SVRA and Trans Am at COTA SpeedTour Day 2

A trackside report and photography by Mark Roden

2 November 2024

Continuing coverage of the SVRA and Trans Am at COTA SpeedTour, day #2.  Arriving during the lunch break there was still half an hour before the next racing action ( FR Americas race #2.)  In the meantime, the Hagerty “Cars & Caffeine” rolling car show was emptying out into the car park next to the Corvette Corral. As they were arriving I had a few minutes to prowl around the collection of Vettes and other classic cars.  

Hagerty Cars & Caffeine car show.

 The Hagerty car show add more dimension to the SVRA and Trans Am at COTA SpeedTour events. The Hagerty car show had many classic, vintage and exotic cars on display. During a break (in this case Saturday’s lunch break), the show took a lap around the track.  Motorcycles are also welcome to join in, as are car clubs, which could substantially increase the number of participants at any given event.

Corvette Corral.

 The Corvette Corral adds further spectacle to the weekend’s events. Offering Corvette owners and enthusiasts the experience of seeing Corvettes from different eras, both vintage and new.  Fellow owners and enthusiasts alike mingle, swap stories, and take in the visual landscape of rare and exciting sports cars.

Once the main road was free, I continued into the track. This time ducking down through Tunnel 2 which dropped me right at the entrance to the TA/TA2 paddock. 

SVRA and Trans Am at COTA SpeedTour Paddock

Taking the inside main access road down to the SVRA paddock/garage area and started looking around at things since I still had some time. 

I found the Rapscallion team tents and decided that it was a good place to spend the few minutes I had available before the track went hot.  Seeing these cars with the bonnets off reminded me of the GTP prototypes at the San Antonio Gran Prix years ago.

 These cars were no less impressive.  In fact, the first one I came to was the #99 “Red Dragon” Daytona Prototype, which the Bob Stallings race team ran in the 24 Hours of Daytona.  The names of Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty were still on the car.  The team won the Grand-AM Rolex Sports Car Championship Series twice in 2007 and 2009. finishing second in 2008, and third in 2010, 2011 and 2013. 

At times Jimmy Vasser and Rocky Moran Jr. have been behind the wheel of the #99.  Overall, the team scored 16 wins, 30 poles, two team championships and 2 driver championships in 89 total races.  This version of the Red Dragon appears to be the 2011 iteration, or possibly the 2012 or 2013.

Sitting next to the Dragon was the Sunoco 2016 Sebeco NP01, a 210+ hp, 155 mph racecar driven by Jake Bonilla.  Other PSSA entries and some of the Rush cars were also sitting nearby.  

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FR Americas Feature Race #2.

Heading into the second race for FR Americas, Titus was coming off an impressive performance in the first race. He claiming pole position, fastest lap and the win, completely dominating from start to finish.  Sherlock had several other wins throughout the season. Two races out of three at Road America, race 1 at New Jersey Motorsports Park, and a non-championship round at Laguna Seca. 

Titus Sherlock continues to progress as a driver, now in his third season of racing for Crosslink/Kiwi Motorsport.

Sherlock took the pole as he had done in race 1. However, Bruno Ribeiro of Brazil came from a fourth starting position to take the checkered. Passing the disabled #24 car of Kevin Jantzen who came to a stop just short of the flag stand after a crash.  The win for Ribeiro came in only his second start and first event weekend in the series.  

Before the race started, I found the entry point for the inside rim road (hint: it’s in the back of the secondary paddock to the right as you come out of tunnel #2).

II was set up outside turn 13 looking back at the exit of 12 for the start.  That section has enough depth to get some decent bokeh even at f/8 and my lens extended out to 560mm (1.4x extender in place).  I was able to catch them coming out of 12 and getting into the paint. As well as preparing to take turn 13, giving them a tilt in the other direction.

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Groups 1a-1b-3 Feature Race #1.

