V8 StockCar Road Racing: VIR Report
05-19-2010, 10:08 AM
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V8 StockCar Road Racing: VIR Report
Near perfect racing weather, a track that many consider the best road course anywhere and a strong field of big noise race cars are a recipe for great racing fun. The V8 StockCar.com races in May with the North Carolina Region SCCA at their Al Fairer Memorial event are always a favorite on the tour.
North Carolina's Kurt Roehrig, the veteran of more than thirty years in US Road Racing, got his first two V8StockCar.com Series wins May 8 & 9 at VIR in dominating fashion. Roehrig was driving the V8 GTA class Monte Carlo of his own design built right in the Roehrig Engineering shop in Lexington, North Carolina. A dozen GTA cars showed up to do battle with Roehrig including former series winners Bryan Dobyns, Ron Fariss, Butch Kummer, Rob Morris, and 2009 class champion, Randy Walker. Roehrig and his engineeers' analytical approach to getting the most out of a race car certainly is key, but his "take it to the limit and then some" driving style doesn't hurt either. Before the weekend was through, the ex IMSA, GRAND AM, TRANS AM & NASCAR racer not only garnered both wins, but shattered the already fast track record of Virginia's Bryan Dobyn's with a 1:59 and change clocking.
At the start for Saturday's race, Dave Machaern was in his familiar spot on the overall pole in his V8 GT-1 Corvette with Jim McAleese in his similar 'Vette along side. At the drop of the green the two Corvette's made good use of their NASCAR bred small blocks and roared away from the field.
In the GTA group, Roehrig led into turn one and then pulled out even farther as he made his trick Monte Carlo dance up through the esses.
Just behind Roehrig though, the going was hot, heavy and maybe a bit nasty as the fast trio of Dobyn's, Moriss and Ron Fariss all got together in the esses. This resulted in Dobyn's and Fariss being sidelined for the race with Morris being able to continue on, now in second place.
At the back of the field, charging up through, was Paul Breehne in his Rousch Performance Parts V8 SPO class Ford Fusion. Breehne, after missing qualifying was a man on a mission and in search of the SPO leading Chevy Impala of Lee Arnold.
While Roehrig was long gone up front in GTA, second through sixth was heavily contested with Morris, Paul Arey, Butch Kummer, Walker and Troy Hitson mixing it up. At the checker and after several "special" moments from this group, Roehrig got his well earned win with Hitson second and
Arey third.
In V8 GT-1, Machavern picked up his 22nd series win in just two and one half seasons, with McAleese second in class and second overall. Lee Arnold held on for the V8 SPO win despite the relentless charge of Breehne, coming home fourth overall.
Maysville, North Carolina's Steve Epley picked up his fourth series win in his V8 GT2 class Corvette C6 Z06 over Anne Keller and David Rankin.
On Sunday, Machavern and McAleese did their thing running off to first and second in the GT1 class and the same overall. Paul Breehne badly wanted the V8 SPO class win and ran his fastest laps ever at VIR while getting it done over Arnold. Roehrig got his second GTA class win of the weekend in his LS1 powered racer with Arey and Hitson reversing their saturday podium finishing order.
Newcomer David Rankin took the V8 GT2 class in his C4 Corvette, when class fast guy Steve Epley found some fluid on track and tore up his beautiful Z06. Anne Keller came home second in the class with Ron Siegal third.
The NC Region SCCA once again did a super job handing the logistics of the event and the VIR staff are the model of courteous, efficiency in running a racing venue.
Next up for the V8 Racers is Savannah Harbor RaceCourse on June 12 & 13 with Historic SportsCar Racing (HSR) on Hutchinson Island; the Savannah Riverfront. This wil be an exciting event with great racing and lots to see and do.
