This past Sunday, I competed in the 7th in final points event with my WDCR region at Fedex Stadium. Coming into this event, the season standings were as follows:
Mathematically, I was out of the running for the season championship, and if Travis won the final event and I finished 3rd or lower, he would move up into the 2nd spot. To make matters a little worse for me, the forecast called for high temps in the mid 60's, but STX would run in the 2nd morning heat when temps would still be cool. I needed a co-driver/tire warmer.
I talked to my friend Shawn about co-driving, but he wanted to run his miata, so his wife Katie (who had already wrapped up the ladies class season championship), would do my tire-warming duties!
I came into this event with the mind-set of having to drive at my very best. John and Travis are always fast in his WRX, and many regard the car to be the best prepped WRX currently competing in STX in the entire US.
After 1st runs, I was leading the class with a 52.7 with Travis just 4/100ths of a second behind. John had as DNF. After 2nd runs, Travis took the lead with a 52.4. I was still in 2nd but standing on my 1st run as I went slightly slower with a 52.9 after being a little too aggressive in the two main showcase turns on course. John ran a clean 52.9, while Katie moved into 5th place in class with a 57.0!
3rd runs came and Travis picked up his pace and turned a 52.0. However, I came in immediately after him with a 52.0 time that was 3/100ths faster! John had a dnf, while Katie solidified her 5th position with a faster 55.6.
Final run time! Katie dropped her time to a 54.8 to finish 5th, behind Barrett Hill who was 4th with a 53.9 in his WRX. John had another dnf and had to stand on his 52.9 from earlier and finished 3rd. Travis turned a 52.4 and had to stand on his 52.0 from earlier. I was on course directly behind Travis and had to assume he was going to go faster. I absolutely hammered the course but was sure to give up speed in the showcase turns in order to not push wide. Came screaming into the finish and my efforts were rewarded with a time of 50.995! So I took the win in the final event of the season by just over 1 secpnd!!!
Summary:
1st out of 12 in class
27th out of 190 in PAX
Street Touring X
Pos # Driver Car Run1 Run2 Run3 Run4 Total Diff
1T 190 Dellimore, Chike 2006 Mazda Rx-8 Grey 52.724 52.924 52.019 50.995 50.995 0
2T 107 Finlay, Travis 2003 Subaru Wrx Blue 52.762 52.475 52.049 52.440 52.049 1.054
3T 7 Willemin, John 2003 Subaru Impreza Wrx World Rally Blue 53.865+DNF 52.940 60.635+DNF 54.103+1 52.940 0.891
4 13 Hill, Barrett 2004 Subaru Wrx Silver 55.376 54.288 61.157+DNF 53.942 53.942 1.002
5 90 Orgler, Katie 2006 Grey Mazda RX-8 65.141 57.070 55.652 54.885 54.885 0.943
6 32 Salisbury, Steve 2004 WRX Blubaru 55.270+DNF 57.171 58.226+1 56.458 56.458 1.573
7 9 Bernard, Charles 2002 Lexus Is300 Graphite Grey 66.946 58.689+1 59.141+DNF 56.995 56.995 0.537
8 44 Sibley, Fil 2007 Ford Mustang Blue 60.693+DNF 56.997 57.179 57.353 56.997 0.002
9 99 Bauersfeld, Carl 2006 Mini S Astro Black 71.171+DNF 59.568 58.537 57.109 57.109 0.112
10 31 Bell, Scott 2007 Vw Gti Red 59.965 59.882+DNF 57.859+1 57.187 57.187 0.078
11 57 Mero, Matthew 2005 BMW 330i 59.558+1 57.810+1 57.805 58.904+DNF 57.805 0.618
12 46 Neal, Doug 2005 Subaru Wrx White 77.582+DNF DNS DNS DNS 67.805 10.000
P.S. So with this win, the final season points standings for STX (top 3) are:
1st -- John -- 54 points
2nd -- Chike -- 51 points
3rd -- Travis -- 44 points