There are few things more enjoyable then spending Fathers day weekend at the SCCA June Sprints at Road America.  Unlike last year this weekend was more relaxed but still there was important work to be done getting Jason and the car ready for Cat Majors in a few weeks.  Jason,  managed to do quite well running his under powered car in the Super Touring Light class finishing 6th on Saturday and 5th on Sunday.  We celebrated and remembered Grandpa Joe with Grandma Mary and Mom.  We all had a blast watching all the racing at the incredible race track. 

Some real progress was made the following weekend, June 25-26, at Firecracker Bonneau Bbl Divisional at Blackhawk Farms.  This is the ideal track for Jason to become one with his car.  He has a few thousand laps on this track in a few different vehicles and really knows the track.  In addition to running the with the more powerful STL(Race Group 4) class he also raced in the SMX(Race Group 2) class by himself but with T3 and T4 cars that could potentially be faster.  

His performance on Saturday was amazing. It did start on rain tires and some humble pie. In group 2 qualifying in 5th having been beat out by significantly less powerful but more manageable B-spec cars.  B-Spec cars are based on small front wheel drive cars and handle well in the rain while Jason was still getting his feet wet. In group 4 he qualified 2nd and was building confidence in driving in the wet.   For race 2 the B-spec guys elected to start from the back and Jason started in P2 on slicks with a light rain.  On the green he jumped out to the lead by turn one and carefully pulled away from the field as the track dried.  By the time he took the checked he was 72 second ahead of 2nd place and had lapped all but 3 cars in the field.  The group 4 race started on slicks in a light rain.  He again jumped to the lead but had a very competitive spec miata on his tail.  As the race progressed the rain increased and Jason remained in the lead gingerly defending his position.  Toward the end it was a matter of which driver was going to make a mistake.  In the closing of the last lap the spec miata dropped a wheel and spun off the track, while Jason remained steady to the checker earning his second over all win of the day. 

Sunday’s racing was much different as the previous days rains had dried and a new found confidence in his car and ability.  He qualified in group 2 on the pole,  At the start he pulled away and didn’t look back finished first, 25 second ahead of 2nd place.    In group 4 only made 4 laps before he experienced brake failure but still qualified 2nd.  At the start he again jump ahead and again was pursed closely by an potentially faster STL car.  Jason initially pulled away but a few laps later the faster car caught.  However, by that time they both had started to work through lapped traffic.  Jason had spent the previous three races passing cars and now put that skill to work timing many passes perfectly to stymie the chasing car behind the slower car he just passed.  The chase continued this way till the end last lap of the race when the STL car spun and Jason drove his way to his forth victory of the weekend.  Jason and his car received may cheers and ovations as he made his victory lap. 

The new team is starting to come together just in time for the SCCA Cat Nationals at Road America.  This will be Jason’s second Spec MX-5 Challenge race.  The work we have been putting in since April to build the car, the team to support it and Jason is starting to pay off.  Hopefully, we can keep this momentum going bring home more success.