Father’s Day brought more excitement to Road America for the final stop of the 2022 Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour, this time for the WeatherTech Chicago Region June Sprints. In front of fans and families, each race ran a 13-lap distance at the four-mile “National Park of Speed.”
Spec Miata Showdown: The Spec Miata class opened Sunday morning, running all 13 laps green to checker to make up for an incident-shortened Saturday.
Travis Wiley and Connor Zilisch finished of Spec Miata veterans Jim Drago, Danny Steyn and Preston Pardus, leaving the pack behind to sort it out between the two of them on the final lap. That almost wasn’t enough, as Wiley crossed the stripe just 0.005-second ahead of Zilisch at the finish.
“The last three or four laps, Connor and I just settled in and made our marks,” Wiley said. “Going into Canada Corner I got really lucky and there was a good opening to make the pass. I got him down the front straight and luckily just got the win.”
Doing The Work: Spec Racer Ford winner Bobby Sak won Sunday’s race in a move that can best be described as “unconventional” – a pass through the Kink.
You read that right – a last lap pass in the Kink around then-leader Brian Schofield. How did that happen?
“I guess he got checked up going into six, so we got real close together and coming out of the Carousel he dropped two wheels into the dirt,” Sak said. I thought, do I go by him here in the Kink or do I push him? But I had to go, I had a run and we were side by side in the Kink.”
Sak swept the weekend, but Caleb Shrader took home the new Spec Racer Ford Gen3 track record on his way to a fourth-place finish.
Father’s Day Fun: SCCA is a family activity for many every day; but Father’s Day and beautiful weather brought even more families to the track this weekend. Count Steve Forrer among those who got to treat his children and grandchildren to a win – in Formula Atlantic for him.
“It’s Father’s Day, the whole family is here,” Forrer said. “Hoosier and K-Hill Motorsports did a great job with my car for Father’s Day.”
Old Home Week: Because of the family atmosphere, many of SCCA’s racers grew up at the race track. That includes, of course, IMSA President and this weekend’s Grand Marshal, John Doonan. That also includes racers like B-Spec winner Joe Gersch, who grew up going to the June Sprints.
“Standing up here, I feel like a driver that just won the Indy 500!” he said on the podium.
When You’re Hot, You’re Hot: The Touring group featured weekend sweeps in four of five classes in the race, including Charlie Peter (T2), Breton Williams (T3), Marc Cefalo (T4) and Anthony Piselli (STU).
While the others are veterans, it was a large step in the career of 20-year-old Piselli, who earned just his second and third Hoosier Super Tour race wins this weekend. Not just a driver, Piselli spent his “downtime” this weekend assisting in Tech, and has become a familiar face with the tech team at Super Tour events.
Back On Top: Michael Varacins has a handful of June Sprints victories to his name, and seven national championships at the Runoffs. But each and every one of those came prior to his retirement from the FV class in 2018, when he made the decision to try something new and move to Formula Continental.
More power and aerodynamics, especially as a small team competing against prep shops, has been a challenge. But the tides seem to be turning a bit, with a win in the Formula Continental class on Sunday.
Sunday Winners’ Circle: Below are provisional race winners from Sunday’s Hoosier Super Tour at Road America with Class: Name, Hometown, and Car. (*) denotes a weekend sweep.
*American Sedan: Andrew McDermid, Howell, Michigan, Ford Mustang
*B-Spec: Joseph Gersch, Conroe, Texas, Toyota Yaris
E Production: Jon Brakke, Scottsdale, Arizona, BMW Z3
F Production: Ken Kannard, Sebring, Florida, Acura Integra
H Production: Christopher Schaafsma, Wheaton, Illinois, Volkswagen Golf GTI
GT-1: Cliff Ebben, Appleton, Wisconsin, Ford Mustang
GT-2: Daniel Bender, Northbrook, Illinois, Chevrolet Camaro
*GT-3: George Cichon, Caledonia, Illinois, Mazda RX-7
*GT-X: Grayson Farischon, Arcadia, Oklahoma, BMW M4 GT4
*Formula 500: James Weida, West Lafayette, Indiana, Scorpion W1/Rotax
Formula Atlantic: Steve Forrer, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Swift 016/Mazda
Formula Continental: Michael Varacins, Burlington, Wisconsin, Van Diemen F2000
*Formula Enterprises 2: Bailey Monette, Milton, Georgia, Formula Enterprises/Mazda
Formula F: Tim Kautz, St. Charles, Illinois, Piper DF3D/Honda
Formula Vee: Steve Whitston, Hutto, Texas, Protoform P2/Volkswagen
*Formula X: Avery Towns, Allen, Texas, Formula Renault 2.0
Prototype 1: Jim Devenport, Alamo, California, Elan DP02
*Prototype 2: Tim Day, Jr., Scottsdale, Arizona, Stohr WF1
Spec Miata: Travis Wiley, Austin, Texas, Mazda Miata
*Spec Racer Ford Gen 3: Bobby Sak, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Spec Racer Ford
*Touring 1: Clark Nunes, San Jose, California, Chevrolet Camaro
*Touring 2: Charlie Peter, Olathe, Kansas, BMW M2
*Touring 3: Breton Williams, Clinton, Iowa, Nissan 370Z
*Touring 4: Marc Cefalo, Swoyersville, Pennsylvania, Mazda MX-5
Super Touring Lite: Danny Steyn, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Mazda MX-5
*Super Touring Under: Anthony Piselli, Mauertown, Virginia, Subaru Impreza
Photo: FA winner Steve Forrer was joined on the podium by his family.
