#SCCARunoffs: Tuesday End-of-Day Report

58th Runoffs by the Numbers

From 01 (like Chris Daughtery, B Spec) through 99 (like Michael Kamalian, F Production) and beyond, the SCCA National Championship Runoffs is full of fun numbers. Here are some of our favorites:

 

 

872

As good a place to start as any. Though test days and attrition may claim a few, this is the total number of entrants for the Runoffs going into the weekend. Is that a lot? The previous record was at IMS in 2017, with 969. The next highest? 709 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2004. So yeah, that’s a good total.

424

The number of those 872 entries who were at the 2017 Runoffs and elected to come back this year — a significant number of entries, especially when combined with our next number.

215

The number of first-time Runoffs starters on the entry list. Runoffs rookies make up nearly 25 percent of the entry list.

105

Does experience matter at the Runoffs? There are 105 former champions racing this weekend who hope so.

26

The number of races (not counting Last Chance Races on Thursday) and, by default, the number of National Champions that will be crowned over three days — Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week.

15

John Heinricy has won the Runoffs 15 times — second on the all-time list. The leader? Jerry Hansen, who has an amazing 27 National Championships.

4

The number of Runoffs championships that Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Roger Penske can claim, including 1960 in F Modified and three in a row from 1961 to 1963 in D Modified. For those keeping score at home, those wins came in a Porsche RSK (1960), a Cooper-powered Maserati (1961), a Cooper Monaco (1962) and a Cooper-powered Zerex Special (1963).

2.592

Miles, that is. The length of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in the configuration used by SCCA for the Runoffs. This is a slightly different configuration than the IndyCar and NASCAR road course layout, adding in the loop just after Turn 5.

3

Number of tries Michael Lewis will have to break a tie with Andrew Aquilante, David Daughtery and Joe Huffaker with 10 championships for third most all-time. Lewis is entered in GT-1, GT-3 and GT-Lite. The others aren’t standing still, however. Aquilante is entered in two classes, while Daughtery and Huffaker are entered in one class each.

1

Number of tries each of the 872 entries gets to win a National Championship each season. No points, no series of events, no do-overs — the winner-take-all format is what makes the Runoffs so rewarding, or heartbreaking.

2021 Super Sweep Hopefuls

Established in 2009, the SCCA Road Racing Super Sweep is the most demanding feat a Club racer can achieve. To warrant the award in 2021, competitors must win a U.S. Majors Tour Conference Championship, a Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour Nationwide Points Championship, and a National Championship Runoffs race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — all in a single class.

It takes a lot of great driving to become a Super Sweep honoree. In 2020, there were actually seven drivers who achieved the high mark. Those competitors were Bobby Sak, Jesse Prather, Preston Pardus, Joe Moser, Michael Borden, Mark Boden and Robert Allaer. Amazingly enough, over a dozen years there have been four drivers who managed to claim multiple Super Sweep awards. Those talented aces are Michael Lewis, Scott Rettich, Darryl Wills and Matt Reynolds.

In theory, 20 of 26 classes at the Runoffs this year could produce a Super Sweep winner — for a total of 31 drivers. Some just need to win their Runoffs race outright, while others need to claim a National Championship and hope that another competitor in the class finishes somewhere back in the field.

The best way to track how 2021 Super Sweep eligible competitors are progressing is to follow all the Runoffs action at SCCA.com where you can watch some action and listen to the race announcers, who will certainly be keeping an eye on this elite group of drivers during their 40-minute or 19-lap races Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Day 1 Qualifying Leaders

The opening day of qualifying has concluded for the 58th SCCA National Championship Runoffs being held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Below are provisional qualifying leaders across the 26 different classes with driver name, hometown, SCCA region, car and fastest lap time.

  • American Sedan: Daniel Richardson; Derwood, MD; Washington DC Region, Chevrolet Camaro, 1:52.672
  • B-Spec: Steve Introne; Windham, NH; New England Region, Mini Cooper, 2:04.381
  • E Production: Matt Reynolds; Fair Oaks, TX; Northeast Oklahoma Region, Mazda Miata, 1:49.901
  • F Production: Craig Chima; Akron, OH; Neohio Region, Lotus Super Seven, 1:52.374
  • H Production: Steve Sargis; Frankfort, IL; Blackhawk Valley Region, Triumph Spitfire, 1:56.808
  • Formula 500: Sven de Vries; Holt, MI; Saginaw Valley Region, Novakar J9 Suzuki, 1:43.237
  • Formula Atlantic: James French; Sheboygan, WI; Milwaukee Region, Ralt RT41 Toyota, 1:29.701
  • Formula Continental: Simon Sikes; Martinez, GA; Atlanta Region, Citation US2000, 1:36.896
  • Formula Enterprises 2: C. Russell Turner; Montpelier, VA; Washington DC Region, SCCA Mazda FE2, 1:36.945
  • Formula F: Jonathan Kotyk; Oviedo, FL; Buccaneer Region, Mygale SJ14 Honda, 1:45.321
  • Formula Vee: Andrew Whitston; Neenah, WI; Milwaukee Region, Protoform P2, 1:58.104
  • Formula X: Trevor Russell; Tucson, AZ; Arizona Border Region, Van Diemen RF01 Mazda, 1:39.786
  • GT-1: A.J. Henriksen; Elgin, IL; Chicago Region, Dodge Challenger SRT, 1:36.644
  • GT-2: Justin Oakes; Houston, TX; Houston Region, Chevrolet Corvette, 1:41.860
  • GT-3: Troy Ermish; Tracy, CA; San Francisco Region, Nissan 350Z, 1:46.582
  • GT-Lite: Christopher Bovis; Overland Park, KS; Chicago Region, Honda CRX, 1:52.368
  • Prototype 1: Chip Romer; Lake Havasu City, AZ; Las Vegas Region, Elan DP02 Mazda, 1:29.885
  • Prototype 2: Tim Day Jr.; Scottsdale, AZ; San Francisco Region, Stohr WF1 Suzuki, 1:33.993
  • Spec Miata: Preston Pardus; New Smyrna Beach, FL; Central Florida Region, Mazda Miata, 1:58.387
  • Spec Racer Ford 3: Franklin Futrelle; Evans, GA; Atlanta Region, SCCA Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 1:49.914
  • Super Touring Lite: Danny Steyn; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Florida Region, Mazda MX-5, 1:51.870
  • Super Touring Under: Joe Moser; Wilmette, IL; Detroit Region, Honda CRX SI, 1:48.564
  • Touring 1: Andrew Aquilante; Chester Springs, PA; Philadelphia Region, Ford Mustang, 1:42.400
  • Touring 2: Kurt Rezzetano; Phoenixville, PA; Philadelphia Region, Ford Mustang GT, 1:48.791
  • Touring 3: Jason Ott; Littleton, CO; Colorado Region, BMW Z4 M, 1:52.440
  • Touring 4: Michael Borden; Greenfield, WI; Milwaukee Region, Mazda MX-5, 1:55.780

QUALIFYING RESULTS

Follow Along Live

Audio-only coverage of Runoffs qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway continues Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. local time. Longtime Runoffs broadcasters Gregg Ginsberg, Larry MacLeod and Tom O’Gorman are back in the booth once again this year. Audio commentary can be heard trackside and on 103.9 FM for those lucky enough to be on site, or found at scca.com for those elsewhere.


Photo caption: Formula Vee drivers pull off grid for their first qualifying session of the 2021 SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

Photo by: Andy Howe