The Crane Cams V8 StockCar Series returned to returned to an old favorite, namely Roebling Road Raceway near Bloomingdale, Georgia for the SARRC Invitational Challenge and round 7 of the series 2012 season. With a number of V8 racer's also leading and challenging for the SARRC Championship it was sure to be an action packed weekend.
Saturday morning's qualifying round found the racer's dealing with a very slick track and it was quite apparent that this weekend would likely not be one where new track records would be established. Juan Vento put his Interstate Battery Corvette on the pole, followed by Ron Stanley in his ex Scott Riggs Nascar Cup Dodge which would be running in Porterfield Enterprises V8 GT-1 with its' new 16" wheels and GT rubber. Young Nick Hazelwood of Alpharetta, Georgia was next in his CrossRoads Motorsports prepared LG Motorsports V8 GT-2 class C6 Corvette. Hazelwood, little more than a year removed from getting his racing license is showing serious speed,talent and racecraft. Hazelwood and his Corvette certainly will be a threat at any track they appear at.
Lee Arnold grabbed the top spot in PitBoxes.com V8 SPO in his familiar black number 0 Chevy Impala late model. Arnold's machine was once the steed of both Boris Said and Ken Schrader. Track record holder Bill Porter grabbed the pole in Howe Racing V8 GTA followed by Randy Walker, Mike Attaway and Ricky Sanders.
Saturday afternoon the green dropped on the sprint/qualifying race that also serves as a CCV8SC points race. Juan Vento led from the pole in his Corvette, followed by Nick Hazelwood in his V8 GT-2 Corvette and Lee Arnold in his V8 SPO stocker. Kentucky's Randy Walker led the V8 GTA contingent followed by Ricky Sanders, Mike Attaway and Bill Porter. Tad Segars (V8 SPO Monte Carlo) slipped into the fifth overall spot just behind Walker's Camaro.
At the checker Vento grabbed the V8 GT-1 win with Hazelwood holding off Arnold for the second overall and V8 GT-2 top spot. Arnold nabbed the V8 SPO honors with Walker winning in V8 GTA. Tad Segars had a good outing for second in V8 SPO and fifth overall. Ricky Sanders and Attaway finished second and third in V8 GTA respectively.
The Sunday afternoon SARRC Invitational Challenge Race lit off at 1:00 pm with Vento on the pole with Ron Stanley and his GT-1 Dodge Charger alongside. The second row was made up of Hazelwood and Walker. Both Vento and Stanley have full tilt Nascar Cup type motors in their hotrods with upwards of 800 Horsepower on tap. It was a great drag race down to turn one by the pair but Vento's superior braking gave him the edge by the slightest of margins. The duo raced within a car length or so of each other for the first few laps before Vento's braking and handling advantage allowed him to start pulling away at about one second per lap. Hazelwood was running strong in third overall and held a comfortable lead on closest V8 GT-2 challenger Randy Kinsland in a C5 Corvette. Lee Arnold chased Randy Walker for the first few laps choosing to play it safe until the right opportunity appeared. Arnold then used the superior power advantage in his Chevy to move around the quick V8 GTA class Camaro. Ray Webb was moving up from his back of the pack starting spot in his V8 GT-1 Corvette and Kinsland was also doing a fine job despite his Corvette running on just seven cylinders. Mike Attaway, a recent convert to the V8 GTA wars was getting stronger lap by lap in his Pontiac Grand Prix.
Mark Davis was having a solid outing in his venerable Camaro V8 GT-1.
At about the halfway point Vento failed to come around, falling victim to a flat front tire. Stanley inherited the lead with Hazelwood and Arnold not far in arrears. Vento returned to the action but was now some four laps down.
When the checker waved Stanley crossed the line first by some several seconds over second overall and V8 GT-2 winner Hazelwood.
Arnold was next up and took the V8 SPO honors. Randy Kinsland managed to get by Walker for fourth overall and runner up in
V8 GT-2. Lexington, Kentucky's Walker was next, taking the V8 GTA honors. Webb, Attaway and Mark Davis rounded out the top ten.
Congrats are in order for ourV8 Racer's on their SCCA South Atlantic Road Race Championships for 2012 and they are:
GT-1: Mark Davis, Lexington SC Davis Racing Camaro
GT-2: Miles Barefoot Greensboro, NC Porsche 911
SPO: Mickey Wright St. Petersburg, FL Competition 101 Ford Fusion
GTA: Ricky Sanders Stockbridge GA Pitboxes.com Monte Carlo
STO: Charles Rodholm Parkland, Fl Taboo Racing C6 Corvette
The Crane Cams V8 Series wishes to thank the Buccaneer Region SCCA and the South East Division SCCA for the outstanding job hosting the event, they continue give their all to make the SIC a rewarding event.
Next up is the Crane Cams V8Stockcar Championships @ Road Atlanta (ARRC) Nov. 2-3, 2012
The Series also thanks its' partners for their continued support and they are: Crane Cams, SCCA, Porterfield Enterprises, LG Motorsports, Howe Racing, PitBoxes.com, GoPro, RaceTalkRadio.com, Sunoco, Hoosier, Goodyear, FiveStar, RaceCar Engineering, RacingJunk.com, Roehrig-Enders, GrassRoots Motorsports Magazine, SafeRacer
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