| Highlight of the
Weekend Highlight of the weekend turn out to be the final race
on Sunday, a Regional race held after the National race. Once again the
Christains brothers qualified on top with Jonathan fastest and Austin
right next door. The Rush motorsport cars of Don Thibaut and Clement Lee
filled in 3rd and 4th. Sammy Valafar and Chuck Matthews were next
followed by Grant Westmorland and Robert Edmisson. The run group was
once again mixed together with IT and Pro7 cars, all starting together.
While Sammy Valafar's car was found to be "non-compliant" earlier in the
day in the National race, he was allowed to finish off the weekend in
the regional race in the same car.
Austin Christian had a great start taking the lead from his brother.
Sammy Valafar powered through past field into 2nd place before turn 1.
Clement Lee went side by side with Jonathan through turn 1 and made it
past into 3rd as Don watched from behind. Chuck Matthews almost looped
it going into turn 2 but caught it just in time but that caused him a
few spots. Going up the Omega, Valafar powered past Austin to take the
lead and started to pull away. The Christian began to give chase, with
Jonathan going deep into turn 9, going past Clement Lee to hook up with
brother Austin. Lee wisely tucked behind Jonathan and in front of
teammate Thibaut. The 2 yellow Christian cars and the 2 red Rush
Motorsports cars were running nose to tail down the straight, reeling in
Valafar.
At turn 1, the freight train caught up to Valafar, the 2 Christian
brothers and Lee slipped through before Valafar closed the door on
Thibaut. Valafar tailed then powered past Lee in turn 8 to take over
3rd. At the end lap 2, the 2 Christians were on top, followed
immediately behind by Valafar, Lee and Thibaut.
The action continued as Jonathan took over the lead from Austin in turn
1. Once again, going up the hill at the Omega, Valafar powered up past
Austin. At the end of lap 3, it was J.Christian, Valafar, A.Christian,
Lee and Thibaut, all nose to tail down the straight.
Valafar got out of the slip stream and went side by side with Jonathan
into turn 1. Austin could not hold the line and put a couple wheels off,
allowing Lee and Thibaut to slip by. Meanwhile, Valafar still side by
side with Jonathan, motored around on the outside of turn 2 to take the
lead. Lee managed to slip through in turn 3 as Jonathan lost the line
going up the Omega. Once again Valafar motored away from the 4 pursuing
cars. And the end of lap 4, it was Valafar, Lee, J.Christian, Thibaut,
and A.Christian.
The freight train closed in on Valafar fast as both Lee and Jonathan
drafted past Valafar before turn 1. Lee led the train up and around the
Omega, down the hill, around turn 8 and 9 and down the front straight.
This time around the order was Lee, J.Christian, Valafar, Thibaut and
A.Christian.
Clement Lee continued to lead as Jonathan was content to stay right on
his bumper. Meanwhile, Valafar and Thibaut were having a battle of their
own as they went side by side up and around the Omega. That gave Lee and
Jonathan a slight breathing room as they pulled open a small gap. At the
end of lap 6, it was still Clement Lee in front, followed by
J.Christian, Valafar, Thibaut and A.Christian.
Now the SM leaders were coming around into lapped traffic as Lee picked
his way through the back markers. Meanwhile Valafar, Thibaut and
A.Christian took the opportunity to close up behind Jonathan. One more
time down the straight they come and it was still Lee in the lead
followed by J.Christian, Valafar, Thibaut and A.Christian.
Jonathan decided it was time to make his move and drafted past Lee to
take over the lead going into turn 1. Up and around Omega they went.
Valafar once again powered by Lee around turn 8 and closed up on
Jonathan fast as the train snaked through traffic. At the end of Lap 8,
it was J.Christian, Valafar, Lee, Thibaut and A.Christian, all still
running nose to tail.
Going into turn 1, Valafar drafted by Jonathan going and held the lead
all the way around lap 9, but Jonathan returned the favor next time
around to retake the lead going into turn 1 as Lee, Thibaut and
A.Christian maintained the status quo. Then Valafar got the power down
and got past Jonathan around turn 8 for the lead. At the end of lap 11,
it was Valafar, J.Christian, Lee, Thibaut and A.Christian down the
straight.
Jonathan once again used the draft to his advantage and took the lead
going into turn 1. Lee was right behind as he and Valafar went side by
side around turn 2 with Valafar on the outside, but Valafar had just too
much power and was able to maintain his position. Up and around Omega
they went once more as the laps began to wind down. Valafar powered
around Jonathan on turn 8 to take the lead, but that was short lived at
Jonathan once again made good use of the draft down the front straight
to retake the lead going into turn 1. Around they went once more,
everyone looking for an opening. End of lap 13, it was J.Christian,
Valafar, Lee, Thibaut and A.Christian. Valafar drafted by Jonathan going
into turn 1 to lead the train around one more time.
Down the straight the train came roaring by, and out came the 1 lap to
go board. Jonathan pulled out to draft past Valafar as Thibaut did the
same to teammate Lee going into turn 1. Lee went side by side with
Thibaut around turn 2 and got the position back from his teammate while
Valafar went side by side with Jonathan all the way around the Omega.
Jonathan maintained the lead with Valafar, Lee and Thibaut, Austin just
inches behind each other. Valafar tried to power through around turn 8
but Jonathan was making his car very wide. Thibaut tried to get a run on
Lee in turn 9 but Lee was making his car very wide as well. Flying
around turn 9, who would get to the line first? Valafar pulled out of
the draft right away and it was going to be a drag race down to the
finish line.
This was probably the closest finish in a long time, with the top 5 cars
separated by less than 0.5 seconds. The gap between 1st and 2nd was just
2/100th, while 2nd to 3rd was just another 1/10th second. Valafar
finished just ahead, Jonathan Christian was 2nd, Clement Lee 3rd, Don
Thibaut 4th and Austin Christian in 5th.
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