Groups 1a-1b-3 Race #1 Overall Results:

After the FR Americas race, I drove a little further to set up for the Groups 1a-1b-3 race.  I didn’t move far; there was a great spot inside turn 15. This has a wide, unobstructed view with no fence for the most part.  I could see them coming out of turn 12 down into 13/14. Then through a dogleg to the 120 degree turn 15.  Staying at this location for the next few races produced some good images.  

Subsequently, John Nash qualified his Lotus Super Seven on pole. Unfortunately he turned down the inside rim road by accident as the field was loading out and had to start behind the entire Group 1 field.  Behind them came the formula cars setting up for a split start.  Stefan Schluter led the field to green for Group 1, but just a few laps in Nash took over the lead.

  He held on to it through the white flag, even lapping a few of the back-markers. Nash seemed to have run out of fuel just short of the end, coming to a stop behind me.  Schluter went on to score the win with Verity and Lee taking 2^nd and 3^rd. 

Later, as I reviewed the race on SpeedTour TV, I found out that Nash’s gear shifter assembly had come off in his hand and that was the reason for the abrupt stop.  I guess that would do it.

 Hunter Barron took 6^th in the overall standings and 1^st among the Formula cars in his brilliant #114 1969 Lynx B. Edging out Berck Nash in the Zink who took 2^nd in class and 7^th overall.  Simon Hughes drove another Lynx B to third in class after spinning early on.

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Groups 10/IGT Feature Race #1.

 The AMG of Ritch Marziale led the IGTs down to the starting line with Kyle Washington and Manuel Gil del Real in tow.  Real tried to take second and ended up in the paint but recovered.  The stock cars started separately, with the Team Army Truck taking the lead of that group.  It was quite a mix of cars running at once, but I suppose it works. 

One of the things that I have come to love about the SVRA and Trans Am at COTA SpeedTour and the SVRA in particular is the incredible diversity of vehicles and the history they represent.  At the very least, it is interesting to see Porsche cup cars running against NASCAR stock cars.

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Groups 6/12a Feature Race #1.

The Vipers were the first out, led by Jerry Robinson in his beautiful green 2010 ACRX #14. Followed by the Group 6 entries, including Don Yount in a 1969 Camaro, who also pilots the #7 Trans Am Southwest Funding Camaro.  There was a full course yellow due to a car oiling down the front straight, and from there the field finished under caution.

  Jonathan DeGaynor finished in 4^th overall, 1^st in Group 6 in that gorgeous black ’59 Devin Evolution.  2^nd and 3^rd in the Group 6 class were the two Corvettes of Mark Hilderbrand (’72) and Bob Caudle (’68).  I didn’t manage to catch a good shot of Hilderbrand, but I did get a good one of Edward Sevadjian’s #9 Camaro.  Edward took 1^st in class in group 6TAS and 7^th overall behind Caudle.

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Groups 9 Feature Race #1.

Kirk Kinsfater passed DellaCava on the opening turn and held on to it for a couple of laps. DellaCava took it back after about 3 laps as the field thinned out behind him.  He would hold on to the lead through the checkered flag.

 Two cars that I didn’t mention in the first report were the two 2014 Mygale FF entries of Jackson and Ethan Tovo.  These two were a joy to watch, always right together swapping leads between themselves.  I have to believe they were having a ball racing all weekend.  Both brothers also competed in the 12b group, with two 2023 Toyota GR83 Cup cars.

 On the last lap of the race, Shane Kennett in the #63 Swift 016 and Jim Booth, also in a Swift 016 (the #63A), fought it out for third.  Kennett started out in 16th place and ran his way up through the field. Ultimately ending up in 8^th after spinning in front of Booth. That’s racing at the SVRA and Trans Am at COTA SpeedTour.

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Groups 7/11/PSSA Feature Race #1.

First move off the start was a pass by Tim Day, Jr. in the Ligier with Finstrom in the Staudacher waiting in the wings a few cars back.  Travis Engen in the historic Audi R8 took it right back on the closing turns of the opening lap.  

 Further down in the field were two cars that I really took a shine to over the weekend; the two Can Am cars, one a 2007 Relco driven by Tom Grunnah and the other a 2007 NuArt driven by Mark Hannifin.  The look of these was different than anything else on the track in any class. The deep bass of the 700+ hp, 494 cubic inch big block Chevy V8 engines reminded everyone that these were fast, powerful and dedicated racing machines. 

