SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. (July 12, 2015) – Warmer temperatures brought exciting racing for the Sports Car Club of America’s Eighth Round of the SCCA Northern Conference U.S. Majors Tour at GingerMan Raceway.
In the first race of the day, Spec Miata set the bar for racing action. Justin Hille started on the pole with his No. 48 Hilltrux Mazda Miata, then fell back to 14th on the first lap due to a stutter in the engine. After two laps, the issue corrected itself and Hille started his march back to the front. By lap seven, Hille was up to fifth and catching the lead pack of four cars quickly.
On lap ten, Hille took the fourth position. Then on lap 11, he made up two additional positions. His final target was the No. 9 Roush/Caldwell Race Prep Miata of Michael Novak. On the 12th lap, Hille got beside Novak in turn three but wasn’t able to hold on, falling back to second by turn six. Two laps later, he was able to initiate a pass in turn two, clear Novak by the exit of turn three, and never look back. Hille’s final margin of victory over Novak was nearly eight seconds.
By the late afternoon, the heat index had officially reached 82 degrees, but anywhere around the facility at GingerMan Raceway felt much warmer as the sun shone down on the paddock and new asphalt racing surface. The second to last race group of the day was led off the grid by the No. 00 JDR F1000 of Nicho Vardis. Vardis was challenged throughout the race by fellow FB driver Tyler Thielmann in his SO Bright LLC/Moons Super Cycle/Phoebe Products JDR 012.
For the first half of the race, Thielmann looked to be in a strong position to challenge Vardis. At the half-way mark, he made several strong looks to the inside and outside of Vardis but was not able to pass. Vardis continued to make his car fill the entire track, keeping Thielmann from having a passing opportunity. Eventually, the sustained pressure caused Thielmann to make an error, allowing Vardis to stretch out a comfortable 9-second lead. The final margin of victory was less, five seconds, but still plenty to give Vardis his first U.S. Majors Tour Victory of the season.
The Northern Conference Majors Tour returns to action with Rounds Nine and 10, July 25-26 at Road America.
Full results from the weekend are available here.
Interviews with Sunday's race winners are available here.
Official winners from Sunday’s SCCA Northern Conference U.S. Majors Tour Round Eight at GingerMan Raceway, with class, name, hometown and car.
American Sedan: Andy McDermid, Howell, Mich., Ford Mustang
B-Spec: David Daughtery, Fortville, Ind., Honda Fit
E Production: Joe Moser, Wilmette, Ill., Honda Prelude
F Production: Michael Sturm, Grafton, Wis., Mazda Miata
H Production: Greg Gauper, Hubertus, Wis., Honda Civic
Formula 500: James Weida, West Lafayette, Ind., Scorpion W1/Rotax
Formula 1000: Nicho Vardis, Sylvan Lake, Mich., JDR F1000
Formula Atlantic: David Bleke, Franklin, Ind., Swift 014
Formula Continental: Yufeng Luo, Arcadia, Cal., Van Diemen DP08
Formula Enterprises: Hanna Zeller, Granger, Ind., Formula Enterprises/Ford
Formula F: Tim Kautz, Geneva, Ill., Piper DF3D/Honda
Formula Mazda: Steve Johncock, Bellevue, Mich., Star Mazda
Formula Vee: Michael Varacins, Burlington, Wis., Speedsport AM-5/Volkswagen
GT-1: Michael Lewis, Poway, Calif., Jaguar XKR
GT-2: Mark Boden, Buffalo Grove, Ill., Porsche 997 GT3 Cup
GT-3: Joe Kristensen, London, Ont., Acura RSX
GT-Lite: Joel Hipp, Norwalk, Ohio, Austin Mini
Prototype 1: James Cain, Hartland, Mich., Staudacher S12
Prototype 2: Greg Gyann, Willowbrook, Ill., Stohr WF1
Super Touring Under: Charles Tobel, New Hudson, Mich., Pontiac Solstice
Super Touring Lite: John Schmitt, Sunbury, Ohio, Honda Prelude
Spec Miata: Justin Hille, Canfield, Ohio, Mazda Miata
Spec Racer Ford Gen 3: Bobby Sak, Mattawan, Mich., Spec Racer Ford
Spec Racer Ford: Adam Gottlieb, Wilmette, Ill., Spec Racer Ford
Touring 1: John Buttermore, Wolverine Lake, Mich., Chevrolet Corvette
Touring 2: Tim Kezman, Franksville, Wis., Porsche GT3
Touring 3: J Patrick Womack, Burr Ridge, Ill., BMW Z4
Touring 4: Voytek Burdzy, Shiller Park, Ill., Mazda MX-5
Photo: Justin Hille takes a victory lap after claiming a Spec Miata victory at the Eighth Round of the SCCA Northern Conference U.S. Majors Tour at GingerMan Raceway
Credit: Nate Vestal, RedLinePhoto.com
