RACE: Mid-Ohio Runoffs Sunday press notes #3

RACE #9 - SCA - was combined with Sports 2000 in Race #4.

RACE #10 - G Production

Sports Car picks: Dean Johnson, Triumph Spitfire Kent Prather, MGA Vic Skirmants, Porsche 356

Grid: Vic Skirmants, Kent Prather, Dean Johnson

LAP 1: Accident reported at station 5, just after the front of the field took the green flag. Several cars involved. Peter Rogers AH Sprite suffered body damage as did the Triumph Spitfire of Mark McAllister that ended up at station 8. Lap 2: Steve Sargis' Spitfire appeared to stall near "pit-out". The car was pushed into the pits. LeeFeineigle pitted with a flat right rear tire. Lap 3: Sargis' car restartet and he went back on course. The order is Vic Skirmants, Kent Prather, Dean Johnson. Lap 4: Prather got by Skirmants at station 8, who drops back to third. Larry Gallagher's Nissan roadster and Fred Thomas' Sprite spun at station 11. Safety car sent out to allow for safe removal of the Sprite. Both drivers taken to medical for checkups. Lap 5: Tom Reichenbach who was gridded 12th has moved up into 4th place. Safety car has picked up the field. Lap 6: Order is Prather, Johnson, Skirmants, Reichenbach and Armstrong. Lap 10: Green flag. Johnson tried a pass on Prather at end of the back straight, but didn't make it. Lap 11: Going into turn 3 Prather faltered and Johnson took the lead. John Snow's Fiat X1/9 reported steaming heavily. Lap 12: Snow pits with a blown head gasket. Lap 13: Skirmants takes over second place at going by station 7, and pulls away by station 10. Lap 14: Johnson pulls out a huge lead. Lap 15: George Bachman takes 5th place from Hugh Armstrong. Coming through turn 7, Skirmants, Prather, and Reichenbach are side by side! Lap 17: Prather passed Skirmants going into turn 3. Lap 18: Skirmants repassed Prather going into turn 8. Lap 19: Prather made a daring pass at going into turn 2 and reclaimed second only to lose it at turn 10. Dean Johnson wins his first SCCA National championship, with a margin of victory of 10.07 seconds.

Driver Quotes: Race # 10 GP

Dean Johnson - 1st "When Vic and Kent were ahead of me, they were holding me up. Once I got by Kent, I was able to pull away." "In the morning warm-up, the car was missing pretty badly. Since we didn't have much time, it was tough, but we managed to pull off the ignition and carburetor and rebuild everything."

Vic Skirmants - 2nd "If you added up the corners we (Vic and Kent) were side-by-side, you'd probably have two full laps."

Kent Prather - 3rd "We (Kent and Vic) each had advantages at different areas. I could get momentum through turn 1." "I always pull to the inside of turn 7 and make people pass me on the outside."