Shafer Goes Wire to Wire to Prototype 2 Win At SCCA Runoffs

LEXINGTON, Ohio (September 25, 2016) – A year ago, Jeff Shafer left his Las Vegas home and gambled on his first SCCA National Championship Runoffs presented by Garmin VIRB appearance in Daytona. He was just short in that first appearance, but finished in the money for his first National Championship on Sunday at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Sherman Chao, of Palm Beach, Florida, and Greg Gyann, of Woodridge, Illinois, finished second and third behind the race winner.

Shafer went flag-to-flag in the 23 lap race, averaging 95.261 mph on his way to a 20.140-second victory. His fast lap of 1:20.904 (100.475 mph) was 1.4 seconds quicker than anyone else.

“It’s awesome,” Shafer said. “I used to race quite a bit, and I don’t race much anymore. I did the minimum number of races to be here this weekend. Being the biggest race of the weekend, it’s fun to participate in. It’s very fun, a very exciting life moment.

“I was running a Radical last year, and I planned to run it again this year. This Stohr that I was building, I was going to loan to Chris Farrell, who beat me last year. Unfortunately, Chris fell off his mountain bike and injured himself and couldn’t be here. I’m really glad he did it! I’m not sure I would be able to beat him with my Radical!"

Like Shafer, Sherman’s No. 3 Lee Racing/GDRE/Hoosier/Hawk Stohr WF1/Suzuki improved one position from a season ago. Unlike Shafer, Sherman spent the middle part of the race chasing the No. 55 SO Bright/Moon Super Cycle/Phoebe Stohr WF1/Yamaha of Jake Thielmann while also holding off the No. 83 Argus Magnetics/Gycor International Stohr WF1/Suzuki of Gyann.

The pair closed on Theilmann, who spun on his own after running wide in the Esses.

“I had a little bit of strategy, and that was to preserve my tires,” Sherman said. “I really didn’t want to push as hard as I could have at the beginning, so when Jake went for the pass going into Turn Two I stayed clear and made sure he had a clean pass so that we could continue with the race. He pulled a little on me, but I kept him in sight and thought I had plenty to get back there if I needed to.

“And then all of a sudden, I look in my mirrors, and there’s Greg. I wasn’t planning on that, and I wasn’t hoping for that, but he was. I had to start pushing harder than I wanted to. It was a fun battle, and we were able to catch up with Jake again, both of us. Traffic got in the way, and caused some separation, but Greg and I hooked up together again and started to press. Unfortunately, Jake had that one mistake that cost him the podium. I feel bad for him, because he had a wonderful year.”

Gyann earned his first podium finish, chasing down Chao but never quite getting around.

“It was a great battle,” Gyann said. “I didn’t know if I was going to be up there or not. I lost a few days in testing and qualifying, I blew a motor. We replaced it, and got back out there. It was not the motor I really wanted to be running. Nevertheless, it carried me there, and I was able to catch a few spots and pretty much catch a lucky break with Theilmann spinning.

“I was going to try at the beginning of the race to see if I could get there in Turn One and grab a few spots, but that didn’t happen. So I just kept fighting, and you’ve got to finish the race.”

Thielmann recovered from his spin to finish fourth, followed by Armen Megregian’s No. 31 Mazda Ralt Beasley/Mazda. Thomas Becker drove his No. 09 Peter Becker Prince LSR/Suzuki from 13th on the grid to seventh to earn the Sunoco Hard Charger.

The 53rd SCCA National Championship Runoffs presented by Garmin VIRB, the Pinnacle of American Motorsports, crowns Sports Car Club of America’s Club Racing National Champions this year at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, from Friday, September 23 through Sunday, September 25.

While the live broadcast of all 28 National Championships is available live at SCCA.com, each race will be on demand in the coming weeks.

LEXINGTON, Ohio -- Provisional results for Sunday’s SCCA Prototype 2 National Championship at the 53rd SCCA National Championship Runoffs presented by Garmin VIRB at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with finish position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car and laps

 1, (1), Jeff Shafer, Las Vegas, NV, Stohr WF1 Suzuki, 23.
2, (2), Sherman Chao, Palm Beach, FL, Stohr WF1 Suzuki, 23.
3, (5), Greg Gyann, Woodridge, IL, Stohr WF1 Suzuki, 23.
4, (4), Jake Thielmann, Kiel, WI, Stohr WF1 05 Yamaha, 23.
5, (8), Armen Megregian, Naples, FL, Ralt Beasley Mazda, 23.
6, (10), Richard Colburn, Northbrook, IL, Nostendo 2 Suzuki, 22.
7, (13), Thomas Becker, Smithtown, NY, Prince LSR Suzuki, 22.
8, (12), Doug Piner, Chapel Hill, NC, Dauntless/Tatuus MX1 Suzuki, 22.
9, (14), Jack Donnellan, Chickasha, OK, Lola B07/90 Mazda, 22.
10, (15), Rob Conrad, Sunnyvale, CA, Van Diemen RF99S Mazda, 21.
11, (17), Charles (Chuck) McConica, Longmont, CO, Radical Prosport Kawasaki, 20.
12, (7), Michael Crowe, Chattanooga, TN, Stohr WF1 Suzuki, 16.
13, (3), Michael Reupert, Hubertus, WI, Nostendo 1 Reupert, 15.
14, (9), Bryan Yates, Clemmons, NC, West WX1000 Kawasaki, 14.
15, (16), Vincent LaManna, Ontario, NY, Tiga Lincspeed Ford, 13.
16, (6), David Ferguson, Paso Robles, CA, Van Diemen RFS-03 Mazda, 7.
DNS, (11), William Niemeyer, Loveland, OH, Sorcerer SX2002 Suzuki,  .
DNS, (18), Bruce Gurney, Aurora, CO, Carbir CS2 Ford,  . 

Overall Time of Race: 32:42.635
Average Race Speed: 95.261 mph
Margin of Victory: 20.140 seconds
Fastest Race Lap: #28 Shafer, 1:20.904 (100.475 mph)
Sunoco Hard Charger: #09 Thomas Becker
Lap Leaders: Laps 1-23, #28 Shafer 

Photo: Jeff Shafer went wire to wire to win Prototype 2.  
Credit: Jay Bonvouloir