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Round 7 CMC Season Finale Thunderhill Raceway Park October 29th – 30th , 2005 Highlights: - CMC Season Champion crowned - Perfect weather - Pizza and beer awards party courtesy of CMC - 3hr Enduro The West Coast CMC group gathered at Thunderhill for the final round of competition for 2005. The weather cooperated with clear skies and warm temperatures in the low 70s. Because of an enduro scheduled for Saturday afternoon, the schedule was slightly different than custom for this region. Saturday would start with a warmup/qualifying run, followed by a 25 minute race. On Sunday, there would be a 20 minute race, inverted from the Saturday results. Best time from this race would be used to set the grid for another 25 minute race. Saturday Warmup / QualifyingWith the expanded run-off pavement in turns 8, 12, and 15 since the last CMC weekend at Thunderhill, everyone expected fast times and even a new lap record. The track proved that partly true: many people showed personal bests, but fastest time in qualifying was still over a full second off the lap record of 2:03.9. Nick Steel grabbed the pole and qualifying point, and felt confident for the upcoming race. John Lundegard had a brake rotor hat crack, sidelining his car while the search began for a replacement. With the expanded run-off pavement in turns 8, 12, and 15 since the last CMC weekend at Thunderhill, everyone expected fast times and even a new lap record. The track proved that partly true: many people showed personal bests, but fastest time in qualifying was still over a full second off the lap record of 2:03.9. grabbed the pole and qualifying point, and felt confident for the upcoming race. had a brake rotor hat crack, sidelining his car while the search began for a replacement. Saturday RaceThe first race of the weekend would have a typical standing start format, with other classes in the group (AIX, AI, SU) following behind with their own flying start. Pat Stone displayed his skill and his nerves as he held on to the car on the outside through turns one and two with Nick Steel trying to keep the lead. At turn three Steel was now on the wrong side of an off camber turn and he wisely chose a more advantageous part of the track to grab the lead again and never looked back afterwards. The first race of the weekend would have a typical standing start format, with other classes in the group (AIX, AI, SU) following behind with their own flying start. displayed his skill and his nerves as he held on to the car on the outside through turns one and two with trying to keep the lead. At turn three was now on the wrong side of an off camber turn and he wisely chose a more advantageous part of the track to grab the lead again and never looked back afterwards. Brady Flaherty started strong, but a sparkplug wire failure induced misfire forced him to fade towards the back. Carson Scheller had an exciting moment as he slid off course on turn 10 and ended up half way up a five foot tall dirt embankment!A typical multi car battle ensued between Kirk Theis, Jim Griffith, Julie Bergman, and Mike Donahue. Donahue would eventually pull forward to a 3rd place finish, followed by Bergman, Griffith, and Theis. Tony Guaglione was taking it easy on a fresh motor, but late in the race decided to up his speed and pedaled the car to a solid 4th place finish. CMC EnduroThe group took advantage of the early finish time and set up three teams to run the 3 hour enduro. Carson Scheller, Mike Plum, and Nick Steel drove Carson’s 1987 Firebird. Brad Simpson, Al Fernandez, and Brady Flaherty drove Brad’s 1997 Camaro. Kevin Margetta, Tony Guaglione, and Brett Sciuto drove Kevin’s 2001 Mustang. The rest of the CMC field gathered to watch the race and help with refueling stops. This was a true CMC battle, only three hours in length! After three hours all three cars were only separated by one lap, with the Mustang of Kevin, Tony, and Brett up front. After 3 hours only 4 seconds separated Carson’s Firebird and Simpson’s Camaro!! Pizza and Beer Awards PartySaturday night the CMC clan headed over to Round Table to bench race and enjoy some well deserved pizza and beer courtesy of CMC. The CMC Directors presented a few awards to recognize some of the CMC drivers: Most Improved:Pat Stone Pat has improved tremendously this year, and his race results prove it. He is now consistently qualifying and running in the top five, and has scored several wins! Coming to Your Senses Award: Nick SteelNick took a year off from CMC racing to campaign an AI car. About mid year he picked up another 4th gen Camaro and came back to CMC. He was sorely missed and we are all very happy to have him back in our group! Nick took a year off from CMC racing to campaign an AI car. About mid year he picked up another 4 gen Camaro and came back to CMC. He was sorely missed and we are all very happy to have him back in our group!Rookie of the Year: John Stahlman and Roger Lundegard, Team Hillbilly Kirk TheisCMC names a Rookie of the Year based partially on points scored, but also based on participation, attitude, action’s on and off the track…in general a complete picture of the