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Chuckwalla 2013 Finale

November 12, 2013 Travis

Chuckwalla 2013 Finale Recap

Snow is beginning to fall across the country. Drivers are trading summer tires for winter tires and preparing to scrape ice from their windshields. However, Arizona drivers don’t have time for that, they go racing all year long! The NASA AZ year end finale meant for cool mornings, beautiful afternoons, and of course after hour shenanigans topped by no other region. To close the year, NASA AZ drivers made the trip to Desert Center, California, home of Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. The schedule was full from the usual Racing, TT, and HPDE sessions, along with a bonus endurance race and finally “Anidas” special end of the year competition.

It takes a great group of friends and family to make the organization we love a success every year. Not only do officials and drivers work hard throughout the 11 month season, but volunteers make sure to support what the drivers love to do. We want to thank everyone from corner workers, instructors, officials, participants and of course Tage and Adina for keeping this family together.

Race Group

Saturday Endurance Race

NASA Arizona ends each year with a highly anticipated endurance race. Endurance races are a treat for racers as new components become part of the strategy to winning. With supplemental rules covering driver swaps, fueling, new penalties, and mechanical failure and repair, racers must educated themselves so as not to lose precious time caused be quick oversights. Over 30 drivers qualified to race, many with co-drivers ready to step in for a stint. With pit stops required it truly became a team event as every member had a responsibility in podium finishes. The teams felt the pressure as soon as the green flag dropped. Hours of racing would eventually come down to minutes in difference determining the overall and class winners. Pit crews and co-drivers waited anxiously to step in. Time flew by as the crowd watching immediate battles on track. Tom Haacker, Bob Blizzard, and Clay Koevary pushed eachother around the first laps trading places and forcing passes. Following closely was Chris Wilson who unfortunately bowed out early due to a vibration coming around the bowl on track. With so many highlights to mention be sure to look for new coverage from drivers during the off season. Congratulations to all of the drivers who participated and everyone is looking forward to next year.

Saturday Endurance Race Results

1^st – Tom Haacker & Jim Slavik

1^st – Eric Dayton & Taylor Wilson – #Hashtag Racing

2^nd – Gabe Ortega & Mervin Tan – Team LBR

3^rd – David Snyder

1^st – Jim Richard & Erik Davis

1^st – Simon Pavlick & Markos Mylonas – Oooohhh Mijo Racing

2^nd – Jeff Wojnar & Rob Giorgio

3^rd – Shawn Meze

Sunday Sprint Race

Super Unlimited

1^st – Bob Blizzard

2^nd – Michael Pinholster

3^rd – Ed Charnock

Super Touring 2

1^st – Martin Daszkal

Super Touring 3

1^st – Erik Davis

2^nd – Rob Capetz

PTC

1^st – Justin Markiewicz

2^nd – David Snyder

PTD

1^st – Jim Richard

GTS3

1^st – Phil Buffington

2^nd – Jeremy Renshaw

3^rd – Martin Saltzman

Honda Challenge 2

1^st – Tony Lisa

2^nd – Team LBR

3^rd – Eric Dayton

944 Spec

1^st – Norm Hamden

2^nd – Rob Giorgio

3^rd – Kim Unger

Spec E30

1^st – Allan Hauser

2^nd – Kenneth Pearson

3^rd – Michael Mihld

Lotus Group

Did you hear that? Listen closely. It’s a pack of Lotus’!! A special race group was set up at Chuckwalla for a great group of Lotus racecars to come out and tear up the track. Vehicles ranged from mild prep to Lotus Cup racecars. It was great to have this guest group out to complement NASA AZ at the season finale.

Lotus Group Saturday

Cup

1^st – Larry Schnur

2^nd – Mike Bryan

3^rd – Duane Andrews

Evora

1^st – Tom MacMillan

Open

1^st – Andrew Kern

2^nd – Greg Nitzkowski

Production

1^st – Brent Bauman

2^nd – Robb Bonanno

3^rd – Mike Dean

2-11

1^st – Scott Gibson

Lotus Group Sunday

Cup

1^st – Larry Schnur

2^nd – Mike Bryant

3^rd – Duane Andrews

Evora

1^st – Tom MacMillan

Open

1^st – Andrew Kern

2^nd – Greg Nitzkowski

Production

1^st – Brent Bauman

2^nd – Robb Bonanno

3^rd – Eddie Park

2-11

1^st – Scott Gibson

Time Trial Saturday

Anthony Szirka came out swinging on Saturday determined to continue his track record lineup and ran a 1:50.058 for a new class record. Chris Wilson, always perfecting his S2000 set a new TT1 record. Taylor Wilson took 1^st place TT2 followed closely by David Stark. Clay Koevary running times competitive for TTU set a new TT3 record running a 1:55.711. Jeremy Renshaw followed closely behind for 2^nd place TT3. No stranger to 1^st place David Schotz ran a 2:01.557 in TTB. Justin Markiewicz ran a 2:05.457 for 1^st Place TTC. Robert Rose won TTD with a 2:04.642. Simon Pavlick, as a warm up to the endurance race later in the day, ran a 2:14.217 for the TTE record and win.

