RACE: National Runoffs: Monday qualifying report

Sunny Skies and Thunderstorms Open First Day of SCCA Runoffs

TOPEKA, Kan. (Oct. 6, 2008) -- The first day of qualifying for the 45th Annual SCCA National Championship Runoffs® began like a late summer day, but ended like a bitter fall one. While the classes lucky enough to qualify in the morning ran under warm, sunny conditions, a thunderstorm, which moved in over the lunch hour, discouraged many drivers from taking to Heartland Park Topeka in the afternoon.

In the first session of the day, defending Touring 2 National Champion Don Knowles, of Pittsboro, N.C., put his No. 35 Phoenix/Hoosier/Hawk/iRacing.com Pontiac Solstice GXP on the provisional Touring 2 pole. Knowles' lap of 1:44.957 (85.831 mph) is under the existing Runoffs lap record.

Another defending National Champion, Mike Miserendino, of Los Angeles, Calif., started his quest for a three-peat Spec Racer Ford title, by placing his No. 11 MBI Racing SRF on the provisional pole. Miserendino entered a time of 1:47.754 (83.524 mph).

In the 38-car strong Formula Vee field, Bob Neumeister, of Pueblo, Colo., currently sits atop the grid. Driving the No. 94 Hoosier Tire/RedLine Oil VW, Neumeister turned a 1:47.811 (83.479 mph).

Currently leading the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup standings, Eric Foss, of Fort Worth, Texas, is the provisional polesitter for Spec Miata with a lap of 1:52.670 (79.879 mph) in the No. 28 Team Saferacer Mazda Miata.

The rain came down particularly hard on the GT-3 qualifying session, but Michael Cyphert, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and Jim Valdez, of Denver, Colo., weren't afraid to brave the conditions. Cyphart entered the faster time in his No. 76 Red Line Oil/Toyota/TRD Toyota Celica, a 2:58.382 (50.453 mph).

Qualifying continues tomorrow, Oct. 9, at 8 a.m. (CDT). The Runoffs schedule, entry lists, full results and live timing are all available at www.scca.com/runoffs.

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SCCA National Championship Runoffs qualifying leaders after day one, with class, driver name, driver hometown, car and pole time. Asterisks located after the time indicates a lap under the existing qualifying record. All results are provisional.

D Sports Racing, Bill Gendron, Monson, Mass., Dragon Sr2 Suzuki, 2:30.173, 59.931 mph

E Production, Greg Ira, Plantation, Fla., Datsun 240-Z, 1:42.754, 87.588 mph

Formula 500, Clint McMahan, Covington, Ga., McMahan FDS001 Rotax, 1:56.714, 77.112 mph

Formula Continental, Niki Coello, East Troy, Wis., Van Diemen RF-01 Ford, 1:30.848, 99.066 mph

Formula Ford, Jeremy Treadway, Putnam Station, N.Y., Swift DB6 Ford, 1:51.380, 80.804 mph

Formula Mazda, Jamie Sloan, Tucson, Ariz., Star Formula Mazda, 1:32.698*, 97.089 mph

Formula Vee, Bob Neumeister, Pueblo, Colo., Vortech VW, 1:47.811, 83.479 mph

GT-2, James Goughary, Houston, Texas, Nissan 350Z, 1:37.536*, 92.174 mph

GT-3, Michael Cyphert, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Toyota Celica, 2:58.382, 50.453 mph

GT-Lite, Chris Bovis, Lawrence, Kan., Honda CRX, 2:03.013, 73.163 mph

H Production, Jay Griffin, Titusville, Fla., Honda Civic Si, 2:08.300, 70.148 mph

Showroom Stock C, Ian Stewart, Orlando, Fla., Honda Civic Si, 2:18.857, 64.815 mph

Spec Miata, Eric Foss, Fort Worth, Texas, Mazda Miata, 1:52.670, 79.879 mph

Spec Racer Ford, Mike Miserendino, Los Angeles, Calif., Spec Racer Ford, 1:47.754, 83.524 mph

Sports 2000, Jeffrey Wayland, Ontario, N.Y., Carbir CS2 Ford, 2:07.917, 70.358 mph

Touring 1, Andrew Aquilante, Chester Springs, Pa., Chevrolet Corvette C6, 1:57.849, 76.369 mph

Touring 2, Don Knowles, Pittsboro, N.C., Pontiac Solstice GXP, 1:44.857*, 85.831 mph

Touring 3, Rob Hines, Arlington, Va., Honda S2000, 1:49.589, 82.125 mph

-credit: scca