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[h=2]Inside SportsCar Magazine's October 2017 issue[/h] Thursday, 24 August 2017


By Philip Royle









In the coming week, SportsCar magazine's October 2017 issue will mail to all SCCA members, bringing with it a preview of SCCA's largest road race of the year, the National Championship Runoffs.
This highly anticipated issue previews all 28 championship races that will take place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sept. 25-Oct. 1. And along with those races comes new operational challenges for the championship event that has more than 50 years of history behind it – namely, more than 1,000 racers have registered for the event, a record by more than 300 entries. Classes like Spec Miata and Spec Racer Ford Gen3 are expected to top 100 entries each, well exceeding the track's capacity and potentially forcing a "Last Chance Qualifier" on the Thursday, where those qualified 60th and back will race for the final 12 spots in the championship race.
But SportsCar's October issue Runoffs preview doesn't end there. Rather, the magazine features an in-depth look at two teams vying for coveted National Championship titles; one a Formula Enterprises racer named Paul Schneider who embodies the SCCA spirit, and the other an F Production team effort put forth by the Motorsports Engineering students at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.
Beyond that are features about the future of SCCA Club Racing's yellow flag rules, plus a program SCCA has become involved with placing military veterans in the hot seat at autocross events. Also included are the monthly columns SCCA members anticipate, including the much-loved monthly column penned by professional racecar driver turned Internet sensation Randy Pobst.
Members of the SCCA receive SportsCar magazine each month as a benefit of SCCA membership. The issue is available in both physical paper form and online through the member login at www.scca.com. Join the SCCA now and read the digital version of the October 2017 issue of SportsCar tonight.

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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.

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[h=2]Who will win this week’s SCCA Solo National Championships?[/h] Monday, 04 September 2017


By RACER Staff / Image by Rupert Berrington



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This week will see some 1,350 competitors gather in Lincoln, Neb., for the ultimate autocross showdown: the Tire Rack SCCA Solo National Championships. This past weekend already saw roughly 300 autocrossers battle for the overall win at the SCCA ProSolo Finale, with that event acting as an incredible preview of what's to come later this week.
Feeding more than 1,300 competitors through two autocross courses is a challenge, so years ago the SCCA opted to make the Solo National Championships a two-day event. Beyond that, the event is then split in half again, with roughly half of the competitors battling on Tuesday-Wednesday, and the other half seeing competition Thursday-Friday. A full schedule can be found here.
This year is also set to break the record for the most competitors at the Solo National Championships – a record set last year with 1,302 competitors crossing the line.
Despite an overwhelming 1,350 competitors battling in 80-some classes, there has to be some favorites to win, right? Picking winners gets harder every year, and more entries makes it that much harder. On top of that, there are key drivers who won't decide what class they'll be running until shortly before the event. But none of this stops the editors of SportsCar magazine from putting forth their opinion in SportsCar's September issue. That said, SCCA's official member magazine peppers its picks with a healthy dose of caveats.
"Annie Gill is our pick to win a class, we just don't know which class because at the time of this writing, she was undecided," SportsCar's editors wrote in the September issue story. "We have also heard strange rumors of Larry Woo running in STR or CSP, but without more specific information, we can't pick him."
Want to read more? Check out SportsCar's feature in its entirety in this free edition of the magazine's digital issue.
And don't miss the Solo National Championship action as it happens via SCCA's live timing and scoring plus video streams, both of which can be found here.

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[h=2]SCCA set to launch F3 Americas[/h] Saturday, 16 September 2017




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SCCA Pro Racing has announced plans for a North American-based series for Formula 3. Full details of the F3 Americas series, featuring an all-new FIA F3-spec racecar, will be revealed Oct. 19.


