SCCA RUNOFFS (TOPEKA) - Miserendino Takes Second Consecutive Spec Racer Ford National Championship

Miserendino Takes Second Consecutive Spec Racer Ford National Championship Mike Miserendino, of Los Angeles, captured his second-straight Spec Racer Ford title at the 2007 SCCA National Championship Runoffs Presented by AT&T. Brian Schofield, of Lakeland, Fla., and John Black, of Olympic Valley, Calif., completed the top three.

Miserendino grabbed the lead immediately at the start in his No. 11 MBI Racing Spec Racer Ford. But, before the entire 37-car field could even cross the start-finish line at Heartland Park Topeka, several cars came together on the front stretch. Two cars made contact with the wall, leaving debris and three cars stranded on the front stretch. The race immediately went full-course yellow and after one lap of caution, race officials brought the field into pit lane to allow a faster cleanup of the front stretch.

The race resumed with a single-file restart and Miserendino promptly pulled away from the rest of the field, while Schofield, Jordon Gore, of Vero Beach, Fla., and Black commenced a fight for the final podium spots behind him. With a battle raging behind him, Miserendino cruised to his second-consecutive Spec Racer Ford National Championship, winning the 14-lap race by nearly five seconds.

"My car was really strong the first couple laps," Miserendino said. "I really wanted to make it into Turn One first, because I knew I could pound out some real good laps and hopefully the guys behind would start to battle and allow me to get away. My car handled really well and I was able to drive consistently and hit the marks every lap and build the gap a little bit. On the restart, I was able to get another good start and to hold them off into one."

Gore put heavy pressure on Schofield's No. 61 PM Racing Spec Racer Ford throughout the race, but also had a mirror full of Black's No. 17 Spec Racer Ford. On the final lap, Gore took a look to the inside of Schofield in Turn One, but couldn't make it stick. The lost momentum allowed Black by and into third, but Gore was glued to his bumper. As the pair exited the final corner, Gore pulled alongside Black and it was a drag race to the checkered flag. Black just edged Gore and filled the final SRF podium spot. Cliff White, of Vail, Colo., completed the top five.

Nick Evans, of Hilliard, Ohio, was the Sunoco Hard Charger, advancing 12 positions in his No. 91 Jay Motorsports/BWS/Cedar Ent. Spec Racer Ford.