Four Mazda racers take double victories in Mid-States Conference Majors at Oklahoma circuit.

Gambling on precipitation during the 25-minute timed races on Saturday at the SCCA Mid-States Conference Majors Tour at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit rewarded many drivers while catching others out.

The first day started sunny, but by the third race of the afternoon had turned into an on-and-off rain that started up again just as a dry line began to form. That left tire choice and driving talent to decide the race winners in 26 Runoffs-eligible classes.

Matt Reynolds was the star of the day, lowering his existing track record in E Production on his way to a runaway win in the No. 71 Reynolds Bros. Racing Mazda Miata. Reynolds hopped out of the E Production machine and climbed immediately into front row of the Spec Miata race, which is where the fun really started.

Reynolds actually earned the lead on the opening lap before falling behind Jim Drago’s No. 2 East Street Racing Miata and Craig Berry’s No. 45 Berry Marble and Granite Miata, just before rain started to fall. With everyone on Hoosier Tires made for dry pavement, lap times immediately slipped. Reynolds got around Berry and then Drago, climbing into the lead to win going away in the No. 74 Reynolds Bros. Racing Miata.

Adding his name to the rain masters on a very difficult Hallett circuit was Alan Marshall. In a big bore group that included GT-1, GT-2, Touring 1 and American Sedan, Alan Marshall drove his No. 103 IHS Racing Mazda RX-7 to a GT-3 win, second overall to Mike McGinley’s GT-2, and turned the fastest lap of the race. Marshall was one of the few cars in the class running on rain tires, but the call was the correct one as the rain continued to fall.

Following Saturday’s wet races, a warmer Sunday at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit near Tulsa, Oklahoma, was a welcome respite for Round Four. Each of the seven group races were 25 laps around the circuit west of Tulsa, Okla.

Drago won an emotional race for he and his East Street Racing team. Keeping his No. 2 East Street Racing Miata in a back-and-forth battle with Reynolds and Berry, Drago held on for the final couple of laps to the front. The win comes just a week after crew member and Berry’s father, Jim Berry, passed away, and Drago said on the podium that he was certain he was enjoying this race.

B-Spec came down to the final lap in the dual between Joe McClughan and Saturday winner John Phillips. McClughan held the lead on the final lap in his No. 3 Hoosier/MAZDASPEED Mazda2, but Phillips saw an opening and went for the win. The two made contact side by side, and Phillips got the worst of it, spinning and allowing McClughan to take the win.

SCCA Mid-States Conferences Majors Tour
Hallett Motor Racing Ciruit, Hallett, Okla.
April 11-12, 2015

Saturday Mazda Winners

Class	Driver	Hometown	Car
E Production	Matt Reynolds	Fair Oaks, Texas	Mazda Miata
F Production	Eric Prill	Topeka, Kan.	Mazda Miata
Formula Mazda	Brekk Harris	Hurst, Texas	Formula Mazda
GT-3	Alan Marshall	San Antonio, Texas	Mazda RX-7
Prototype 2	Joseph Shannonhouse	Aurora, Colo.	Van Diemen/Mazda
Spec Miata	Matt Reynolds	Fair Oaks, Texas	Mazda Miata

Sunday Mazda Winners

Class	Driver	Hometown	Car
B-Spec	Joe McClughan	New Braunfels, Texas	Mazda2
E Production	Matt Reynolds	Fair Oaks, Texas	Mazda Miata
F Production	Eric Prill	Topeka, Kan.	Mazda Miata
Formula Mazda	Brekk Harris	Hurst, Texas	Formula Mazda
GT-3	Alan Marshall	San Antonio, Texas	Mazda RX-7
Spec Miata	Jim Drago	Memphis, Tenn.	Mazda Miata
Touring 1	Chris Edens	Sherwood, Ark.	Mazda MX-5