NASA's annual spring event at California Speedway played host for the second round of the Southern California Spec Miata Championship. This event always brings out a larger number of cars and hot-shoe drivers... The 2009 installment was no different with 32 Miata's and 2008 NASA SM National Championship runner-up Sammy Valafar coming to town to run with the locals.
This event was also the SoCal debut of the new Showroom Stock Miata class (SSM). Only one car was in SSM trim but we're hopeful that more 1.6 Miata's switch over and make a run at the regional championship and the Mazda Contingency money.
NASA's annual spring event at California Speedway played host for the second round of the Southern California Spec Miata Championship. This event always brings out a larger number of cars and hot-shoe drivers... The 2009 installment was no different with 32 Miata's and 2008 NASA SM National Championship runner-up Sammy Valafar coming to town to run with the locals.
This event was also the SoCal debut of the new Showroom Stock Miata class (SSM). Only one car was in SSM trim but we're hopeful that more 1.6 Miata's switch over and make a run at the regional championship and the Mazda Contingency money.
Qualifying Saturday, under perfectly cool and sunny skies, found Jonathan Christian, William Christian II and Valafar starting up front. The race was close with the lead changing hands often between several drivers, but in the end the top three spots were as they started, top spot to Jonathan Christian followed by William Christian II and Sammy Valafar. Saturdays race saw some great performances; Kenneth Saward passed fifteen cars to finish 12th, and Weekend-Racer.com co-Hard Charger award winners Eric Richter & Rob Burgoon making-up eight & seven spots respectively.
On Sunday the group decided to switch-up the routine and use the morning practice times to set the field for a Qualifying Heat-Race, which would determine the starting line-up for the afternoons "main" race. With the Heat-Race only being a 20 minutes the action was furious with five-wide in the braking zone before turning on to the infield road coarse. In the end 2008 SoCal Region SM Champion Grant Westmoreland took the checked, with Valafar 2nd and William Christian II 3rd. The main race was amazing. The overall lead changed hands several time each lap until Sammy Valafar pulled out a lead to put the win away by 1.4 seconds. William Christian II followed in 2nd and 3rd to Jeremy Barnes with his first podium of the year.
Just like last month there were a few first time Spec Miata racers at this event; Eric Coomer & Larswin Mendoza joined in all the fun.
Another outstanding weekend of close racing at California Speedway, next up is Buttonwillow on April 25th & 26th.
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