V8 StockCar Charlotte Race Report
08-24-2011, 06:54 PM
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V8 StockCar Charlotte Race Report
Alpharetta, Georgia's Zach Monette wheeling the Optech Monette Ford Mustang took both ends of the V8 Series points races at Charlotte Motor Speedway August 20. The V8 Series was racing at the event hosted by the Central Carolina Region SCCA. Zach, just a fraction of the "Racing Monette's" which includes Father Bob, sister Paige Alexander, and brothers Will and Bailey. Zach, Bob and Paige are the drivers of V8 GT-1/Trans Am type machines, while Will climbs behind the wheel of a C6 Corvette thats falls in the V8 GT2 category. Bailey, just fifteen years old is already making noise in Legend cars.
During Saturday mornings qualifying session, Tim Lyons put his V8 GT-1 Mustang on the pole with a fine 1:14.326, and in somewhat of a surprise, Larry Hoopaugh grabbed the second overall slot in his V8 SPO class Monte Carlo over the other V8 GT-1 cars, Bob Monette grabbed the third spot, with Zach fourth and 2010 Champion Dave Machavern fifth. Tommy Graham hustled to the top spot in the V8 GTA class with Randy Walker right behind him. In V8 GT2, Mike Attaway in his Panoz took the honors with Miles Barefoot in a Porsche just behind him.
Most of the racers had not raced at Charlotte prior to this weekend as it had been years since an SCCA event was held and qualifying would be their first laps on the Historic super speedway where the fastest cars top 180 mph.
The group took the green for round one at 11:50 am, with Larry Hoopaugh creating some excitement as he spun going into one and the entire field streamed by. Tim Lyons was on the point with Zach Monette on his bumper and Bob Monette, Dave Machavern in the Falcon and Paige Alexander in the Corvette in pursuit. Larry Hoopaugh was battling back up through the field making good use of his 800 plus HP mill on the banking. Zach and Lyons traded spots several times and were never more than a few car lengths apart. At the checker, after sixteen tour around the famed circuit, Zach Monette took the overall win over Lyons by just four tenths of a second. Machavern came home third overall, just ahead of Bob Monette, who had just run the race fast lap on the 14th lap. Paige Alexander raced to fifth. The first non V8 GT-1 entry was Randy Walker who took his V8 GTA Monte Carlo to first in class and sixth overall. Larry Hoopaugh had stormed back through the field to take the V8 SPO win and seventh overall. Jim Matheson and John Morgan were second and third in V8 GTA. Doug Sanders came home second in V8 SPO followed by the V8 GT2 winner Mike Attaway and Miles Barefoot in a V8 GT2 Porsche
In qualifying for round 2, Tim Lyons once again covered the field with a strong 1:13.402 followed by Zach Monette, Machavern, Hoopaugh, Bob Monette and Paige Alexander. Randy Walker took the V8 GTA pole with Mike Attaway and the Panoz grapping the V8 GT2 honors once again. Tommy Graham missed qualifying as crew chief Mike Breault scrambled to fix the damage from the mornings race.
The "Daylight into Dark" feature event went off at 7:42 pm and at the green, Zach Monette and Tim Lyons took up where they left off running together around the 2.25 mile circuit until Lyons broke on lap four. At that point Zach roared off into the sunset lapping about two seconds a lap quicker than now second place Dave Machavern. Larry Hoopaugh in the Monte Carlo was running a strong third not far behind Machavern with Bob Monette and daughter Paige battling for fourth. Hollywood Graham was charging through the field in search of V8 GTA leader Randy Walker. John Morgan, who did such a fine job at VIR and Mark Tcherkesian were running well and in the top ten overall in their V8 GTA entry's. On lap nine Graham caught and passed Walker for the V8 GTA lead.
There was excitement at the front on the last lap as Zach Monette, leading with more than a twenty second advantage, broke an axle in the Mustang. Monette nursed the wounded 'Stang toward the finish with Machavern closing. Zach made it to the checker some seven seconds in front of Mac. Hoopaugh came home third overall and first in V8 SPO. Graham got the V8 GTA spot just in front of Walker with Morgan garnering third. Tad Segars picked up the second spot in V8 SPO with Doug Sanders third. Mike Attaway beat Miles Barefoot to the checker for the V8 GT2 win, with Will Monette coming home third in the class.
During the race, Zach Monette cut the fastest lap of the weekend with a sterling 1:12.921.
A big thanks to the Hoopaugh Grading Company for sponsoring a Hoosier Tire contigency for the class winners of the evening race.
Also, the V8 Series thanks the Central Carolina Region for a great job hosting the event at the historic Charlotte track.