V8 Series thanks its' partners for the event: North Carolina Region SCCA, SCCA, GoPro, RaceTalkRadio.com, Sunoco, Hoosier, Goodyear, Mo's Gold, Howe Racing, FiveStar, RaceCar Engineering, RacingJunk.com, Roehrig-Enders, GrassRoots Motorsports Magazine, Racing Limo's, SaferRacer, Randy Lajoie and Hess Racing Products
for more on the series check out http://www.v8stockcar.com
North Carolina's Kurt Roehrig, the veteran of more than thirty years in US Road Racing, got his first two V8StockCar.com Series wins May 8 & 9 at VIR in dominating fashion. Roehrig was driving the V8 GTA class Monte Carlo of his own design built right in the Roehrig Engineering shop in Lexington, North Carolina. A dozen GTA cars showed up to do battle with Roehrig including former series winners Bryan Dobyns, Ron Fariss, Butch Kummer, Rob Morris, and 2009 class champion, Randy Walker. Roehrig and his engineeers' analytical approach to getting the most out of a race car certainly is key, but his "take it to the limit and then some" driving style doesn't hurt either. Before the weekend was through, the ex IMSA, GRAND AM, TRANS AM & NASCAR racer not only garnered both wins, but shattered the already fast track record of Virginia's Bryan Dobyn's with a 1:59 and change clocking.
At the start for Saturday's race, Dave Machaern was in his familiar spot on the overall pole in his V8 GT-1 Corvette with Jim McAleese in his similar 'Vette along side. At the drop of the green the two Corvette's made good use of their NASCAR bred small blocks and roared away from the field.
In the GTA group, Roehrig led into turn one and then pulled out even farther as he made his trick Monte Carlo dance up through the esses.
Just behind Roehrig though, the going was hot, heavy and maybe a bit nasty as the fast trio of Dobyn's, Moriss and Ron Fariss all got together in the esses. This resulted in Dobyn's and Fariss being sidelined for the race with Morris being able to continue on, now in second place.
At the back of the field, charging up through, was Paul Breehne in his Rousch Performance Parts V8 SPO class Ford Fusion. Breehne, after missing qualifying was a man on a mission and in search of the SPO leading Chevy Impala of Lee Arnold.
While Roehrig was long gone up front in GTA, second through sixth was heavily contested with Morris, Paul Arey, Butch Kummer, Walker and Troy Hitson mixing it up. At the checker and after several "special" moments from this group, Roehrig got his well earned win with Hitson second and
Arey third.
In V8 GT-1, Machavern picked up his 22nd series win in just two and one half seasons, with McAleese second in class and second overall. Lee Arnold held on for the V8 SPO win despite the relentless charge of Breehne, coming home fourth overall.
Maysville, North Carolina's Steve Epley picked up his fourth series win in his V8 GT2 class Corvette C6 Z06 over Anne Keller and David Rankin.
On Sunday, Machavern and McAleese did their thing running off to first and second in the GT1 class and the same overall. Paul Breehne badly wanted the V8 SPO class win and ran his fastest laps ever at VIR while getting it done over Arnold. Roehrig got his second GTA class win of the weekend in his LS1 powered racer with Arey and Hitson reversing their saturday podium finishing order.
Newcomer David Rankin took the V8 GT2 class in his C4 Corvette, when class fast guy Steve Epley found some fluid on track and tore up his beautiful Z06. Anne Keller came home second in the class with Ron Siegal third.
The NC Region SCCA once again did a super job handing the logistics of the event and the VIR staff are the model of courteous, efficiency in running a racing venue.
Next up for the V8 Racers is Savannah Harbor RaceCourse on June 12 & 13 with Historic SportsCar Racing (HSR) on Hutchinson Island; the Savannah Riverfront. This wil be an exciting event with great racing and lots to see and do.
V8 Series thanks its' partners for the event: North Carolina Region SCCA, SCCA, GoPro, RaceTalkRadio.com, Sunoco, Hoosier, Goodyear, Mo's Gold, Howe Racing, FiveStar, RaceCar Engineering, RacingJunk.com, Roehrig-Enders, GrassRoots Motorsports Magazine, Racing Limo's, SaferRacer, Randy Lajoie and Hess Racing Products
for more on the series check out http://www.v8stockcar.com
Last edited by bosco022; 05-19-2010 at 10:13 AM.
