MID OHIO - RUNOFFS

Jacob Iliohan’s Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT lights up an overcast day at Mid-Ohio. The GT5 competitor qualified tenth and moved up for an eighth place finish.

David Finch is one of the perennial favourites in GT2 at the Runoffs. A heavy crash at a National race in August left the crew just six weeks to rebuild his Porsche 944. Finch qualified third for the race but some problems for the front row starters allowed him to lead every lap and take the national championship.

The Runoffs always provides some close racing and occasionally that leads to contact. GT1 competitor, Thomas Wallace's Chevrolet Camaro sustained some damage during the race. Wallace started twelfth and was able to finish seventeenth. Jeff Ervin took the national championship in GT1.

Fourth fastest Formula Ford qualifier Joe Parsons spun at the end of the back straight on the first lap. Three other drivers drove off course while taking evasive action. Parsons was able to regroup and finish thirteenth in his Swift DB-6. Chris Winkler in a Van Diemen RF99 captured the national title.

One of the favourites to take the American Sedan title was Andy McDermid in is Ford Mustang but a series of problems meant a thirteenth place start. Taking a methodical approach to the race and some great driving allowed McDermid not only to win the national championship but the RRDC’s Mark Donohue award as well.

Immediately, after the start of the Formula 500 race pole sitter Fred Edwards lost control causing the field to scatter. After the dust settled third place qualifier, Kenny Price and sixteenth starter, No. 49, James Lyle Jr. were eliminated from the race. Aaron Ellis won the national Formula 500 championship.

The Formula Vee race boasted forty-four starters. Brad Stout, Greg Buttrey and Roger Siebenaler all took turns leading the race. But it was Siebenaler in his Mysterian M-2 who led the most important lap and took the gold medal.

Seventh place qualifier Steve Cook in a Nissan 240SX spins on the first lap at the end of the back straight. The GT3 competitor retired after only one lap. Michael Cyphert in Toyota Paseo beat Wolfgang Maike by .628 seconds to take the championship.

E Production always has a large grid with tight racing. Number 52, Rodger Cook in a Mazda Miata ran with the leaders until he made contact with Grayson Upchurch in a Datsun 240Z. Initially, Cook only lost one position as the result of this incident but fell to twenty-second at the checker.

Al Beasley Jr. borrowed his father's BeaseDecker Mk1 to capture the D Sports Racing national title. Beasley qualified second but passed pole sitter Michael Reupert in a Lola AMW on lap one and led the entire race.

The entry list identified Ferrari of Houston and Kumho as Caroline Wright's sponsors. But it is the Enron decal that is most visible on her Ferrari 355. Wright started ninth in Touring 1 and moved up during the wet race to finish fifth.

Thomas Oates started second in Touring 2 but by the end of the first lap was in the lead. Oates was never seriously challenged and led all twenty laps on the way to his national championship.