Reynolds tops SCCA EP Nationwide Points lead after Hallett
EP wins puts him at the top; five other drivers take double victories at Hallett Hoosier Super Tour
Racers took advantage of the Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour's only Mid-States Conference stop for the year at an event shared with the Southern Conference and hosted by SCCA's Arkansas Valley Race Group. The double-header event took place at the challenging 1.8-mile Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in Jennings, Okla., over the April 8-9, 2017 weekend, with a number of Mazda drivers topping the podium each day.
E Production racer Matt Reynolds, in his No. 71 Reynolds Bros. Racing/Hoosier/JPM/OS Giken/Vintage Connection/G-LOC Brakes Mazda Miata, dominated the weekend with wins Saturday and Sunday. That makes six EP wins in a row as Reynolds also went back-to-back at NOLA Motorsports Park and Circuit of the Americas Hoosier Super Tour events earlier this year. Reynolds now walks away from Hallett's 10-turn road course with a lead in the EP Nationwide Points Championship.
"[The] car felt great today," Reynolds said. "Having the Hoosier Super Tour Nationwide Points Championship lead right now is great. That was our goal going into the season and we'll see how things shake out going into the Runoffs. It's good to know the car is working really well. But that also puts a little bit of a target on our backs."
Another driver showing some dominance right now is Formula Mazda ace Jarrett Voorhies. He took his No. 15 360Fly/Drive2N2 Formula Mazda to a win both days for his fourth-straight victory, the previous two coming at the Circuit of the Americas Hoosier Super Tour weekend.
"I had the pole [Saturday], but just didn't brake deep enough at the start into Turn 1 and [Liam] Snyder was better than me," Voorhies admitted. "I was a little bit surprised, but then followed him around for a while. I ended up capitalizing on one of his mistakes, which is probably the only reason I got around him, and held on for the win."
Several other drivers scored dual Mazda victories at Hallett, including Sam Henry in F Production, Jonathan Goodale in GT-Lite, Jim Drago in Spec Miata, and Jim Daniels in Touring 4. George Walker (Miata) and Brian Haupt (RX-7) split the GT-3 wins.
Sunday racing at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit wrapped up the fifth of 11 Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour events planned this year. Next on the schedule is an April 14-16, 2017, stop at VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Va.
SCCA Hoosier Super Tour at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit
April 8, 2017, provisional winners
Class: Name, Hometown and Car:
E Production: Matt Reynolds; Fair Oaks, TX; Mazda Miata
F Production: Sam Henry; Republic, MO; Mazda Miata
Formula Mazda: Jarret Voorhies; Kissimmee, FL; Formula Mazda
GT-3: George Walker; Tulsa, OK; Mazda Miata
GT-Lite: Jonathan Goodale; Conifer, CO; Mazda MX-5 Miata
Spec Miata: Jim Drago; Memphis, TN; Mazda Miata
Touring 4: Jim Daniels; Germantown, TN; Mazda MX-5
April 9, provisional winners
E Production: Matt Reynolds; Fair Oaks, TX; Mazda Miata
F Production: Sam Henry; Republic, MO; Mazda Miata
Formula Mazda: Jarret Voorhies; Kissimmee, FL; Formula Mazda
GT-3: Brian Haupt; Spring Hill, KS; Mazda RX-7
GT-Lite: Jonathan Goodale; Conifer, CO; Mazda MX-5 Miata
Spec Miata: Jim Drago; Memphis, TN; Mazda Miata
Super Touring Under: Luis Rivera; Angleton, TX; Mazda Miata
Touring 4: Jim Daniels; Germantown, TN; Mazda MX-5