SCCA U.S. Majors Tour crowns Southeast Conference champions
Wednesday, 30 August 2017
SCCA / Image by Digital Automotive Depictions
ABOVE: Michael Lewis, driving an Acura Integra, took the F Production Southeast Conference Championship.
The SCCA U.S. Majors Tour Southeast Conference has concluded its 2017 calendar. More than 860 racers took part in the Southeast Conference's 12-round season that held court at six venues. Drivers who excelled rightfully earned a Southeast Conference Championship.
Spec Miata generated a lot of excitement this year in the Southeast Conference with 150 drivers participating during the season. Alexander Bolanos and Selin Rollan both earned 170 championship points, and each grabbed three wins. But Bolanos became the SM Southeast Conference Champion based on three runner-up performances as compared to Rollan's two second-place finishes. Michael Carter came third in the standings only nine points behind.
A couple production classes also kept things interesting in this year's conference championship. In F Production, Michael Lewis and his Acura Integra took the championship by only one point over Ken Kannard driving a Mazda Miata. Then in H Production, Leanna Wright and her Mini Cooper amassed 151 points during the season to beat the 150 points garnered by Ron Bartell driving an MG Midget. Bartell won all six of his races, but Wright cobbled together finishes in a total of eight races.
Only six championship points covered the top four drivers in the GT-1 class. Zachary Monette, in a Jaguar XKR, emerged as the champion with 120 points. Behind Monette were three Chevrolet Corvettes piloted by Simon Gregg, only two points behind in the championship; Juan Vento, just a single point behind Gregg, and then Paige Alexander.
There were also a couple tight open-wheel battles in the Southeast Conference. Formula Enterprises driver Quinten Nelson, guiding a Formula Enterprises Mazda, won out over Paul Schneider by only three points. Then in Formula Vee it was Donnie Isley, driving an Agitator 016, who claimed the conference win by just four points over Megan Gilkes in a BRD. Another four-point conference championship spread occurred in Touring 3 with Mark Kennedy and his Ford Mustang winning out over Todd Lamb driving a Mazda Global MX-5.
The conference began its racing season in early January with Round One and Round Two at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Next was a stop at Sebring International Raceway in Florida, an event which also was the opening weekend of competition for the Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour. The conference then rested in February before a second Hoosier Super Tour event in March at NOLA Motorsports Park in Louisiana. Round Seven and Round Eight were held at Road Atlanta, followed by a third and final Southeast Conference Hoosier Super Tour weekend at VIRginia International Raceway. Conference competition then took a break for two months before the season's last two rounds in early July at Roebling Road Raceway in Georgia.
Conference points are awarded to the top 20 finishers in each class. Winners earn 25 points, and 21 points go to second. Points are then doled out to others starting with 18 and descending to a single point for the 20th finisher. Only the best eight races count towards a driver's point total.
Southeast Conference Champions with Class: Name, Hometown and Car:
-American Sedan: Andrew Wilkin; Apopka, FL; Ford Mustang
-B-Spec: John Phillips; Sealy, TX; Honda Fit
-E Production: Kip Van Steenburg; New Smyrna Beach, FL; Porsche 944S2
-F Production: Michael Lewis; Cooper, FL; Acura Integra
-H Production: Leanna Wright; Murfreesboro, TN; Mini Cooper
-Formula 1000: Shane Prieto; Lake Worth, FL; Firman RFR1000
-Formula Atlantic: Spencer Brockman; Westport, CT; Swift 014 2005
-Formula Continental: Charles Moran; Oakton, VA; Van Dieman RF99
-Formula 500: Jack Walbran; St. Louis, MO; Scorpion 2006
-Formula Enterprise: Quinten Nelson; Newark, OH; SCCA Formula Enterprises Mazda
-Formula F: David Livingston Jr.; Nashville, TN; Spectrum 14H
-Formula Mazda: Shane Doles; Eatonton, GA; Star Mazda
-Formula Vee: Donnie Isley; Fletcher, NC; Agitator 016
-GT-1: Zachary Monette; Milton, GA; Jaguar XKR
-GT-2: Jorge Nazario; San Juan,
PR; Chevrolet Corvette
-GT-3: Bill McGavic; Arcadia, FL; Mazda RX-7
-GT-Lite: Michael Kamalian; Marietta, GA; Mazda Miata
-Prototype 1: Jacek Mucha; Highland Beach, FL; JMS016CP Mazda
-Prototype 2: Bryan Yates; Clemmons, NC; West WX10
-Spec Miata: Alex Bolanos; Miami, FL; Mazda Miata
-Spec Racer Ford: Thomas Panaggio; Tampa, FL; Spec Racer Ford
-Spec Racer Ford 3: Robeson Clay Russell; Spartanburg, SC; Spec Racer Ford Gen3
-Super Touring Lite: Nick Leverone; Mendon, MA; Mazda Miata
-Super Touring Under: Paul Azan; Miami, FL; BMW 328
-Touring 1: Hugh Stewart; Milford, CT; BMW M3
-Touring 2: Preston Calvert; Potomac, MD; Ford Mustang
-Touring 3: Mark Kennedy; Daytona Beach, FL; Ford Mustang
-Touring 4: Don Knowles; Pittsboro, NC; Mazda RX-8
The U.S. Majors Tour is one pathway to the 2017 SCCA National Championship Runoffs being held September 25 through October 1 on a road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana. U.S. Majors Tour drivers qualify for the Runoffs by participating in three U.S. Majors Tour weekends and starting at least three U.S. Majors Tour races in the same car class over the course of the season.