SCCA: Stilwell makes it five straight at Mid Ohio
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
June 10, 2001
LEXINGTON, Ohio-Warren Stilwell, of Hartville, Ohio, did it again Saturday during Round Three of the SCCA Pro Racing Pro Spec Racer series at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Keith Scharf, of St. Louis, Mo., and Jim Goughary Jr. of, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., completed the top three.
Driving the No. 28 Stilwell Racing Spec Racer, Stilwell recorded a mind-boggling fifth straight victory at the track that he calls home, and twelfth straight overall if you include the SCCA Valvoline Runoffs. From the fifth starting position, Stilwell gained ground on the field on a restart after a lap one caution that collected a number of cars. He eventually caught and passed polesitter and race leader, Scharf, on lap 10 and held off a last lap surge from him to win. The margin of victory, .252-seconds, was the closest in Pro Spec Racer history at Mid-Ohio.
"It seemed like every time I made a mistake, Keith [Scharf] would be right there," said Stilwell. "There where two critical times when I lost my exit speed on the last two laps, but I was able to hold my lead."
Scharf, in the No. 82 Tech Hyper-V Spec Racer, started the day on pole and lead throughout the first half of the 22-lap event. He battled Stilwell until the last corner of the last lap, but the man they call "Mr. Mid-Ohio" was just too good.
"I basically tried to save the car in order to make a run at Warren the last five laps," said Scharf. "So I waited and held off until I had a shot, but I couldn't make it happen. I figured there was no sense in putting us both in the gravel trap."
Jim Goughary Jr., No.29 Ducksmart.com Spec Racer, had a consistent run and finished on the podium in a race in which he started third. The podium finish earned him his 14th career top-three finish.
"I just didn't have enough car to run with them today," said Goughary Jr. "We had the setup right this morning in qualifying, but what I thought were a good set of tires this morning seemed to fail us this afternoon.
The KML Greased Lightning Award of $300 went to No. 77 Johnny Meriggi.
OHIO - Race results for Saturday's 22-lap, 49.676-mile Pro Spec Racer Round Three race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, part of the U.S. Road Racing Classic Weekend, with finishing position, starting position parenthesis, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out.
1. (5), Warren Stilwell, Hartville, Ohio, Spec Racer, 22.
2. (1), Keith Scharf, St. Louis, Mo., Spec Racer, 22.
3. (3), James Goughary Jr, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Spec Racer, 22.
4. (8), John Black, Tahoe City, Calif., Spec Racer, 22.
5. (7), Chris Funk, Kansas City, Mo., Spec Racer, 22.
6. (10), Chris Dyson, Pleasant Valley, N.Y., Spec Racer, 22.
7. (13), Johnny Merrigi, Woodlands, Texas, Spec Racer, 22.
8. (2), Keith Grant, Memphis, Tenn., Spec Racer, 22.
9. (6), Neil Tilbor, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Spec Racer, 22.
10. (20), Trevor Hopwood, Prosperity, Pa., Spec Racer, 22.
11. (15), Terry Clyburn, Houston, Texas, Spec Racer, 22.
12. (18), Jeff Tillman, Osage Beach, Mo., Spec Racer, 22.
13. (25), Brent Waltz, Avon Lake, Ohio, Spec Racer, 22.
14. (16), Andy Bentinck-Smith, Spec Racer, 22.
15. (23), Ralph Mayfield, Houston, Texas, Spec Racer, 22.
16. (27), Robey Clark, Dallas, Texas, Spec Racer, 22.
17. (17), Amy Ruman, Kent, Ohio, Spec Racer, 22.
18. (22), Doug Farrar, Carpenterville, Ill., Spec Racer, 22.
19. (4), Steve Ott, Brighton, Colo., Spec Racer, 22.
20. (24), Nikki LaRue, Erie, Colo., Spec Racer, 22.
21. (21), John Bowden, Lawrence, Kansas, Spec Racer, 21, Mech.
22. (26), Herb Sweeney, Spring City, Pa., Spec Racer, 7, Suspension.
23. (19), Rudolph Krueger, Houston, Texas, Spec Racer, 4, Mech.
24. (14), Bob Chapman, Marysville, Ohio, Spec Racer, 1, Mech.
25. (11), Shawn Morrison, Conway, N.H., Spec Racer, 1, Mech.
26. (9), Seainn Hendricsen, Phoenix, Ariz., Spec Racer, 1, Suspension.
27. (12), Steve Rehkemper, Chicago, Ill., Spec Racer, 0, n.a.
28. (28), Charlie Shears, Houston, Texas, Spec Racer, 0, n.a.
Text provided by Kelby Krauss
Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot photos and racing art, please visit The Racing Image Galleries and The Visions of Speed Art Gallery .