Northeast Conf. Gives Nod to Majors Champs

Northeast Conference Gives Nod to SCCA U.S. Majors Tour Champs

TOPEKA, Kan. (August 5, 2016) – The 2016 Northeast Conference SCCA U.S. Majors Tour has come to a close.  More than 800 challengers took part in Northeast Conference races this year, and the cream of the crop earned a Conference Championship.

Several Northeast Conference Champions earned their titles by just a handful of points.  Daniel Richardson, driving a Chevrolet Camaro, won American Sedan by 18 points over Tom Sloe in a Ford Mustang.  The margin of victory was 17 points for Ryan McManus in his GT-1 Chevrolet Corvette over Scott Quaile’s Chevrolet Camaro.  In H Production, 14 points separated Champion Johannes Krauss in a VW Scirocco from runner-up Thomas Broring in his Triumph Spitfire.  And it was only a dozen points that gave the Spec Racer Ford crown to Frank Vultaggio over Steven Spano.

Two different Northeast Conference Championships came down to a difference of 10 points and were claimed by Formula Atlantic pilot Kerry Jacobsen, in a Swift 016 Mazda, over Sedat Yelkin’s Swift 014; and Super Touring Under racer Matthew Rooke, in a BMW 325, over Chris Dercole’s Ford Mustang.  An additional three Championships were decided by only four scant points and went to Formula 500’s Russell Strate Jr., in a Rocketech R-2, who bested Scott Rudolph and his Rudolph Rb1; Prototype 1 ace Keith Carter behind the wheel of a Stohr WF1 who got the better of Alastair McEwan in an Elan DP-02; and GT-2 racer Aaron Quine who hoofed his Chevrolet Camaro to victory over the Corvette of Andrew Aquilante.

The closest title fight, however, occurred in the B-Spec class.  During the back half of the Conference schedule, Felix Borodaty and Taylor Handwerk, both driving MINI Coopers, went head-to-head at Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen and New Jersey Motorsports Park.  In the end, it was Handwerk that claimed the crown by one single, solitary point.

The Northeast Conference’s 12-round season began in April with Round One and Round Two at VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.  At the end of April, Round Three and Round Four took place at Summit Point Motorsports Park in West Virginia.  Then in May, the Northeast Conference was greeted by cold, snowy conditions for Round Five and Round Six at Pittsburgh International Race Complex in Wampum, Pennsylvania.  Round Seven and Round Eight were held at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio; and Round Nine and Round 10 in June at Watkins Glen International in New York.  And finally, the last two Rounds took place in late July at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey.

Conference points are awarded to the top 20 finishers in each Class.  Winners earn 25 points, and 21 points go to second.  Points are then doled out to others starting with 18 and descending to a single point for the 20th finisher. Only the best eight races count towards a driver’s point total.  Below are Northeast Conference Champions with Class: Name, Hometown and Car.

-American Sedan: Daniel Richardson; Derwood, MD; Chevrolet Camaro

-B-Spec: Taylor Handwerk; Jim Thorpe, PA; MINI Cooper

-E Production: Rick Kavitski; Freeland, PA; Mazda Miata

-F Production: Charlie Campbell; Corry, PA; Mazda Miata

-H Production: Johannes Krauss; Prattsville, NY; VW Scirocco

-Formula 1000: Alex Mayer; Harleysville, PA; JDR F1000

-Formula Atlantic: Kerry Jacobsen; DeLand, FL; Swift 016 Mazda

-Formula Continental: Douglas Rocco; Sandisfield, MA; Van Diemen DPO2-8

-Formula 500: Russell Strate Jr.; Alden, NY; Rocketech R-2

-Formula Enterprises: Justin Huffman; Herndon, VA; Van Diemen FSCCA

-Formula F: Neil Verhagen; Mooresville, NC; Honda Mygale

-Formula Mazda: Matt Machiko; Wexford, PA; Formula Mazda

-Formula Vee: Richard Shields; Bridgeville, PA; VDF-2

-GT-1: Ryan McManus; Westfield Center, OH; Chevrolet Corvette

-GT-2: Aaron Quine; Medina, OH; Chevrolet Camaro

-GT-3: James Ashe; Prospect, CT; Mazda RX-7

-GT-Lite: Graham Fuller; Martinsburg, WV; Honda CRX

-Prototype 1: Keith Carter; Calabogie, ON; Stohr WF1

-Prototype 2: Vincent LaManna; Ontario, NY; Tiga Lincspd SC80

-Spec Miata: Tyler Kicera; Manheim, PA; Mazda Miata

-Spec Racer Ford: Frank Vultaggio; Apalachin, NY; SCCA Enterprises SRF

-Spec Racer Ford 3: Scott Rettich; Columbus, OH; SCCA Enterprises SRF3

-Super Touring Lite: Robert Beede; Northampton, MA; Honda Civic

-Super Touring Under: Matthew Rooke; Hoboken, NJ; BMW 325

-Touring 1: Joseph Gaudette; Manassas, VA; Chevrolet Corvette

-Touring 2: Marty Grand; Manassas Park, VA; Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX

-Touring 3: Chad Gilsinger; Marysville, OH; Acura TL SH-AWD

-Touring 4: Christopher Collins; Germantown, MD; Mazda Miata

The SCCA U.S. Majors Tour is a gateway to the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, presented by Garmin VIRB, being held September 19-25 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.  Drivers earn an invite to the annual festival by participating in a minimum of three separate U.S. Majors Tour events and have a minimum of three individual race finishes, all in the same Class.  Competitors must either finish in the top 10 of a Conference Class with 20 or fewer participants, or be in the top 50 percent of a Class with more than 20 drivers.  Another route to the Runoffs is to score points in the top 50 percent of the nationwide point standings within a Class.

The Sports Car Club of America, Inc., founded in 1944, is a 67,000-member motorsports organization that incorporates all facets of autocross, rally and road racing at both club and professional levels. With headquarters in Topeka, Kansas, the SCCA annually sanctions over 2,000 events through its 115 Regions and professional subsidiary. Much of the SCCA’s activities are made possible with support from the following Official Partners: Chevrolet, the Official Truck of the SCCA; Garmin VIRB, the Official Camera of SCCA; Hawk Performance, the Official Brake Products of SCCA; Mobil 1, the Official Oil of SCCA; SafeRacer, the Official Safety Provider of SCCA; Sunoco, the Official Fuel of SCCA; and Tire Rack, the Official Tire Retailer of SCCA. To learn more, please visit www.scca.com.

 

Photo: Daniel Richardson claimed the American Sedan Northeast Conference Championship