Season Three of the Red Sox Racing League’s 2012 multi-class racing schedule kicked off this week as twenty drivers traveled to Japan to test their skills on the Grand Prix layout at Suzuka Circuit. This season marks the last season under the current format of multi-class racing for RSR. As league veterans looked to renew old rivalries, newcomers Kyle Young, Paul Hesla, Ricky Hardin, Larry Hale, and Dennis Griffen hoped to join the list of talented drivers who have won a RSR event. The “Honda/Hugenholtz 24 Laps of Suzuka GP” promised to be an exciting event for league veterans and newcomers alike.
Brad Vincent returned to the track as the reigning points champion in the Class A HPD field. Fresh from a five week break, Vincent looked to be in top form as he secured the pole with a blistering lap time of 1:47.150. Les Turner secured the outside position of row one with a lap time of 1:47.625. John Koscielniak (3rd) and Terry Daul (4th) were the only other drivers to post sub 1:50 laps. Andrew Feldman (5th), David Weiss (6th), Ed Sutcliff (7th), William Kabela (8th), Kyle Young (9th), and Bill Pawluckie (10th) completed the HPD starting grid.
The Class B Corvette field was also led by a returning champion as Corey Hastings earned the pole with a lap time of 1:56.053. Newcomer Paul Hesla’s lap time of 1:56.226 just edged out Tommy Rhyne’s effort of 1:56.272. Unfortunately Rhyne’s crew discovered electrical problems shortly after he earned his qualifying spot and Rhyne was forced to start the race from pit road. Corey A. Wolf (4th), Dennis Griffen (5th), Ricky Hardin (6th), Jeff Thomas (7th), Scott Husted (8th), and Larry Hale (9th) rounded out the Class B grid.
While Vincent easily maintained his lead over the HPD field in the opening laps, Hastings had his hands full in the Corvette lead from the outset. Turns eleven and thirteen proved to be problem corners for many drivers who suffered mishaps at those locations. Newcomer Hale was involved in several incidents, as was RSR veteran Pawluckie. But the most costly incident saw the top two cars in the Corvette field drop all the way to the rear of the field on lap three. Hastings set the fastest lap in a Corvette on the opening lap matching his qualifying time of 1:56.053. His second lap was only slightly slower, but on lap 3 he ran wide exiting turn 9 and didn’t setup the line for turn 11 properly. He hugged the inside of the hairpin and his car over-rotated as it exited the corner. Hesla, with no place to go was unable to avoid Hastings’ stopped car. Showing great poise, the pair pulled into the grass and allowed their fellow competitors to pass safely before attempting to rejoin the race.
Class A results
Vincent began Season Three the way he ended Season Two; with a dominating victory. He was never challenged in the race and cruised to a 45 second margin of victory. Turner finished in second place. He slowed down on his last lap to allow a close battle between the second and third place Corvette drivers to play out. “This was a good start for the TeamDraft Batmobile”, said Turner after the race. “We didn’t have anything for Brad, so I just settled into a rhythm and tried hard to keep John off my rear bumper. A great pit stop wrapped up 2nd place, so we’ll take it and start concentrating on Okayama.”
Koscielniak spent most of the race in 3rd place and led a lap when the leaders pitted. A slow pit stop and a speeding penalty dropped him into 4th place with five laps to go, but Koscielniak climbed back into 3rd place with a daring pass of Terry Daul in turn fifteen with two laps to go. Daul’s car spun off track after the cars touched lightly in the middle of the slow-speed corner, but both drivers were able to continue racing.
Daul finished the race in 4th place. Feldman earned 5th place on the back of a clean race which saw him outpacing Sutcliff (6th) and Weiss (7th) throughout the event. Young (8th) showed flashes of speed in the early going, but 10 incidents kept him from gaining ground on the cars in front of him.
Kabela (9th) finished one lap down. Pawluckie (10th) was scored seven laps down. Feldman and Kabela earned bonus points for completing the race without collecting an incident.
Vincent, Turner, Feldman, Koscielniak, and Daul lead the championship points battle after week one.
Class B results
Hastings led the early going but his uncharacteristic mistake on lap three and the resulting damage was so upsetting that he retired from the event. Hesla continued racing and eventually worked his way back into contention for a podium finish. The effort paid off when he crossed the line for a win in his first ever RSR event.
“I knew I had to stay close to the leader to have a chance tonight”, said Hesla. “The incident on lap three put us at the back of the pack, but the other drivers gave me plenty of room as I began making my way through the field. Nobody blocked, so I was able to make up some time before the pit cycle. I gambled by not taking tires and almost lived to regret it as the car was a handful by the end of the race. I spun the car letting a HPD past, but only lost one position. I was in 2nd place with 5 laps to go. Dennis raced me clean and gave me a lane to make the pass with three to go, so I just concentrated on running clean laps until we took the checkered flag.”
Like Hesla, Griffen began his RSR career with a fantastic finish when he held off Wolf to secure a 2nd place finish. “I got an early gift when Rhyne had electrical problems and missed the start. The empty spot on the grid allowed me to move into row two for the green flag. I got a great jump on Wolf and was up to third place by turn one. I was in the right place at the right time when the leaders went off course on lap three. Their misfortune gave me the lead and allowed me to put some distance on Wolf. He maintained pace with me so I focused on trying to hit my marks. I came out of the pits in 2nd place, but regained the lead when Paul bobbled at Spoon. The top three Corvettes were only separated by about 2 seconds for the last several laps, but I lost the lead by going into the hairpin too wide and allowing Paul to get by. I barely held off Corey on the last lap and am very pleased to have earned a podium finish in my first RSR race.”
Wolf was happy with his third place finish. “Great racing by everyone tonight, can’t wait for next week.”
Ricky Hardin had a successful first race with RSR (4th), Husted (5th), and Thomas (6th) all finished on the same lap as the leaders. Rhyne (7th) was scored two laps down. Hale finished fifteen laps down and in 8th place, while Hastings (9th) was the last place finisher due to his early exit from the race. Griffen was the only Corvette driver to complete the event without collecting an incident.
Griffen, Wolf, Hesla, Hardin, and Husted lead the championship points battle after week one.
Next Race
RSR remain in Japan for next week’s event, the “Hadaka Matsuri 30 Okayama” at Okayama.
Results / Standings / Video coverage
Race Results: http://rsr.ileaguerace.com/champ/show_event_result/Red-Sox-Racing-League/2161
League Standings: http://rsr.ileaguerace.com/champ/show_champ/Red-Sox-Racing-League/355
League Video Site: http://www.youtube.com/user/draftin11
Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/iracing/rsr-returns-to-suzuka
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