Joseph Burton-Harris, of Australia, by way of Birmingham, Alabama, was crowned the Northern Conference Champion in Formula Mazda after beating seven rival drivers in the 2015 WeatherTech June Sprints. Burton-Harris started the race in first and finished in the same position, in a single race that counted twice toward the season-end point total.

“It’s an amazing feeling and means a lot not only winning a Majors championship, but to do it in my first year of car racing in the United States,” Burton-Harris said. “It is definitely up there with some of my previous career highlights. For me, one of my biggest achievements was winning a race at the World Karting Championships in 2013, however winning the SCCA National Championship in Formula Mazda and gaining entry into the Mazda Road to 24 Shootout is now the greatest moment of my career.”

While he only needed one race to win the Northern Conference title, Burton-Harris was involved in on-track racing action in other SCCA Majors conferences. One of the majors hurdles was just getting to the track.

“The best part of the 2015 season was the fact we went to 14 races with no crashes or damage,” Burton-Harris said. “It was amazing how fortunate we were this year with reliability and being able to avoid all the crashes. The biggest difficulty, coming from Australia, was the travelling costs and the amount of effort that went with it. Sixteen hours on a plane is rather exhausting every month.”

For Burton-Harris, a turning point on the season was dueling with a former SCCA National Champion and coming out on top.

“We led from start to finish most races,” Burton-Harris said. “But, at the start of the season, I had some awesome races with multiple-time SCCA National Champion Darryl Wills.”

For his success this season, Burton-Harris wanted to make sure to thank some very important people.

“First of all I have to thank Texas Autosport and Formula Mazda for all their support throughout the year,” Burton-Harris said. “I also have to thank my family for helping me get to where I am, my sponsors - GMG, Si Partners and Sydney Sports Medicine. I would further like to thank Mazda for their continuing support of grassroots racing, and, finally, the SCCA and all of its competitors for making it such a fun year.”

Chuck Moran, of Oakton, Virginia, captured the Formula Continental championship in both the Majors Northeast and Southeast Conferences. In Northeastern Conference competition, Moran tallied four wins and finished no lower than third place in any of the six races in which he took part. In the Southeastern Conference, Moran also finished no lower than third place in each of the eight races which counted toward the season-long championship. He notched three wins in those races.

Going into the season, Moran planned to contend for both championships and was very pleased to achieve that goal.

“Taking both the Southeastern and Northeastern Conference titles was an interesting addition to this year's plan,” Moran said. “But, it turned out to be easier than I had initially expected. The existence of two Majors weekends that counted for both championships helped a great deal. The fact that I was able to sweep the Watkins Glen weekend with a personal best lap time (by about 3 seconds) made that particularly exciting.”

Moran ran into some issues at a couple tracks, but like any championship-bound racing effort was able to bounce back into top form.

“Sebring International Raceway was really difficult,” Moran said. “I spun in each of the two races and gave up a great deal of time. I had done a really good job in qualifying ahead of the reigning FC National Champion and then I let him off easy in the two races.

“I also had trouble in rain races at both Road Atlanta, which resulted in a DNF, and VIRginia International Raceway, which resulted in a third-place finish. Both were due to mechanical issues, but I always expect to do well in the wet!”

While Moran couldn’t point to a specific turning point of the season, he credits his success to smart and consistent driving.

“There wasn't a real turning point this season,” Moran said. “I knew that Robert Allaer would beat me at Homestead-Miami Speedway because he has the faster car. I took second in those races and did the same at Sebring.

“I also knew that I couldn't beat Tim Minor - twice F2000 series champion - at either Road Atlanta or VIR. But, I finished second or third in three of those four races. Finally, at Summit Point and Watkins Glen I knew that I could win and went out and executed. All of those seconds and thirds kept me in contention.”

Moran made sure to thank the people that he said made the title run possible.

“My wife, Barbara has been my sponsor for almost 40 years,” Moran said. “Her continued support has been invaluable.

“Jeremy Grenier, of Ski Motorsports, and Ted Eller, of Performance Concepts, provided invaluable mechanical assistance at the tracks this season. I could not have won these championships without their help.”

Daniel Richardson, of Rockville, Maryland, started his push for the Northeastern Conference Majors title in the right way by scoring a pair of wins at the VIRginia International Raceway Majors. The early-season wins put Richardson in a good position to carry that momentum through the rest of the season.

