Racing Kicks into Gear: THE RESULTS
Checkered flags fly during first official racing
By Patrick Buganski
The Daily Journal
thedailyjournal.com
Millville, N.J. (August 12, 2008) – The cars were familiar, but the speeds were not.
A total of 13 drivers in various Chevrolet Corvettes, Camaros, Ford Mustangs and other thundering muscle cars took to the 2.25-mile Thunderbolt Raceway at the New Jersey Motorsports Park in Group 6 of the Sportscar Vintage Racing Associations Optima Batteries Sprint Race Series on Saturday.
The group, which featured some of the most recognizable cars at the track this past weekend, put on a show of speed and sound that would impress even the biggest muscle car buff.
SVRA ran seven 12-lap sprint races to cap the first major spectator event at the park and the first weekend of official racing at Thunderbolt.
In Group 6, Peter Klutt and his No. 42 white, red and blue 1969 Corvette barely edged John Farano in an identical car by .18 seconds.
"It was a great race," said Klutt, who hosts the show "Dream Car Garage" on the Speed Channel. "John's a great driver so I feel really comfortable going side by side with him."
Klutt's car was built on the show while Farano's was built a year later as an exact replica so the race came down to the drivers.
"This weekend, he's been really fast," Klutt said.
Klutt started seventh, but moved to second on the first lap and took over the lead from Farano on lap four. While the two often went door-to-door, Klutt never relinquished the lead.
Joe Volpe, the director of motorsports activities for the track, a vintage Mustang racecar driver and Vineland resident, was the official starter of the race.
- In the Groups 3 and 4 race, Greg Miller of Richmond, Va., took the checkered flag in his 1962 Morgan 4/4, winning Group 3. Miller was running just in front of Dick Stockton in his 1963 Triumph TR4 before Stockton, an Ocean City resident, pulled off the track on lap 6 with an apparent mechanical issue. Stockton turned the best lap time of the race with a 1:38.348.
James Hamlin and his 1957 Lotus Eleven LeMans won Group 4, finishing seventh overall in the race.
- In the Group 2 , Joe Blacker of Columbia, Md. crossed the finish line first in his 1969 Brabham BT29 to win. Blacker finished well ahead of Dave Handy and his 1968 Brabham BT29.
"Dave and I went side by side through all the turns," Blacker said. "But then he went off the track in turn 1."
Archie Urciuoli won Group 5 in his black and red 1966 Lola T70. The Casey Key, Fla., resident sat second in his group behind Larry Neviaser and his 1968 Ginetta G16 for the first four laps before making his move.
"The racing was great," Urciuoli said.
Urciuoli actually improved on his best lap time from the weekend, running a 1:22.657, two seconds faster than his qualifying time.
- Kent Bain and his 1972 Porsche 914-6 won Group 8. The Fairfield, Conn., resident led every lap, pacing Mayo Smith of Westport, Ct., and his 1972 Porsche 911 RS. Smith took second in Saturday's 60-minute enduro race.
- In Group 6, Doug Richmond and his white No. 115 1985 Mustang won the race from the pole, turning a best lap of 1:22.969.
- Travis Engen took the checkered flag in the Group 9 race. Engen won in his blue, yellow and pink No. 31 1997 Indy Lights car, easily pacing second-place Michel Gensini and his translucent No. 1 1999 Formula-3000.
"I wanted to stay ahead of Michel," Engen said about the driver of the car with the best chance to run with him. "That's the easiest way to beat him."
Gensini started the race from the third row and moved quickly to third, but needed 10 laps to finally pass the third-place finisher, Eric Lang and his silver and red No. 27 1980 Formula 2 car.
In his Indy Lights Car, Engen is 2-for-2 at Thunderbolt after winning the 60-minute enduro race Saturday.
- Harry Gentry won the final race of the day, taking the checkered flag in the Group 1 race. Gentry and his 1962 Sprite Mk II started from the pole, but fell to second until the final lap when he passed Alan Casavant and his 1957 Lotus 7-Climax for the win.