MADISON, Ill. (May 15, 2016) – The SCCA racers were not the heroes on Sunday during the Mid-States Conference Round Eight on the Circuit of St. Louis at Gateway Motorsports Park.
The hosting St. Louis Region, with the help of Formula Enterprises racer Tom Muffler, put on Military Appreciation Day during Sunday’s races. Pre-race ceremonies included the presentation of the colors by the 12th district of Missouri Veterans of Foreign Wars Honor Team, with Senior Airman Denver Murphy signing the National Anthem. Murphy is a vocalist with the Band of Mid-America, stationed at nearby Scott Airforce Base.
Unfortunately for Muffler, he was unable to dedicate a win to the servicemen involved in the opening ceremonies, or those who rode in the pace car as part of the Wounded Warriors project throughout the day. Muffler, while racing for the class lead on Saturday, crashed out of the race, and couldn’t continue on Sunday. David Proudfoot took the Formula Enterprises win in Muffler’s class.
On the track, the Super Touring Lite race was the top class fight for the day, with Cliff Ira coming out just ahead of Brian Laughlin. The rematch of the 2014 SCCA Runoffs presented by Garmin VIRB at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca played out in much the same fashion, with the two working through the busiest group of the day.
Ira pulled a lead in the Fira Motorsports Acura Integra GSX, but the heavy traffic allowed Laughlin’s Tulsa Radiology Associates/Mazda/Hoosier/Jesse Prather Motorsports Mazda Miata to close back up. Following a lap 11 full course caution and a lap 16 restart, Laughlin took the lead onto the banking temporarily, only to see Ira reclaim the lead through the infield section.
Laughlin almost saw it all go away just a couple of laps later, getting crossed up by a lapped car and running into the grass. Laughlin collected it, and then once again reeled Ira in.
Laughlin’s last chance came on the final lap as the pair left the infield section and climbed onto the banking for the run to the finish line. Laughlin dove to the inside in the final infield corner, running side by side with Ira onto the banking. Ira got the better run, and beat the Miata around the banking for the class win.
Jim Drago piloted his East Street Mazda Miata to his second win of the weekend after following Max Nufer’s Nufer Race Engineering Miata early in the race. A bobble by Nufer helped Drago move around to the lead, but soon had Tom Scheifler’s Miata right on his tail. Drago and Scheifler battled to the finish, with Drago crossing just 0.325-second in the lead. Drago later added to his win total with a Touring 4 victory.
The Mid-States Majors Tour continues at Pueblo Motorsports Park on May 28-29 with rounds nine and 10 of the Championship.
More information on the weekend and the U.S. Majors Tour, including results, can be found at SCCA.com.
MADISON, Ill. – Provisional results from Sunday’s SCCA Mid-States Majors Tour Round Eight on the Circuit of St. Louis at Gateway Motorsports Park.
American Sedan: Phillip Smith, New Albany, Ohio, Chevrolet Camaro
B-Spec: David Daughtery, Fortville, Ind., Honda Fit
E Production: Mark Weber, St. Louis, Mo., Mazda Miata
F Production: Eric Prill, Topeka, Kan., Mazda Miata
H Production: Chris Albin, Maryland Heights, Mo., Volkswagen Golf GTI
Formula 500: James Weida, West Lafayette, Ind., Scorpion W1/Rotax
Formula Atlantic: James Wright, Glencoe, Mo., Swift DB-4
Formula Enterprises: David Proudfoot, St. Louis, Mo., Formula Enterprises/Ford
Formula F: David Livingston, Lexington, Tenn., Spectrum 14H/Honda
Formula Mazda: Larry Howard, Kansas City, Mo., Formula Mazda
Formula Vee: Adam Jennerjahn, Hartford City, Ind., Vortech/Volkswagen
GT-2: Tom Patton, Hamilton, Ohio, Sunbeam Tiger
GT-3: George Walker, Tulsa, Okla., Mazda Miata
GT-Lite: Steve Sargis, Frankfort, Ill., Triumph Spitfire
Super Touring Lite: Cliff Ira, Kansas City, Mo., Acura Integra
Spec Miata: Jim Drago, Memphis, Tenn., Mazda Miata
Spec Racer Ford: Steven Rehkemper, Chicago, Ill., Spec Racer Ford
Spec Racer Ford Gen 3: Richard Wiese, Chesterfield, Mo., Spec Racer Ford
Touring 1: Michael Pettiford, Louisville, Colo., Chevrolet Corvette
Touring 2: Michael Pettiford, Louisville, Colo., Pontiac Solstice GXP
Touring 3: David Muramoto, Aurora, Colo., Nissan 350Z
Touring 4: Jim Drago, Memphis, Tenn., Mazda Miata