Saturday Time Trial Results

TT-U

1^st – Anthony Szirka – 1:50.058 – New Record!!

2^nd – Travis Barnes – 2:12.609

TT-1

1^st – Chris Willson – 1:54.412 – New Record!!

2^nd – Gary Felton – 1:59.121

3^rd – Russell Whelan – 1:59.429

TT-2

1^st – Taylor Wilson – 2:04.506

2^nd – David Stark – 2:05.441

TT-3

1^st – Clay Koevary – 1:55.711 – New Record!!

2^nd – Jeremy Renshaw – 1:56.902

3^rd – Erik Davis – 1:58.721

TT-B

1^st – David Schotz – 2:01.557

2^nd – Harold Dunn – 2:06.330

3^rd – Joel Schotz – 2:06.447

TT-C

1^st – Justin Markiewicz – 2:05.457

2^nd – Carl Vandbaschut – 2:05.514

3^rd – Jeff Abrams – 2:06.819

TT-D

1^st – Robert Rose – 2:04.642

2^nd – Chris Ambrosio – 2:07.229

3^rd – Jaryd Ronquillo – 2:08.016

TT-E

1^st – Simon Pavlick – 2:14.217 – New Record!!

2^nd – Paul Bloomberg – 2:20.460

Time Trial Sunday

Anthony Szirka once again took the TTU win on Sunday. Oil pump issues would prevent him from bettering his Saturday time. Chris Wilson again won TT1 with Gary Felton following just seconds behind. Russell “I pop wheels” Whelan took 3^rd place TT1. David Stark stepped up his time from Saturday and ran a 2:04.328 for the TT2 record. Erik Davis narrowly edged out Jeremy Renshaw in TT3 running a 1:57.309. David Schotz took a TTB record running a 2:01.152. Jeff Abrams ran consecutive 2:04 laps setting a new record in session one with a 2:04.070. Robert Rose took 1^st Place 2:03.837 and a new class record in TTD.

Time Trial Results Sunday

TT-U

1^st – Anthony Szirka – 1:54.428

2^nd – Travis Barnes – 2:10.340

3^rd – Jim Cozzolino – 2:10.639

TT-1

1^st – Chris Willson – 1:56.241

2^nd – Gary Felton – 1:58.051

3^rd – Russ Whelan – 1:59.356

TT-2

1^st – David Stark – 2:04.328 – New Record!!

2^nd – Taylor Wilson – 2:07.545

TT-3

1^st – Erik Davis – 1:57.309

2^nd – Jeremy Renshaw – 1:57.831

3^rd – Robert Smithson – 2:01.143

TT-B

1^st – Dave Schotz – 2:01.152 – New Record!!

2^nd – Jason Griepentrog – 2:06.061

3^rd – William Dave Evans – 2:06.755

TT-C

1^st – Jeff Abrams – 2:03.781 – New Record!!

2^nd – Carl Vandasschut – 2:05.152

3^rd – Justin Markiewicz – 2:05.682

TT-D

1^st – Robert Rose – 2:03.704 – New Record!!

2^nd – Jim Richard – 2:07.415

3^rd – Noz Wijaya – 2:07.936

TT-E

1^st – Paul Bloomberg – 2:17.441

UMS Tuning Time Attack Series

Chuckwalla was less than friendly to our Time Attack drivers during the final event. Pushing to get the last points of the seasons drivers went all out in hopes of beating their components. Congratulations to everyone for a great season!

UMS Tuning Time Attack Results

TA-C

1^st – Justin Ryan

2^nd – Mert Seckin

TA-B

1^st – Ravi Tomerlin

2^nd – Jake Castro

TA-A

1^st – Jay Ronquillo

2^nd – Aaron Hiar

HPDE

Chuckwalla is the perfect track for HPDE drivers to progress their driving levels. With a great combination of elevation, varying turn styles, and new elements at no other track run within the region, drivers get a great opportunity to add new skills. Thank you to all of the HPDE drivers that came out for the final event of the season and we look forward to continuing to see the progress within the HPDE ranks.