The 2010 WDCR Event Calendar mailed to all Region Members in good standing as of 1/1/2010. New members who join this year will receive a copy, as well as temporary members who participate in WDCR events in spring 2010.

We’d like to thank our sponsors, Radial Tire, OG Racing and Summit Point Karting for their generous support of the Washington DC Region in 2010!

We’d also like to thank the photographers who submitted imagery for the Calendar and Straightpipe. Not every photographer was able to be showcased in the final calendar, but we do appreciate your support! And a special thank you to Danny Kao: Danny supplied his entire 2009 photo library, well over 25,000 images! Click Click Danny!!!

If you like the design of the calendar, thanks can go to Region Member Eric Kriemelmeyer and his graphic arts company Studio 553 who handled the project from conception to design to printing and mailing facilitation for the last two years.

Region members can request additional copies for a small fee from the Club Office, more information available from the Club Office. www.wdcr-scca.org

The WDCR Time Trials program will host a spring instructor clinic on the Shenandoah Circuit at Summit Point Motosports Park on March 27th. For more information check the web site at http://pdx.wdcr-scca.org.

Written by Shirley Thompson

On January 16^th 2010 at the Turf Valley in Ellicott City Maryland the presentation of the Club Racing Awards for the 2009 season of the Washington DC Region’s Sport Car Club of America commenced.

The region would like to thank the Special Drivers Award committee members who observed the Club Racing events throughout the season to present their recommendations for the Driver Perpetual Awards.  Please help me thank Stephen Hyatt, Dave Parker, Mark Hillyer, Ed York, Elizabeth Miller and Shirley Thompson for their service in 2009.

These first two Perpetual Awards are based on MARRS Points.

The Dick Lord Trophy is awarded to the driver who accumulates the highest number of MARRS points regardless of class.  Some of the past winners of this trophy are Chris Fox, Jim Epting, Marshall Lytle and AJ Nealy just to name a few. The 2009 Dick Lord Award winner in Super Production Under 2.5 liter – Jason Neal with 3080 MARRS Points.

The Tom Shaffer Memorial Award is presented to the Production Class driver with the most MARRS Championship points, inclusive of all the Production classes.  Some of the prior winners of this award are: Chuck Allard, Ken Nesbit, Bill Davis and Michael Weedon.  The 2009 Tom Shaffer Award winner is a repeat of last year – Jason Neal in 2008 & 2009.

The following Perpetual Awards are based on performance.

The John M. Barnett Memorial Award is presented to the most improved Formula Vee or Formula Car driver.  Some of the past winners of this Award are Jim Kearney, Steve Oseth, Pete Cage, Doug Voss and JoAnne Degnan.  The 2009 Barnett Award winner finished 6^th in 2007 MARRS Championship season, did not have enough races in 2008 to qualify for the 2008 season.  In 2009 our Barnett Award winner is the runner-up MARRS Champion in FV – Tammy Oswald in Formula Vee.

The Dune Buggies of Maryland (DBM) Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the driver who has shown outstanding performance in his/her first year of competition.  Some of the past winners of this award are: Kenny Zalner, Gregg Ginsberg, Chris Windsor, Chris Perera and James McAllese Jr.  The 2009 Rookie of the Year finished 12^th in a very competitive class and had a great first year of competition in SSM is Greg Obadia.

The Frank B. Pohanka Jr. Award is presented for outstanding performance by a Washington DC Region member in an owner-driven and owner-prepared Production or Sedan car.  Some of the past winners are: Bruce Jennings, Col. Joe Hauser, Randy Canfield, Al Bell, Tom Broring, Tom Nelson and Mike Pepitone. The 2009 Pohanka winner utilizes RP Racing tools but does all his own work on his Mazda RX7.  This winner finished 6^th in the 2008 MARRS Championship season.  This winner now holds track records at all the 4 tracks that we competed in for the 2009 season and got their first checkered flag ever.  The 2009 Pohanka winner in SRX7 is Dave Ade.

The Paul A. Norair Award is presented to the DC Region driver who has shown the greatest improvement during the year in either Regional or National racing.  Some of the past winners of the award are: Bob Houston, Jim Harrison, Rich Lorenz, Joelle Pence and Elizabeth Miller.  The 2009 Norair Award winner finished 41^st in the 2008 MARRS Championship season.  In 2009, in a very competitive class finished in 8^th place.  This driver took every opportunity this year to hone his driving skills and it shows with his event finishes as well as his overall finishing position for the year.  The 2009 Norair Award winner is Steven Miller.

The John H. Wilton Award is presented to a Region member who has his/her first-ever win while driving a club Ford or Formula Ford in a MARRS event during the calendar year.  Some of the past winners of this Award are: Jeff Duncan, Mike Bluestein, JD King, Sam Eyer and Lee Lloyd.  There was no one eligible for 2009.

The Suzie L. Harrison Memorial Award is presented by Jim Harrison to the overall wining team of the 12 hour endurance race and the team that has the greatest number of laps using a performance handicap.  The 2009 over winners for the 12 Hours at the Point in ITE the team of Marks, Smith, White and Clay.

