SBRS: National: Ricky Taylor Road America summary

Ricky Taylor Wins Another in Skip Barber National Race at Road America

Road America, Wisconsin (August 6, 2007) -- Ricky Taylor increased his impressive statistics in the Skip Barber National Series this past weekend, August 4-5, at Road America. In Saturday's race the eldest son of sports car champion Wayne Taylor collected his fourth pole of the season and second victory.

Ricky, who turned 18 years old on Friday, gave himself a nice birthday present. His qualifying time of 94.353 mph, which he managed on his own without a drafting partner, was fast enough for the pole.

"We had a real close race start," said the soon-to-be high school senior from Apopka, Florida. "I dropped back from first to third in the first corner on the start, then worked my way back to first. We had a full course caution on Laps 2-4 and after the restart I got passed by Reverie Greist going into Turn Five on the back straight. Under braking, I was on the right side, the opposite line of the curve, he braked early and I lost two positions. I worked my way back up and on the last lap and made a pass for the lead in Turn Five and went on to win the race."

Sunday's qualifying occurred in the rain and Ricky qualified fourth overall. By the start of the race, the track was drying and there was a dry line, however off line held standing water.

"I was running fourth and by the first corner lost one position," added Taylor. "I was going up and down in the running order depending on the draft. I was running with Reverie through the Canada Corner and thought I could get by him before Turn 13, but ended up getting pinched into the grass and got dropped back to eighth. By lap five or six, I had worked back up to fourth position, when the spindle broke on the suspension on Lap Six and ended my race."

The second race of the weekend was won by A.J. Riley of Wilton, Connecticut, who now sits second in the championship. The current points leader is Joel Miller of Hesperia, California.

Ricky, who won his first Skip Barber National Race at Sebring International Raceway in March, maintains third position in the points without a race drop. Competitors are allowed to drop one race from their final points scoring at the end of the season.

"For the balance of the season I need to go for pole positions and wins to get as many points as I can because it will be hard to catch Joel (Miller)," said Ricky.

It was a good racing weekend for the Taylor family as Ricky's father, Wayne Taylor, owner of the No. 10 SunTrust Racing team, collected a second victory in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series on Friday evening in Montreal, with drivers Max Angelelli and Jan Magnussen.

Ricky was recently announced as one of seven candidates vying for a scholarship from Team USA Scholarship, which will send two winners to compete the Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Trophy, which takes place over six races and two weekends at Brands Hatch and Snetterton in England later this fall.

The next round of the Skip Barber National Series will be held August 17-19 at Lime Rock Park in Lime Rock, Connecticut. There are three weekends and six races left on the schedule this season.

-credit: burnsgroup