NASA - Gleason Flies Through Field But Denied Victory

LEXINGTON, Sept. 12, 2011: Kevin Gleason turned in a spectacular drive from 18th to first in the Spec Miata finale at the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) National Championships presented by Toyo Tires Saturday at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The event turned out to be a character builder rather than a victory for the popular driver from Johnstown, Pa., however, because he was forced to drop out of the race with mechanical difficulties while he was leading.

It was a disappointing end to a weekend that saw Gleason and the Jim Locke Automotive team overcome a host of challenges in the preliminary action and in the race itself, which attracted an impressive field of 39 competitors.

The weather posed a big challenge too, as rain began to fall on the pace lap. Rain has a way of being a great equalizer, but Gleason was on slicks and Mid-Ohio’s 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course has earned its reputation as one of the most challenging race courses in the country even under ideal conditions.

Gleason certainly gave the crowd a thrilling race to watch as he carved his way through the field. It looked like he was going to be rewarded justly right until the end, when engine problems forced him out prematurely.

“Earlier in the weekend the throttle body broke on my first lap of qualifying on Friday,” Gleason said. “Fortunately I realized something wasn’t right and I was able to throw the car in neutral and hit the kill switch before braking into the Key Hole. We also had problems with the right-front suspension. Dealing with these issues gave us no time to make set-up changes. We never were able to make a stride forward, and we were dead slow in the dry.

"This weekend was a challenging one for sure,” he added. “We experienced the highest of the highs and lowest of the lows, but that's racing. It’s an emotional rollercoaster, and that's why we love it.

"After suffering all the issues with the car we made a significant set-up change for the race and hoped for the best. I was starting 18th in the dry and I knew I did not have the car to win, so I decided to just relax and have fun. Once it started raining on the pace lap my mindset switched, because I knew I now had a shot to take it to the front.

"Once I got the car into the lead I gaped second place pretty quickly,” he continued. “It was short lived though, as the engine started cutting out on the second lap that I led and that was that. Race over. I was pretty emotional once I pulled off. We worked so hard overcoming all the issues and then to have the race in my hands and just have it all taken away in an instant was really tough. That's racing though. I have to thank Jim Locke for busting his tail all weekend. Without him we would not have even made it out on track with all our issues."

Nathanial Sparks of Daphne, Ala. went on to take the checkered over Sammy Valafar of Las Vegas and Gleason’s teammate for this event, Greg Stasiowski of Wellsburg, W.Va., who won Thursday’s preliminary. Sparks started fourth, Valafar started third and Stasiowski started on the pole, while Gleason took the green flag way back in 18th position in the 39-car field.