
ENDS - www.a1teamcan.com
Photo Credit: 'A1 Team Canada's James Hinchcliffe' - Jakob Ebrey Photography
A1 Team Canada Media Relations: Stuart Morrison - PR & Media Manager
Tel: +1 514 684 3253, Cell: +1 514 945 3253 / Email: stuart@sm-pr.com
Série ACT Castrol St-Eustache 300 Coverage Broadcast on RDS Television
ST-EUSTACHE, QC - The 13th annual St-Eustache 300 stock car race, the twelfth and final event of 2007 for the American-Canadian Tour (ACT)'s Série ACT Castrol, will be featured in a one-hour highlight program on French language RDS Television in Canada. Won by local hero Sylvain Lacombe of Terrebonne, the event was run in September at Autodrome St-Eustache near Montréal.
RDS will broadcast highlights from the St-Eustache 300 beginning Wednesday, November 7 at 5:00pm. The show will repeat at midnight on Thursday, November 8, at 10:30am on Friday, November 9, and at 9:00am on Saturday, November 10.
The victory in the 13th annual St-Eustache 300 was Lacombe's third-straight in the event, and his fifth overall. Patrick Laperle of St-Denis-sur-Richelieu, QC was crowned the 2007 Série ACT Castrol Champion, and finished a close second to Lacombe in the St-Eustache 300 after leading near the halfway point. Alexandre Gingras of Québec finished in third place, ahead of Jean-François Déry of Val-Bélair and Jacques Laperle of St-Charle-sur-Richelieu.
For more information on the Série ACT Castrol, visit www.laserieactcastrol.com. For information on the American-Canadian Tour, visit www.acttour.com or call (802) 244-6963.
13th annual St-Eustache 300 – Série ACT Castrol
RDS Television Broadcast Schedule
Wed., November 7 – 5:00pm
Thu., November 8 – 12:00 midnight
Fri., November 9 – 10:30am
Sat., November 10 – 9:00am
From Justin St. Louis // ACT
RDS will broadcast highlights from the St-Eustache 300 beginning Wednesday, November 7 at 5:00pm. The show will repeat at midnight on Thursday, November 8, at 10:30am on Friday, November 9, and at 9:00am on Saturday, November 10.
The victory in the 13th annual St-Eustache 300 was Lacombe's third-straight in the event, and his fifth overall. Patrick Laperle of St-Denis-sur-Richelieu, QC was crowned the 2007 Série ACT Castrol Champion, and finished a close second to Lacombe in the St-Eustache 300 after leading near the halfway point. Alexandre Gingras of Québec finished in third place, ahead of Jean-François Déry of Val-Bélair and Jacques Laperle of St-Charle-sur-Richelieu.
For more information on the Série ACT Castrol, visit www.laserieactcastrol.com. For information on the American-Canadian Tour, visit www.acttour.com or call (802) 244-6963.
13th annual St-Eustache 300 – Série ACT Castrol
RDS Television Broadcast Schedule
Wed., November 7 – 5:00pm
Thu., November 8 – 12:00 midnight
Fri., November 9 – 10:30am
Sat., November 10 – 9:00am
From Justin St. Louis // ACT
Aerial photos from the NASCAR race at Riverside Int'l Speedway
Riverside Int'l Speedway (Antigonish, NS) has circulated a few aerial shots taken during its recent NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race in mid-September. The event was originally scheduled for the Saturday but was rained out until Sunday. Not even foul weather or a nearby Nextel Cup race (at NHIS) could deter thousands of die-hard Maritime racing fans from showing up at this beautiful new facility. Thanks to Paul McLean of Riverside Int'l Speedway for the use of the shots.
RICK @ the RACES (RETRO # 16)
- PIC 1 The Bill West # 39 car vaults the fence at Bristol
- PIC 2 Bill West # 39 ( centre) admires his handy-work at Bristol
- PIC 3 Lionel Shaw # 362 in Chris Pickups Jaguar powered , triumph GT6 bodied car
- PIC 4 1979 BriSCA F1 World Champion, Frankie Wainman # 212 with his 'gold roof'
- PIC 5 Dutchman John VT Veer # 16 at Brafield
- PIC 6 John VT Veer in trouble at Brafield
- PIC 7 The Ray Scriven owned car of Texan Frank Zett # 420
- PIC 8 My BriSCA F1 on a truck after being sold to the Abraham Bros
- PIC 9 Another shot of my F1 on the Abraham Bros truck.