The series builds on the growth of the SCCA's Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda that debuted in 2016 and affords its racers the ability to obtain FIA Superlicense points. The F4 U.S. series' final two races of 2017 will run during the F1 weekend activities at Circuit of The Americas and the series champion will be invited to attend the Formula 1 Awards banquet.
This new F3 car will feature a new U.S.-designed and built Ligier Crawford chassis, developed by Onroak, and will be powered by a 270-horsepower Honda Performance Development version of the new Honda Civic Type-R turbocharged K20 motor (a non-turbocharged version is used in the F4 U.S. Championship). The F3 Americas series will run on Pirelli tires.
The new series aligns with the global FIA development ladder philosophy of using common components to provide a cost-efficient, reliable, and powerful racing structure as drivers ascend through the levels on their way to U.S. or global racing success. The announcement event on Oct. 19 will unveil the F3 car and provide preliminary specifications, as well as information on vehicle availability and ordering information.
"SCCA Pro Racing's introduction of an FIA F3 race series is a great opportunity for our partners and SCCA Pro Racing to reset the current paradigm of open wheel racing in North America," said Steve Oseth, Vice President/General Manager of SCCA Pro Racing. "Its introduction, combined with the steps above and below the F3 series, will work to greatly lower the running costs of open-wheel racecars."
Art St. Cyr, President, Honda Performance Development, added: "Our grassroots racing engines have provided the basis for many top-level racers and we're excited to continue offering the affordable and reliable Honda K20 Type-R engine as part of this series. It also helps to showcase the ability of our grassroots racing programs to support racing skills development, as the competitors progress through higher levels of engine power."
Max Crawford, General Manager of Onroak Automotive North America, said that "The F3 race series will feature the next generation of all-new FIA racecars, the Ligier Crawford JS F3, designed and manufactured in the United States, at Onroak Automotive North America's headquarters in Denver, N.C. The Ligier Crawford JS F3 is the next step up from Onroak Automotive NA's successful F4 car. The ability to design, manufacture and service the cars in the U.S. has always been part of Onroak Automotive NA's commitment to the F3 series. The design team in Denver, N.C., has worked comprehensively with the FIA on implementing all the requirements for the new generation of F3 cars, and this has enabled us to produce the new car at a level of performance and safety that leads the world."
Orazio Mastracchio, NAFTA Motorsport Manager for Pirelli NA said: "With more than 100 years of Pirelli motorsport experience and development for the drivers of powerful sports cars, sports coupes and high-performance luxury sedans, we're excited to be a part of this new F3 series, which directly ties into the learning and success we've had at the premier levels of motorsports."

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[h=2]SCCA Runoffs? Part 1: Production-based classes[/h]

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[h=2]SCCA Runoffs? Part 2: Prod and GT[/h] Thursday, 21 September 2017


By J. Michael Hemsley and Sydney Davis Yagel / Images by Mark Weber, Rupert Berrington


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When it was announced that Indianapolis Motor Speedway would host the 2017 SCCA National Championship Runoffs on Sept. 25-Oct. 1, it was obvious things were about to get real. All race season the buzz has been palpable, and the moment event registration opened in July, records began to break. This will truly be a Runoffs like no other. So who will take the gold? With so many people set to descend on the Brickyard, the task of guessing a winner is difficult. But don't worry, that's what we're here for with our annual – and debatably ill thought out – prognostications.
E Production, F Production, H Production
Looking at the current season, Joe Moser says, "With the help of Hoosier tires, King Motorsports, and most of all, my dad, we enjoyed an 'undefeated' regular season." In his opinion, "E Production never fails to produce top-notch competition, and we don't expect 2017 to be any different at Indianapolis. Everyone brings their 'A' game to the Runoffs." As Moser suggests, the EP race should be one of the best of the weekend as the field will be very strong. Moser lists Matt Reynolds, Kip Van Steenburg, Jessie Prather, Aaron Downey, Jon Brakke, Chris Dryden, and Kevin Leigh as potential threats to his championship attempt. Every one of them is a credible threat, and there are probably a few others out there who will be fast. In our opinion, this race will end with Moser on top, Van Steenburg in second, and Reynolds in third. But we've been known to be wrong.
Joe Huffaker is one of the few people who have raced at IMS before – he won the SVRA Vintage Racing Championship there in DP three years ago, and he's our pick to win F Production this year. He's optimistic about the performance of his FP Midget at Indy. "My year has gone very well again," says Huffaker. "I got qualified early and have been working meticulously on the car. Since running Daytona and showing an MG Midget can do 143mph around the banking, I've continued to tinker on the motors. Lots of testing here at Sonoma Raceway, which will additionally help for next year."
Huffaker considers "anybody with a Lotus" to be a contender for the win, although he also mentions Eric Prill and Brian Linn. We anticipate Ken Ruck to be in the mix, too, placing his front-wheel-drive car between Huffaker and Prill
Huffaker's also looking forward to racing at Indy again, "Just being there and taking in the IMS atmosphere was really great, especially with my dad's history at Indy." The only potential snag may be that he is racing the Midget in both FP and GT-Lite – then again, we are talking about Joe Huffaker.
Speaking of Linn, he's our pick for a three-peat in H Production. When asked about racing at Indy, Brian Linn responded, "I'm very much looking forward to going to IMS. It's probably the most iconic track in the U.S., although for the oval aspect. I really like that there isn't a 'home track' factor and it's relatively equal for all of us."
Linn has been running both FP and HP again this year, so it will be a challenge to be fast in both, but he's capable. As for the competition, he says, "Yaris, Yaris, Yaris." He thinks the track with its long straights and lack of elevation change is perfect for Jason Isley and his Toyota. But he also believes there will be a wealth of competition, mentioning Dan Meller, Vesa Silegren, Greg Gauper, Ron Bartell, Matt Brannon, and Eric Vickerman. He adds, "How can you resist the intrigue of Parker Johnstone returning to Indy?"
For our HP podium prediction, it'll be Linn, Isley, and Bartell; although maybe not in that order.

