WILLOWS, California -- ASC Racing made its first stop of 2007 in Northern California over the weekend, joining the Sports Car Club of America's San Francisco Region for their Sizzling Summer Regional event at Thunderhill Raceway. And as far as the ASC teams were concerned, the temperatures weren't the only things sizzling.
The weekend was highlighted by Jeff Glowniak winning his third race in a row, Michael Arnheiter winning his first race since 2004, and newcomer Michelle Nagai introducing herself to the group by winning both of the ASC-Unlimited class races.
Rudy Revak of San Jose paced the field in Saturday's qualifying, covering the 2.866-mile road course in 1:54.331 for an average speed of 90.24 miles per hour. Revak, who was racing in the ASC-U class, was competing in his first event since September. Nagai qualified second with a lap of 1:55.176. In the ASC spec class, Glowniak set fast time with a lap of 1:56.979 followed by Arnheiter's lap of 1:57.458, and Dale Hartman's lap of 1:57.902. In all, there were five ASC spec racers and four ASC-U competitors.
Due to the large car counts in the San Francisco Region, qualifying was the only event held on Saturday, and both races were contested on Sunday.
Revak, in his Symmetry Nutritionals Ford, elected to go to the rear of the field for the start of the race, leaving Nagai and Glowniak on the front row. As the green flag fell, Nagai, in her Berkeley Jet Drive/Redline Oil Chevrolet, shot to the lead, pulling Arnheiter in her wake. Glowniak tucked in behind Arnheiter and the three set sail.
The rest of the field, however, was jockeying for position heading for turn one. Phoenix's Manuel Gil del Real (ASC-U), driving his WOT Performance Ford, started in the fifth row and had quickly moved up on the outside of Carl Stein, who was racing in one of the SCCA's other classes. Gil del Real held his position in the middle of track entering turn one, but Stein slid over and made contact with Gil del Real sending him into a slow spin. Fred Lind, also competing in the ASC-U group, tried to avoid Gil del Real, but made slight contact to his left rear to accelerate his spin.
Gil del Real fell back to last place in the 23-car field. He worked himself up to 14th with body panels flapping on his left side creating a bad push condition. However, the damage from the accident finally forced him to retire his car from the event on lap seven.
But up front, as Nagai pulled away from the pack, Arnheiter and Glowniak were waging a fierce battle. The fresh tires and cool temperatures helped the two leaders post some of the fastest laps of the weekend. Arnheiter was credited with the weekend's fastest race lap in the Spec class when he circled the track on lap five in 1:56.527. That lap netted him $200 by winning the Ghaster Painting Superior Performance Award, presented by Bra d Ghaster.
Arnheiter's good fortune came to an end on lap 10 when a broken rear-end mounting bracket left him stranded on the side of the track.
Nagai, was the first ASC car across the finish line, winning the ASC-U class. Revak finished second, followed by Lind and Gil del Real. In the Spec class, Glowniak, who won both races at the last event in Fontana, cruised to his third strait win. He was followed by Dale Hartman, series' point leader Ed Ochylski, Michael Arnheiter, and Dave Arnheiter. Dave Arnheiter, who was actually the third ASC car across the line, was penalized to the back of the pack when his car came in underweight.
In a replay from the earlier race, the afternoon event again had Revak drop to the rear and Nagai shoot out to a quick lead. But this time Glowniak was able to beat Michael Arnheiter to the ASC point. Arnheiter, however, was able to drive around Glowniak's Summit Auto Body/Quality Towing Chevy by the completion of lap one and never look back.
Nagai and Arnheiter easily cruised to wins, Nagai's second of the day, but Arnheiter's first since he won at the same track in 2004. Nagai was again followed by Revak, Lind and Gil del Real. Arnheiter collected another $125 by winning the Sunday Payday portion of the weekend. He was followed by Dave Arnheiter collecting $75, and Glowniak pocketing $50. Rounding out the top five were Ochylski and Hartman.
Following the two races, the Taleo Grill Awards Ceremony took place with each of the top three finishers from each race in ASC and ASC-Unlimited receiving trophies provided by the upscale Mexican Restaurant located in Irvine, CA.
Ochylski, who won the season's first two events at Phoenix, gave up another 20 points off his lead and now leads Glowniak by a mere one point and Dave Arnheiter by ten points. Rounding out the top five in ASC points are Hartman and Michael Arnheiter. In the ASC-U class, Gil del Real retains his points lead with Lind and B alding Jr. completing the top three.
ASC Racing's next event will be at Buttonwillow Raceway on September 1-2.
