SONOMA, Calif. (October 21, 2018) – Jim Devenport made a late race push to earn the victory in the Prototype 1 (P1) race at the 55th SCCA® National Championship Runoffs® at Sonoma Raceway.
Devenport, of Modesto, California started in second in the No. 23 Cranbrook Group Norma Auto Concept M20 F Honda, but found himself in fourth by the end of the first lap. By lap six he had worked back to second, but was nearly eight seconds behind Perry Richardson in the lead. Lapping considerably faster, Devenport closed the gap over the next 10 laps, eventually pressuring Richardson for first. Devenport finally got around Richardson for the lead on lap 18, even though his right-front bodywork was coming loose. Richardson didn’t give up and continued to push for the next lap, but couldn’t retake the position.
“I had to work my way around Nicklin and then Richardson was gone,” Devenport said. “But my lap times were gaining on him so I kept digging and eventually, once he was in sight, it was a whole lot easier.”
Richardson started in the sixth position in the No. 69 Casino Fandango/Briggs Consulting Stohr WF1 Suzuki. Crediting his efforts to put heat in the tires during the warm up lap, Richardson rocketed to the front of the field by the end of the first lap and earned the Sunoco Hard Charger award in the process. He continued to gap the field and eventually had an eight-second lead.
Richardson explains, “I had more grip than the rest of the field for the first half lap and started marching forward. I did miss my tire pressures and came in a little high, but the only person that could hunt me down was Devenport, so that’s not too bad of a run.”
Tim Day Jr. qualified the No. 8 Mere Mortal/Hoosier/Summit Stohr WF1 Suzuki in third position, but took the green in seventh after spinning on the pace lap while warming his tires. He worked back to fourth by lap three where he found himself doing battle with Nicklin and Devenport, eventually earning third place which he held until the end.
“I felt confident I would be able to hunt down the people in front of me and I just needed to race forward,” Day said.
Parker Nicklin finished in fourth in the No. 26 CSCC Nicklin Community Management Elan DP02 Mazda. Fifth place went to John Manfroy in the SFR Kevin Mitz Motorsports Stohr WF1 Suzuki.
The 55th SCCA® National Championship Runoffs®, the Pinnacle of American Motorsports, crowns Sports Car Club of America’s Road Racing National Champions this year at Sonoma Raceway in California Friday, Oct. 19 through Sunday, Oct 21.
Live, online video coverage of Runoffs races, presented by Mazda, is available throughout the three days of competition at SCCA.com/live. An audio race call, supplied by the Super Tour Radio broadcast team, is also available at www.SCCA.com/live , as well as live timing and scoring for each National Championship race.
SONOMA, Calif. -- Provisional results for Sunday’s Prototype 1 race at the 55th SCCA National Championship Runoffs from Sonoma Raceway, with finish position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car and laps completed.
1, (2), Jim Devenport, Modesto, CA, Norma Auto Concept M20 F Honda, 20.
2, (6), Perry Richardson, Los Gatos, CA, Stohr WF1 Suzuki, 20.
3, (4), Tim Day Jr., Scottsdale, AZ, Stohr WF1 Suzuki, 20.
4, (5), Parker Nicklin, Henderson, NV, Elan DP02 Mazda, 20.
5, (7), John Manfroy, San Jose, CA, Stohr WF1 Suzuki, 20.
6, (8), Jeffrey Lederman, Vacaville, CA, Stohr WF1 Suzuki, 20.
7, (11), John Mcaleer, Roswell, GA, Elan DP02 Mazda, 20.
8, (12), John Shine, Sonoma, CA, Stohr WF1 Suzuki, 20.
9, (9), Aaron Bailey, Shasta Lake, CA, Stohr WF1 Suzuki, 20.
10, (10), Darryl Shoff, Reading, PA, Elan DP02 Mazda, 19.
11, (13), Johnnie Crean, Kamuela, HI, Stohr WF1 Kawasaki, 19.
12, (16), John Gyann, Darien, IL, Stohr WF1 Suzuki, 19.
13, (17), Vasili Stratton, San Jose, CA, Wolf GB-08 Honda, 19.
14, (18), Steve Nicklin, Henderson, NV, Elan DP02 Mazda, 19.
15, (3), Chip Romer, Lake Havasu City, AZ, Elan DP02 Mazda, 14.
16, (15), Kirk Kindsfater, Eaton, CO, Speads RS11 Suzuki, 7.
17, (14), Jim Hallman, Kitchener, ON, Stohr WF1 Suzuki, 5.
18, (19), Richard Colburn, Northbrook, IL, Nostendo 1, 3.
19, (1), Todd Slusher, Las Vegas, NV, Elan DP02 Mazda, 1.
Length of Race: 50 Miles
Overall Time of Race: 30:08.895 (avg. 100.304 mph)
Margin of Victory: 00.487 seconds
Fastest Race Lap: 1:28.786 (102.178 mph)
Lap Leaders: #69 laps 1-17; #23 laps 18-20
Sunoco Hard Charger: #69 Perry Richardson
Photo Line: Jim Devenport wins the Prototype 1 Runoffs at Sonoma Raceway.
Photo Credit: ZoomPics.com