“To win a Majors Championship is a symbol of a full season at peak performance,” Richardson said. “Whether it be on the track or in the garage, you have to perform well on multiple occasions while keeping your equipment top notch throughout the year. It is the true meaning of ‘most races are won in the garage.’

“I, personally, have never competed for any other form of championship. So in comparison I cannot speak for Majors versus another. What I can say, a winning season is a culmination of the team and not just the driver. Our team consists of family, friends, and partnerships with incredible companies like Hoosier, Auto Gear, Hayworth Racing Brakes, and Performance Auto Works. Without this team, the driver would be hard pressed to perform the same.”

Like most amateur racers, Richardson not only had to deal with things going on during race weekends but other items away from the track. In his case, Richardson had to deal with a serious illness of someone close to him.

“The most difficult part of the season was fighting mechanical issues,” Richardson said. “Things happen on any given day. The beginning of the season was smooth sailing, while the halfway point came with some struggles. But, even on the worst days I would remember that quote, ‘The worst day at the race track is better than the best anywhere else.’

“As far as outside of the car, my family has been struggling over very tragic news. One of the most important people of my childhood was hit with cancer. I received the news before the season started. I did my best to not let it affect me. Luckily, my loved one sent me daily emails about her struggles and accomplishments. I began to thrive on her strength. She became an inspiration to me. I will always love her.”

The turning point for Richardson during the season was when he began to pull out his championship lead on the rest of the field.

“The largest turning point for me came when we started to pull away in points,” Richardson said. “I had never thought of winning this championship. Usually, we just race to get to the Runoffs, but this year we had a real chance to do something special. We had a chance to push our family to a championship title. At Watkins Glen when we went from fourth to second on the last lap, it sealed the deal for our team. Lots of craziness was going on during that race. I just kept my head down and kept pushing.”

With all the effort put into racing, Richardson had some important people to thank.

“My crew chief is the main reason this is even possible for me,” Richardson said. “Pam Richardson (Momma Dukes) is the mastermind behind the engineering of the car. She and Ted Warning spent countless hours in the garage tweaking and turning wrenches when my schedule prevented it. My dad, Charles Richardson, constantly gives me racing tips and tells me to drive faster! Love him for it!

“Dave Jones, our suspension specialist, was also pivotal in coaching and data analysis to find me that extra 0.1-second in each turn. Hoosier Tires welcomed us with open arms into their family this year and have been very hands-on with our team allowing some amazing results. I cannot say enough about Tim Gilvin and Jeff Spear at Hoosier! They are amazing!

“AutoGear transmissions was able to help us with a bulletproof synchro box to battle the dog boxes in our class. If you watch my in car video it looks like I am trying to break that transmission and can't do it! John Hayworth at Hayworth Racing Brakes made an amazing package for our car that lets us go deep into the corners. Performance Auto Works built a motor that can run with the best at a fraction of the cost, thank you! Finally, I want to thank my beautiful girlfriend Elena for encouraging and driving me to pursue my passion. To all of my friends and family, I love you, thank you, looking forward to bigger things in 2016! Aunt Pat: I love you! NTB!!!!!”

Richard Shields, of Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, won the Northeastern Conference Formula Vee title as a result of consistent performances throughout the season. Shields finished on the podium in all but two races of the eight he ran. That record included a class win at Summit Point Motorsports Park.

While Shields is proud of his accomplishment, he knows he will not be on top of the mountain, in the long run.

“Any championship is a great feeling,” Shields said. “Being the best at that particular time is great but it only lasts for a moment in time because there's always someone ready to be the next champ.”

Throughout the season, Shields said he endured the normal hiccups that most racers have to work through.

“It was a normal season,” Shields said. “Broke a few motors, forgot to put fuel in the car. One time the radios didn't work. Other times, we didn't have time at home to prepare the car for the next race. At one point, I even locked my keys in the truck. Yea, just a normal season.”

Shields wasn’t able to pinpoint a turning point in his season and was surprised as anyone to win the Majors championship.

“I didn't know I had won until after the season ended,” Shields said. “But, I was made aware of it before the Runoffs started.”

Shields wanted to thank some major contributors that stuck with him throughout the season.

“A big thanks goes out to my crew guy, Jim Smith,” Shields said. “I also have to thank Steve Pastore, from VSR, who routinely works on my cars and always has the answer. Another thanks goes out to Dave Car, from Autowerks, who gives me great motors and is always at the track. Oh, that guy, Roger, is also a pretty nice guy.”

