MADISON, Ill. (May 14, 2016) – Though cool at the start of the day, the weather played a big factor in Saturday’s SCCA Mid-States Majors Round Seven races on the Circuit of St. Louis at Gateway Motorsports Park. 

Unlike most motorsports stories that mention the weather, this time, it was a positive.

Tom Patton, who was originally traveling to Pitt Race for the Northeast Conference Majors Tour event there before checking the weather report and heading west from his Cincinnati-area home, went flag-to-flag in the Hoosier Tires/Red Line Oil Sunbeam Tiger to win GT-2. Later in the day, B-Spec winner David Daughtery admitted to the same strategy later in the day from his Fortville, Ind., home. His decision also paid off, taking the win in the Hoosier Tire/HPD/Carbotech Brakes Honda Fit.

The overall leaders dictated the pace almost start to finish during the 25-minute timed races.

Richard Wiese got clear of the field from the front row in Spec Racer Ford Gen3, opening a gap in the Thank You Race Volunteers! Spec Racer Ford and staying in front of the field for the first win of the weekend.

Michael Pettiford won races in back-to-back groups, taking the Touring 1 win in the GO 4 IT Racing Schools/Hoosier Tires/Hawk Brakes/Purifoy Chevrolet Chevrolet Corvette and Touring 2 (and overall) in his Pontiac Solstice GXP.

Pettiford’s Touring 2 win came in the same group as Jim Drago’s Spec Miata win. Drago’s East Street Racing Miata drafted with up-and-comer Max Nufer’s Nufer Race Engineering Miata early, then pulled just in front to create a gap and earn the win.

Continuing the pole-to-checkers showdown was Eric Prill in F Production. Sam Henry’s Sprinfield Dyno/SafeRacer Mazda Miata got the jump on the field and led the first lap, but Prill’s MaxtonsFight.org/Jesse Prather Motorsports/Hoosier Miata took the lead in turn one on the second lap, then pulled away for the overall win. Mark Weber, an SCCA veteran with more starts than anyone at the SCCA Runoffs presented by Garmin VIRB, earned his first career E Production win in Majors or National competition in the Mazda/Goodyear/Hawk/Jesse Prather Motorsports Miata.

Chris Jennerjahn’s Jennerjahn Machine Inc. Vortech/Volkswagen took advantage of an early incident that slowed Bill Johnson and Charles Hearn, and then beat son Adam Jennerjahn to the finish to take the Formula Vee win on Saturday. Despite spins, both Hearn and Johnson had closed to the back of the Jennerjahn’s intramural battle, but needed more time on track to catch back up and the father/son duo filled the top two spots on the podium.

Round Eight of the Mid-States Majors Tour continues on Sunday from Gateway Motorsports Park, with racing beginning at 11:55 a.m. Central time following an additional qualifying session for all six Majors run groups.

More information on the weekend and the U.S. Majors Tour, including results, can be found at SCCA.com.

MADISON, Ill. – Provisional results from Saturday’s SCCA Mid-States Majors Tour Round Seven on the Circuit of St. Louis at Gateway Motorsports Park.

American Sedan: Jim Wheeler, Lenexa, Kan., Pontiac Trans-Am
B-Spec: David Daughtery, Fortville, Ind., Honda Fit
E Production: Mark Weber, St. Louis, Mo., Mazda Miata
F Production: Eric Prill, Topeka, Kan., Mazda Miata
H Production: Chris Albin, Maryland Heights, Mo., Volkswagen Golf GTI
Formula 500: James Weida, West Lafayette, Ind., Scorpion W1/Rotax
Formula 1000: Steve Hamilton, St. Louis, Mo., JDR 012
Formula Atlantic: James Wright, Glencoe, Mo., Swift DB-4
Formula Enterprises: David Proudfoot, St. Louis, Mo., Formula Enterprises/Ford
Formula F: David Livingston, Lexington, Tenn., Spectrum 14H/Honda
Formula Mazda: Larry Howard, Kansas City, Mo., Formula Mazda
Formula Vee: Chris Jennerjahn, Hartford City, Ind., Vortech/Volkswagen
GT-2: Tom Patton, Hamilton, Ohio, Sunbeam Tiger
GT-3: George Walker, Tulsa, Okla., Mazda Miata
GT-Lite: Steve Sargis, Frankfort, Ill., Triumph Spitfire
Super Touring Lite: Cliff Ira, Kansas City, Mo., Acura Integra
Spec Miata: Jim Drago, Memphis, Tenn., Mazda Miata
Spec Racer Ford: Steven Rehkemper, Chicago, Ill., Spec Racer Ford
Spec Racer Ford Gen 3: Richard Wiese, Chesterfield, Mo., Spec Racer Ford
Touring 1: Michael Pettiford, Louisville, Colo., Chevrolet Corvette
Touring 2: Michael Pettiford, Louisville, Colo., Pontiac Solstice GXP
Touring 3: David Muramoto, Aurora, Colo., Nissan 350Z
Touring 4: Jim Drago, Memphis, Tenn., Mazda Miata