Spec Racer Ford Road Atlanta event notes

Schofield Sweeps SCCA Pro Spec Racer Ford Opener

TOPEKA, Kan. (April 13, 2010) -- Brian Schofield, of Lakeland, Fla., swept the opening weekend doubleheader of the revived SCCA Pro Racing Spec Racer Ford Series, April 10 -11 at Road Atlanta. Tray Ayres, of Woodstock, Ga., ran as the runner-up to Schofield in both races, followed by Richard Spicer, of Laurel, Md., on Saturday and Jean-Luc Liverato, of Alpharetta, Ga., on Sunday.

More than 50 Spec Racer Fords visited Road Atlanta for the 25th anniversary celebration of the SCCA Enterprises Spec Racer , which coincided with the revival of the SCCA Pro Spec Racer Ford Series at the 12-turn, 2.54-mile track.

Saturday's first race didn't disappoint. Polesitter Franklin Futrelle, driving the No. 97 Goodyear/Meco of Augusta/Red Line machine, fell back to ninth on the first lap, with Schofield (who started second) pushing into the lead. Schofield's No. 61 PM Racing Spec Racer Ford battled with the No. 7 Ayres Racing Ford of Ayres, swapping the lead on laps two and three.

Ayers fell out of the lead group on lap four, falling as low as seventh and giving way to a battle between Schofield and Spicer for the lead for the next eight laps. Ayers briefly jumped back into the lead on lap 12, and the remaining eight laps of the race became a three-way battle between Schofield, Ayres and Liverato.

Schofield was able to hold off Ayres and Liverato over the final two laps, edging out a 0.145-second margin of victory.

John Greene finished fourth in the No. 29 Jacky Jones Ford/Lincoln/Mercury Spec Racer Ford, followed by Scott Rettich in the No. 17 PDICommunSys/Springboro Car Wash machine.

Sunday brought more of the same, close Spec Racer Ford racing. Ayres sat on the pole to start the race, but was overtaken by Schofield on lap one. Spicer was the leader by lap two, with Schofield in front for the next two circuits.

Ayres, with Spicer and Schofield in tow, remained in the lead for five laps, before Spicer crossed the line first on lap 11. Ayres led the next three laps before the trio battled over the final six laps.

At the finish line, Schofield once again had earned a 0.185-second win over Ayres, with Spicer nearly 2 seconds behind.

Andreneau von Charonneau finished fourth in the No. 67 I Buy Gold & Silver Spec Racer Ford, with Rettich collecting his second straight fifth place finish.

The weekend was also the doubleheader opener for the 2010 SCCA Pro Formula Enterprises season.

In Saturday's race one, 2009 SCCA National Champion Nick Evans, of Powell, Ohio, cruised to a 6.056-second win in the No. 91 Jay Motorsports/BuckholzWall Formula Enterprises over Mathew Mair, of Melbourne, Fla. Rettich finished on the podium in the Formula Enterprises race, finishing third in the No. 17 HIPPI Racing/Springboro Car Wash car.

Rettich earned the win in Sunday's round two, cruising to a 36.743-second win. Rettich topped the 18-car field after Evans, Saturday's race winner, and 15-year old polesitter Sean Rayhall experienced mechanical failures.

Matt Schneider, of Lexington, Ky., finished second in the No. 31 Jay Motorsports Formula Enterprises, just ahead of Paul Schneider, of Charlotte, N.C., in the No. 73 Performance MotorCars of Charlotte Formula Enterprises.

Results and point standings are available at www.sccapro.com.

-source: scca pro racing