Round #2 of the 2009 Redline Time Attack series is in the books and it certainly was one to remember. This stop of the series was at Willow Springs Raceway. This is a new stop on the Redline Time Attack schedule for 2009 and it proved to be one of the most exciting events so far! Super Lap Battle has run qualifiers at this track for the past three years and in this one event, every Super Lap Battle lap record was demolished despite air temperatures in the low 90s.
Round #1 overall champions FX Motorsports Development returned with hot shoe Billy Johnson to defend their championship title. Fontana Nissan was also there with their Unlimited RWD 350Z to redeem themselves at their "home track" after an engine failure in Round #1. The defending Modified and Street class champions from the season opening event, the Gates311.com Evo X and Reese Tuning/Robispec Evo VIII were also back to defend their positions on top of the podium. We also saw the return of 2008 Unlimited FWD champion Chris Rado in a newly re-built time attack Scion tC as well as new comers Sierra Sierra Enterprises in their Unlimited AWD Mitsubishi Evo VIII.
The Unlimited Class was absolutely incredible to watch at this event. This 2009 season has seen some amazing Unlimited Class cars crop up but the team to beat seems to be the FX Motorsports Development Acura NSX. Driver Billy Johnson set an astounding 1:18.555 lap time shattering the previous record by four seconds! This flying lap was good for the second overall event win in a row as well as the overall Unlimited Class and Unlimited RWD class victory. Previous lap record holder Tyler McQuarrie took home second in Unlimited RWD in the C-West/Brian Crower Honda S2000 with a lap time of 1:20.454, beating his own previous record by two seconds and setting the third fastest overall time for the weekend. Rounding out the Unlimited RWD class was Mike Cronin Jr. and the Fontana Nissan 350Z with a lap time of 1:23.846. Sierra Sierra Enterprises and their Evo 8 made a quick name for themselves with driver Jonathan Bomarito behind the wheel clocking a 1:20.454 which was the second fastest time overall and the fastest time in the Unlimited AWD class. Coming in behind them in Unlimited AWD was class winner from Round #1 Tarzan Yamada in the Crawford Performance Subaru STI with a time of 1:22.097 followed by Gary Sheehan and the GST Motorsports Subaru Impreza L with a time of 1:23.141. Chris Rado's dual winged Scion tC was the talk of the paddock not only for its wild looks, but also for an astounding lap time of 1:22.623 destroying everyone's notions of what is capable from a front wheel drive car and also destroying the competition in Unlimited FWD. In second place, a full eight seconds behind Rado was Brady Dohrman in the KSport USA Acura Integra with a lap time of 1:30.736. Andrew Gillis in the Gillis Motorsports Ford Focus took home his second 3rd place finish in a row in the Unlimited FWD class with a 1:33.769.
Fans of time attack were very excited for the Modified AWD battle once they saw the roster. Round #1 champion Ryan Gates and the Gates311.com Evo X were back to defend the title but multi-time 2008 Modified class winner MFQ Motorsports and 2008 Street class champions Harman Motive, now running in Modified AWD, were determined to stand in his way. JC Meynet and the Harman Motive STI came into the event with the Modified class track record from the previous weekend's Super Lap Battle event and JC was out for blood again re-setting his lap record with a 1:26.417 winning the overall Modified class title and Modified AWD title. Unfortunately both the Gates311.com Evo X and MFQ Motorsports Evo VIII suffered mechanical issues. To add more fuel to the Modified AWD class fire, Dusty Nabor and the 101 Pipe & Casting Subaru STI debuted with a 2nd place finish in Modified AWD and a 1:30.089 lap time followed closely by Mike Cronin Jr. and the Fontana Nissan R35 GTR with a 1:30.717 in third place. The Modified RWD class saw Brian Lock on top of the podium in the GoTo/Tapped Racing Mazda RX7 with a 1:29.824. After a disappointing 2008 season plagued with mechanical issues Scott Bush was back in the action in what is now the BC Racing/Relentless Autosports/JWT Nissan 350Z posting a lap time of 1:30.866 landing the team in 2nd Place in Modified RWD. In 3rd place was 2008 Modified Class champion Matt Andrews in the Nitto/Robispec Mazda Miata with a 1:31.109. The Modified FWD class saw another incredible display of what is capable with a front wheel drive platform. Round #1 winner Tim Kuo was back on top of the Modified FWD podium in the SportCar Motion Honda Civic with a lap time of 1:29.693 which was also good enough for 2nd place overall in the Modified class. Coming in second place in Modified FWD was Tom Liang in the Racelikebunnies.com/JHPUSA.com Honda Civic running a 1:36.614 nearly six seconds ahead of third place finisher Ryan Lapp in the Goldcoast Automotive Ford Focus turning in a lap time of 1:42.396.
