Melvin David Kemper Jr. takes the title over Jarret Voorhies on the second day of the SCCA National Championship Runoffs

It was opposite ends of the age and experience spectrum on the Formula Mazda podium of the 2017 SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sept. 30, as 69-year-old Melvin David Kemper Jr. claimed his first SCCA national championship with a victory over 20-year-old Jarret Voorhies. With Formula Mazda sharing the track with Formula Continental, drivers had a lot of traffic to contend with, along with oil spills and spins.

Kemper, in the Mazda/Goodyear Star Formula Mazda, had to survive a lot of pressure as former national champ Mike Anderson tried to take the lead on the final lap and spun in the process, allowing Voorhies’ No. 15 Mitchell Petroleum Star Formula Mazda to take second. Anderson completed the podium.

“Crossing the bricks for the national championship didn’t set in, and still hasn’t,” said Kemper. “I’m 69-years old, 50-years older than Jarrett. I don’t have as many years left to win, so winning here at IMS for the first time is pretty exciting.”

The 16-car FM field had a split start behind the Formula Continental field, and the starter didn’t give the green to the FC drivers, so the Formula Mazda racers had to wait another lap to begin their contest. Anderson took the lead on the second start attempt when Voorhies, who dominated all four qualifying sessions, shuffled to the back of the field after a shunt in Turn 1. A full-course yellow caused by an FC oil spill allowed Voorhies to re-fire his car and catch the field.

On the restart, Kemper challenged Anderson for the lead. Right on the gearbox of Anderson’s No. 42 HASA Pool Productions machine, Kemper accelerated from the draft and squeezed Anderson on the inside to take the top spot. Voorhies picked off cars one by one trying to catch the front-runners, but killed his momentum when he looped his car in Turn 10. He continued in sixth.

“I was excited when I saw the double yellows but was worried about time,” Voorhies said. “I was moving up and down the entire race. Deep down, I might have given up after the second spin. I kept pushing, though, knowing that the podium was probably out of sight this year – but with a bit of luck and determination, here we are.”

Kemper and Anderson pulled away from the field with Liam Snyder following in third. Kemper and Anderson continued to battle each other through the white flag. On the final lap, Anderson got caught in lapped FC traffic and Kemper extended his lead over Anderson and Snyder. Anderson fought to catch the race leader, and on an attempt to overtake Kemper on the inside of the Esses, spun off track. Close behind in third, Snyder’s podium run ended after Turn 7 collected his Snyder Brothers Racing car.

“I saw the white flag and knew now was the time to make a move on Mel,” Anderson said. “He was faster on the straights, but I caught him in the corners. The track was so slick and I just went off. I recovered quickly, but Jarret had already passed. It was an exciting race to compete in.”

Larry Mason finished fourth and Snyder recovered from his last-lap shunt to take fifth.

In other races, several Mazda drivers claimed podium finishes. Jeff Dernehl finished second in GT-3 in his Roswell Outback/RRE/Hoosier/Roux Mazda RX-7, followed by last year’s winner, Stacy Wilson in the Mazda/Hoosier/Mobil 1 RX-7. In E Production, Jesse Prather took his freshly built JPM/Hoosier/Mazda/G-Loc RX-7 to a third-place finish. 

Day three of the SCCA National Championship Runoffs on Sunday, Oct. 1, will conclude the event, with Mazda-powered Formula Enterprises cars kicking off the day. Mazda racers will also be competing in GT-Lite, Touring 4, Street Touring Under and H Production. Follow it live at SCCA.com.