Mazda Drivers Win in Inde Majors

The second event of the SCCA Western Conference Majors Tour took place this past weekend at the Inde Motorsports Ranch, located just outside of Wilcox, Ariz. The four-year-old facility offers pristine support buildings and new on-track challenges for many competitors who have not run here before. The 18-turn, 2.22-mile track sits at 4000 feet above sea level, providing a different challenge for many Western Conference racers used to competing at much lower elevations.

As is often the case, Spec Miata proved to be the closest race of the first day’s 30-minute timed races. Clement Lee, of San Diego, Calif., kept his win streak in Western Conference competition alive, taking home his third win of 2014. He edged out fellow Californian Elliott Skeer to the line by a hair – only 0.007sec ahead.

Skeer, the 2013 SCCA Pro Racing Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship runner-up, led the class to the green. Driving the No. 77 Rush Motorsports Mazda Miata, Skeer held onto the lead until Lee, in the No. 28 RM Autosports Mazda Miata, got around him in the final complex of corners on lap seven. Skeer spent the remainder of the race just off the rear bumper of Lee, but was unable to make a pass.

As the leaders approached the finish line nose-to-tail for the checkered flag, with Lee in the lead, lapped traffic forced both the leader and Skeer to slow and take evasive action. Lee chose to dive to his right, which allowed him to preserve his momentum, while Skeer went left. The momentary decision proved to be the decisive factor in Lee’s race win.

The following day, which featured 22-lap races, Spec Miata once again provided great entertainment for drivers and spectators alike. Joey Jordan, of Fallbrook, Calif., would emerge victorious in his No. 47 BFGoodrich® Tires/Minxnails.com/Promotive Mazda Miata. However, it was a hard fought, well-earned win.

Jordan was part of an eventual four-car group that broke away from the remaining 13 entries in the class. Skeer, Steven Powers and Dean Busk were the remaining three drivers that were battling for the win.

Busk started the race off by taking the lead and trying to put as much time between himself and the rest of the pack. On lap five, Skeer had reeled Busk in by setting down some quick laps and made his pass stick coming out of Turn 2. On lap seven, Powers was in front of Jordan as they got around Busk. Jordan then put his head down and got around Powers for second, determined not to let Skeer run away with a win.

By Lap 12, Jordan was on Skeer’s bumper, working to get a draft down the backstraight into Turn 3. Skeer had other ideas and was able hold the lead until Jordan made a daring outside pass in Turns 14 and 15. From there, Jordan ran consistent laps allowing him to maintain his gap to Skeer for the remaining 10 laps as Skeer drover to his second second-place finish of the weekend.

Lee’s three-race streak in Spec Miata was broken, but that didn’t stop him from taking home some hardware. Lee won STL in his No. 3 RM Autosports Mazda Miata on Sunday.

In Formula Mazda, Doug Nelson, of Tucson, Ariz., took advantage of the absence of the top three drivers in Western Conference standings at this weekend’s race. After taking two wins in the No. 07 Raptor Motorsports/Hawk Performance Formula Mazda, it should boost his rank in the points.

In addition to Nelson, Derrick Ambrose of Vancouver, Wash., was the other double winner, taking both B-Spec victories in his No. 71 CorkSport Mazda Performance/Monarch Inspections/BFGoodrich® Tires Mazda2.

The next SCCA Majors event will be a Mid-States Conference race at Eagle’s Canyon Raceway in Texas on March 15-16, while the next Western States Conference event will be at Thunderhill Raceway Park on April 12-13.

 

SCCA Western Conference Majors Tour
Inde Motorsports Ranch, Wilcox, Ariz.
Feb. 22-23, 2014

Round 3 Winners

Class Driver Hometown Car
B-Spec Derrick Ambrose Vancouver Wash. Mazda2
Formula Mazda Doug Nelson Tucson Ariz. Formula Mazda
Spec Miata Clement Lee San Diego Calif. Mazda Miata

 

Round 4 Winners

Class Driver Hometown Car
B-Spec Derrick Ambrose Vancouver Wash. Mazda2
Formula Mazda Doug Nelson Tucson Ariz. Formula Mazda
F Production Frank Neal Santa Fe N.M. Mazda Miata
GT-3 Mike Henderson Alpine Calif. Mazda RX-7
Spec Miata Joey Jordan Fallbrook Calif. Mazda Miata
Super Touring Lite Clement Lee San Diego Calif. Mazda Miata
Super Touring Under John Harms Plano Texas Mazda Miata