SVRA VIR Event Reports

Event Reports From Round 12
SVRA Formula Festival at VIR

- Friday

Great party at the Arundel's!

First practice saw Sugg in the 4's, Rossi in the 5's and Wittman in the 7's at the top of the list. Claude Rowell did a personal best by several seconds, Mike Crumay and Walter Carson were tied together with a rubber band! Fourteen cars are on the track!

Second practice saw Sugg and Wittman scrub tires while Wright made a breakthrough, recording a 2:02.8! Gaither was up next in the 2:04's and Wittman, Rossi and Sugg up next in the 5's. Mangum was in the 6's and Shelby Mershon was in the 7's! Krueger was suffering from his "home mechanicing."

I'm not sure if people realize this, but with the best of six counted, Rossi has to drop one and has 47 points. Sugg has five events and 46 points. They've both won three rounds, come in second once and Rossi has a third with Sugg a fourth. Wow!

More tomorrow. Watch for Krueger to be a factor if he gets his car working.

-- Peter Krause

Saturday Practice and Qualifying

Great stuff here on a picture perfect weekend at this grand track!

After Jeff Wright's stunning 2:02.8 yesterday afternoon, Gaither and Sugg both pipped that time in the cool morning air today (although Gaither is still .333 seconds off of my best :-). Krueger did a 2:03.5 but lost oil pressure during the session. Rossi, Wittman, Mangum and Mershon (the younger) were all covered by less than 2/10 of a second in the low 2:05's! Dave Arundel (and son Noah, who finished fourth overall in the "fast car" Enduro today) was up next with him and Jim Stengel in the 2:07's and 2:08's. Philp Kelly, Claude Rowell, Michael Crumay and newcomer Walter Carson were up next.

Great event, so far. Should see fourteen S2's taking the green at 1 PM tomorrow for the feature race!

-- Peter Krause

Sunday Race

Stunning weather and a good, clean race saw lots of action and position changes. Top three guys were in the 2:04's with Rossi setting the scorching fast lap (with his "tired" Ivey motor {waaah!} of a 2:03.8!?!) of the race.

Sugg was on top of the podium after being challenged by Gaither every step of the way. Gaither spun down the order on the last lap avoiding Sugg after the leader had to check up to avoid Larry Rossi's Lola, who spun his car off and back on-track at the entrance to Hog Pen corner avoiding another competitor, losing his nose in the process. Unlike the Glen, there was no contact between anyone or anything and the battles were as great between Gaither and Sugg as they were between Claude Rowell and Crumay!

Jeff Wright went well to finish second and Kevin Wittman secured the final step on the podium for a Swift sweep!

Sugg takes the Championship for Sports 2000 cars while Peter Krause, whose Lola T-590 has found a new home, repeated as Historic Sports 2000 Champion by virtue of five series victories.