- PIC 10 My Austin 3 Litre and caravan on a Dutch campsite in December 69
- PIC 11 A billboard advertizing the December 9 Baarlo meeting
- PIC 12 The imaculate Ford Thunderbird NACO Pace Car at Baarlo
- PIC 13 The # 104 F1 Stock car of Lambert Keulen on his transporter truck at Baarlo
- PIC 14 The # 217 F1 of George Kroonder at Baarlo
- PIC 15 Rien Rutgens # 15 in Victory Lane at Baarlo.
Just to recap, My �RETRO' reports are now up to 1979, which was the Silver Jubilee year of UK stock car racing . I started the year , racing my ex Roger Gunnell ('390' cu in Ford Thunderbird powered) BriSCA F1 stock car, then after a few disillusioned outings had put it up for sale with ideas in my head about moving to the Netherlands. My last report ( # 15) brought us up to the end of August 1979, where I'd just returned to the UK from a European racing vacation with my buddies Nigel Harradine and Martin Budgell. We'd seen Superstox at the Kaldernkirchen track in Germany and the F1 Stock Car Long Track World Final at the Baarlo Auto Speedway ( Netherlands). If you missed any of the previous fifteen RICK @ the RACES (RETRO) reports and would like them sent, please let me know (stox@ican.net), as I have them saved.
RICK @ the RACES (RETRO # 16)
The final part of 1979
After returning from the Netherlands ( Aug 13) I carried on visiting my usual haunts of Leicester, Brafield, Sheffield, Rochdale and Bristol ( the Mendips Raceway) in the role of spectator, to watch my preferred diet of BriSCA F1 Stock Cars. At Bristol I was pleased to see that one of my photos had appeared in the race day program. ( this must have been my first racing photo to be published) . Earlier in the year one of my Beds & Herts buddies, Bill West # 39 from Luton, was involved in a spectaular crash where his car vaulted the safety fence, and I was there with my Kodak Instamatic to capture it. The Beds and Herts Club was now in it's 'final days' and it was around this time that it eventually folded.
A few of the original 'B&H' F1 drivers were still active including Chris Pickup # 50 and Glyn Pursey # 175 . A new addition to the clan was Lionel Shaw # 362, from Luton who was driving Chris's old Triumph GT6 Spitfire bodied car.
On Sept 9 the BriSCA F2 World Final was held at the Newton Abbott Racecourse in Devon, and was won for the third time by Dave Brown # 583 of Looe (Cornwall). I chose to miss this one and instead went to a regular BriSCA F1 meeting at Rochdale.
Unknowingly at the time, on Sept 22 , I attended what was to be a very historic event at the Harringay Stadium in North London. This famous old track which I'd visited regularly since the 1960's , was located on prime development land and by now, it was living on 'borrowed time'. Already much of the site was starting to look neglected and we all knew it was just a matter of time before it would succumb. This date turned out to be the last ever meeting for BriSCA F1 stock cars and sadly not long after , it was demolished to make way for a giant retail outlet. The meeting final that night was won by Richie Ahern # 18.
The BriSCA F1 World Final this year was being held at the White City Stadium in Manchester (29 Sept) , and of course I was there to see Frankie Wainman # 212 win the 'gold'. There were six overseas entrants which included Harry Van der Spuij from South Africa, with Jim Hopkinson, Larry Burton and Gene Welch representing the USA. They were racers from the All American Speedway, at Roseville, near Scaramento, California, and like Van Der Spuij were using loaned cars. Completing the line up of foreigners were, Rien Rutgens and John VT Veer from the Netherlands who brought their own cars.
The day after White City, I, like many other race fans drove two and a half hours back down the M6 / M1 for the following days races at Brafield. Both Dutch of the drivers that had been racing the night before were there too.
While on the subject of overseas drivers, I must mention a USA driver that made his debut during the 1979 season. Frank Zett # 420, who used one of Ray Scrivens # 110 cars. Ray , from Fairford in Gloucestershire lived close to the USAF Air Base where Frank was stationed. According to race day programs , Frank was from Austin, Texas . ( In Sept 2007 , I visited my daughter who lives in Austin , and prior to the trip I tracked down Frank's address with an intention of trying to meet up. I found out he now lives in Abilene, unfortunately some distance away, so never pursued the plan )
From the World Final onwards to the end of the regular season ( Long Eaton Nov 10) I attended weekly races where ever the BriSCA F1's were appearing as well as a few Spedeworth events. The FISCA/SCOTA F1 Stock Cars that had raced on their circuits were in their final days, as plans were afoot for a new smaller and less powerful class for the coming year to be named FORMULA 80. They were similar to a type of stock car that had been introduced in the North of England , called Hot Stox, which were lighter than F1's , and used Rover V8 engines.
