Pro Racing - Spicer and Rettich Split Victories in Pro Spec Racer Ford

BOWMANVILLE, May 22, 2011: Richard Spicer, of Laurel, Md. and Scott Rettich, of Camden, Ohio, each took a turn on the top step of the SCCA Pro Racing Pro Spec Racer Ford podium in a doubleheader at Mosport International Raceway.

In Saturday’s doubleheader opener, Spicer started third in his No. 65 Spicer Racing/Spicer Race Engines SRF and worked his way into second place around Brian Schofield, of Lakeland, Fla. on Lap 3. Spicer then used a brief rain shower to his advantage to catch and pass race leader and polesitter Rettich on Lap 15 of the 20-lap race. From that point on, Spicer fought off a hard-charging Rettich to win by 0.270 seconds for his second victory of the season. Spicer also won the season-opening race last weekend at Virginia International Raceway.

“Scott was half a second faster than Brian and I all weekend in the test day and qualifying, so I was hoping that I would just be able to pick up enough from him in the first couple laps to hang on,” Spicer said. “I did, and really I was literally hanging on for the first half of the race. He made one bobble and the rain started coming, and I felt like maybe my car would be better and maybe I could just get in front and control the pace a little bit and take a little bit of a breather.

“I just got lucky and he got loose and I got a gap. He couldn’t get enough draft down the back straight to make that move into (Turn) 8, I guess. It was a great win. I’m really excited. It was awesome.”

Rettich finished second in the No. 17 Alliance Autosports/PDI SRF with Schofield completing the Race #1 podium in the No. 61 PM Racing SRF. Jeffrey Lehner, of Johnstown, N.Y., was fourth in the No. 77 Johnstown Auto Parts SRF, followed by Herb Sweeney IV, of Houston, Texas, in the No. 49 Four Seasons Radiator SRF.

Much like the 2011 SCCA Pro Racing Formula Enterprises season has gone so far, Sunday’s second half of the Mosport doubleheader was all Rettich. He started the race from pole and quickly pulled out enough of a race lead that Spicer could not use the draft. As a result, Rettich collected his first SRF winner’s trophy of the 2011 season, winning by 4.798 seconds over Spicer.

“It feels great to come away in Spec Racer with two poles, a second and a win,” Rettich said. “It just feels awesome. I’ve got to thank my crew, Alliance Autosport for giving me an incredible car and working very hard. I’ve also got to thank my parents, Goodyear, Red Line, PDI Communications and Springboro Car Wash for putting together a great package for this weekend.

“My car was really good from the get go and it just got better and better and by middle race on, it was a really strong car. That’s when my car peaked. Towards the end, I was backing off a little bit.”

Schofield – who won the second race of last weekend’s doubleheader at VIR – followed Spicer across the line to take his second consecutive third-place trophy in Canada. Lehner and Sweeney again finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

With four of 10 races in the 2011 Pro Spec Racer Ford season now in the books, Rettich leads Spicer in the championship standings by 23 points, 492-469. The Pro SRF season will continue with another doubleheader north of the border on the weekend of August 5-7 at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres in Quebec.