The Street class was once again the largest class with 37 cars posting times in the competition. Round #1 class champion Jeremy Toye once again destroyed the competition in his Reese Tuning/Robispec Evo 8 posting a blistering 1:28.817 landing him with the overall Street Class win and the Street AWD win. Coming in behind Toye in the Street AWD class was the StopTech Evo X driven by Steven Ruiz with a 1:32.254 which was also the third fastets overall Street Class time. Less than a second behind was third place Street AWD finisher Russ Warr in the OctaneReport.com/M1FD Evo IX with a 1:32.691. The Street RWD class was one by the Berk Technology/Sparco/KW Toyota MR2 driven by Jeremy Croiset with a 1:32.399. Landing a 2nd place Street RWD class finish for the second time this season was Robert Walker in the Evasive Motorsports Honda S2000 with a 1:32.457. Rounding out the Street RWD podium in 3rd place was Robert Choo in the supercharged DSport/Vortech/And1Concepts Honda S2000 with a 1:33.739. The Street FWD class saw the return of the monster KBR/Robispec/Nitto Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by Matt Andrews who also represented the front wheel drive community well with a 1:31.267 which was good enough for the Street FWD win and second fastest overall Street Class time. A little less than six seconds behind Andews was 2nd place Street FWD finisher Clint Boisedow in his Ford Focus with a 1:37.042 followed by 3rd place finisher Brian Alvarez in the Yokohama/Rays/HKS/CP-E/Tri-Point Mazdaspeed3 with a 1:38.338 lap.
This event was also the debut of the new Stock Class, which is a more restricted version of the Street Class. Matt Dennison in the Tuning Technologies/Robispec/Mishimoto Evo took home the inaugural Stock Class victory as well as the Stock AWD victory with a 1:35.988. Johnathan Gih followed closely behind in the Stock AWD class running a fastest lap of 1:36.574 for 2nd place in Stock AWD. Third place went to Kevin Tidwell in the Crawford Performance/SoCal Subies Subaru STI with a 1:37.295 lap time. The Stock RWD class saw some American muscle on top of the podium after Thomas Barrett piloted his Corvette Specialty Chevrolet Corvette C6 to a 1:40.342 followed by 2nd place Stock RWD finisher Jairo Jaramillo in the TrackHQ S2000 with a 1:43.653. Eric Emerson took home the victory in the Stock FWD class with his ENA Motorsports Type R running a 1:40.127. Coming in 2nd place in Stock FWD was Michael Hernandez in his Chevrolet Cobalt with a 1:41.432 followed by 3rd place finisher Kevin Vesely in his Acura Integra with a lap time of 1:42.454.
As if four classes wasn't enough, we also saw the return of the Drift Class at this event. The Drift class is a class for drift prepared cars, but despite the name, there is no drifting. These "drift" cars are going for lap time like the rest of us! Calvin Wan brought out his Formula D Falken Tire RX7 drift car and ended up winning the class with a fast 1:32.870 lap. Henry Schelley took the 2nd place spot with a 1:38.483 in his HPS/JustDrift Nissan 240SX. Rounding out the top three in this class was Hiro Sumida in his JustDrift/DriftPro Toyota Cressida with a 1:40.506 lap time.
And if all of that wasn't exciting enough, this event also had a "Super Session" battle between the top Unlimited and Modified class cars! The Super Session is a 3-lap wheel to wheel sprint race where lap time doesn't matter. For the Super Session, its all about who crosses the finish line first. Coming around to the rolling green flag start on the pole position was Billy Johnson in the FX Motorsports Development Acura NSX. Next to him on the front row was Gary Sheehan in the GST Motorsports Subaru Impreza L. Row #2 had JC Meynet and the Harman Motive STI on the inside, with Matt Andrews and the Robispec/Nitto Mazda Miata on the outside. On the inside of the third and final row was Dusty Nabor and the 101 Pipe & Casting Subaru STI with Scott Bush and the BC Racing/Relentless Autosports/JWT Nissan 350Z on the outside. The green flag dropped and it was a drag race to the first turn. Johnson was first to the turn with Sheehan close in tow. Scott Bush catapulted down the first straight passing Nabor and Andrews in the process. The battle up front was heating up as Sheehan was putting the pressure on Johnson for the lead as a battle for third between Bush and Meynet heated up behind them. Taking the checkered flag was Billy Johnson in the FX Motorsports Development NSX followed by Gary Sheehan in the GST Motorsports Impreza L in 2nd and Scott Bush in the BC Racing/Relentless Autosports/JWT 350Z in 3rd. Dusty Nabors in the 101 Pipe & Casting STI came across in forth and after suffering mechanical issues both Matt Andrews in the Robispec/Nitto Miata and JC Meynet in the Harman Motive STI finished 5th and 6th.
The next stop for the 2009 Redline Time Attack series is a non-points race at New Jersey Motorsports Park June 12-14. The next points race will be at Autobahn Country Club just outside of Chicago, IL on June 20-21.