racer’s participation in the group. This year it was impossible for the directors to single out one driver. John, Roger, and Kirk have all been a great addition to the CMC family with their excellent sportsmanship and participation and they were within a few points of each other in their on track performance. CMC names a Rookie of the Year based partially on points scored, but also based on participation, attitude, action’s on and off the track…in general a complete picture of the racer’s participation in the group. This year it was impossible for the directors to single out one driver. John, Roger, and Kirk have all been a great addition to the CMC family with their excellent sportsmanship and participation and they were within a few points of each other in their on track performance.2005 California CMC Series Champion: Brady FlahertyBrady drove through some fairly adverse conditions with his car over the course of the year, and still managed to score the most points for the season, clinching the Championship before the last race. His on track skill is second to none, and the results prove it. This once again proves that you can win this series even if things are going a little south in the beginning, but if you stick with it your chances are right there to win. Brady drove through some fairly adverse conditions with his car over the course of the year, and still managed to score the most points for the season, clinching the Championship before the last race. His on track skill is second to none, and the results prove it. This once again proves that you can win this series even if things are going a little south in the beginning, but if you stick with it your chances are right there to win.Series Director and CMC 2004 Champion Tony Guaglione, proudly handed over the “CMC John Force Award” to Brady at the Saturday night awards dinner Congratulations to the awardees and to all the CMC drivers, crews, and most important families for making 2005 an excellent season!!! Sunday Inverted Race:The field made a flying start Sunday morning, inverted based on the previous day’s finishing order. Dave Dunlap got out front early and started stretching his lead. Julie Bergman and Nick Steel passed each other several times in one lap before settling on an order and marching towards the front. Flaherty tried a daring outside pass, but was pushed outside by Dunlap and put four off. Coming back on track, he made slight contact with Steve Sparklin’s Mustang. It was enough to push the Mustang’s quarter panel into the tire. Sparklin continued on but eventually the tire let go and he was forced to retire. Steel pulled out front and began creating a gap while Bergman and Flaherty duked it out for 2nd place. At the flag, Julie Bergman posted her best finish of 2nd behind Nick Steel. The field made a flying start Sunday morning, inverted based on the previous day’s finishing order. got out front early and started stretching his lead. and passed each other several times in one lap before settling on an order and marching towards the front. tried a daring outside pass, but was pushed outside by and put four off. Coming back on track, he made slight contact with Mustang. It was enough to push the Mustang’s quarter panel into the tire. continued on but eventually the tire let go and he was forced to retire. pulled out front and began creating a gap while and duked it out for 2 place. At the flag, posted her best finish of 2 behind .A little farther back, Roger Lundegard, back on track after having spent hours locating a rotor, was part of a big battle between himself, Ed Hamilton, Carson Scheller, and Kevin Margetta proving that it doesn’t matter what position you’re fighting for in CMC, its always a good fight. Dennis Smith and Jim Carroll joined the CMC race in non-spec cars to get a taste of West Coast CMC action. Sunday Race #2 The last race of the season was a standing start with the grid set by the best time in the previous race. Nick Steel was on the pole, and led flag to flag. Pat Stone made every effort to mount a challenge, but was relegated to 2nd place. Julie Bergman drove a very fast and clean race to finish 3rd and post her fastest lap time ever at Thunderhill! Newcomer Dave Dunlap drove a clean race to finish a personal best 7th in a non-inverted race. Mike Plum borrowed the new West Coast CMC Champion’s car to try and make up some points, but an ignition failure sidelined his efforts inside of turn 2. Carson Scheller took advantage of all the extra wheel time the previous day in the enduro to crank out some solid laps and tie his personal best finish in a non-inverted race, ahead of Ed Hamilton’s Mustang, John Lundegard’s Camaro, and Kevin Margetta’s Mustang.Wrap Up The season is over on the West Coast, and it’s been a memorable one. We did a first time enduro, and I think we will be seeing that again in the CMC future. Diversity is a major play in this series, and is only one of the reasons we continue to grow and have so much fun when we are all together at the track. A few short months from now the CMC group will gather again at California Speedway, until then…keep the shiny side up. The CMC DirectorsSubmit Article |