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GT-1, GT2, GT3, GT-Lite
The favorite to win GT-1 this year is Michael Lewis, while he attempts to shake off his second-place finish last year. "My past couple of performances have been a mixed bag, despite having a great time," Lewis says. Lewis and his 2001 Jaguar XKR hopes the few Trans Am drivers with experience on the track won't be too much of a challenge. "Like most drivers this year, I have no experience at Indy," Lewis points out. "However, I think 50-plus cars from three different classes running together every day will be an even bigger challenge. We'll swing for the fences as always."

Lewis feels like this GT-1 field is the toughest in recent memory, so the keys to winning will be finding the setup that will finish strong as well as start strong, plus making the least amount of mistakes. In our minds, Simon Gregg and Dave Ruehlow are capable of that and will finish on the podium – but that's not to discount the returning champion Cliff Ebben.
In GT-2, Andrew Aquliante will return to add another gold metal to his collection, and we think he'll succeed. After a stellar race with Trent Hindman last year, he hopes to return to the top spot. "If Trent returns, he will be the one to beat, but he told me he may not be running," Aquliante says, admitting that he'd relish the battle. "That would be a huge disappointment because last year's race was flat-out awesome."
Although he doesn't have experience in the same Indy configuration as this year's Runoffs, Aquilante has raced on all the pieces that make up the layout between running with Grand-Am and IMSA over the years. He also feels like the Trans Am drivers will be contenders in this year's race. "I think there will be more players up front than last year," he says. "I think the TA2 cars will be stronger with a less twisty track."
He's also not sure how he will stack up to the competition and chassis diversity. "I think the Vipers of Scotty B. White and Jonathan Start will be strong," Aquilante says. "If anybody comes with a new Porsche 991 Cup car, they could be the sleeper. Also, I think the 'traditional' GT-2 cars got some help this year, but Taz Harvey wasn't far off last year with his RX-8."
In addition to his picks, don't count out Tim Kezman or Chad Gilsinger in his new Acura NSX – we think these two will be the ones joining Aquilante on the podium.
In GT-3, Collin Jackson is looking to continue his impressive Runoffs record – in his three prior trips he's started on pole and won all three races. Despite his lack of experience at Indy, he's confident that he can manage at least a top three. "Testing and a consistent pace for the entire race will be key to me winning again this year," Jackson says. "My car builder, engine guy, and setup engineer is one guy, my crew chief Andy Pearson, and he's been with me during the past three Runoffs attempts. If there was ever a crew champion, Andy is it, and I think we'll get it done again this year."
Joe Kristensen and Paul Young are definitely poised to battle with Jackson for the win, but don't count out Chad Bacon and Rob Warkocki.
GT-Lite saw amazing racing at the 2016 Runoffs, and we expect more of the same. Michael Kamalian will be there, and he's looking for redemption from having to drive a defensive race last year after losing his rearview mirror. "We have the speed to outrun anyone, but being a tub car in a tube chassis world, we have a slight handling disadvantage with running the 13-inch tires," Kamalian says. "I'm also not the easiest on tires, so it will be everything I can do to keep them under me for the whole race."
His competition? "The usual like Joe Huffier, Kyle Disque, Chris Bovis, and Peter Shadowen are always up front," he says. We'd like to add Steve Sargis to that list.
This article originally appeared in the October 2017 issue of SportsCar magazine, SCCA's official member magazine, which mails monthly to all members of the Sports Car Club of America. For more information about how to join the SCCA, head to www.scca.com.

