Majors

Southeast Conference races at Homestead-Miami Speedway include five double winners in Mazdas.

The off season seems ever shorter. For residents of the Southeast, it certainly is, as the sunny Florida weather allows an earlier start to the Southeastern Conference SCCA U.S. Majors Tour than is possible in other parts of the country. On the second weekend of the new year, SCCA Club Racers kicked off their season at Homestead Miami Speedway even as their pro sports car racing counterparts were testing for the Rolex 24 at Daytona in the northern part of the state. While championships cannot be won during the opening round of competition, the first event can certainly shape the title fight and lend some insight into the character of the remaining season. If there is one takeaway, 2015 should be quite a season as the determination of each competitor to win is already at fever pitch.

Seven race groups took to the 12-turn, 2.3-mile road/oval circuit each day to start the path to the Runoffs. This event marks the first time the Miami-area speedway has hosted a Majors event. The premiere talent and skill of this crop of drivers showed as lap records fell in nearly every class. Conditions for the record-setting day could not have been better on Saturday as the morning haze burned off, resulting in the sun breaking through the clouds.

That turned to light on-and-off showers followed by plenty of Florida sunshine for Sunday’s Round 2. When everything was done, five Mazda racers had claimed double victories and were well on their way to a great season.

As the opening act to the entire 2015 Majors season, Spec Miata did not disappoint. Close, fender-to-fender racing was the name of the game, and Elivan Goulart, of Shelton, Conn., was able to pull off the narrow win in his No. 70 SAC Racing ServicesMazda Miata, with a last-lap pass on Todd Buras.

A total of 42 drivers took the green, led by hometown driver Alex Bolanos. Bolanos took part in a close-quarters, four-car battle for the lead that included Buras, Denny Steyn and Selin Rollan. Goulart had missed a shift earlier in the race, dropping him back to sixth place. As the laps wound down, the leaders started to fight hard amongst themselves, giving Goulart the opportunity to reel them in. He was able to get the draft to work for him on the banking of Turns 11 and 12, which allowed him to make the outside pass stick for the win.

Nick Leverone, of Greenwich, N.Y., took the win in Super Touring Lite on Saturday and set a new lap record of 1:35.869 behind the wheel of the No. 3 Drillmasters Mazda Miata. He beat Mike Van Steenburg to the line by a 1.411-second margin. He repeated the feat on Sunday for the double win.

Formula Atlantic National Champion Conner Kearby, of Corpus Christi, Texas, started his title defense with a convincing win over Dudley Fleck. Kearby, in his No. 56 GK Motorsports/K-Hill Motorsports Swift 016, finished 9.277 seconds ahead of Fleck. Kearby also reset the Formula Atlantic lap record with a lap of 1:16.756. By his account, Kearby had a great opening weekend of 2015 with a pair of little-contested wins in the event.

Joining Leverone and Kearby in the double victory club were Ken Kannard, coming from Wisconsin to get an early jump on his season in his F Production Miata; Bill McGavic in his GT-3 RX-7; and Tim Myers, who took wins on both days in his Touring 4 RX-8.

The Southeast Conference Majors Tour resumes next weekend with a visit to Sebring International Raceway for Rounds Three and Four. On the other side of the country, the Western Conference gets underway with Rounds One and Two at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

SCCA Southeastern Conference Majors
Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Fla.
Jan. 10-11, 2015

Round 1 Mazda Winners

Class Driver Hometown Car
Formula Atlantic Conner Kearby Corpus Christi, Texas Swift 016
Formula Mazda Doug Peterson Maiden, N.C. Formula Mazda
F Production Ken Kannard East Troy, Wis. Mazda Miata
GT-3 Bill McGavic Arcadia, Fla. Mazda RX-7
Prototype 1 Jacek Mucha Highland Beach, Fla. Mazda JMS016
Spec Miata Elivan Goulart Shelton, Conn. Mazda Miata
Super Touring Lite Nick Leverone Greenwich, N.Y. Mazda Miata
Touring 4 Tim Myers Atlanta, Ga. Mazda RX-8

Round 2 Mazda Winners

Class Driver Hometown Car
Formula Atlantic Conner Kearby Corpus Christi, Texas Swift 016
Formula Mazda Carson Weeder Winter Haven, Fla. Formula Mazda
F Production Ken Kannard East Troy, Wis. Mazda Miata
GT-3 Bill McGavic Arcadia, Fla. Mazda RX-7
Spec Miata Selin Rollan Miami, Fla. Miata
Super Touring Lite Nick Leverone Greenwich, N.Y. Mazda Miata
Touring 4 Tim Myers Atlanta, Ga. Mazda RX-8

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