SCCA’s Hoosier Super Tour hits Central California with heated action and close battles

Rain, and even snow, swept across portions of the United States this past weekend, but California’s Central Valley was having none of it, as absolutely gorgeous conditions welcomed nearly 200 competitors on April 29-30 at Buttonwillow Raceway Park for the Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour competition hosted by SCCA’s Cal Club Region.

The series’ seventh stop of the year began with a Spec Miata oddity. Tristan Littlehale, in his No. 08 TC Design/Red Line Oil/G-LOC Brakes Mazda Miata, grabbed the lead on the first lap and remained completely unchallenged for the entire event, ending up with a winning margin of more than 10 seconds, something that doesn’t happen too often in this tightly contested class. Then he did it again on Sunday. Daniel Langon and Steven Powers completed the podium on both days.

A broken axle on Aaron Downey’s potent Mazda RX-3 on the out lap turned E Production into an entertaining free for all. Philip Royle seized the lead in his second-generation RX-7 at the start, but Glen McCready hounded him throughout the race, making several attempts to pass in his NC MX-5. One of those attempts lasted from the Off-Ramp turn all the way through Cotton Corners as the two went side by side for a significant portion of the track. In the end, Royle held on for the victory.

“Glen had an incredible handling car, but it didn’t have the legs of the rotary on the straight,” said Royle. “So at the end of the day, it became a matter of figuring out how to keep him behind me in the braking zones and then using the straightaways to the advantage of the RX-7.”

Saturday’s win was a bit of a vindication for Royle, having suffered a rough start to his 2017 racing season. “It’s probably been my roughest season so far. I started the season by blowing the motor on lap one of the first race of the year. I came back the next weekend and won a race, but then rolled across the scales under weight. It certainly felt great this weekend to get the win, pass tech, and not blow up,” he added.

Downey came back from his mechanical problem to win on Sunday, followed by McCready and Royle, who lost a tire in the track’s fastest turn.

 

Mark Hoover continued his string of Touring 1 victories in his Miata, winning both days. Jim Mali was also a double winner, taking both Formula Atlantic contests in his Pro Mazda car. Brandon Aleckson and Allan Svela won in Formula Enterprises. William Weaver and Mike Anderson split wins in Formula Mazda.

Following an exciting weekend at Buttonwillow, The Hoosier Super Tour now moves north for the final West Coast event May 19-21 at Portland International Raceway in Oregon. Follow all the action live at www.scca.com/live.

 

SCCA Hoosier Racing Tire Super Tour at Buttonwillow Raceway Park
April 29, 2017, provisional winners
Class: Name, Hometown and Car
E Production: Philip Royle; Thousand Oaks, CA; Mazda RX-7
Formula Atlantic: Jim Mali; Morgan Hill, CA; Mazda Pro Mazda
Formula Enterprises: Brandon Aleckson; Campbell, CA; Van Diemen FE Mazda
Formula Mazda: William Weaver; Fresno, CA; Star Mazda Formula Mazda
Spec Miata: Tristan Littlehale; Saratoga, CA; Mazda Miata
Touring 1: Marc Hoover; Shingle Springs, CA; Mazda MX-5 Miata

April 30, 2017, provisional winners
E Production: Aaron Downey; Rossmoor, CA; Mazda RX-3
Formula Atlantic: Jim Mali; Morgan Hill, CA; Mazda Pro Mazda
Formula Enterprises: Allan Svela; Aliso Viejo, CA; Van Diemen FE Mazda
Formula Mazda: Mike Anderson; Anza, CA; Mazda Star Mazda
Spec Miata: Tristan Littlehale; Saratoga, CA; Mazda Miata
Touring 1: Marc Hoover; Shingle Springs, CA; Mazda MX-5 Miata