RX-8 wins WC TC Double Header
08-09-2010, 12:33 PM
#1
RX-8 wins WC TC Double Header
Eversley was making his World Challenge debut this weekend in his No. 20 Maxwell Paper Products Mazda RX-8. After starting third on the grid, he waged a race-long battle with polesitter and defending race Champion Jason Saini’s No. 03 Team MER/Sparco/SafeRacer MAZDASPEED3. The two ran side-by-side many times, swapping the lead until Eversley took the point for good with two laps remaining.
Eversley’s effort of holding off Saini earned him the MTM Special Ops Best Move of the Race.
“That was my first standing start, and it was pretty crazy,” Eversley said. “Cars were parked on the front straight and I think I was in the grass more than I was on the pavement. Jason [Saini] and I got through it and took off and it was a really fun first lap. We were able to get a gap on the guys that were third and fourth. The Maxwell Paper guys gave me an awesome car today, and it was really fun.
“We swapped the lead a few times today because of traffic. In fact, I didn’t want to let one of the GT cars through because I knew I’d lose a lot of time to Jason, and the same guy that got by me made a really aggressive move on Jason. He went really wide, and I just followed the traffic and we were side-by-side through Madness. It was awesome.”
Saini, of Fort Worth, Texas, finished second, but will start Sunday’s race from the pole. Eric Meyer, of Indianapolis, started last after missing qualifying while changing his transmission, but worked his way to the podium in his No. 32 XOWii/Samaratin’s Feet/Delvira Mazda RX-8. Meyer earned both the Optima Batteries Best Standing Start for advancing eight positions on the opening lap and the Sunoco Hard Charger Award for picking up 16 positions overall over the entire race. Meyer also turned the race’s fastest Touring Car lap, a 1:38.079 (82.880 mph).
Point leader Robert Stout finished fourth in his No. 18 DG-Spec/Scion/TRD/Lucas Oil Scion tC. Montreal’s Nick Wittmer finished fifth after recovering from a stop-and-go penalty for moving prior to the standing start in his No. 93 HPD/Honda Racing/RealTime Honda Civic Si.
Stout maintains the most commanding Championship lead in Touring Car at 147, 899 to 752 over Meyer. Brett Sandberg is third, with 521, followed by Dan Gardner (500) and Sheal Holbrook (368).
08-09-2010, 01:54 PM
#3
Sunday's race was also taken by the series newcomer:
A winner in his debut race on Saturday, Eversley’s run to his second-consecutive Touring Car win was no less eventful on Sunday. Starting third in the No. 20 Maxwell Paper Products Mazda RX-8, Eversley fell back to sixth at the start.
Polesitter Jason Saini (No. 03 Team MER/Sparco/SafeRacer MAZDASPEED3), Nick Wittmer’s No. 93 HPD/Honda Racing/RealTime Honda Civic Si and second-starting Robb Holland’s No. 22 303 Motorsports/Track Pro/Emich VW Volkswagen GTI occupied the top three spots the opening several laps until Wittmer faded with his transmission issues. Eversley had to work past both Scion tCs of Dan Gardner and Robert Stout to join the lead fight, which then waged until lap 12.
On the seventh lap, Holland and Eversley made contact at the exit of the Esses, but both cars were able to continue. Eversley made his move past Saini for the lead on lap 12 and held it for the remainder of the race.
“The competition in this series is fantastic and the racing is just unbelievable,” Eversley said. “The standing start today wasn’t as good for me as yesterday, I bogged down with the rotary and Nick Wittmer’s Honda and a couple of other cars got by me. I was able to fight back to third in a couple of laps and had a great battle with Robb Holland. I gave him a little room and we got into each other a little bit, but it was just hard racing and totally fine. Jason and I had a great battle and I can’t wait to see the in-car video of that. We went back and forth down the backstraight and he just outbroke himself and I kind of got in a little too hot, too. I have to thank Maxwell Paper for letting me come drive their Mazda, I had so much fun.”
Eversley also set the Touring Car fastest race lap with a 1:38.024 (82.926 mph), breaking Eric Meyer’s day-old record by 0.055-second.
Holland was able to continue after the contact, but was eventually involved in contact with a GT car that would end his day with suspension damage.
Saini went on to finish second for the second-consecutive day.
Dan Gardner, of Hermosa Beach, Calif., survived early contact with his teammate, Touring Car point leader Robert Stout, to bring his No. 36 DG Spec/Scion/TRD/Lepper & Associates Scion tC home third. Gardner also earned the Optima Batteries Best Standing Start award for advancing six positions on the opening lap.
Series newcomer David Tuaty, of Miami, Fla., finished fourth in his No. 66 TLMUSA.com Honda Civic Si, followed by Charlie Solomon, of Waxahachie, Texas, in the No. 21 Dr. Natasha.com/DC Racing Mazda RX-8.
Solomon earned the Sunoco Hard Charger for advancing a total of 12 positions in the race.
Stout continues to lead the Touring Car Championship, with 959 points, followed by Meyer, with 810, Gardner, with 595, Brett Sandberg, with 572 and Shea Holbrook, with 444. Mazda leapfrogged Volkswagen to take over second place in the Manufacturers’ Championship for Touring Car. Scion leads, with 62, followed by Mazda (46), Volkswagen (38) and Honda (33).
