Formula Atlantic racer Ryan Norman has had a pretty good last few weeks.  Norman, of Aurora, Ohio, first established the all-time fastest Mid-Ohio Runoffs qualifying lap back in September by laying down a time of 1:16.174 over the 2.258-mile, 13-turn course.  That’s an average speed of 108.5 mph and crushed the previous record set in 2005 by now IndyCar racer Graham Rahal.

Having claimed the pole, Norman then went out and scored a flag-to-flag victory at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs presented by Garmin VIRB.  Along with his first National Championship, he also earned a Super Sweep which is awarded to racers who claim a U.S. Majors Tour Conference Championship, win one of nine key National races, win a National Championship at the Runoffs and win the national points standings -- all in a single class.

And to put a cherry on top, this past weekend Norman officially became the 2016 Atlantic Championship Series title winner, a series that is part of the SCCA Pro Racing program.  Along with the championship, Norman earned a spot at the Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Scholarship Shootout, the winner of which will receive a $200,000 reward to join the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda in 2017.

"The plan from the beginning was to make a run for the championship,” Norman, a recent high school graduate, was quoted as saying.  “I knew we had the team and car to do it and I just had to give it everything I had."

Kudos to Norman for one heck of a 2016 season.  He’ll be an SCCA member to keep an eye on in the future.

Photo:  Formula Atlantic driver Ryan Norman

Credit: Digital Automotive Depictions