South Beloit, Ill. (August 4, 2012) – A rogue summer thunderstorm interrupted Saturday’s qualifying for the final round of the BFGoodrich Tires Super Tour at Blackhawk Farms Raceway, shortening the Group Four’s qualifying session and sending the final four groups out on a wet track.
The corner workers were pulled off track for safety with the course under a severe thunderstorm warning issued by the National Weather Service. After a one-hour, 20-minute delay for lightning and wind that dropped enough rain to wet the track surface, qualifying resumed.
On the track prior to the stoppage, Jean-Luc Liverato turned the fastest time of the day in his No. 1 K-Hill Motorsports/Hoosier Tire Swift JMS014. The lap of 1:05.261 was fast enough to take the class pole in C Sports Racing and the overall pole in Group Two.
Among the highlights before the rains, defending Formula 500 National Champion Michael Mueller turned the fastest time in his class to take the pole in the MJ Manufacturing/Fibeco Red Devil. Mueller turned a time of 1:12.454 around the 7-turn, 1.95-mile circuit.
Jim Marinangel was able to post a lap of 1:20.574 in the McHenry Savings Bank Spec Racer Ford to take his class pole, despite only getting about 15 minutes of his schedule 25 minute session before the lightning.
The final four groups got a shortened 20-minute qualifying. Steve Jenkins was the first to navigate the treacherous conditions to a pole position, leading Group Five to a time of 1:34.326 in the Touring 2 Trim-Tex/BRM/HRE Wheels Porsche 996.
Only three of the fastest formula cars chose to turn a lap in Group Seven. Fabio Castellani was one of them, braving the track to post a pole-winning time of 1:22.668 in the Formula Atlantic-class No. 97 Swift 014/Toyota.
Many of the big bore sports cars also sat out their session, with Robert Schmidt dancing around the surface in his Super Touring Over No. 05 Fall-Line Motorsports BMW E46 M3 in 1:34.643 for the overall Group Seven pole. Denny Lamers was right behind in the No. 66 McMahon Group/Stumpf Ford Ford Mustang for the GT-1 pole.
The production car group, Group Eight, all decided to attack the course. John Walker topped the group in his F Production No. 6 Walker Racing Lotus Super 7 with a lap of 1:34.355. The course was still wet for the final group, but the lighter, more nimble cars were able to lay down some laps.
The final round of the BFGoodrich Tires Super Tour concludes tomorrow with eight group races, beginning at 8:30 a.m. (CDT) from Blackhawk Farms Raceway.
Live timing is available all day at SCCA.com/SCCALive.
South Beloit, Ill. – Saturday’s class pole position winners for Sunday’s BFGoodrich Tires Super Tour at Blackhawk Farms Raceway, with class: driver, hometown and car.
American Sedan: Matt Long, Peoria, Ill., Ford Mustang C Sports Racing: Jean-Luc Liverato, Alpharetta, Ga., Swift JMS014 D Sports Racing: Jim Vogel, Madison, Wis., Stohr WF-1 E Production: Rob Coffey, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Honda Prelude F Production: John Walker, Richland, Mich., Lotus Super 7 H Production: Greg Gauper, Hubertus, Wis., Honda Civic Formula 500: Michael Mueller, Plymouth, Wis., Red Devil Formula Atlantic: Fabio Castellani, Streamwood, Ill., Swift 014/Toyota Formula Continental: Jim Victor, Davenport, Iowa, Firman RFR Formula Enterprises: Dean Oppermann, Plainfield, Ill., Formula Enterprises Mazda Formula F: Reid Hazelton, Burlington, Wis., Van Diemen RF-92 Formula Vee: Michael Varacins, Burlington, Wis., Speed Sport AM-5 GT-1: Denny Lamers, Appleton, Wis., Ford Mustang Showroom Stock B: Luke Wilwert, Marysville, Ohio, Honda Civic Si Showroom Stock C: Jim Ebben, Appleton, Wis., Ford Focus Spec Miata: Bruce Andersen, La Grange Park, Ill., Mazda Miata Spec Racer Ford: Jim Marinanel, McHenry, Ill., Spec Racer Ford Sports 2000: Courtney Jahn, Oconomowoc, Wis., Lola 89-90 S2000 Super Touring Over: Robert Schmidt, Chicago, Ill., BMW E46 M3 Super Touring Lite: Rich Walke, Hawthorn Woods, Ill., Mazda RX-7 Super Touring Under: Ron Pawley, Greenwood, Ark., Lexus IS3000 Touring 1: Michael Waszak, Glen Ellyn, Ill., Chevrolet Camaro Touring 2: Steve Jenkins, Glenview, Ill., Porsche 996 Touring 3: Cheyne Daggett, Iowa City, Iowa, Ford Mustang
BFGoodrich Tires Cendiv Super Tour
