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SCCA: Walker wins crash-shortened F Production Runoffs contest

Sunday, 25 Sep 2016
ABOVE: John Walker won Sunday’s F Production race at the SCCA
Tire Rack pole-starting driver John Walker, of Richland, Mich., took the F Production lead in his No. 5 Walker Racing Lotus Super Seven going into the Keyhole at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on lap 10 and was later crowned class National Champion when an accident just moments later ultimately brought the race to an early end at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs presented by Garmin VIRB.
Eric Prill, of Topeka, Kan., finished second in his No. 7 MaxtonsFight.org/JPM/Hoosier Mazda Miata, and Charlie Campbell, of Corry, Pa., was third in the No. 89 Hoosier/Carbotech/JPM Mazda Miata.

"It feels great to win," Walker said. "I am just trying to figure out that this actually just happened! It was just about late last night when I finally accepted that I put it on pole after seven or eight laps. It's nice to kind of come full circle, my Dad grew up 20 miles from here and we have always kind of considered Mid-Ohio home. To come here and get the first Runoffs pole and win in the Lotus is very special."
Walker made what proved to be the winning pass for the lead on the No. 77 Huffaker Engineering/Hoosier MG Midget of Joe Huffaker, of Petlauma, California, going into the Keyhole on Lap 10.
Seconds later, as Walker and the other leaders raced through the Keyhole and down the Mid-Ohio back straight, Steve Hussey, of Capitola, Calif., also tried to move by Huffaker in his No. 37 LinnSpeed/Teknik Lotus Super Seven.
Hussey and Huffaker touched right at the fast "kink" section of the straight and both cars spun off course. Huffaker's Midget made contact with the wall on the right side of the track while Hussey's Lotus had a hard impact with the safety barriers on the left side of the track.
Huffaker exited the Midget uninjured while Hussey was transported to a Columbus-area hospital.
A full-course caution was shown for the incident and, after circulating for a few laps behind the pace car, the field was shown a black flag and guided into the pits. The checkered flag was shown a few minutes later when it was determined track repairs couldn't be completed within the race time limit.
Prill jumped from third to second at the race start and ran in the runner-up slot until both Walker and Hussey passed him just before the race-ending incident.
"It was a crazy race, it was a lot of fun, but I just really hope Steve is OK," Prill said. "I got a really great start but I later made a little tactical error going into the Keyhole. That opened the door for John (Walker) to go inside of me, he got Joe (Huffaker) for the lead at the same time, and then the wreck happened. But it was another solid run with this car and I am very happy to again be on the podium with the car in one piece."
Campbell started sixth but was up to fourth by lap two and battling in the lead pack.
"I didn't get a good start really but managed to work up a little bit farther," Campbell said. "I was just kind of hanging back a little bit, Hussey got by me, I tried to figure out a way to get back by him and finally did, but then time kind of ran a little bit short. For the most part, I think everybody played well together, and I certainly hope that Steve is OK, our thoughts are with him."
Huffaker led the first nine race laps after charging from fifth to first at the race start.
"I had no idea where Huffaker came from," Walker said. "I never heard him, I never saw him but all of a sudden he was in the lead. He was definitely holding us up a little bit, but everybody was so close, it was hard to make a move. I was just biding my time waiting or an opportunity to open up and it did, just in time."
Kevin Ruck, of Pearsall, Texas, finished fourth in the No. 73 Hoosier/Honda Performance Development Acura Integra, and Peter Morton was fifth in his Creative Threads/Austin & Hayley Lotus Super Seven.
The Sunoco Hard Charger Award went to Brian Linn who improved 12 positions in his No. 21 Hoosier/Carbotech/Red Line Oil MG Midget to finish ninth.