The SCCA Voodoo Quatre Super Tour at NOLA Motorsports Park brings out the best in New Orleans
More than 200 drivers traveled to the 2.75-mile NOLA Motorsports Park circuit in Avondale, La., for the Voodoo Quatre Hoosier Tires SCCA Super Tour on March 4-5, 2017. The weather didn’t fail to impress, either, with conditions primed for both great racing and new track records.
The small-bore group attracted a 52-car field featuring eight classes and 35 Mazda drivers. Despite the organized chaos, the first race group started things off with several wins for Mazda drivers, plus great battles throughout the field. Matthew Reynolds took home back-to-back wins in E Production with his Reynolds Bros. Racing/Hoosier/JPM/OS Giken/Vintage Connection/G-LOC Brakes 1999 Mazda Miata.
Four other drivers joined the double-win party including Michael Kamalian and his RevolutionSpeed.com GTL 1994 Mazda Miata, Ken Kannard and his Northwest Cable Construction/Hoosier Racing Tire FP 1990 Mazda Miata, and Luis Rivera and his RPM Motorsports/Hoosier/Mazda/Tiburon Motorsports/BWear STU 1991 Mazda Miata. Rivera also set the STU track record on Saturday and proceeded to break it again on Sunday.
“It was interesting…with a lot of traffic,” Kannard said after Saturday’s race. “I’m happy to get out of here with a win.”
Nick Leverone was the fourth driver, bringing home two STL wins, and he too set a new track record on Sunday in his Flatout Motorsports 2000 Mazda Miata “I had great races both days, but unfortunately, my main competitor, Danny Steyn, had to come back from the back of the pack on Saturday and broke on Sunday,” Leverone said following his second race of the weekend. “The car has been great all year thanks to the guys at Flatout Motorsports, who built this car from the ground up. This Mazda has been super reliable all year, especially with the Hoosier Tires and Hawk Brakes.
“This was my first trip to NOLA Motorsports Park, and I can’t wait to come back,” Leverone continued. “The track is really exciting and the racing was a lot of fun.”
Central Florida Region’s Bill McGavic brought home two GT3 trophies in the big-bore group driving the Hoosier/No Mo Money Race Engineering Mazda RX-7.
The always action-packed Spec Miata class put on a stellar show with battles from start to finish all throughout the 44-car field. Chris Haldeman, driving the X-Factor Racing 1999 Mazda Miata, held off a hard-charging Michael Carter and Selin M. Rollan to claim the top step of the podium after the the 25-minute race ended under double-yellow.
“I started on pole and had the early lead, but Selin decided he wanted to come around and lead,” Haldeman said. “He seemed to be making a couple of little mistakes, so I decided to go back around him before things turned into a five-car race up front. It worked out in my favor.”
Carter’s speed put him on the pole for Sunday’s race, but Rollan would end up being victorious in his Apex Alignment/BSI Racing/Rossini Racing Products 1999 Mazda Miata after a great run with Carter and Haldeman. “It was a race with constant pressure from behind,” Rollan said. “I knew the driving capabilities of the drivers behind me, but was able to keep them in my mirror for the final 10 laps. The Spec Miata action was very competitive both days, as it always is here at NOLA Motorsports Park. There were great battles against even better drivers. I couldn’t have done it without the support from my parents, my sponsors, Hoosier, and Mazda.”
After a two-year break from racing, SCCA Houston Region’s Stuart Rettie snagged two wins driving his Lion Rampant Group Formula Mazda against a talented seven-car field.
Voodoo Quatre Hoosier Tire SCCA Super Tour at NOLA Motorsports Park
March 4, 2016, provisional winners
Class: Name, Hometown and Car:
E Production: Matthew Reynolds; Fair Oaks, TX; Mazda Miata
GT Lite: Michael Kamalian; Marietta, GA; Mazda Miata
F Production: Ken Kannard; Sebring, FL; Mazda Miata
Super Touring Lite: Nick Leverone; Mendon, MA; Mazda Miata
Touring 4: Ryan Kowalewski; Indianapolis, IN; Mazda MX-5
Super Touring Under: Luis Rivera; Angleton, TX: Mazda Miata
GT3: Bill McGavic; Arcadia, FL; Mazda RX-7
Spec Miata: Chris Haldeman; McKinney, TX; Mazda Miata
Formula Mazda: Stuart Rettie; Houston, TX; Formula Mazda
March 5, 2016, provisional winners Class: Name, Hometown and Car:
E Production: Matthew Reynolds; Fair Oaks, TX; Mazda Miata
GT Lite: Michael Kamalian; Marietta, GA; Mazda Miata
F Production: Ken Kannard; Sebring, FL; Mazda Miata
Super Touring Lite: Nick Leverone; Mendon, MA; Mazda Miata
Super Touring Under: Luis Rivera; Angleton, TX: Mazda Miata
GT3: Bill McGavic; Arcadia, FL; Mazda RX-7
Spec Miata: Selin M. Rollan; Miami, FL; Mazda Miata
Formula Atlantic: Paul Ravaris; Aledo, TX; Pro Formula Mazda
Formula Mazda: Stuart Rettie; Houston, TX; Formula Mazda