The 2009 winner for the 12 Hours at the Point with performance index in SSM the team of Brian Billey, Stephen Billey, Timothy Jacobs, Neil O’Rourke and Chris Tamburo.

The MARRS Series Awards start with recognizing those individuals who would have been the MARRS Champion if their classes had enough participation throughout the year:

American Sedan – Brian Licklider

Formula 500 – Joseph Hofbauer

Formula Ford – Sam Youngman

Grand Touring 2 – Gerry Hudson

Grand Touring Lite – Bob Rappleye II

H Production – Bill Hunter

Improved Touring C – Tony Christian

Improved Touring R – Robert Powell

Super Production Over 2.5 Liters – Robert Hasychak

This year in Club Ford we had one of the closes races of the season.  Our MARRS Champion had 4 weekends with maximum points, the runner-up had 3 maximum points events.  The 3^rd place finisher in Club Ford is Chuck Van Nostrand – 90 points back.  The runner-up was just 100 points back – Wayne Nicolette.  The 2009 MARRS Champion in Club Ford is Joe Marcinski.

In E Production, our MARRS Champion is Mike Pepitone.

In F Produciton, our runner up is Ken Nesbitt.  The 2009 MARRS Champion in F Production is Michael Weedon.

In Formula Vee, the 3^rd place finisher for the 2009 MARRS Championship season is William Young.  The runner-up in Formula Vee is Tammy Oswald.  The 2009 MARRS Champion in Formula Vee with 3 wins is Doug Hannum.

In Grand Touring A, the runner-up is Rob Morris.  The 2009 MARRS Champion is Philip Soucy.

In Grand Touring 1, the runner-up is Kent Goebel.  The 2009 MARRS Champion is James McAleese Jr.

In Grand Touring Pinto we had a close battle down to the wire.  The 3^rd place finisher in GTP had 2 maximum point events this season, please congratulate Jim Harrison.  The runner-up had 4 maximum points events this season, just 80 points from being the champion, please congratulate Thomas Beverly on his runner-up finish.  With 4 maximum point events as well this season, the 2009 MARRS Champion in GTP is Bruce Shelton.

In Improved Touring 7, the 2009 MARRS Champion is Mike Asman.

In Improved Touring A, the 3^rd place finisher with 2 wins is Chris Perera.  The runner-up in ITA kept up his performance throughout the year, please congratulate John Burkhard on his runner-up finish this year.  With just one maximum point event this season and with higher finishes, the 2009 MARRS Champion in ITA is Rowdy Brian Price.

In Improved Touring B, the 3^rd place finisher is Jeffry Janoska.  The runner up in ITB had 2 maximum point events and on raw score without drops would have been the champion.  The runner-up in ITB is Matti Vikklia.  The 2009 MARRS Champion with 2 maximum point events as well is ITB is Tristan Herbert.

In Improved Touring Enduro, the runner-up is David Walter.  The 2009 MARRS Champion in ITE is Steve Hammond.

In Improved Touring S, the 3^rd place finisher is James Slechta.  The runner-up position in ITS this year was just 10 points behind the champion.  On raw points the runner-up would have been the champion without the drops.  Please congratulate the runner-up in ITS – Daniel Miller.  The 2009 MARRS Champion in ITS is George Knouse.

In Spec Miata, the 3^rd place finisher would have been Rowdy Brian Price if it was based on raw score, but with the drops the 3^rd place finisher is Kevin Kopp.  The brothers Zalner are taking the top two position in SM this year.  Brian has one maximum point event this year and is the 2009 runner-up champion in SM.  The 2009 MARRS Champion in SM is Ken Zalner with 4 maximum point events.

In Super Production Under 2.5 liter there was a tight battler right down to the end.  The 2009 runner-up attended all the events this year and with the drops and one maximum point event is Phillip Ackley.  The 2009 MARRS Champion in SPU is Jason Neal.

In Spec Racer Ford, the 3^rd place finisher is Bruce Kromminga.  The top two positions in SRF were separated by just 50 points, both individuals had 2 maximum point events this year.  The runner-up in SRF is Elizabeth Miller.  The 2009 MARRS Champion in SRF is Eric Kurzhals.

In Spec RX7, the 3^rd place finisher is Kevin Hutchens.  The runner-up in SRX7 had 3 maximum point events – Al Gervais.  The 2009 MARRS Champion had 4 maximum point events this year – Dave Ade.

In the final class Showroom Spec Miata, the 3^rd place finisher just 25 points behind the runner-up champion is Ed York.  The runner-up position goes to Scott Zetterstrom.  The 2009 MARRS Champion had 4 maximum point events this season – Scott Brunk.

What a record breaking year in the track record area.  At the Summit Point circuit there were 29 classes with new Lap Records set.  At VIR during the Mother’s Day event there were 2 classes where a Lap Record was set.  While in New Jersey on Thunderbolt there were 5 classes with new Lap Records set and on Lightning there were 8 classes where a new Lap Record was set.

Congratulations to those 50 competitors that set Lap Records in 2009 which included:

Welcome to the new Club Racing section! Here you’ll find all the latest news about Club Racing events! This section can be as good as we the WDCR make it, write an article about a Club Racing event and submit it to straightpipe@studio553.com!