SCCA: Scharf wins two lap dash at Pikes Peak
18 June 2000
FOUNTAIN, Colo.- In a two lap dash to the finish Keith Scharf, of St. Louis, Mo., captured the win at Saturday’s Round Five Pro Spec Racer race at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Carl Harris, of Houston, Texas and Bobby Sak, of West Bloomfield, Mich. rounded out the top-three.Scharf, driving the No. 82 Tech Hyper V Spec Racer, won his fifth career Pro Spec Race, second on the all-time list, in a race that was run the majority under yellow. By lap four Scharf had taken the lead from the pole sitter Johnny Meriggi. Scharf held off repeated challenges for the lead until a multi-car incident involving Meriggi, James Goughary Jr., Neil Tilbor and Denny Stripling. Meriggi, Goughary Jr. and Tilbor suffered severe damage, while Stripling continued with nose damage. The field circulated the course for 24 laps as clean-up occurred. On the restart both Harris and Seanin Hendricsen closed up on Scharf, but were unable to take the lead. A lap 43 spin brought out another yellow setting up a two lap dash to the checkered flag. On the restart Scharf was able to pull away from Harris to a 0.124-second margin of victory.
"Right from the start I ran every lap flat footed,” said Scharf. "After last year’s race it’s possible that I was owed one here. I’ve got a win each year for the past few years. It’s nice to get one so early this year.”
After taking the last race off at Mid-Ohio, Harris returned to the front finishing second. Driving the No. 69 Four Seasons Radiator Spec Racer, Harris got off to great start moving up from his 11th place starting position to the lead pack. Harris managed to avoid the lap seven incident in corner one and moved into second place. On both restarts Harris briefly challenged Scharf for the lead, but was unable to pass for the lead.
“I just didn’t have the horsepower to beat Scharf today” said Harris. “I soon as I pulled out of the draft Scharf drove away, so I figured I’d just sit right on his tail and try to force a mistake.”
In the No. 19 Don Sak Racing Spec Racer, Sak captured his second consecutive podium finish. Sak who battled Black most of the race was able to move into third position on the final restart passing both Black and Seanin Hendricsen. The third place finish moves Sak into a tie for third in the points with Black, behind Hendricsen and Scharf respectively.
“I got a great restart and managed to get past both John (Black) and Seanin (Hendricsen) on the same lap,” said Sak. “I was cautious at the start since some of the guys were doing some wacky stuff out there. In the end it worked out thou, as I managed to keep my nose clean.”
Rounding out the top-five was rookie points leader Hendricsen, of Phoenix, Ariz. and Black, of Tahoe City, Calif.
Fountain, Colo. - Results for Saturday's 50-lap, 50.00-mile Pro Spec Racer race at Pikes Peak International Raceway, part of the Radisson Indy 200 Northern Light weekend, with qualifying position, car number in parenthesis, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out.
1. (5), Keith Scharf, St. Louis, Mo., Spec Racer, 50. 2. (11), Carl Harris, Houston, Texas, Spec Racer, 50. 3. (6), Bobby Sak, W. Bloomfields, Mich., Spec Racer, 50. 4. (12), Seainn Hendricson, Phoenix, Ariz., Spec Racer, 50. 5. (7), John Black, Tahoe City, Calif., Spec Racer, 50. 6. (14), Steve Rehkemper, Chicago, Ill., Spec Racer, 50. 7. (13), Carey Folk, Memphis, Tenn., Spec Racer, 50. 8. (10), Sean Lambert, Boulder, Colo., Spec Racer, 50. 9. (3), Denny Stripling, McKinney, Texas, Spec Racer, 50. 10. (18), John Bowden, Lawerence, Kansas, Spec Racer, 50. 11. (21), Charlie Shears, Houston, Texas, Spec Racer, 50. 12. (23), Jason Klein, Long Grove, Ill., Spec Racer, 50. 13. (8), Richard Doty, Haddon Heights, N.J., Spec Racer, 50. 14. (19), Ronald Jacobs, Denver, Colo., Spec Racer, 50. 15. (15), Clint Lindburg II, St. Louis, Mo., Spec Racer, 50. 16. (24), Jeff Tillman, St. Louis, Mo., Spec Racer, 50. 17. (26), Rich Klein, Long Grove, Ill., Spec Racer, 49. 18. (16), James Baxter, Houston, Texas, Spec Racer, 49. 19. (20), Dr. Jim Baxter, Houston, Texas, Spec Racer, 49. 20. (22), Dana Moore, San Diego, Calif., Spec Racer, 49. 21. (28), Mark Eaton, Melborune, Fla., Spec Racer, 49. 22. (25), Tom Hunt, Buffalo, N.Y., Spec Racer, 49. 23. (17), Mark Hutchins, Lincoln, Neb., Spec Racer, 41, contact. 24. (2), Warren Stilwell, Hartville, Ohio, Spec Racer, 32, mechanical. 25. (9), James Goughary Jr, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Spec Racer, 6, contact. 26. (1), Johnny Meriggi, The Woodlands, Texas, Spec Racer, 6, contact. 27. (4), Neil Tilbor, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Spec Racer, 6, contact. 28. (27), Wells Dickson, Des Moines, Iowa, Spec Racer, 0, n.a. Time of race: 54 minutes, 53.325 seconds. Average speed: 54.656 miles-per-hour Margin of victory: .12400 seconds Fastest race lap: Carl Harris, 0:32.150 (111.975 mph)