RESULTS:
Overall:
Billy Johnson - FX Motorsports Development Acura NSX - 1:18.555 *NEW RECORD
Overall Unlimited:
Billy Johnson - FX Motorsports Development Acura NSX - 1:18.555 *NEW RECORD
Overall Modified:
JC Meynet - Harman Motive Subaru STI - 1:26.417 *NEW RECORD
Overall Street:
Jeremy Toye - Reese Tuning/Robispec Mitsubishi Evo VIII - 1:28.817 *NEW RECORD
Unlimited RWD:
1 Billy Johnson - FX Motorsports Development Acura NSX - 1:18.555 *NEW RECORD
2 Tyler McQuarrie - C-West/Brian Crower Honda S2000 - 1:20.838
3 Mike Cronin Jr. - Fontana Nissan 350Z - 1:23.846
Unlimited AWD:
1 Johnathan Bomarito - Sierra Sierra Mitsubishi Evo VIII - 1:20.454 *NEW RECORD
2 Tarzan Yamada - Crawford Performance Subaru STI - 1:22.097
3 Gary Sheehan - GST Motorsports Subaru Impreza L - 1:23.141
Unlimited FWD:
1 Chris Rado - World Racing Scion tC - 1:22.623 *NEW RECORD
2 Brady Dohrman - KSport USA Acura Integra Type R - 1:30.736
3 Andrew Gillis - Gillis Motorsports Ford Focus SVT - 1:33.769
Modified AWD:
1 JC Meynet - Harman Motive Subaru STI - 1:26.417 *NEW RECORD
2 Dusty Nabor - 101 Pipe & Casting Subaru STI - 1:30.089
3 Mike Cronin Jr. - Fontana Nissan R35 GTR - 1:30.717
Modifed RWD:
1 Brian Lock - GoTo/Tapped Racing Mazda RX7 - 1:29.824 *NEW RECORD
2 Scott Bush - BC Racing/Relentless Autosports/JWT Nissan 350Z - 1:30.866
3 Matt Andrews - Robispec/Nitto Tires Mazda Miata - 1:31.109
Modified FWD:
1 Tim Kuo - SportCar Motion Honda Civic - 1:29.693 *NEW RECORD
2 Tom Liang - Racelikebunnies.com/JHPUSA.com Honda Civic - 1:36.614
3 Ryan Lapp - Goldcoast Automotive Ford Focus - 1:42.396
Street AWD:
1 Jeremy Toye - Reese Tuning/Robispec Mitsubishi Evo VIII - 1:28.817 *NEW RECORD
2 Steven Ruiz - StopTech Mitsubishi Evo X - 1:32.254
3 Russ Warr - OctaneReport.com/M1FD Mitsubishi Evo IX - 1:32.691
Street RWD:
1 Jeremy Croiset - Berk Technology/Sparco/KW Toyota MR2 - 1:32.399 *NEW RECORD
2 Robert Walker - Evasive Motorsports Honda S2000 - 1:32.457
3 Robert Choo - DSport/Vortech/And1Concepts Honda S2000 - 1:33.739
Street FWD:
1 Matt Andrews - KBR/Robispec/Nitto Mitsubishi Eclipse GST - 1:31.267 *NEW RECORD
2 Clint Boisdeau - Toyo Tires Ford Focus - 1:37.042
3 Brian Alvarez - Yokohama/Rays/HKS/CP-E/Tri-Point Mazdaspeed3 - 1:38.338
Stock AWD:
1 Matt Dennison - Tuning Technologies/Robispec/Mishimoto Mitsubishi Evo 9 - 1:35.988 *NEW RECORD
2 Johnathan Gih - SouthCoastSubaru/Yimisport/Recaro Subaru Impreza - 1:36.574
3 Kevin Tidwell - Crawford Performance/SoCal Subies Subaru STI - 1:37.295
Stock RWD:
1 Thomas Barrett - Corvette Specialties Chevrolet Corvette C6 - 1:40.342 *NEW RECORD
2 Jairo Jaramillo - TrackHQ.com Honda S2000 - 1:43.653
Stock FWD:
1 Eric Emerson - ENA Motorsports Type R - 1:40.127 *NEW RECORD
2 Michael Hernandez - Chevrolet Cobalt - 1:41.432
3 Kevin Vesely - Acura Integra - 1:42.454
Drift:
1 Calvin Wan - Falken Tire Mazda RX7 - 1:32.870
2 Henry Schelley - HPS/JustDrift Nissan 240SX - 1:38.483
3 Hiro Sumida - DriftPro/JustDrift Toyota Cressida - 1:40.506
Super Session:
1 Billy Johnson - FX Motorsports Development Acura NSX
2 Gary Sheehan - GST Motorsports Subaru Impreza L
3 Scott Bush - BC Racing/Relentless Autosports/JWT Nissan 350Z
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