We are especially grateful to our partners for the help they provide, they are; Porterfield Enterprises, LG Motorsports, Howe Racing, PitBoxes.com, GoPro, RaceTalkRadio.com, Sunoco, Hoosier, Goodyear, Mo's Gold, FiveStar, RaceCar Engineering, RacingJunk.com, Roehrig-Enders, GrassRoots Motorsports Magazine, SafeRacer, Randy Lajoie
for more info on the series check out: http://www.v8stockcar.com
During Saturday mornings qualifying session, Tim Lyons put his V8 GT-1 Mustang on the pole with a fine 1:14.326, and in somewhat of a surprise, Larry Hoopaugh grabbed the second overall slot in his V8 SPO class Monte Carlo over the other V8 GT-1 cars, Bob Monette grabbed the third spot, with Zach fourth and 2010 Champion Dave Machavern fifth. Tommy Graham hustled to the top spot in the V8 GTA class with Randy Walker right behind him. In V8 GT2, Mike Attaway in his Panoz took the honors with Miles Barefoot in a Porsche just behind him.
Most of the racers had not raced at Charlotte prior to this weekend as it had been years since an SCCA event was held and qualifying would be their first laps on the Historic super speedway where the fastest cars top 180 mph.
The group took the green for round one at 11:50 am, with Larry Hoopaugh creating some excitement as he spun going into one and the entire field streamed by. Tim Lyons was on the point with Zach Monette on his bumper and Bob Monette, Dave Machavern in the Falcon and Paige Alexander in the Corvette in pursuit. Larry Hoopaugh was battling back up through the field making good use of his 800 plus HP mill on the banking. Zach and Lyons traded spots several times and were never more than a few car lengths apart. At the checker, after sixteen tour around the famed circuit, Zach Monette took the overall win over Lyons by just four tenths of a second. Machavern came home third overall, just ahead of Bob Monette, who had just run the race fast lap on the 14th lap. Paige Alexander raced to fifth. The first non V8 GT-1 entry was Randy Walker who took his V8 GTA Monte Carlo to first in class and sixth overall. Larry Hoopaugh had stormed back through the field to take the V8 SPO win and seventh overall. Jim Matheson and John Morgan were second and third in V8 GTA. Doug Sanders came home second in V8 SPO followed by the V8 GT2 winner Mike Attaway and Miles Barefoot in a V8 GT2 Porsche
In qualifying for round 2, Tim Lyons once again covered the field with a strong 1:13.402 followed by Zach Monette, Machavern, Hoopaugh, Bob Monette and Paige Alexander. Randy Walker took the V8 GTA pole with Mike Attaway and the Panoz grapping the V8 GT2 honors once again. Tommy Graham missed qualifying as crew chief Mike Breault scrambled to fix the damage from the mornings race.
The "Daylight into Dark" feature event went off at 7:42 pm and at the green, Zach Monette and Tim Lyons took up where they left off running together around the 2.25 mile circuit until Lyons broke on lap four. At that point Zach roared off into the sunset lapping about two seconds a lap quicker than now second place Dave Machavern. Larry Hoopaugh in the Monte Carlo was running a strong third not far behind Machavern with Bob Monette and daughter Paige battling for fourth. Hollywood Graham was charging through the field in search of V8 GTA leader Randy Walker. John Morgan, who did such a fine job at VIR and Mark Tcherkesian were running well and in the top ten overall in their V8 GTA entry's. On lap nine Graham caught and passed Walker for the V8 GTA lead.
There was excitement at the front on the last lap as Zach Monette, leading with more than a twenty second advantage, broke an axle in the Mustang. Monette nursed the wounded 'Stang toward the finish with Machavern closing. Zach made it to the checker some seven seconds in front of Mac. Hoopaugh came home third overall and first in V8 SPO. Graham got the V8 GTA spot just in front of Walker with Morgan garnering third. Tad Segars picked up the second spot in V8 SPO with Doug Sanders third. Mike Attaway beat Miles Barefoot to the checker for the V8 GT2 win, with Will Monette coming home third in the class.
During the race, Zach Monette cut the fastest lap of the weekend with a sterling 1:12.921.
A big thanks to the Hoopaugh Grading Company for sponsoring a Hoosier Tire contigency for the class winners of the evening race.
Also, the V8 Series thanks the Central Carolina Region for a great job hosting the event at the historic Charlotte track.
We are especially grateful to our partners for the help they provide, they are; Porterfield Enterprises, LG Motorsports, Howe Racing, PitBoxes.com, GoPro, RaceTalkRadio.com, Sunoco, Hoosier, Goodyear, Mo's Gold, FiveStar, RaceCar Engineering, RacingJunk.com, Roehrig-Enders, GrassRoots Motorsports Magazine, SafeRacer, Randy Lajoie
for more info on the series check out: http://www.v8stockcar.com
