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Great Lakes FFR Challenge Season Opener
Lexington, OH. - Once again, the Great Lakes
Challenge Series opened its season at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car course in
Lexington, OH. And the weather, as in years past, certainly played a
major role. The weekend opened with a test and tune on Friday. Peter
LaRose, Brian Sanders, and Wes Holliday, sans car, were there first
thing in the morning facing rain and very cool temperatures. Neither
Peter nor Brian was interested in braving the elements in the first two
sessions. Around noon, Mark Dougherty arrived with Wes’s car and
delivered Bob Deeks new ST2 Roadster. Note, this car was new for Deeks
but is actually the rebuilt Challenge car previously owned and raced by
Mark. As Mark was parking the trailer, both Greg and Gregg Wellinghoff
pulled in. That made for a field of five Challenge cars and Bob’s ST2
which he ran in TT this weekend.
Late Friday the rain moved out and everything was
dry but very cold and windy on Saturday. All cars took to the track in
the morning practice. With the cold temps and the need to work out the
off-season bugs, no one set anything near a blistering time. And this
was to be the case for most of the weekend. Greg Wellinghoff, sometimes
known as junior, had lost an engine at the last race in ’08 and the
rebuilt engine proved to be uncooperative as he retired early with
overheating issues. As we approached qualifying, the temps remained cold
but the sun was shining brightly and putting some good heat into the
track. This qualifying session would set the grid for both races on
Saturday. The session ended putting Brian on the pole followed by Greg
(Sr.), Peter, Wes, and Greg (Jr.).
Due to the fact that this was Easter weekend this
year, NASA decided to go with a three race format, two on Saturday and
one on Sunday. Each driver would score their two best races towards
series points. This allowed racers to get two races in even if they
needed to leave on Sunday.
Race 1
As the Challenge racers came down to take the green
flag, Brian’s column of cars had all kinds of problems. This allowed
Gregg, on the outside, to take the lead heading into turn one. Gregg
would continue in the lead until lap four when he over-slowed for a
yellow flag in turn 1 allowing Brian to get right on him. Exiting the
Keyhole, Gregg took the inside on exit, to get beside a Corvette, and
Brian followed the ‘vette and picked up a bit of a “tow” to slingshot
past Gregg into the lead. For the next eight laps, Brian, Gregg, and
Peter would run nose to tail. On the last lap, Gregg tangled with an
overtaking SU car and in avoiding contact; he gave up the second
position to Peter. When the checkers flew, it was Brian followed by
Peter, Gregg, Wes, and Greg, retiring early again overheating.
Race 2
At the start of race two, Brian was determined to
not get caught up with the car in front of him again, so as the green
flag flew he moved left immediately to squeeze in between the slower car
and Gregg to snatch the lead in turn one. Peter had the same thought and
followed Brian and relegated Gregg to the third position by turn one.
For this race the track had improved greatly and Brian and Peter took
off and set some of the best lap times of the weekend. For the next ten
laps, there was never more than second between Brian and Peter. All it
would take is a small mistake by Brian and Peter would claim the lead.
On the next to last lap, Peter got caught up with an overtaking car and
had to avoid contact. This gave Brian the breathing room to cruise to a
second win without pressure. Peter still managed to hang on to second
followed by Gregg. Wes would claim fourth but not on the track. Near the
end of the race, Wes lost the car exiting the Carousel and spun into the
pit wall. Since he was facing pit-in, he simply pulled in and retired.
His car only suffered cosmetic damage with some rubber striping on the
right side. Greg Jr. sat out this race and traveled down to Jeg’s to
grab some parts to try to solve his car problems.
As the sun rose on Sunday, the racers were greeted
with even colder temps. The morning practice was a wash as the dew
formed overnight was actually a thin layer of ice on the whole track.
But with the bright sun, the track absorbed heat very quickly and by
qualifying, the track was getting very good. Sunday qualifying was only
changed slightly as Peter stepped up and posted a better time than
Gregg. Brian was still able to eek out a pole. Wes grabbed fourth and
Greg actually ran a session without overheating.
Race 3
Sunday’s race would prove to be the most difficult
of all for Brian. Peter was relentless. There was not a single lap that
Brian was able to run a normal line. He knew if he left the door open
just a little, Peter was going to sneak through. From the drop of the
green flag to the checkers, Peter drove a flawless race and in doing so,
made Brian do the same with one exception. Late in the race, Brian
locked up a wheel entering the Carousel and really got the car out of
shape. However, with a miraculous save, was able to keep the lead and
take the “hat-trick” for the weekend. Gregg was again third, Wes fourth,
and Greg retired overheating again. This time Greg stopped on pit road,
pulled the hood, and said he could see water coming between the block
and head.
One thing this weekend proved is that this is going
to be the most competitive season ever. Peter has already proven that he
will strongly defend his 2008 Region Title. It appears that Brian has
chased away the engine gremlins that plagued him last season. Gregg
(Sr.) proved he can run at the front. At the end of last season, Greg
(Jr.) was running well. Wes will come along as he gets more seat time in
the car. And Lyle Riggen, even though he was not at this event, has said
he plans to run the rest of the Great Lakes and vie for the
championship.
The next stop for the Great Lakes racers is Putnam
Park on May 16-17. But before that, some racers will travel to the
beautiful Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, WI to compete in the
Midwest Region.
--Brian
Sanders
Great
Lakes/Midwest FFR Series Director. |