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[h=2]SCCA Runoffs? Part 3: Spec classes[/h] By Jeff Zurschmeide / Images by Jeff Loewe and Mark Weber


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This week we've been previewing the 2017 SCCA National Championship Runoffs, which takes place Sept. 25-Oct. 1, 2017, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. We've already covered many of the production-based and tube-frame classes, so today we look at the popular spec classes, namely Spec Miata, Spec Racer Ford, Spec Racer Ford Gen3 and Formula Enterprises. Who will win come race day? With no home track advantage this year, it's impossible to tell, but here's who we think will run up front.
Spec Miata
In the 11-year history of Spec Miata as a National class, Jim Drago is the only driver to earn a repeat National Championship. For the 12th year, we think that pattern will continue, and Danny Bender is our choice to wear the Spec Miata crown this year. Bender has run strong all year, taking the Sunday race win and fast lap time at the June Sprints, among other victories.
In the time remaining before the race, two things are on every driver's mind. One is that Indianapolis is a new track for the Runoffs, and no one has real experience here. The second is that with the 3,700-foot front straight, drafting could be critical both in qualifying and the race.
"That's one of the nice things about having a bunch of different practice sessions," Bender observes. "You get some time to try a couple different things. I've got a couple ideas on things I want to find."
Racing on a new track, drivers are looking for any advantages they can find. "I'm not going there to finish second," Bender declares, "so I plan on watching a bunch of video, and talking to a lot of the Global MX-5 Cup guys because they were there earlier this year. I want to see if any of them have some advice in terms of strategy. But we all just have to play the chess match and see how it works out."
Jim Drago will also be part of this chess game, and he doesn't plan to watch the race from the back. He's our pick for second place, and 2016 National Champ Justin Hille gets our bet for third place.
"I think Danny has top-five potential," Drago says. "He's a nice guy, [it's a] very good car, and he is driving well, but my picks this year would be Chris Haldeman, myself, or Tyler Kicera. Haldeman is driving really well and will have his car ready to race."
Not surprisingly, Spec Miata has a deep bench, and there's a long list of drivers who could pull off the win on this unfamiliar racecourse.
"There's definitely a few off the top you can just sort of pick," Bender says. "Obviously, Jim Drago will be there; other guys I think have a chance include Voytek Burdzy, Justin Hille, and Tyler Kicera. I actually like Adam Roberts. I'm a big fan of his racecraft, so I think he's got a chance to be a dark horse."
Just to hedge a little bit, we'll also add Alex Bolanos, Selin Rollan, and Michael Carter to the list of contenders. It's a new track and a very full field, so anything could happen.
Spec Racer Ford, Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, Formula Enterprises
The final Spec Racer Ford championship in SCCA history promises to be one of the most hard-fought races ever seen at the Runoffs. Defending National Champion Todd Harris has thrown down a challenge. "If they want it, they have to come and get it," he declares. "I really look forward to defending my SRF championship. This is the last one, and I plan on defending it as well as I can."
Harris will be hard to beat, but our pick to take that final win is four-time SRF champion Mike Miserendino. "I'd be cool with that," Miserendino jokes about his friend Harris' comment.
We also like six-time Formula Enterprises National Champ Scott Rettich for second place, and perennial contender Denny Stripling for third. But with Harris in the race, anything could happen. Everyone agrees that at a new – and mostly unknown – track, racecraft will be critical. "I think it will be like [Auto Club Speedway] where you just have one really long drafting stretch," Miserendino conjectures. "I think the draft will be very important. You've got to have a dancing partner for qualifying."

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[h=2]SCCA Runoffs? Part 4: Formula classes[/h] Saturday, 23 September 2017


By Tom Schultz & Sydney Davis Yagel / Images by Mark Weber, Jeff Loewe & Dave Green























This week we've been previewing the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, which takes place Sept. 25-Oct. 1, 2017, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. We've covered all of the production-based and tube-frame classes, plus Spec Racers and Formula Enterprises, so today we look at all of the remaining Formula classes plus the Prototypes. Who will win come race day? With no home track advantage this year, it's impossible to tell, but here's who we think will run up front.

