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NATIONAL AUTO SPORT
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Spec Miata Podium: 1st Place- Randy Evans (center); 2nd Place- David Vodden (left); 3rd Place- Daniel Gehringer (right) |
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Miata Madness by Rob Krider
The mighty Thunderhill was the playground for the next AIM/Toyo Spec Miata Challenge held on June 7-8, 2008, sanctioned by NASA. Nineteen competitors prepared to battle for the $1,000 in cashola from NASA and the $1,500 big ones from American International Motorsports (AIM). With money like that to be had competitors came from long distances (and other sanctioning bodies) to compete in NASA’s Nor Cal series.
During Saturday’s pre-race qualifying it was Randy Evans in his sorted #6 Mazda Miata who would capture the pole position with David Vodden in the #1 car just tenths of a second behind. But, whoops, thanks for driving so fast during qualifying Boys, but Saturday’s race would start with a reverse grid. This gave the fans a show as Vodden rocketed up to the top spot by the end of the first lap. It took all the way until lap two for Evans to come from dead last and get into second position (slacker). At that point the race between the two Spec Miata hot shoes was on. That was until the right front brake shoe on Vodden’s car got way way too hot due to a caliper bolt backing out and locked up his right front tire. Vodden was done and it was Randy Evans who sailed to the win with Jeff Smith in the #61 entry picking up second and #72 Team Momentary Laps Racing on the final podium spot.
On Sunday’s qualifying Vodden fixed his brake woes and came back with a fury besting Evans to take the pole by just over three tenths of a second. The start of Sunday’s race would see the Spec Miata field in a three wide starting grid heading into Thunderhill’s fast (but not too fast!) Turn 1. Vodden and Evans had an epic full race battle with Vodden remaining out front until the final lap (the one that counts). In what Randy Evans described as “the best race I’ve had with anyone all year” Randy passed Vodden in Turn 9 on the last lap. Evans took the win, Vodden got second, #711 Daniel Gehringer picked up a solid podium spot with #61 Jeff Smith, #52 Bill Kabage and #85 Tom Vance all within the AIM award money.
The unreal, unofficial and unsanctioned awards were earned by the following people: The “I wish I was Evil Knievel Award” goes to Ben Brandt in the #73 Mazda for using Greg Smith’s #185 car as a launch ramp. Rumor has it Brandt performed the Triple Lindy before landing back on his wheels. Both Brandt and Smith are okay, but their cars, eh, not so much, which gives them each the “Better Get Maaco Award.” David Vodden earned the “Fred Flintstone Brakes Award” for his caliper failure during Saturday’s race. And finally Randy Evans earns the “Please Pour Sugar in My Gas Tank Award” for winning all of the last three Nor Cal Spec Miata Challenge weekends in a row. Congratulations Randy, but if I was you, I wouldn’t let that car out of your sight.
The next Nor Cal Spec Miata Challenge is at Infineon Raceway June 28-29, 2008. Don’t forget your bag of sugar.
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Spec Miata winner, Randy Evans, hauls yet another $1,000 to the bank! Other cash prizes were awarded courtesy of AIM/Toyo Tires: 2nd David Vodden $500 3rd Daniel Gehringer $400 4th Jeff Smith $300 5th Doug Clark $200 6th Bill Kabage $100 |
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Honda Challenge - 1 1. Graham Downey 2. Mike Lock (crew in pic) 3. Devin Raynal |
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Honda Challenge - 2 1. William Downey 2. Brian Zoraster 3. Al Lockett (crew in pic) |
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Performance Touring - B 1. Jim Carroll |
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Performance Touring - D 1. Dean Thomas 2. Paul Bauer |
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Performance Touring - E 1. Jeff Smith 2. Doug Clark 3. Bill Brown (NIP) |
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Super Unlimited 1. Dennis Clark 2. Ken Kurtz (NIP) 3. Team PowerSmith |