Robert Lentz, Sr., of Leesburg, Virginia, was the Northeast Majors Conference Champion by a seven-point margin. Lentz scored five podium finishes in seven starts, which included a class win at New Jersey Motorsports Park in his fifth championship title in 29 years.

“Other than four Mid-Atlantic Road Race Series regional championships, this is the only Championship I have won in 29 years of SCCA racing,” Lentz said. “It was nice, but unexpected, as I was not watching the points, nor was it my goal. Still, when one is 69 years old, I guess winning a championship is a big deal and I appreciated the honor.”

Throughout the season, Lentz had to deal with a reoccurring mechanical issue on his GT-2 classed car.

“We had power steering and transmission issues all season,” Lentz said. “In the last race of the season my power steering failed on the first race lap and I had to manually steer the thing through the whole race, which was tough.”

It wasn’t even until the end of the season that Lentz realized he had a chance to win the Northeastern Conference championship.

“We were looking at points in GT-Lite as my son and I were driving to the track on Sunday morning of the last race,” Lentz said. “Just out of curiosity I asked him who was leading in GT-2. He told me I would be if I just finished the race that day, which is why I drove through the power steering failure.”

Lentz made sure to give a shout out to those who made the championship possible.

“My biggest thanks goes to Kevin Allen who did most of the heavy-duty car prep and kept fixing the transmissions,” Lentz said. “Also, thanks to Roy Ebert who was with me every race and handled set-up. Lastly my son, Bobby, inspires me on track and provides coaching help along the way.

“As I age, it is especially critical that I get help with the car and these folks are my support base. Also, many thanks to Dave and Brian Rebello for a great motor that never missed a beat all year.”

Tyler Kicera, of Manheim, Pennsylvania, was the U.S. Majors Tour Northeastern Conference Spec Miata winner in what seemed like a natural progression. After finishing the 2013 season outside of the top-30 in the Eastern Conference, Kicera finished second in the Eastern Conference in 2014.

“In a class as competitive as Spec Miata, it’s such a huge accomplishment to win the title,” Kicera said. “Winning Majors races in SM is difficult enough. Before the 2015 season, we only ever ran for race wins. To win not only the Conference Championship, but also the national title in my first try, is the biggest achievement since I began racing in SCCA.”

Kicera’s season had a rough start, but as the season progressed Kicera picked up momentum.

“The beginning of the season was very frustrating,” Kicera said. “An engine problem in qualifying kept me out of the Majors races at Road Atlanta despite showing a lot of speed during the wet test. We only got the engine back together the day before we left for VIRginia International Raceway and didn't have a chance to dyno the car. Despite being down at least six horsepower to the rest of the frontrunners, we were able to walk away with fifth- and sixth-place finishes.

“The race I had circled on my calendar in which to make a statement was the Watkins Glen Majors. In both races, contact outside of my control while running in the top three erased any chance of a win or podium finish.

“It is worth noting how much effort we put into the season as a team. Unlike many at the front of the Spec Miata field, we are a single-car team operating essentially in a vacuum. This means we maintain the car and equipment, setup the chassis, transport, load in, analyze data, tune the car, tear down in tech, load out and transport home. It's an immense amount to do while also staying focused on track.”

For Kicera and his single-car team, the turning point of the season came at a track a couple hours outside of the nation’s capital.

“Our season turned around at the Summit Point Majors,” Kicera said. “I ran away with the win on Saturday, but Sunday started off differently. Running in third position early in the race, I ran wide through the gravel in Turn Ten and lost about 12 seconds to the leader, Danny Steyn.

“Rather than giving up, I pushed myself and made up everything I had lost by the final corner. It took running three consecutive lap records at the end, but coming to the start finish line on the final lap I pulled alongside Danny [Steyn]. We crossed the line in what was a photo finish. Despite my transponder tripping first, they gave the win to Danny based on visual judgment. It was at this point, with the car finally sorted, I knew we would be hard to beat.”

Kicera made sure to thank some important people to his racing effort.

“First and foremost, I have to thank my wife Stephanie for allowing me to spend so much time away from home,” Kicera said. “Our team is made up of three generations: my dad, Vic, my grandfather, Bob, and my best friend, Dan. I have to thank them along with TAIT, Mazda, Hoosier, Tri-Speed Engineering and Carbotech Brakes for all of their support.”