Formula Atlantic, Formula 1000, Formula Continental, Formula Mazda
Sedat Yelkin, who won Formula Atlantic three years ago, is a bit of an unwilling participant this year. "I wasn't planning on racing this year but got talked into driving again," he admits. "I went to the June Sprints but my car failed. My good friend Kris Kaiser lent me his Swift 016.a and I had to start 18th and last. I was fortunate to finish fifth, then won the main event on Sunday. My own car – a Toyota-powered Swift 014.a – is slower than the 016.a, so I am working with K-Hill Motorsports, which is preparing a 016.a for me."


Yelkin has won four other times this season and will be battling perennial threat Keith Grant in the Polestar Swift 016.a. Grant has two wins and is unlucky to not have at least one Runoffs crown. He has a number of seconds and thirds, including last year, and should push Yelkin closely. Young Spencer Brockman has three wins, but has been driving an older Swift. However, he has shown good speed and can surprise. Dudley Fleck and Matt Miller are dark horses to be watched.
In Formula 1000, Alex Mayer was our pick to win last year, but it came a cropper at the start of the second lap when he dropped a wheel, spun, and clouted the barrier. Mayer wants to make up for that ignominy with a win this year, and we would not at all be surprised to see him do it. He has three Hoosier Super Tour wins so far and is the man to beat. He knows how to win, he knows what he did at Mid-Ohio last year, and he knows that he must make up for it. His JDR is ready and so is he.
There are some obstacles in his way, however. Foremost is Jeremy Hill, who has been fast and winning for a number of years in his Photon. He has not been to the Runoffs the past two years, but is back and ready this season. Joel Haas has a Piper under his control and has scored a brace of wins in the car. Kevin Roggenbuck wants to prove that last year's win was not a fluke, while Michael Beauchamp, Glenn Cooper, and Gary Hickman are set to challenge. The dark horse is Nicho Vardis, a steady winner who was third last year after two spins. He has raced only four times this year but has won all four and states that, "last year still hurts. I have to make up for that."
John LaRue intends to defend the Formula Continental title he won last year, but will undoubtedly have a hard time. The competition this year is stronger than last and should make for a tight race. Rob Allaer is a past champion who ran well in 2016, and Robert Arrington is compiling a list of wins. LaRue sees Tim Minor as perhaps his strongest threat. "He has two pro championships to his credit and has put in some time at Indianapolis in the SVRA pro race in June. Rob Allaer crawled into his car cold at Mid-Ohio last year and almost won, while Rob Arrington is a force to be reckoned with. "I ran at the SVRA event so the course is not new to me, although the configuration will be a bit different."
The dark horse is Brian Tomasi. He has won twice before, but has not raced since 2011. He may be a bit rusty, but he is a winner. Mitch Egner, Devin Leseuer, Tom Hope, Reece Everard, Charles Moran, and Douglas Rocco are all doing well this season and could conceivably figure at Indy.
For the Formula Mazda race, Jarrett Voorhies, who had a bad day last year with a very early spin and exit, is back and determined to rectify the mistake. "Last year I have to say that my mind was not there – I was not mentally prepared for the race," he admits. "This year I am more mature and feel much better and more confident. There are many good drivers in the race, but my biggest competition is myself. I must stay focused on myself. Having said that, anybody can come out of nowhere and win, but of those I think that Mike Anderson is one to fear."
And how is he preparing? "This is my first time at Indy, but I am getting plenty of sim time. At first I was slow, but I am getting faster."
Anderson has three wins so far, while Stuart Rettie has four. Both are poised to take the top step on the podium. Last year's winner, Matthew Machiko, has not entered as of this writing, but if he does, everyone should be aware. Brad Yake is the dark horse who may well upset the apple cart.

