The Rush Motorsport and Onyx Motorsport team of Don Thibaut and Clement Lee scored a double 1-2 victory at Buttonwillow Raceway in both Saturday's and Sunday's race, running clockwise in the 1.82 mile West Loop (Track configuration #27)

Don qualified on the Pole for Saturday's race while I found 3rd, sandwiching Andrew in between. The green flag waved as we rounded Magic Mountain towards Star Mazda. Andrew and I tucked neatly behind Don as the #68 car took us around the first lap.

Click the following links  for WMV video.

Green Flag - 0:37 - 1.6MB

I tucked in behind Don trying to follow through but Andrew moved over. That left the inside line going into turn 2 wide open and Terry Chen did not hesitate to take up that 2nd spot.

Don out braked Andrew while Terry stole 2nd - 0:24 - 1.1MB

Heading towards turn 1, Terry tried to out brake Andrew, but his back end started to come around and almost collecting Andrew and I in the process.

Terry slid off track - 0:11 - 0.5MB

Both Andrew and Bob went wide into the dirt but came right back onto the track and resumed in the same track position.   We tried each other again the next time around, and deja vu.

With the pressure on Andrew, he missed the apex at Magic mountain and straight lined the through the dirt.  However I was not close enough to capitalize.  Half a lap later, Andrew myself and Bob arrive once again at turn 1 and guess what, like the movie, deja vu all over again.

Andrew and Bob off again - 0:15 - 0.7MB

Andrew straight line Magic Mountain - 0:19 - 0.9MB

Bob slid off again - 0:11 - 0.5MB

Then we caught up to traffic coming into Magic Mountain.  It almost turned into a melee as we mixed up faster cars with the slower ones.

Chaos over Magic Mountain  - 0:10 - 0.5MB

As Andrew protected the inside line going around Star Mazda, I was able to take a faster line and powered drive through the esses, setting up for a text book pass on Andrew at turn 1.

We maintained that position for the next 3 laps as I crossed the finish line just a tad ahead of Andrew. That was the first 1-2 finish for the Rush Motorsport cars.

Text book pass on Andrew at turn 1 - 0:12 - 0.6MB

Finishing ahead of Andrew for 2nd - 0:08 - 0.4MB

Race Day - Sunday.

It was a new day and Andrew stepped up his game by qualifying on the Pole. I pushed hard into 2nd while Don was just a fraction behind in 3rd. There I would start on the outside front row for the first time. Although the Spec Miatas had a split start, Andrew led a quick parade lap pace, no doubt hoping to close up and take advantage of traffic from the first group.

Immediately Don made a text book pass on Andrew going into turn 1 and took the lead while Charles and I followed closely behind. By turn 2, traffic started to play a factor as Andrew and Charles leaned on each other in order to get by slower IT car!

Don repasses Andrew - 0:21 - 0.9MB

Passing Charles - 0:11 - 0.5MB

Now traffic was starting to play a role as I was bogged down in Star Mazda. Andrew managed to close right up onto my bumper. Yes, he did let me know he was right there. Traffic forced me to take a tight line into turn 1 which caused me to drop two wheels off at the exit. That was all Andrew needed to slip back into the lead. 

Not loosing any momentum, I immediately tucked back in behind him and we run into more traffic going around Magic Mountain.

2 wheels off at pit straight - 0:14 - 0.7MB

Traffic at Magic Mountain - 0:10 - 0.5MB

Andrew got a run on me again coming out of Star Mazda and through the esses, but I got onto the inside early as we headed for turn 1. We practically came onto the pit straight side by side. Suddenly we found Jane's VW Golf, who had just spun, stationary sideways right smack across the middle of the track. I immediately went left to go behind her car, while Andrew took to the right in an attempt to go in front of it.

After going through turn 2 and not seeing Andrew in my mirror, I knew there had been an accident. Probably a bad one too. Coming around again towards start/finish, I anticipated the possibility of a red flag. But none was shown, so I guess the accident had not been as bad as I had imagined. With absolutely no one in front or close behind me, I dropped off the pace significantly. For the next several laps, I just cruised around. 

Jane VW sideways on the Pit Straight - 0:14 - 0.7MB

Then a full course yellow came out for several laps, presumably to get Jane and her VW back to the pit area. I was worried about a chaotic restart if the cars got bunched up, especially when you mixed faster and slower cars together, but thanks to our diligent track officials, they were able to keep the cars separated by a reasonable distance.

After the yellow was lowered, we circulated a few more laps essentially in formation. As the checkered flag flew, we celebrated our second 1-2 finish, making that a Spec Miata sweep by the Rush Motorsport cars while James Tilley finished third.

The 1-2 Finish - 0:11 - 0.5MB