STARMAZDA: Tustin Exhibition Race
2 October 1998
Star Mazda Exhibition Race, West DivisionO'Hara Wins Tustin "Fun" Event
TUSTIN, CALIF.-When the Star Mazdas were invited to participate in MotorTrend's Thunder, presented by Chrysler, it was an opportunity series promoter Gary Rodrigues wasn't about to turn down. "We got the word out as quickly as we could to all of our drivers, and considering the timeframe, I think we had a good turn-out." The weekend was sanctioned by VARA, the Vintage Automobile Racing Association, which utilized the Marine Corps Air Station's airport runways to form a 2.2-mile road course. Carroll Shelby served as grand marshal for the two-day event.
Although most of the series regulars decided to focus on the two remaining championship races (Oct. 10 at Las Vegas and Nov. 15 at Phoenix), an impressive mix of 13 drivers signed up for the non-points, exhibition race that was run as part of the motorsport festival conducted at the Tustin Marine base.
Star Mazda veteran and local Laguna Hills driver Steve O'Hara led all 25 laps of the Sunday afternoon race from the pole position he earned in Saturday's 13-lap qualifying race, pacing Robert Orcutt and Mike Burress to the checker. Brady Gross, a local SCCA GT1 driver, was quickest in the Friday qualifying session and finished fourth in the race. Rounding out the top five was Larry Lavorgna.
The weekend was relatively uneventful for the Star Mazdas with the exception of a Thursday test session mishap involving Brian Giles and Steve Booth, who was taken to a local hospital for observation after making contact with Giles' stalled race car. Giles was OK, and Booth was released later that same day.
"It was quite an honor to be a late addition to the Tustin program," said Rodrigues, who noted the 1999 Star Mazda schedule could include an official stop at the annual event.
Round 12 of the Star Mazda Series is slated for Oct. 10 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in conjunction with the IRL Indy Cars. For more information about the Star Mazda Series, please contact Gary Rodrigues or check out the Formula Mazda website at www.starmazda.com.
STAR MAZDA SERIES, WEST DIVISION/EXHIBITION RACE
SEPT. 20, 1998/MARINE CORPS AIR STATION, TUSTIN, CALIF.
QUALIFYING I: 1. Brady Gross, 1:07.980; 2. David Lewis, 1:08.337; 4. Brian Snyder, 1:08.554; 5. Mike Burress, 1:08.692; 6. Steve O'Hara, 1:08.882; 7. Kevin Hull, 1:09.032; 8. Robert Orcutt, 1:09.184; 9. Taylor Fletcher, 1:09.231; 10. Todd Moberley, 1:09.620; 11. Larry Lavorgna, 1:09.953; 12. Dan Selznick, 1:10.494; 13. Ron Adams, 1:11.499.
QUALIFYING RACE: 1. O'Hara, 13 laps; 2. Snyder; 3. Mike Potekhen (driving Brian Giles' car); 4. Burress; 5. Orcutt; 6. Gross; 7. Hull; 8. Lavorgna; 9. Selznick; 10. Adams; 11. Fletcher; 12. Moberly, 12; 13. Lewis, 3.
TIME OF QUALIFYING RACE: 16m38.356s
RACE AVERAGE SPEED: 103.129mph
LAP LEADERS: O'Hara 1-13
FASTEST QUALIFYING RACE LAP: O'Hara, 1:06.360 (119.350mph) on lap 4
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 2.040sec.
RACE RESULTS: 1. O'Hara, 25 laps; 2. Orcutt; 3. Burress; 4. Gross; 5.
Lavorgna; 6. Snyder; 7. Lewis; 8. Fletcher; 9. Selznick., 24; 10.
Moberley,
12; 11. Hull, 7.
TIME OF RACE: 30m03.494s
RACE AVERAGE SPEED: 109.786mph
LAP LEADERS: O'Hara 1-25
FASTEST RACE LAP: O'Hara, 1:05.463 (120.984mph) on lap 22
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 12.235sec.
STAR MAZDA TV REMINDER
** Thursday, Oct. 1, 5 a.m. EST on espn2: Star Mazda Series, Heartland Park Topeka race from Aug. 23.
** Monday, Nov. 2, 6:30 p.m. EST on espn2: Star Mazda Series, Las Vegas Motor Speedway race from Oct. 10. Re-broadcast on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 4 a.m. EST on espn2.