Norcal News
By Kevin Smith
Published: July 11, 2007
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The latest round for the NorCal TT group made it back to Sears Point Raceway (Infineon) for June 30 and July 1. The weather was perfect and there was lots of excitement in the air, it is Sears Point and NASCAR was there one week ago. We had around 70 sign ups with competitors coming form the SO-CAL groups and Mario Brown making it all the way from Washington State in his Grigg’s prepped Mustang, the track was going to be busy, but with the pre-grid and slow out lap everybody got clean laps and put down some really fast times. As seems to be the case with every event, track records were broken and then broken again with some impressive driving. On Saturday 3 records fell, one in TTR by Jon Stokes (1:47.089); In TTC Mark Welch broke the record with a 1:53.491 and in TTE Dennis Golden got the record with a 2:00.523.
Sunday even more records fell as Jon Stokes (TTR) pulled the fast time of the weekend with a 1:46.805. Not wanting to be outdone in his Caterham, Pierre Demartines broke the TTU record at 1:47.923. TTB Team RFR/GST waited until the last session of the weekend to break the record lapping at a 1:52.197. Mark Welch (TTC) was not happy breaking the record once; he had to do it again with a 1:52.882. The amazing thing with all the records and fast driving is that we had NO DQ’s for spins, off course, etc…. in the sessions that counted for times on Sunday. GREAT JOB GUYS AND GIRLS!!! This is what makes TT NORCAL what it is. The rest of the weekend played out as follows:
TTR
Jon Stokes set the pace all weekend winning first on Saturday with Team Autosport Garage driver Dave Brown nursing an injured hand that needed stitches from an earlier crash in his racing series coming in second. Brian Lock was looking to stretch his lead in the points standings by finishing in third with Elliot Ladik in his OPAK machine right behind and Steve Raeder finishing fifth in his awesome 2007 Z06 Corvette.
With Jon Stokes breaking the track record he secured first place to assure the weekend sweep. Mark Kirbort was able to finish second in his Porsche 928 S that he loads up and drives to the track. The final podium spot went to Team Autosport Garage with Steve Raeder right on his exhaust pipe only .141 seconds behind. Rounding out the group was Matt Andrews in his OPAK prepped Acura.
TTU
Pierre Demartines took first place in his Caterham Super 7 and John Grigg’s pulling out his GR40 2 ton Bessie Convertible rocket right behind in second, and Lowell Fennie getting a podium spot in his FFR Cobra which is getting faster and faster each session. Just missing the podium was Boris Berman who was waiting for his EVO to be delivered Saturday morning with a new more powerful motor. Ryan Willson made his first appearance of the year in his GR40 AI prepped Mustang coming in fifth with Team Sutak right on his tail in his very loose Camaro and Michael Bowman finishing up the group in his newly supercharged Corvette.
Sunday Pierre Demartines followed up Saturday’s win with another win on Sunday while breaking the track record (1:47.923). John Grigg’s again finishing with the silver while testing his 2007 Grigg’s prepped Mustang. Taking away third from Lowell was Boris Berman while Lowell settled for fourth. Team Sutak followed Lowell in fifth (he can not wait to get his Mustang back) and Igor Lyutsin bringing home is Acura NSX in sixth with Michael Bowman rounding out the group.
TTS
With the points standings so close Michael Neujahr once again gets first place, but not after some last minute scurrying around to find a belt to replace the one he threw in the first session. He is this events resiliency award winner as he searched and drove to town to get one just in time to go out in the third session. In second was Bud Harris waiting until the very end to pull his fast lap with Team Smith right behind in third only .517 seconds behind Bud. In fourth place was Peter Guagenti.
Sunday Michael Neujahr backed up Saturday with a fast enough time in the morning that held off a hard charging Group of TTS drivers. Bud Harris finishes second and Team Smith making the podium a repeat of Saturday with third. Peter Guagenti was able to secure fourth and Ferd Carniero rounding out the group with fifth.
TTA
Neil Yonk brought out his Porsche for Saturday getting first place while sharing the car with his wife in the HPDE groups. Second place belonged to Team Callaghan and getting the final podium spot was Mario Brown. Andrie Hartanto drove his Honda Challenge car to finish fourth and Dave Hovanec in his Baby Grand T-Bird rounding out in fifth.
Sunday Sean Mackenzie was the man in his gutted high power Evo getting first and Team Callaghan once again finishing second and Mario Brown getting third. Dave Hovanec was able to decrease his time enough to get fourth.
TTB
The season standings are going to come down to the final weekend as first through fourth are separated by a mere 157 points. First to second is only10 points. At this rate nobody can afford to have a bad weekend. Saturday Team Bill Arnold BMW Repair took first place with Team RFR/GST right behind in second and David Wright getting a podium spot. Ed Rogers finished in fourth and Dave Snelson getting fifth while battling motor problems all day. David Standridge was able to get sixth with Team 3S/Goodsport right behind in seventh and Ray Watkins rounding out the group.
Sunday Team Bill Arnold BMW Repair broke the track record only to have Team RFR/GST break it about 2 laps later. I hope Jake enjoyed holding the track record for the time he held it. Team RFR/GST gets the gold medal with Team Bill Arnold BMW Repair getting the silver and taking over the points lead. In third with the bronze was David Wright and Ed Rogers repeating his fourth place finish and Team 3S/Goodsport rounding out the group.
TTC
There seems to be a recurring theme in TTC, Mark Welch gets first place and Mark Welch breaks the track record. This weekend was no exception has he finished first and broke the track record. Finishing second was SO-CAL John Handal with his hard braking M3. In third came Michael Sondel with Fred Watson getting used to a new car in fourth.
Sunday was a repeat Mark Welch with his record breaking time in the last session and John Handal getting second. Fred Watson was able to get the final podium spot with Brian Evans finishing fourth.
TTD
Bob Blackwood showed in beginning that he does not mess around as his fast lap of the day held up to secure first place. Second place belonged to Zane Abedin and third to Jerry Bradbury. In fourth was Steve Russo who had a wild ride due to fluid from someone else’s car that spun him and put him into the wall on the inside of Turn 7 exit, he is okay but his car did not make out so well. He gets the great attitude of the weekend award as he vows to be back out and stuck around to be part of the whole TT group. The rest of the group finished as follows: Team Brown-Heyer, Steve Lock, Faisal Qaisi, John Bachan, Jeff Galleta and Rienhard Riedel.
Sunday Bob Blackwood did a mirror image of Saturday with a fast time in the morning and having it hold up for first. Zane Abedin backed up his second place with Steve Lock getting a podium spot in third. Fourth belonged to Jerry Bradbury with Larua Thomas, Team Brown-Heyer, Faisal Qaisi, Jeff Galleta, and John Bachan rounding out the group.
TTE
Dennis Golden broke the track record Saturday finishing first with newcomer Steven Lee in second. George Mavromatis gets the podium in third with Steve Sacks in fourth.
Sunday Dennis was unable to break the record again but he did repeat his first place with Steven Lee in second.
TTF
Hugh Carter was able to get first place both days with his eye on the season championship.
