(edited Sunday, Sept. 27 at 6:45 p.m. EDT to reflect Collum's disqualification)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 25, 2014) – Jonathan Goring, of Norfolk, Connecticut, came storming from back in the pack to grab the Spec Miata National Championship at the SCCA Runoffs Presented by Garmin VIRB under the speedway’s lights as part of Friday Night Lights Presented by Mazda, at Daytona International Speedway. Andrew Carbonell, of Miami, Florida, finished second. Cory Collum, of Miami, Florida, edged Alex Bolanos at the line for third on the track, but was later disqualified following technical inspection for a non-compliant engine. That elevated Bolanos to third.
With a heavy shower having just passed through the area prior to the green flag, the track was wet and slick, leaving drivers to choose a wet or dry strategy at the last minute.
For all but the last half lap, no one, including Goring, would have guessed the driver of the No. 118 Alfas Unlimited/Dixon/Rossini Mazda Miata would finish the race in the top position. Goring was not even in the picture for the lead battle until Turn Six of lap 14, after he came charging through the field in drying conditions that finally suited his set up and jumped into the lead.
“I don’t even know if it’s hit me yet,” Goring said. “I’m sure once I get home it will finally start to settle in. Right now, it’s a little shock and a little amazement. I’m just pleased with the effort that my family, and I, put in. We’re a family team, so I’m just happy all the work has finally paid off.”
In the wet, the race appeared to be a two-car competition between Floridians Bolanos and Collum. The pair worked together to break away from the field on wet-weather Hoosier race tires, and remained there until a dry line began to form on the track.
By then Goring, with the help of Carbonell and Chris Haldeman’s No. 72 X-factor Racing/Carbotech Miata, was on the move through the field. During his last three circuits, Goring was turning lap times four seconds quicker than the fading leaders.
“We were sitting in the trailer, in the paddock, with dry tires on and we went back and forth between whether we should use wets or drys about 20 times. I was pacing around and chewing my fingernails off trying to figure out what to do. So, we ended up putting the rains on because we saw that a shower was moving in. We went to the grid on rains, and then made the last minute decision to switch to dry tires. In the middle of the change I second-guessed that decision. But, I said to myself ‘You know what, let’s go.’
“During the first four or five laps, I knew the leaders had gotten pretty far ahead and knew that I needed a partner. I tapped my brakes, Andrew and I got together, and as the track started to dry, we started moving forward. I knew that I needed to get by as many people as possible. I didn’t know I was in the lead until I got into pit lane after the cool-down lap when they pointed me to victory circle. I kept asking where I was on the radio, but had a bad radio connection. So, all I could hear was static.”
Also on a dry set-up, Carbonell’s No. 79 BSI Racing Mazda Miata paired up with Goring as the dry line formed. Using the draft, Carbonell powered himself around Bolanos’ No. 57 Momo/Autotechnik/Apex Alignment Miata and Collum’s No. 23 Auto Galaxy/AutoTechnik Miata just after Goring did.
“Sitting on the trailer before the race even started, trying to decide which tires to use was the most emotional part,” Carbonell said. “I was looking at the radar deciding whether we were going to go with wet or dry tires. Once we looked at the track conditions, we decided to roll the dice and go with dry tires. For the first couple laps, I was really hating my choice.
“I was able to find enough dry track to make the tires come to life, and we started to reel the leaders back in. With one lap to go, I knew we had them. I have to give Goring a big thumbs up. Since we were both on dry tires, we got hooked up midway through the race and worked well together. Toward the end, I got stuck on the outside of Turn Six and hurt my run onto the banking. At that point, I knew it was a long shot to take the lead. I thought second was a good alternative and that’s what we ended with.”
Once the pass for the race lead and second place had occurred, the fight for third place was on. Collum, who had been pushing Bolanos ahead of the field for most of the night, kept the nose of his car right on the bumper of Bolanos as the two drivers came through the bus stop chicane and NASCAR Turns Three and Four. As the two approached the line, Collum made his move for third, going to the outside and crossing the stripe in nearly a dead heat.
With Collum's disqualification, Bolanos finished third in his No. 57 Momo/Autotechnik/Apex Alignment Mazda Miata, while Buras, who challenged for the lead early and moved from 11th on the grid to second in the first turn of the race, finished fourth in the No. 156 OMP Autosport/East Street Racing/Krispy Kreme Mazda Miata. Chris Haldeman's No. 72 X-factor Racing/Carbotech Miata finished fifth.
After making headlines a year ago for a number of technical infractions, the Spec Miata race was front and center again at the Runoffs – this time for a positive reason.
“It’s incredible to hear about all the support that this race got,” Carbonell said. “This is one of the best classes out here. I had no doubt that the class was going to rebound from that dark period and create the show that we put on here tonight.”
Winning the Sunoco Hard Charger award was James Brown, in the No. 177 South Coast Motorsports Mazda Miata, who finished 39th after starting 61st on the grid.
The 52nd SCCA National Championship Runoffs®, The Pinnacle of American Motorsports, will crown Sports Car Club of America’s Club Racing National Champions at Daytona International Speedway, Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27.
The live broadcast of all 27 National Championship races is available live at SCCA.com, along with live timing and notes. Each race will be on demand at a later date.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Final results for Friday’s SCCA Spec Miata National Championship at the 52nd SCCA National Championship Runoffs presented by Garmin VIRB at Daytona International Speedway, with finish position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car and laps complete.
