Norcal News
By Kevin Smith
Published: October 18, 2007
Print
Email
The NorCal Time Trialers made their way to Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, CA for the second straight time to compete in the latest round on October 13 and 14th. Even though it was the same venue we soon learned very quickly that it is a completely different track running in the clockwise direction. Many braved the weather on Friday to make the trek up there, while others braved the elements to get extra seat time at the track for a leg up on the competition as points are at a premium. This being a double points weekend made them even more valuable. There was some really impressive driving all weekend as incidents were very few and far between and lap times kept dropping lower and lower. For those of you who want to run it reverse and get it on the schedule for next year please go to the forums (Nasaforums.com) and put in your opinions. Also as a side note for the next event AIM will be closed for Infineon Oct 27-28. So you need to get whatever tire / tire work done before the event. All of the groups are close in the championship standings and nobody knows what will happen on the last event of the year. The weekend played out as follows:
TTR
Andrie Hartanto got out of his Honda Challenge car and drove a tricked out Evo. All you could hear on this car as he passed was the turbo whining, very nice car. He was able to secure first place for both Saturday and Sunday with Michael Murphy coming in second both days. Saturday saw Team Works/D. Brown get on the podium with a third place while John Anker and Al Lockett respectively rounding out the group.
Sunday saw the top 2 remain the same as Andrie broke the TTR track record with a 2:00.113, while Gary Rieger getting on the podium in third place. Team Works/D.Brown finishing in fourth, John Anker in fifth, Evan Miranor in sixth and Al Lockett in seventh.
TTU
With 5 drops in play the season championship is up for grabs between Team Sutak and Lowell Fennie and with this being double points every point was valuable. Lowell brought out his Factory Five Cobra on steroids and put some extremely fast lap times together. He was only out done by Pierre Demartines in his Catherham Super 7 which claimed first both days and fast lap of the weekend on Sunday with a 2:00.060. Lowell was able to finish ahead of Team Sutak both days with second place finishes. Team Sutak was right on Lowell heels all weekend to get third place Saturday and Sunday. The Championship point spread is only 135 points with one weekend left.
TTS
Michael Neujahr made a surprise appearance with his cell phone close by his side all weekend (except while driving of course), as his wife could go into labor at any minute, to sweep the weekend getting first both days with Team Smith right behind and closing the time gap. Team Shoestring Racing was hot on their exhaust pipes all weekend as he lowers his lap times every time he gets into his car. Sunday was a repeat of the finishing order only the times fell for everyone.
The championship points battle is so close it will be exciting to see how the last weekend at Sears Point finishes and taking the drops into consideration. Michael has 1670 Total points with Team Smith at 1585 and Shoestring Racing with 1345 and Team Poco-Loco with 550.
TTA
Saturday saw Team Goodsport/3S bring out his go fast Evo Race Car and put down a quick enough lap in one session to get first with Team Callaghan in second place and John Heffernan in third to get the final podium spot. Sunday was an exact replica of Saturday with Team Goodsport/3S getting maximum points for the weekend and Team Callaghan getting second and John Heffernan in third. The points battle is hot in this group with the total points battle having Team Callaghan with 1520, Team Goodsport/3S at 1440 and Neil Yonk with 840 and Percy Howard in fourth with 520.
TTB
This might be the group that goes down to the final lap of the final day of the season. Team Bill Arnold BMW Repair and Team RFR/GST seem to trade fast laps and first place every lap. This weekend saw Team Bill Arnold BMW Repair take first both Saturday and Sunday in his newly set up BMW setting the track record with a 2:02.433 on Sunday. Team RFR/GST finished second both days and Steve Kane getting a podium spot both day in his black 06 Mustang. Saturday saw both Team 3S/Goodsport Racing retire with mechanical problems on Saturday to round out the group. This is the group you don’t want to miss at Sears for last event. It will be tooth and nail to the end with Team Bill Arnold holding a slim 50-point lead over Team RFR/GST going into the last event.
TTC
Mark Welch finished first both days while breaking the track record on Sunday with a 2:05.919 (no I did not just copy that line for the story all season). Saturday saw Team Z Car Garage get second with Fred Watson steadily climbing the championship ladder with third and Steven Sacks in fourth. Sunday saw a finishing order of Mark Welch (1), Fred Watson (2), Steven Sacks (3), and Michael Sondel (4). The championship is all but decided for first place with Mark Welch taking the maximum points available to this point at 1500. Although second place is up for grabs between Fred Watson with 1260 Championship points and Team Z Car Garage in third only 20 points behind. This finish will go down to the last session of the day to decide who gets second and third.
TTD
Friday saw points leader Bob Blackwood blow a head gasket that sent him home for the weekend. The other TTD competitors saw this as their opportunity to capitalize and they did pulling some extremely fast lap times. Saturday saw Jerry Bradbury in first setting the track record with a 2:11.359 in his Mini. Second place went to Laura Thomas with Team Brown-Heyer finishing on the podim in third. Sunday saw Laura Thomas found some more speed to get first and Team Brown-Heyer improving to second. The Champioship battle is also close with Bob Blackwood holding a slim lead of 35 points of Team Brown-Heyer. Jerry Bradbury has 1020 points in third with Laura Thomas right behind with 895 points.
TTE
Dennis Golden wanted to lay his claim to the season championship with first place on both Saturday and Sunday setting the track record with a 2:19.644. Second place belonged to Dave Rowsey both days. If Dennis Golden places well at Sears Point he can claim his championship.
TTF
Mark Villaluna wanted to give some competition to Hugh Carter for the weekend, and he did. Able to bring his Honda to a first place finish on both days with the track record on Sunday with a 2:20.267. Hugh was looking at the big picture for the championship by getting second place Saturday and Sunday, by doing so he claimed first place for the season. Congratulations. 
