RACE: National Runoffs: Final qualifying report

Twenty Five Pole Positions Set for 2007 SCCA Runoffs

TOPEKA, Kan. (October 11, 2007) -- Club Racers hit their stride and only a few pole positions changed hands in the final day of qualifying for the 44th SCCA National Championship Runoffs Presented by AT&T.

A day after scoring the C Sports Racing pole, Hans Peter, of Overland Park, Kan., knocked Tonis Kasemets, of Mundelein, Ill., off the Formula Atlantic pole by 0.023-second.

Finishing third last year in American Sedan, Jason Von Kluge, of Ann Arbor, Mich., has scored the AS pole in a Ford Mustang. He is followed by the Mustangs of Andrew McDermid and Tom Sloe.

In his first appearance at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, Michael Scornavacchi Jr., of Manheim, Pa., took the Showroom Stock B pole in a Pontiac Solstice with a time of 1:51.676. Although it's not his first Runoffs, Michael Varacins, of Burlington, Wis., took his first Runoffs pole in Formula Vee. Driving a Speed Sport AM-5, Varacins was the provisional polesitter after day one, before falling to second in the order on Tuesday and Wednesday, but finally grasping hold of the top spot today with a 1:47.520.

Tony Coello, of Palmyra, Wis., nearly stole the Formula Ford pole away from John Robinson, of Saint Cloud, Fla., in the final session of the week, but Robinson snatched it back on his final lap. Robinson's Swift DB-6 flashed to the top of the timing screens, 0.130-second ahead of Coello, as the checkered flag flew.

After losing the S2000 pole to John Fergus, of Powell, Colo., yesterday, defending S2 National Champion Mark Mercer, of Aurora, Colo., reclaimed the top spot in his Lola 91/90 by 0.789-second over Fergus.

Three-time Showroom Stock B Champion Don Knowles, of Pittsboro, N.C., will be chasing his first Touring 2 National Championship from pole. The Pontiac Solstice driver's Wednesday qualifying time held through today's qualifying, although Edward Zabinski, of Hallandale Beach, Fla., came within 0.129-second after switching from a Lotus Elise to a Pontiac Solstice overnight.

The first of three race days at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs begins Friday at 9:30 a.m. with the S2000 class. Live timing, lap notes and streaming audio for all races can be found at www.scca.com

The SCCA National Championship Runoffs® Presented by AT&T, The Pinnacle of American Motorsports, will crown Sports Car Club of America's Club Racing National Champions for the 44th-consecutive year in 2007. The best amateur drivers from across North America convene on Heartland Park Topeka's 2.5-mile road course each fall in what is considered the "Olympics" of motorsports. This year's event begins with four days of qualifying, Oct. 8-11, and concludes with three days of racing, Oct. 12-14.

SCCA National Championship Runoffs polesitters, with class, driver name, driver hometown, car and pole time. Asterisks located after the class name indicate a new polesitter. Asterisks located after the time indicate a new pole time. All results are provisional.

A Sedan* -- Jason Von Kluge, Ann Arbor, Mich., Ford Mustang, 1:44.590

C Sports Racing -- Hans Peter, Overland Park, Kan., Swift 014 Viking, 1:25.480

D Sports Racing -- J.R. Osborne, Castle Rock, Colo., Stohr WF-1, 1:23.910

E Production -- Lawrence Loshak, Milwaukee, Wis., Honda Prelude Si, 1:41.663

F Production -- Jesse Prather, Topeka, Kan., Mazda Miata, 1:44.546

H Production -- Tom Feller, Atlanta, Ga., Triumph Spitfire, 1:48.354

G Production* -- Chuck Mathis, Saint Jacob, Ill., Volkswagen Rabbit, 1:47.220

F500 -- Jason Knuteson, Danville, Ind., Scorpion S1, 1:36.843

Formula Atlantic* -- Hans Peter, Overland Park, Kan., Swift 014, 1:21.596

Formula Continental -- Niki Coello, East Troy, Wis., Van Diemen RF-01, 1:30.210*

Formula Ford -- John Robinson II, Saint Cloud, Fla., Swift DB-6, 1:36.863*

Formula Mazda -- James Goughary Jr., Jupiter, Fla., Star Formula Mazda, 1:32.873*

Formula Vee* -- Michael Varacins, Burlington, Wis., Speed Sport AM-5, 1:47.520

GT-1 -- Tony Ave, Mooresville, N.C., Chevrolet Corvette, 1:29.920

GT-2 -- Wayland Joe, South Barrington, Ill., Porsche GT-3, 1:37.551*

GT-3 -- John Black, Olympic Valley, Calif., Nissan 350Z, 1:37.704*

GT-Lite -- Joe Kristensen, London, Ontario, Acura Integra, 1:45.360

S2000* -- Mark Mercer, Aurora, Colo., Lola 91/90, 1:33.625

Spec Miata -- Andrew Caddell, Graham, Wash., Mazda Miata, 1:51.410

Showroom Stock C -- Joel Lipperini, Pittston, Pa., Honda Civic Si, 1:54.459*

Showroom Stock B -- Michael Scornavacchi, Manheim, Pa., Pontiac Solstice, 1:51.676*

Spec Racer Ford -- Mike Miserendino, Los Angeles, Calif., Spec Racer Ford, 1:47.531

Touring 1 -- Andrew Aquilante, Chester Springs, Pa., Chevrolet Corvette, 1:39.487*

Touring 2 -- Don Knowles, Pittsboro, N.C., Pontiac Solstice, 1:45.864

Touring 3 -- John Heinricy, Royal Oak, Mich., Chevrolet Cobalt, 1:47.258

-credit: scca.com