U.S. Majors Tour Northern Conference 2019 Point Champions

TOPEKA, Kan. (Sept. 13, 2019) – The SCCA® U.S. Majors Tour® Northern Conference has concluded its 2019 calendar. More than 650 racers took part in the Conference’s 12-round season that visited five different venues. Drivers who triumphed have earned a 2019 Northern Conference championship.

The Formula Atlantic Northern Conference championship was decided by five scant points as Paul Ravaris, driving a Pro Formula Mazda, edged out the Swift 016 of Larry Howard, 66 points to 61 points. The Formula Mazda Northern Conference championship was close, too, as Owen McAllister managed to claim victory by only eight points over William Snyder thanks to two wins during the Hoosier Super Tour at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Formula Vee (FV) saw a heck of a championship fight in the Northern Conference as the top three finishers were only separated by seven points. Andrew Whitston and his Protoform P2 took the top spot with 138 points. Zachary Whitston, also driving a Protoform P2, and Stuart Delaney, in a Caracal C-SB, where right behind Andrew with 131 points each. However, Zachary claims the runner-up spot in FV based upon his three victories as compared to Delaney’s two second-place finishes on the season.

Combined, the Spec Miata (SM) and Spec Racer Ford Gen3 (SRF3) classes accounted for more than 180 competitors during the 2019 Northern Conference season. In SM it was Voytek Burdzy who bested 95 other racers to claim a championship. And in SRF3, S. Sandy Satullo III was cream of the crop amongst a field of 90 drivers.

It should be noted that Scott Rettich earned his fourth U.S. Majors Tour Conference championship by claiming victory in the Northern Conference’s Formula Enterprises 2 (FE2) class. Rettich earlier claimed Northeast Conference championships in FE2 and SRF3, and also claimed FE2’s top spot in the Southeast Conference.

The Northern Conference began its racing season in early May with Round 1 and Round 2 at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in South Beloit, Illinois, followed by a competition weekend at GingerMan Raceway in South Haven, Michigan. Then it was off to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for a Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour event. June saw a second Hoosier Super Tour weekend, this one being the WeatherTech Chicago Region® June Sprints® at Road America. July brought about another race weekend at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, before the season came to a close in August with Round 11 and Round 12 at Grattan Raceway in Belding, Michigan.

Conference points are awarded to the top 20 finishers in each class. Winners earn 25 points, and 21 points go to second. Points are then doled out to others starting with 18 and descending to a single point for the 20th finisher. Only the best eight finishes at Northern Conference races count towards a driver’s point total.  Below are Northern Conference champions with Class: Name, Hometown, SCCA Region and Car.
-American Sedan®: Bryan Long; Peoria, IL; Chicago Region; Ford Mustang
-B-Spec: William Wilke; Chelsea, MI; Detroit Region; Ford Fiesta
-E Production: Tim Schreyer; Dubuque, IA; Great River Region; BMW 325is
-F Production: Michael Froh; Elkhart Lake, WI; Milwaukee Region; Mazda Miata
-H Production: Steve Sargis; Frankfort, IL; Blackhawk Valley Region; Triumph Spitfire
-Formula 500: Aaron Ellis; Farmington, MN; Land O'Lakes Region; Ellis AE13
-Formula 1000: Mike Holland; Tulsa, OK; Northeast Oklahoma Region; Van Devin FB
-Formula Atlantic®: Paul Ravaris; Aledo, TX; Texas Region; Pro Formula Mazda
-Formula Continental®: Michael Varacins; Burlington, WI; Chicago Region; Van Diemen RF2000
-Formula Enterprises: Matthew Cutter; Sterling, IL; Blackhawk Valley Region; SCCA FE Mazda
-Formula Enterprises 2: Scott Rettich; Columbus, OH; Ohio Valley Region; SCCA FE2 Mazda
-Formula F: Brandon Lavender; Indianapolis, IN; Ohio Valley Region; Van Diemen RF85
-Formula Mazda: Owen McAllister; Mooresville, NC; Texas Region; Formula Mazda
-Formula Vee®: Andrew Whitston; Neenah, WI; Milwaukee Region; Protoform P2
-GT-1: Dave Ruehlow; Hartland, WI; Milwaukee Region; Chevrolet Corvette
-GT-2: Timothy Gray; Minneapolis, MN; Land O'Lakes Region; Ford Cope Mustang
-GT-3: Rob Warkocki; Frankfort, IL; Chicago Region; Mazda RX-7
-GT-Lite: William Meyer; Russellville, MO; St Louis Region; Mazda Miata
-Prototype 1: Gary Peck; Rockford, IL; Blackhawk Valley Region; Stohr  WF1
-Prototype 2: Michael Reupert; Hubertus, WI; Milwaukee Region; Nostendo 1
-Spec Miata: Voytek Burdzy; Shiller Park, IL; Blackhawk Valley Region; Mazda Miata
-Spec Racer Ford 3: S. Sandy Satullo III; Hillsboro Beach, FL; NeOhio Region; SCCA Enterprises SRF3
-Super Touring® Lite: David Palfenier; Hinkley, IL; Chicago Region; Mazda Miata
-Super Touring® Under: Bruce Bannister; Novi, MI; Detroit Region; Mazda Miata
-Touring 1: Craig Capaldi; New Baltimore, MI; Detroit Region; Ford Boss 302 Mustang
-Touring 2: Joseph Boden; Winnetka, IL; Chicago Region; Porsche 997
-Touring 3: James Berlin; Savage, MN; Land O'Lakes Region; Nissan 350Z
-Touring 4: James Ebben; Appleton, WI; Milwaukee Region; Mazda MX-5

The U.S. Majors Tour is one pathway to the 2019 SCCA National Championship Runoffs® being held Oct. 8-13 at VIRginia International Raceway along the border of North Carolina and Virginia. U.S. Majors Tour drivers qualify for the Runoffs by participating in three U.S. Majors Tour weekends and starting at least three U.S. Majors Tour races in the same car class over the course of the season.

The Sports Car Club of America®, Inc., founded in 1944 and currently celebrating its 75th Diamond Anniversary, is a 67,500-member motorsports organization that incorporates all facets of autocross, rally and road racing at both Club and professional levels. With headquarters in Topeka, Kansas, the SCCA annually sanctions over 2,000 events through its 116 Regions and subsidiary divisions. Much of the SCCA’s activities are made possible with support from the following Official Partners: Hagerty, the Official Insurance Partner of SCCA; Hawk Performance, the Official Brake Products of SCCA; Sunoco, the Official Fuel of SCCA; and Tire Rack, the Official Tire Retailer of SCCA. To learn more, please visit www.scca.com.

Photo: Andrew Whitston claimed the Northern Conf. Formula Vee title in his Protoform P2 car.

Photo Credit: Michael Berchak