Buttonwillow Raceway Park was the host for Rounds 7 and 8 of the Western Conference Majors Tour. With the Western Conference having had an early start to the season, in January, championships are on the minds of many drivers with only four races remaining. As they hit the 15-turn, 3.020-mile circuit running clockwise, the fights for the Western Conference Majors, and perhaps even the National Championship Runoffs at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in October, were beginning to take shape.

David Ferguson brought his brand-new Prototype 2 Veracity Racing Data/Mazda/Hoosier Van Diemen RFS-03/Mazda to Buttonwillow, and it let him down in the first qualifying session as he worked out the kinks. Ferguson started next to last for the 30-minute timed race on Saturday, and then picked his way through an early incident. With three laps to go he had written off any chance at a victory, still eight seconds behind Paul Decker.

Traffic fell in his favor, however, and Ferguson began to reel in Decker. Knowing the track, Ferguson decided on the back stretch of the last lap that he was going to make his move in the left-handed corner known as “Phil Hill” – and then pulled it off for the first Mazda P2 win in the Western Conference.

Ferguson, from nearby Paso Robles, Calif., repeated the win in Sunday’s 16-lap race. He was one of three Mazda drivers to sweep the weekend, including Mike Anderson in Formula Mazda. At the start on Saturday, Anderson narrowly split two formula cars that had spun and were facing the wrong way in Turn 1. On Sunday, Anderson just walked away from the field to take the win.

Chris Emanuel inherited the win on Sunday in Formula Atlantic when the No. 43 Damon Racing/Mazda Pro Formula Mazda of Vince Gaddini’s day ended on lap 13. Gaddini, the Saturday winner, appeared to have the field covered when a different class car went off track in front of him. Gaddini, slowing to avoid him, stalled and ended his day, and Emanuel’s No. 36 Airguard/Hawn Racing/CER Inc. Swift 016a/Mazda went on to win.

Elliot Skeer was the third Mazda double winner, taking Spec Miata on both days. Each time he used patience along with his quickness to take the win in Spec Miata driving the No. 77 Rush Motorsports Mazda Miata.

Mark Drennan put his Miata in the front early, opening up a gap while Charlie Hayes’ Miata and Skeer’s No. 77 Rush Motorsports Miata worked together behind him. That gap closed as the minutes counted down.

Hayes had gotten in front briefly on the penultimate lap, but Drennan led across the stripe as they saw the one-to-go sign. Drennan admittedly made a mistake as the trio worked through the opening turns and dropped a wheel into the dirt, allowing Skeer to push Hayes in front down the back straight. Skeer and Hayes came into the corner side by side, with Skeer on the inside. That gave Skeer the run he needed to the checkered flag, stealing a win after running third for most of the race. Hayes finished second, Drennan third.

Skeer ran second or third for the early stages of Sunday’s race behind Drennan and Hayes, who led the first 14 laps, officially. Skeer was solidly second after lap 12, when Drennan pulled off course with a bad rear wheel hub. By then, Tyler Vance was coming quickly and into the mix. Skeer used the opportunity to pull around Hayes and stretched out two car lengths for the final two laps to take his win. Hayes and Vance completed the podium.

The SCCA Western Conference Majors Tour continues May 24-26 at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash., with a Memorial Day doubleheader weekend. The SCCA Majors Tour has two events next weekend, including the Mid-States Conference Rounds Seven and Eight at High Plains Raceway and the Northern Conference opener at Blackhawk Farms Raceway.

SCCA Western Conference Majors Tour
Rounds 7 and 8
Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Buttonwillow, Calif.
April 26-27, 2014

Round 7 Mazda Winners

Round 8 Mazda Winners

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