Hot, loud and fast. The SCCA Mid-States Majors Tour races on Saturday at High Plains Raceway were everything an Independence Day should be.
Twenty-three race winners were handed trophies during the 25-minute timed races at the track just east of Denver, following morning practice and qualifying sessions for the six race groups.
Three drivers claimed a pair of wins on Saturday.
Tyler Hunter, of Denver, pulled double duty in open wheel classes. Hunter’s No. 22 Swan Racing Swift 014a sliced around for a 38-second win in Formula Atlantic. That performance followed a group one Formula Vee runaway in the No. 22 Swan Racing Vortech/Volkswagen.
Matt Reynolds, of Fair Oaks, Texas, built on his E Production season with a group two overall win in the No. 71 Reynolds Bros. Racing/JPM/Vintage Connection Mazda Miata. Reynolds followed that up later in the afternoon by sneaking away from the Spec Miata field for a win in the No. 74 Reynolds Bros. Racing/Vintage Connection/JPM Mazda Miata.
Michael Pettiford wheeled two cars to one of his favorite home state tracks, and walked away with two first place trophies. Pettiford took a win in the Touring 2 “red car”, his No. 41 GO 4 IT Racing Schools/Hoosier Tires/Hawk Brakes/Purifoy Chevrolet Pontiac Solstice. In the final group of the day, Pettiford’s No. 41 GO 4 IT Racing Schools/Hoosier Tires/Hawk Brakes/Purifoy Chevrolet Chevrolet Corvette led overall early, before being passed by faster class cars. Pettiford hung on for the Touring one class win, however.
The Mid-States Conference gets back to action at High Plains Raceway on Sunday, with 18 lap races beginning at 10:40 a.m. MDT for Round 10 of the championship. Live timing and notes can be found here.
Interviews with race winning drivers can be found by clicking here. A complete list of winners, with class, name, hometown, and car, follow.
American Sedan: Jim Wheeler, Lenexa, Kan., Pontiac Trans-Am
E Production: Matt Reynolds, Fair Oaks, Texas, Mazda Miata
F Production: Eric Prill, Topeka, Kan., Mazda Miata
Formula 500: Timothy Friest, Leavenworth, Kan., KBS Mk 7
Formula 1000: Jose Gerardo, El Paso, Texas, Galmer F1000
Formula Atlantic: Tyler Hunter, Denver, Colo., Swift 014a
Formula Enterprises: Henry Donohoo, Arvada, Colo., Formula Enterprises/Ford
Formula F: Max Mallinen, Liberty Lake, Wash., Spectrum 016/Honda
Formula Mazda: Larry Howard, Kansas City, Mo., Formula Mazda
Formula Vee: Tyler Hunter, Denver, Colo., Vortech/Volkswagen
GT-2: Jim Valdez, Denver, Colo., BMW E46
GT-3: Alan Marshall, Bulverde, Texas, Mazda RX-7
Prototype 1: Kirk Kindsfater, Eaton, Colo., Speads RS11
Prototype 2: Bruce Gurney, Honolulu, Hawaii, Carbir CS-2
Spec Miata: Matt Reynolds, Fair Oaks, Texas, Mazda Miata
Spec Racer Ford: Mike Cameron, Highland Ranch, Colo., Spec Racer Ford
Spec Racer Ford Gen 3: Keith Verges, Dallas, Texas, Spec Racer Ford
Super Touring Lite: Rick Schader, Longmont, Colo., Mazda MX-5
Super Touring Under: Anthony Simmers, Boulder, Colo., Volkswagen GTI
Touring 1: Michael Pettiford, Louisville, Colo., Chevrolet Corvette
Touring 2: Michael Pettiford, Louisville, Colo., Pontiac Solstice
Touring 3: Bob Schader, Lafayette, Colo., Nissan 350Z
Touring 4: Stan Czacki, Truth or Consequences, N.M., Acura RSX Type S