RACE: Valvoline Runoffs Day One Report

EIGHT RACES COMPLETE DAY ONE AT VALVOLINE RUNOFFS

LEXINGTON, Ohio (October 9, 1998)-- Day One of the 35th SCCA Valvoline Runoffs, presented by NAPA Auto Parts came to a close as nine SCCA Club Racing National Champions were crowned over the course of eight 19-lap, 45.6-mile contests on the 2.4-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Jim Goughary, of Ridgefield, Conn., dueled Tom Patton, of Fairfield, Ohio, before a late-race spin by Patton earned Goughary his first National Championship in GT-2. Goughary's win was Nissan's 75th SCCA National Championship.

In the newly-formed T1 Class, Eric Heuschele, of Oxford, Mich., cruised to victory over Joe Sulentic, of Pompano Beach, Fla., while Douglas Gamble, of Escondido, Calif., held-off Grant Carter, of Severn, Md. in T2 in the combined T1 and T2 Class race.

In the only formula car action of the day, Keith Nunes, of Modesto, Calif., maneuvered past John LaRue, of Muncie, Ind., and heavy traffic to earn the Formula Ford National Championship.

Thomas Reichenbach, of Livonia, Mich, traded the lead several times with Steve Sargis, of Frankfort, Ill., before winning his second career G Production National Championship. Bob Boig, of Medway, Mass., drove to his first E Production title, and his fourth production national championship overall, beating Grayson Upchurch, of Marietta, Ga., in a race that featured a huge 37-car EP field.

Ben Beasley, of Leroy, Ohio, scored an impressive C Sports Racer victory over Dave Ham, of Indianapolis, Ind., to win his first National Championship. In the wide-open D Sports Racer class, Travis Duder edged out Alvin Beasley, Jr., brother of Ben Beasley, in the final turn for his fifth National Championship.

Source: SCCA