I can't remember exactly when, but it was about this time that I sold my stock car. It was bought by two brothers, Dave and Paul Abraham from Gt Barford ( Bedfordshire). Neither of them had raced before and were to make their debut in the coming season. They went under the nick-name of the �Big Abe's�.
As mentioned before, I had ideas about moving to the Netherlands, and on my previous trips had found out that the big British RAF base that was located at Bruggen just outside Roermond hired civilian truck drivers. I made inquiries and was told to come in an fill out an application form. There was a race meeting at Baarlo on December 9, so I thought this would be an ideal opportunity. It was the wrong time of the year to be under canvass , so instead of taking my tent, I borrowed an old caravan/travel-trailer that belonged to my mum and dad and towed it behind my Austin 3 Litre.
This was another of my solo trips and because my regular camp site at Roermond was closed for the season I had to find an alternative site to stay. The job application form was filled in at RAF Bruggen and then I took full advantage of my NACO season pass and attended the races at Baarlo. As usual all the NACO divisions were there and the headline F1 Stock Car final was won by Rien Rutjens.
On my return to the UK, the season was not done yet, as group of us made the usual trip to the North of England for the Christmas meetings.
For some reason the Belle Vue track was not available for it's annual Boxing Day extravaganza and the fixture was moved across Manchester to the White City Stadium. After stopping over night in a city hotel we all traveled across the Penine Mountains ( hills) to the Owlerton Stadium at Sheffield for the second of the festive double.(27 Dec).
My 1979 racing calender finally came to end a few days later at my local Brafield Stadium (Northamptonshire) where a rare meeting for BriSCA F1's was held on Dec 30.
KARTING: FIRSTKART.COM LAS VEGAS REVIEW
Langlois headed to �Sin City� as the East division champion and after a tough qualifying session progressed through the heat races to start both feature events in P11. Moving forward in final one, the British Columbia resident was battling with other championship contenders was a clutch clip failure occurred ruining his championship hopes. Langlois shook off the frustration and came back in final two to take a dominating victory and claim third overall in the series title chase.
Rookie pilots Spencer Pigot and Phil De La O also competed in the JICA class and faired extremely well throughout the season. Pigot scored a victory at USA International Raceway (USAIR) in Wisconsin and garnered another podium result at Moran raceway. De La O scored several fast lap awards was also on the podium at USAIR. Both drivers battled hard through the heat races to set up quality starting positions for both finals. Pigot managed to work forward from his P18 starting spot to score a top five result in final one and 13th in final two setting him up for a fifth place finish in the overall series title. De La O, the Arizona pilot had a tough battle in both finals as contact took him out of contention for two top ten results.
�07 King of the Street Champion and Stars of Karting front runner Alan Rudolph came home with two top fifteen results from the challenging temp circuit. Rudolph was involved in an incident in one of the heat races that setup a tough starting spot for both finals. The veteran pilot used his experience to overcome this setback and progressed forward to score 11th and eighth place results in the series final races.
Spec Racer pilot Zach Beard battled through the Vegas weekend but managed to secure a top five result in the series championship. After damaging a frame in the heat races. Beard was forced to rebuild his machine before Sunday�s on track action. Working with a different chassis, Beard garnered ninth and tenth place results to end the �07 Snap-on Stars of Karting season.
Intercontinental A (ICA) pilot Derek Wagner had a good weekend going until Sunday afternoon�s feature events. Wagner was forced to retire from both finals early but will be back to get revenge on the TaG class at the in two weeks time at the SKUSA SuperNationals.
Colorado pilot James Michael Sullivan had a very promising weekend. Sullivan was fast in Friday�s action and was able to secure the second quickest time of the day. Sullivan progressed through the heat races nicely and was setting himself up for a solid run in both finals before early race contact ruined any chances. On lap four in final two, Sullivan was involved in a scary incident that saw him go over at the end of the long back straight but was fortunate to walk away from the incident.
The FirstKart.com Race team enjoys very little time off as the team will travel back to Las Vegas to compete at the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNationals.
For more information on First Kart North America, product sales and exciting dealership opportunities including information on how to get into kart racing and the Firstkart.com Race Team please contact First Kart President Tony Ventresca at 519-824-4343. For information on First Kart USA please contact Director of Operations Mike Maurini at 317.858.3705 or visit them online at www.firstkart.com .
From Mike Maurini / Autosports Media
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