Cooler Heads Prevail at Warm Watkins Glen Majors

Watkins Glen, NY (June 26, 2016) – With the warmest weather of the three-day weekend beating down, drivers Sunday adjusted to more slippery surface conditions and coping with heat during day two of the SCCA U.S. Majors Tour at Watkins Glen International.

Group 7 racers bookended the day, due to a change in Saturday’s schedule, with consistency being the necessary game plan. Kevin Boehm dominated both Super Touring Lite races in his BFGoodrich/HPD/Carbotech Honda Civic Si. Mason Meredith and Kenneth Mason were also repeat Group 7 winners in Touring 3 and Touring 4, respectively.

Group 2 had busy races this weekend with six classes under contest, meaning drivers had to navigate speed and handling variations amongst the field. This makes moving through traffic a challenge. Sedat Yelkin dominated the Formula Atlantic contest with a 27-second margin of victory in his Everclear Toyota Swift 014 over second-place finisher Mike Jaques in his K-Hill Motorsports/Hoosier Toyota Swift 014. Yelkin lapped all but three competitors, highlighting his ability to cleanly navigate traffic.

Tyler Kicera proved that versatility was necessary for success at SCCA’s highest level of Club Racing during Sunday’s Spec Miata race. Warmer temperatures led to slicker track conditions and closer racing. After winning Saturday’s 20-minute race, Kicera started on pole Sunday in his Kessler Engineering/TAIT/Carbotech Mazda Miata. After a full-course caution at lap five, Kicera gave up the lead on lap 11 to Selin M. Rollan, who held the top spot in his Apex Alignment/BSI Racing/Rossini Racing Products Mazda Miata until the last lap. That is when Kicera made a timely pass, forcing Rollan back to third behind Elivan Goulart in his S.A.C Racing/Hoosier Mazda Miata. Kicera maintained the lead through the checkered flag to make a sweep of the weekend.

Then there was Scott Rudolph, a Formula 500 driver who came to Watkins Glen seventh in the Northeast Conference points after a sweep at Summit Point Raceway. He continued his winning ways with another sweep this weekend in the Rudolph Brother Racing Javelin, which he designed and built. When asked if he was headed to the Runoffs this fall, Scott commented it wasn’t in the plan. But he just might have to reconsider after two strong weekends in the SCCA U.S. Majors Tour.

Rounds Eleven and Twelve of the SCCA U.S. Majors Tour Northeast Conference continue July 22-24 at New Jersey Motorsports Park for the Conference finale. Results from this weekend are available at scca.com/wgimajors. More information on the SCCA U.S. Majors Tour can be found at scca.com/Majors.

Watkins Glen, NY Provisional winners from Sunday morning’s 20-minute SCCA U.S. Majors Tour Round Nine race on the 3.4-mile Watkins Glen International, with class, driver, hometown and car.

Super Touring Lite, Kevin Boehm, Marysville, Ohio, Honda Civic Si
Super Touring Under, Matthew Rooke, Hoboken, N.J., BMW 325
Touring 2, Tim Kezman, Franksville, Wis., Porsche 997
Touring 3, Mason Meredith, Columbus, Ohio, BMW 325is
Touring 4, Kenneth Payson, Rutland, Mass., Mazda Miata

Provisional winners from Sunday’s 35-minute or 15-lap SCCA U.S. Majors Tour Round Ten races with class, driver, hometown and car.

American Sedan, Tom Sloe, Newbury, Ohio, Ford Mustang
B-Spec, Taylor Handwerk, Jim Thorpe, Pa., Mini Cooper
E Production, Kevin Leigh, Harrisonburg, Va., BMW Z3
F Production, Peter Morton, Milford, Mich., Lotus Super 7
Formula Atlantic, Sedat Yelkin, Austintown, Ohio, Swift 014
Formula 500, Scott Rudolph, Aberdeen, Md., Rudolph Javalin
Formula 1000, Jeremy Hill, Toronto, Ont., Photon VD07
Formula Continental, Chuck Moran, Oakton, Va., Van Diemen RF99
Formula Enterprises, Justin Huffman, Herndon, Va., SCCA Enterprises FE
Formula F, Neil Verhagen, Abbottstown, Pa., Honda Mygale
Formula Vee, Rick Shields, Bridgeville, Pa., VDF
GT-1, Scott Quaile, Copake Falls, N.Y., Chevrolet Camaro
GT-2, James Walker, Chester Springs, Pa., Porsche GT3 Cup
GT-3, James Ashe, Prospect, Conn, Mazda RX-7
GT-Lite, Kyel Disque, Philadelphia, Pa., Toyota Tercel
H Production, Stephanie Funk, Greenfield, Mass., Honda CRX
Prototype 1, Keith Carter, Calabogie, Ont., Stohr WF1
Prototype 2, Paul Omichinski, Burlington, Conn., Stohr 04D
Spec Miata, Tyler Kicera, Manheim, Pa., Mazda Miata
Spec Racer Ford, Joe Colasacco, Greenwich, Conn., SCCA Enterprises SRF
Spec Racer Ford 3, David Dickerson, Toms River, N.J., SCCA Enterprises SRF3
Super Touring Lite, Kevin Boehm, Marysville, Ohio, Honda Civic Si
Super Touring Under, Brennan Stover, Steubenville, Ohio, BMW E63
Touring 1, Adrian Wlostowski, Maspheth, N.Y., Chevrolet Corvette
Touring 2, Albert Nocerine, Shavertown, Pa., Ford Mustang
Touring 3, Mason Meredith, Columbus, Ohio, BMW 325is
Touring 4, Kenneth Payson, Rutland, Mass., Mazda Miata


Image: Sedat Yelkin shows the way in Round 10 of the SCCA U.S. Majors Tour Northeast Conference
Credit: Josh Ashby