Rush Motorsport and Toyo Tires Swept Podium:

After a long 3 months summer break, we were back in full force on Labor Day weekend at Buttonwillow Raceway for Cal Club's Fall Classic. 20+ Spec Miatas all hungry and thirsty showed up for the inaugural race using the new Buttonhook counter clockwise configuration 25A. Everyone loved the new turn, which makes a track a little bit more technical. In a Spec Miata with limited power, Zoom Zoom is measured by the number of turns we get.

 

Saturday saw the Rush Motorsport prepped cars of Don Thibaut and Clement Lee on the front row followed closely behind by Andrew Staveley and Jonathan Christian. The front rows made it through the first corner cleanly but Robert Davis was bumped from behind and was turned around abrubtly. Fortunately the rest of the field managed to take evasive action and avoided contact. The front four rounded magic mountain uneventfully but next SM went straight off throwing up a big closed of dust. While Don and Clement had a clear road in front of them, Jonathan is giving Andrew Staveley a run for his money down the back straight. Now mind you, we have not yet finished the first lap and the battle was already heating up. Andrew Staveley was carrying quite a bit of speed at the end of the back straight that he had to go rally cross going into the grapevine. Somehow Andrew managed to crawl back onto the track and stayed in front of Jonathan. With Jonathan right behind, Andrew got into the new Buttonhook Offramp too hot and slid off. As Jonathan slipped through, he is now in hot pursuit of the first 2 cars. Don, Clement and Jonathan circulated in that formation for those first couple laps.

Jonathan had a run on Clement coming out of Magic Mountain and closed right up on his draft coming out of Riverside and easily slinged shot pass coming down the back straight. Clement not loosing any time tucked in right behind. Jonathan was now in hot pursuit of Don while Clement was not letting them get away, each seperated by just a few car lengths. The running order remained status quo like that for a couple more laps until Jonathan carried too much speed at the end of the back straight going into the grapevine and slid off momentarily much like Andrew did earlier. Immediately, Clement took advantage of the situation and recliamed second spot. Jonathan said his car was vibrating badly after the off course excursion and so pitted after another lap or so and handing the postition back to Andrew Staveley.

While the Rush Motorsport cars of Don Thibaut and Clement Lee continued in that fashion for the remainder of the race and finished 1st and 2nd respectively with Andrew Staveley in 3rd, all running on Toyo Tires, a fierce battle developed for 4th with Robert Davis edging out Alan Leukhardt by less than 1/2 second. A fierce dog fight for 6th ended with Steve Bottom ahead of Brian Linn and Greg Gregory, those 3 seperated also by less than 1/2 second with Kevin Haywood trailing just a tad behind. Exactly what Spec Miata was all about, racing everywhere!
 

Sunday saw another beautiful fall day in Buttonwillow. While Don qualified on pole again, Jonathan seperated the Rush Motorsport cars to claim the outside front row, pushing Clement to the second row with Bob Wright in 4th on the outside. The start was more orderly with everyone make through the first corners without incident. Robert Davis again made a strong start to begin his quest up to the front. Meanwhile Jonathan and Don was nose to tail going into Star Mazda, with Jonathan almost pulling even going into Magic Mountain. Clement hung back just a couple car lengths to watch the show. Clement was chasing Jonathan who in turn was chasing Don for the lead. They remained in that order for 6 laps or so, with Clement closing in on Jonathan ever so slight with each lap.

By lap 6, coming down the back straight, Clement was now nose to tail on Jonathan. A back marker made it a bit more challenging navigating through the Grapevine and the left-right-left Cotton Corners combination. Clement kept his nose planted right behind Jonathan as they zoomed pass the pit straight, off into the esses and into Star Mazda. While Jonathan took a defensive line, Clement had a better run out of Star Mazda and managed to pull just ahead on the right hander approaching Magic Mountain. Jonathan, immediately tucked in behind clement's draft coming over Magic Mountain as they headed into Riverside. Drafting Nascar style, Jonathan timed his sling shot manauver to perfection and zoomed zoomed by Clement with ease exiting Riverside. As the pair head down the back straight, Clement tucked back in tight behind Jonathan. They continued nose to tail through the Grapevine and Cotton Corners combination. Jonathan overcooked it just a bit going into the new Buttonhook Offramp and went wide. That was all Clement needed to get through and to pull out several car lengths lead over Jonathan. In the span of a lap, actually more like half a lap, Clement and Jonathan swapped positions 3 times. That was why Spec Miata races could be so much fun.

Jonathan continue on for another lap of so before he had to drop out due to mechanical problems. With Don ahead in the distance, and no one closing in, Don and Clement continued to circulate in 1-2 again for the remaining laps. Meanwhile, another tight battle for 3rd ensued with Robert Davis edging out ahead of Bob Wright by less than 3/10th while Steve Bottom crossed the line in front of Brian Linn for 5th by about a second.

In the end, Don Thibaut and Clement Lee finshed in 1st and 2nd respectively. Robert Davis' ride was found to be just a tad underweight on post race inspection and Bob Wright was promoted to 3rd, making a Rush Motorsport podium sweep for the first time. Toyo Tires again proved to be a consistent combination for the podium finishers.

Thanks to Rush Motorsport for a well preped car, Toyo Tires for their consistent tires and everyone for putting up a good show and an exciting weekend. Hope to see you all in the next event.