Can Am Series

Designed as a totally new platform for the Unlimited Racing Championship. Paying homage to the glory days of the Can Am Series (Canadian American Challenge Cup). Back in the 60’s and 70’s, they are undoubtedly shining examples of a blend of powerful American muscle and sleek, elegant design. 

I would love to see an entire class of these going at it in SVRA, and although Grunnah’s Relco only managed to garnish a 12^th place finish and the NuArt took 17^th, they left a lasting impression on me regardless of their finishing spot. 

 Toward the closing laps Engen still held down the lead to the white flag, but through the esses the Staudacher was in its element and passed Day Jr to then set his sights on the Audi.  Going into the final turns, he made a very aggressive move on the Audi and took the win.

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Groups 2 Feature Race #1.

I finally decided to move down to the other side of the bridge and outside of turn 16.  It was time for the Group 2 feature race. I wanted to catch any of the entries that I may have missed the day before.  It was a good straight on view with the bridge as backdrop, and there was a good opportunity for some decent pan shots as well. 

Every corner had a different look to it, and I was glad to see that not every shot had caravans up against the fences.  Some corners had things like bridges and towers to help break things up visually. Others had elevation changes and distant backgrounds which helped with bokeh, especially on the downhill slope.  Other things such as variations in the paint helped to keep all the shots from being too similar. Sometimes even in the same location (turn 12 and the esses through turns 3-5 are good examples of this).

Brabhams

 The front of this pack produced three Brabhams in three Brabhams. Matt, in the 1971 BT35 chassis #18, Geoff, in the 1971 BT35 chassis #31, and Geoff’s brother David in the 1971 BT35 chassis #26.  Nestled tightly between them was Tonis Kasemets in a ’69 Brabham BT29, predecessor to the BT35.

 Travis Engen, after having just competed in Group 7/11/PSSA, strapped into a beautiful 1970 Chevron B17b for the Group 2 race. Ron Hornig rounded out the top 5 with a stunning 1971 Brabham BT35, this one chassis #32 as well as car #32.

 Matt Brabham dove into turn one to lead the first lap as Bruce Hamilton spun the #76 BT36 a few car-lengths back.  Soon after, the second half of the split-start took the green flag led by James Flynn in the #29 1990 Van Diemen RF 90, with the rest of the Van Diemens, Swifts, and Crosslé entries along with a few others in tow.

 Geoff took the lead briefly, and then the Kasemet’s machine vaulted into the front.  The 4 stayed close for most of the race, jockeying back and forth and swapping the lead right until the end.  An incredible racing history was represented here, with four Le Mans wins between the two Brabham brothers, Geoff (1) and David (3).

 At the white flag Geoff was ahead but that didn’t last long, going into turn 1 Matt made a move and took the lead. Kasemets made his move up into second as they lapped the other formula cars.  Heading into turn 12, Matt and father Geoff very nearly collided, with Geoff spotting the tires a little in that #83 machine as Matt swept by without touching, going on to win the round.  

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TA2 Qualifying Session.

Fast Lap: 2:10.459 | Carson Kvapil | Team SLR-M1 Racecars/Chevrolet Camaro

Once again, I took a break during the Group 4-5-8-12b action, this time missing their entire feature race #1.  For TA2, I retreated back to the spot inside turn 15 where I had been for much of the day.  It was a favorite choice throughout the afternoon and was easy to shoot from without worrying about shooting through fences. 

 Just 4 tenths of a second separated the first 7 spots. Carson Kvapil in the #17 Camaro taking pole, Thomas Merrill in the #26 Ford Mustang in second and Nathan Herne in the #15 F.A.S.T. Auto Racing Camaro rounding out the top 3.  Thomas Annunziata took 4^th starting position in the #90 Mustang.

There was a Trans Am qualifying session, but I left the track before it began. Day two of the SVRA and Trans Am at COTA SpeedTour complete.