 |  |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 |
Print
The 2005 American Iron East season continued on the last weekend of July at the always impressive VIR, running on the 2.25 mile North Course. After a very hot and humid weekend at Summit Point just two weeks earlier, everyone was hoping for some good weather to go along with the good racing. Saturday started nice and cool, but things quickly heated up when AI front runner Bryan Shugg raised the bar in morning practice by setting a new unofficial American Iron track record of 1:40.894 in his True Blue Performance/Cobalt Brakes Mustang. By the time the mid-afternoon qualifying session was over, Shugg was again up front on the overall pole with rookie Andy Kirby lining up second while setting the AIX pace with a 1:41.253. Lining up second in the AI group was another front runner, Beau Dunnivant in his Blue Oval Classics Mustang, followed by Scott Whitson, Christian Shriver, Don Smith, and Jim Pantas, who was back in the car while taking a break from running NASA-SE. Behind Kirby, the AIX drivers were as follows: Terry Killian, Stephen Jones, and Al Pyne. Andy Killian took the pole in the brand new AI vintage class with Nelson Grossnickle second. The race began with the always exciting standing start. Shugg and Terry Killian jumped out to an early lead with the rest of the field, led by Dunnivant, trying to chase them down. Shugg lead Killian for a few laps until Killian made a well executed pass on Shugg. Killian finished first overall and in the AIX class with Shugg first in the AI class. A solid run by Dunnivant brought him home in second, with Whitson, Shriver, Smith, and Pantas. Killian was never challenged in the AIX field due to second place finisher Al Pyne being caught back in traffic and Andy Kirby busting a power steering line while the car were sitting on the false grid. Andy Killian's wicked quick '65 fastback took him to a Vintage win. Submit Article |