A winner in his debut race on Saturday, Eversley’s run to his second-consecutive Touring Car win was no less eventful on Sunday. Starting third in the No. 20 Maxwell Paper Products Mazda RX-8, Eversley fell back to sixth at the start.
Polesitter Jason Saini (No. 03 Team MER/Sparco/SafeRacer MAZDASPEED3), Nick Wittmer’s No. 93 HPD/Honda Racing/RealTime Honda Civic Si and second-starting Robb Holland’s No. 22 303 Motorsports/Track Pro/Emich VW Volkswagen GTI occupied the top three spots the opening several laps until Wittmer faded with his transmission issues. Eversley had to work past both Scion tCs of Dan Gardner and Robert Stout to join the lead fight, which then waged until lap 12.
On the seventh lap, Holland and Eversley made contact at the exit of the Esses, but both cars were able to continue. Eversley made his move past Saini for the lead on lap 12 and held it for the remainder of the race.
“The competition in this series is fantastic and the racing is just unbelievable,” Eversley said. “The standing start today wasn’t as good for me as yesterday, I bogged down with the rotary and Nick Wittmer’s Honda and a couple of other cars got by me. I was able to fight back to third in a couple of laps and had a great battle with Robb Holland. I gave him a little room and we got into each other a little bit, but it was just hard racing and totally fine. Jason and I had a great battle and I can’t wait to see the in-car video of that. We went back and forth down the backstraight and he just outbroke himself and I kind of got in a little too hot, too. I have to thank Maxwell Paper for letting me come drive their Mazda, I had so much fun.”
Eversley also set the Touring Car fastest race lap with a 1:38.024 (82.926 mph), breaking Eric Meyer’s day-old record by 0.055-second.
Holland was able to continue after the contact, but was eventually involved in contact with a GT car that would end his day with suspension damage.
Saini went on to finish second for the second-consecutive day.
Dan Gardner, of Hermosa Beach, Calif., survived early contact with his teammate, Touring Car point leader Robert Stout, to bring his No. 36 DG Spec/Scion/TRD/Lepper & Associates Scion tC home third. Gardner also earned the Optima Batteries Best Standing Start award for advancing six positions on the opening lap.
Series newcomer David Tuaty, of Miami, Fla., finished fourth in his No. 66 TLMUSA.com Honda Civic Si, followed by Charlie Solomon, of Waxahachie, Texas, in the No. 21 Dr. Natasha.com/DC Racing Mazda RX-8.
Solomon earned the Sunoco Hard Charger for advancing a total of 12 positions in the race.
Stout continues to lead the Touring Car Championship, with 959 points, followed by Meyer, with 810, Gardner, with 595, Brett Sandberg, with 572 and Shea Holbrook, with 444. Mazda leapfrogged Volkswagen to take over second place in the Manufacturers’ Championship for Touring Car. Scion leads, with 62, followed by Mazda (46), Volkswagen (38) and Honda (33).
08-11-2010, 05:43 AM
#6
Registered
Thanks guys. Car was hooked up big time and we had the home track advantage. Added a bit more understeer than we normally run to roll through the Keyhole and Carousel faster prior to going to throttle. For Sunday's race we charged to P4 knocking solidly on the door of P3 but I was taken out by a knucklehead VW Jetta maneuver/bad, bad decision.
Here are a few laps from start to yellow flag from Saturday's race: http://www.vimeo.com/14031480
Next up: VIR for a double header over the September 11th weekend. VIR track will be hosting a combo car corral/track laps/free lunch discount ticket package (which is not yet available).
Our team will be hosting a video trainer prior to the track laps so drivers can follow the racing line (or not) if they choose. Also, we are planning on our first ever grill out Saturday night. This is open to all Mazda fans with a $5 donation to our team's charity: Samaritan's Feet. The donation will occur at the track. Hot dogs, brats, burgers, sides, beer, soda, water....... More details to follow
Here are a few laps from start to yellow flag from Saturday's race: http://www.vimeo.com/14031480
Next up: VIR for a double header over the September 11th weekend. VIR track will be hosting a combo car corral/track laps/free lunch discount ticket package (which is not yet available).
Our team will be hosting a video trainer prior to the track laps so drivers can follow the racing line (or not) if they choose. Also, we are planning on our first ever grill out Saturday night. This is open to all Mazda fans with a $5 donation to our team's charity: Samaritan's Feet. The donation will occur at the track. Hot dogs, brats, burgers, sides, beer, soda, water....... More details to follow
08-11-2010, 11:53 AM
#8
That was just a cut and paste from scca.com - without all that unneeded GT/GTS class stuff. 
It was great to see an RX-8 get one, especially beating an established driver like Saini, in what most of the Mazda guys think is the better car for the class.
It was great to see an RX-8 get one, especially beating an established driver like Saini, in what most of the Mazda guys think is the better car for the class.
08-11-2010, 02:38 PM
#10
Power!!
Nice work Eric! and Nice job for the RX8 win! Sucks to see Eric smoking that Honda all over the track just to see him horsepower his way out of it in the straight.
08-30-2010, 01:08 AM
#13
Enjoyed the video Eric. GREAT launch - I've only done rolling starts myself but DAMN you nailed that one. Having raced an RX-8 myself the last couple of years I see that we use the same passing tactic - LATE BRAKING! (unfortunately possibly the only good tactic with an RX-8). Keep up the good work!
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