Formula 500, Formula Vee, Formula F
Our pick to win this year's Formula 500 National Championship is the 2015 National Champion Calvin Stewart. After starting on the pole last year and battling for the lead during most of race, Stewart was left stranded after a spin. "I'm looking forward to the biggest Runoffs ever," Stewart says. "Indy has always been on my bucket list, and I'm excited for this opportunity."
Stewart had planned to attend the SVRA race in June, but due to a mechanical issue at Mid-Ohio, he had to skip. It hasn't deterred his confidence, however. "I'm feeling pretty good, but it's not going to be easy," he says. "The competition is better than ever. It's a record field, and there are several teams that could win this year. Steven Thompson has a good setup and will be fast, Wiley Clint McMahan is always fast and could win, James Weida has experience at Indy and will be a contender, and Michael Meuller knows how to win and has a fast car."
We think that Russell Strate Jr., and Scott Rudolph have podium chances as well.
Formula Vee will be another edge-of-your-seat race. But five-time National Champion – and our pick to win this year – Michael Varacins is planning to take a different mental approach than before. "This is going to be an interesting event with so many cars and so many people," Varacins says. "It's going to take some time getting comfortable with that big of an event as it's not like any Runoffs we've had before."
He's up for the challenge, though. "We are bringing the same car we've been running over the years," he says. "We've done a few development tweaks to maintain the advantage we've had over the years, including running at the SVRA [Indy] event this summer."
Data from that event could prove vital. "I've been looking at data trying to figure out whether or not it's important to be fast in the infield or on the front straight," Varacins says.
Varacins feels like familiar front-runners Roger Siebenaler and Rick Shields could work together and be a big threat, as could Andrew Whitson. We don't think he should count out Charles Hearn, either.
In Formula F, with their pro series experience and success at Indy earlier this year, Zachary Holden, Jonathan Kotyk, and Yuven Sundaramoorthy are all ones to watch in this class. But you can't count out last year's champion Neil Verhagen, should he choose to use his provisional.
Rounding out other podium contenders will be Rick Payne and David Livingston Jr. Formula F will be paired with Formula 500 during qualifying, so luck will definitely play a role in vying for the important top starting spot in both of those classes.
Prototype 1, Prototype 2
Jim Devenport is the defending Prototype 1 National Champion, and he's on a run. He was third three years ago, second two years ago, and won last year. He has taken a route separate from the rest, running a French Norma M20FC powered by a 2.0L Honda K20 engine. This has been a top ticket against the motorcycle-powered cars.
Despite a CRB adjustment that has Devenport worried, he's still pulling out all the stops. "I've never run Indy before, so I will use iRacing to get familiar with it," he says. "The track does not have any elevation change so we should be able to get up to speed quickly. It is wide open as to who will win, but I think that Timothy Day and Jason Miller will be tough competition, although the Miller car has to prove its reliability."
A somewhat unknown factor is Jacek Mucha. But, with six second-place finishes in this class at the Runoffs, why is he unknown? It is simply because he has been absent from the Runoffs for the past few years. However, he has entered this year and will be tough. Mucha runs what essentially is a Formula Atlantic Swift 016.a with fenders, and its Mazda engine is powerful. While Devenport has nine wins this season, Mucha is right behind with eight. If Devenport is to be beaten, Mucha is the most likely to do it.
Our third pick is a fingers-crossed situation. Jason Miller has raced his Wynnfurst West seemingly forever and it has two characteristics. First, with its six-cylinder Kohler engine it is very powerful and fast. However, that is countered by its fragility. If it doesn't win, it breaks, and it has broken far too many times. If it holds together, this could – at long last – be the year.
Timothy Day has been winning in a Stohr and is the dark horse to get on the podium. There are hordes of Elans racing, especially in the Midwest, and any of them could be a factor, too.
In Prototype 2, Jeff Shafer won last year after a debate over whether to race his Stohr or Radical. He is going through the same drill this year. "I will do a back-to-back test of both cars so I can understand the strengths of both. I assume the Stohr will be preferred, but the Radical is quick and I am comfortable with it. I am still trying to get 100 percent in sync with the Stohr because I have only driven it twice and need more seat time. The field seems deep this year and I have only raced once, so I hope that I haven't fallen too far behind in development.
"I see that Sherman Chao and Tim Day are doing a lot of work with their cars and they will be quick," he continues. "Michael Crow, Greg Gyann, and Jake Thielmann can all win, too.
His strategy? Simple, he says. "The track is new to me, but it should be an even playing field. My plan is very scientific – go out and go as fast as I can!"
Sherman Chao was the runner up last year and looks to be in the picture again this year. He and his Stohr are fast and he can mix it up at the front. Students of numerology will note that Chao was third two years ago and second last year, so maybe this is the year. Jake Thielmann got a late start to the season but has won all four of his races since then. He was on pace for at least a second last year at Mid-Ohio before a spin near the finish ended that. He is eager to make up for that faux pas.
Tim Day is running and winning in both P1 and P2, and is the dark horse for P2. He can surprise. Bryan Yates is running well and also merits consideration.
This article originally appeared in the October 2017 issue of SportsCar magazine, SCCA's official member magazine, which mails monthly to all members of the Sports Car Club of America. For more information about how to join the SCCA, head to www.scca.com.