1, (6), Jonathan Goring, Norfolk, CT, Mazda Miata, 14.
2, (1), Andrew Carbonell, Miami, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
3, (3), Alex Bolanos, Miami, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
4, (11), Todd Buras, Melbourne, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
5, (10), Christopher Haldeman, Frisco, TX, Mazda Miata, 14.
6, (17), Elivan Goulart, Shelton, CT, Mazda Miata, 14.
7, (2), Selin Rollan, Miami, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
8, (9), Todd Lamb, Atlanta, GA, Mazda Miata, 14.
9, (8), Danny Steyn, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
10, (12), Justin Hille, Belleville, MI, Mazda Miata, 14.
11, (14), T. Craig Berry, Tyler, TX, Mazda Miata, 14.
12, (15), Jim Drago, Memphis, TN, Mazda Miata, 14.
13, (7), Blake Clements, Houston, TX, Mazda Miata, 14.
14, (29), Max Nufer, Wildwood, MO, Mazda Miata, 14.
15, (23), Erik Stearns, Van Buren, OH, Mazda Miata, 14.
16, (16), Matt Reynolds, Boerne, TX, Mazda Miata, 14.
17, (25), Michael Ross, Friendswood, TX, Mazda Miata, 14.
18, (20), Justin Elder, Lakeville, MN, Mazda Miata, 14.
19, (5), Preston Pardus, New Smyrna Beach, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
20, (36), Trace Hance, Naples, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
21, (28), Michael Cottrell, Atlanta , GA, Mazda Miata, 14.
22, (18), Anthony Geraci, Glen Head, NY, Mazda Miata, 14.
23, (34), Nick Leverone, North Smithfield, RI, Mazda Miata, 14.
24, (32), Scott Lawrence, Fort Myers, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
25, (31), Carlos Diaz, Miami, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
26, (24), Joseph Strong, Atlanta, GA, Mazda Miata, 14.
27, (42), Paco Diaz, Miami, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
28, (47), Kent Carter, Houston, TX, Mazda Miata, 14.
29, (37), Michael Gagliardo, Chicago, IL, Mazda Miata, 14.
30, (38), Skip Brock, Birmingham, AL, Mazda Miata, 14.
31, (40), Gary Frierson, Arcadia, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
32, (45), Jeff Van Bendegom, Middleton, WI, Mazda Miata, 14.
33, (49), Christopher Windsor, Thurmont, MD, Mazda Miata, 14.
34, (26), Chris Fulton, Ponce Inlet, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
35, (51), Spencer Patterson, Pittsburgh, PA, Mazda Miata, 14.
36, (39), Amy Mills, New York, NY, Mazda Miata, 14.
37, (48), Whitfield Gregg, New York, NY, Mazda Miata, 14.
38, (61), James Brown, Charleston, SC, Mazda Miata, 14.
39, (33), Mark Gibbons, Southwest Ranches, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
40, (58), Michael LaMaina, Oaklyn, NJ, Mazda Miata, 14.
41, (35), David Zippie, Aurora, CO, Mazda Miata, 14.
42, (46), Jason Connole, Raleigh, NC, Mazda Miata, 14.
43, (62), Jason Glover, Houston, TX, Mazda Miata, 14.
44, (27), Alex Acosta, Miami Lakes, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
45, (59), Nicholas Soriano, Saint Johns, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
46, (43), Spencer Rutherford, nicholasvillle, KY, Mazda Miata, 14.
47, (57), Paul Kwiecinski, Northbrook, IL, Mazda Miata, 14.
48, (60), Daniel Harding, Dover, OH, Mazda Miata, 14.
49, (44), Andrew Charbonneau, Delray Beach, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
50, (55), Kristen Novak, Highland, MI, Mazda Miata, 13.
51, (52), Richard Martin, Beaufort, SC, Mazda Miata, 13.
52, (54), Bruce Bannister, Novi, MI, Mazda Miata, 13.
53, (56), Steve Sturm, Mc Lean, VA, Mazda Miata, 13.
54, (30), Charlie Campbell, Corry, PA, Mazda Miata, 11.
55, (13), Michael Novak, Highland, MI, Mazda Miata, 9.
56, (41), Daniel Moen, Ludlow, MA, Mazda Miata, 2.
57, (22), Joshua Bilicki, Richfield, WI, Mazda Miata, 1.
58, (21), John Carter, Tampa, FL, Mazda Miata, 1.
59, (19), Michael Collins, Woodbine, MD, Mazda Miata, 0.
60, (53), Marc Briley, Austin, TX, Mazda Miata, 0.
DNS, (50), Thomas Hart, Summerville, SC, Mazda Miata, .
DQ, (4), Cory Collum, Cape Coral, FL, Mazda Miata, 14.
Overall Time of Race: 35:29.691
Average Race Speed: 84.249 mph
Margin of Victory: 1.794-seconds
Fastest Race Lap: Todd Lamb, 2:24.067 (103.943 mph)
Sunoco Hard Charger: #177 James Brown
Lap Leaders: Lap 1-2, Cory Collum; Lap 3-13, Alex Bolanos; Lap 14, Jonathan Goring
Image: Jonathan Goring slipped through on the final lap to take the Spec Miata win during the SCCA Runoffs at Daytona International Speedway
Credit: Jay Bonvouloir
