RACE: Valvoline Runoffs: Day one qualifying - morning sessions

The first day of qualifying for the 2002 SCCA Valvoline Runoffs® is a beautiful late-summer day with occasional clouds over a sunny Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The competitors for the National Championships in the 24 SCCA National classes were eager to make their top qualifying run today, because the weather forecast for the second and third sessions is not promising. Rain is predicted for Wednesday's sessions and could again be a factor on Thursday, so a quick time will be crucial today.

First out today were the Showroom Stock C cars. The fast time for the class was set this morning by Dodge Neon pilot, John Fernandez. Fernandez finished first in the Runoffs® SSC race in 2000, but lost that victory in the Tech area after he was disqualified for having some bodywork askew. His fast time today did not stand either, as he and two other Neon racers were stripped of their times for finishing their session without their power steering belts. An appeal of this decision is underway, but Bill Hagerty's time of 1 minute, 49.856 seconds in his Honda Civic Si now stands as the top class time of the day. Second is defending class champion, David Roush in a Mazda and third is another former SSC National Champion, Erich Heuschele in a Neon.

Top 3 qualifiers in each of the morning sessions:

Showroom Stock C (of 30 cars):
Bill Hagerty, San Diego, CA, San Diego Region, 1997 Honda Civic Si - 1:49.856
David Roush, Shelby, OH, Ohio Valley Region, 1998 Mazda Protege - 1:49.997
Erich Heuschele, Oxford, MI, Detroit Region, 1997 Dodge Neon ACR - 1:50.250

Spec Racer Ford (29 cars):
Richard Spicer, Laurel, MD, Washington DC Region, SRF - 1:40.681
Mike Davies, Houston, TX, Houston Region, SRF - 1:41.221
John Black, Olympic Valley, CA, San Francisco Region, SRF - 1:41.321

GT3 (24 cars):
Mike Pinegar, Garden City, MI, Ohio Valley Region, Mazda RX3 - 1:35.366
Pete Peterson, Lumberton, NC, Central Carolina Region, Toyota Celica - 1:35.373
Paul Young Jr., Commerce Twp., MI, Detroit Region, Ford Probe - 1:35.930

Formula 500 (24 cars):
Elivan Goulart, Shelton, CT, New England Region, Invader QC-1 - 1:32.293
Fred Edwards Jr., Sturgis, MI, Indianapolis Region, KBS Mk VII - 1:32.319
Kenny Price, Dewey, IL, St. Louis Region, Maverick 002 - 1:32.786

GT4 (19 cars):
Wilson Wright, Stockbridge, MA, New England Region, Nissan 200SX - 1:38.526
Scott Culbertson, Portland, OR, Oregon Region, Nissan Sentra SER - 1:39.099
Keith Grant, Cordova, TN, Mid-South Region, Nissan 200SX - 1:39.569

GT5 (22 cars):
Joe Huffaker, Petaluma, CA, Arizona Region, BLMI, Mini Cooper -1:40.759
Jim Rauck, Grove City, OH, Ohio Valley Region, Nissan 200SX - 1:41.195
Doug Peterson, Rescue, CA, California Sports Car Club, BLMI Mini Cooper - 1:41.504

Showroom Stock B (36 cars):
David Roush, Shelby, OH, Ohio Valley Region, 1999 Mazda Miata - 1:47.196
Davis Daughtery, Carmel, IN, Indianapolis Region, 1999 Mazda Miata - 1:47.252
Ken Simonson, Strongsville, OH, NEOhio Region, 1999 Mazda Miata - 1:47.771

Formula Mazda (16 cars):
Jamie Bach, Saukville, WI, Milwaukee Region, Star FM - 1:27.737
Kevin Roberts, Newnan, GA, Atlanta Region, Star FM - 1:27.834
James Goughary Jr., Palm Beach Gardens, FL, Florida Region, Star FM - 1:28.170

F Production (33 cars):
Harold Fleischer, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, New England Region, AH Sprite - 1:40.522
Steve Sargis, Frankfort, IL, Blackhawk Valley Region, Triumph Spitfire - 1:40.645
Michael Pinney, Phoenix, AZ, Arizona Region, Huffaker Midget - 1:41.139