SCCA: Western Conference Majors see high speeds, high temps at Buttonwillow

With temperatures scorching into the mid-90s in the California desert, it felt more like the first weekend of August than the first weekend of May. But the 16 track records that fell on Saturday felt a lot like the end of the season Championship efforts.

The Western Conference Majors Tour ran 30-minute races on a recently repaved surface at Buttonwillow Raceway Park, with track records falling left and right during Round Seven of the championship season.

The day opened with a thriller in Formula Vee, as Tim Harris and Skip Streets skipped away from the field and were left to settle the race win. Both admitted to making mistakes that cancelled out at the finish, and with one corner to go, Streets moved his No. 51 Hoosier Mysterian M3/VW to the lead.

Harris fired back, though, getting a run out of the corner in his No. 20 Apex Fire Systems Mysterian M3 onto the front straight. Harris had enough to go by, moving his nose just in front for the win at the checkered flag.

Not to be outdone, the winged open wheel cars put on their own great show later in the day. In Formula Mazda, Larry Mason's No. 12 Auto Diagnostic Services/Polar/The Fiberglass Body Formula Mazda took the lead early with Tazzio Ottis on his tale. The pair battled back and forth, with Ottis sneaking in front and catching traffic at opportune times to sneak away for the win in the No. 72 Patrick Ottis Company Formula Mazda.

The Western Conference returns to action on Sunday for 20-lap races. More information, including results and interviews with each race winner, can be found at SCCA.com/ButtonwillowMajors.

Provisional race winners from Saturday are:

American Sedan: Christopher Qualls, West Los Angeles, Calif., Chevrolet Corvette
B-Spec: Eric Boucher, Auburn, Calif., Mazda2
E Production: Aaron Downey, Rosmoor, Calif., Mazda RX-3
F Production: Bill Okell, Victoria, British Columbia, MG Midget
H Production: Jason Isley, Coto de Caza, Calif., Toyota Yaris
Formula 1000: John LaBrie, Draper, Utah, Phoenix Race Works F1K12
Formula Atlantic: Chris Emanuel, Huntington Beach, Calif., Swift 016a/Mazda
Formula Continental: Connor Funk, Glendale, Calif., Van Diemen F2000
Formula Enterprises: Brandon Aleckson, Watsonville, Calif., Formula Enterprises/Ford
Formula F: Brett Smrz, Simi Valley, Calif., DB6 Swift
Formula Mazda: Tazzio Ottis, Portland Ore., Formula Mazda
Formula Vee: Tim Harris, Tustin, Calif., Mysterian M3/Volkswagen
GT-1: Frank Emmett, Pengrove, Calif., Chevrolet Corvette
GT-2: Michael Von Quillich, Pahrump, Nev., Dodge Viper
GT-3: Wolfgang Maike, Santa Barbara, Calif., Toyota Paseo
GT-Lite: Troy Ermish, Tracy, Calif., Datsun 510
Prototype 1: Jim Devenport, Modesto, Calif., Norma M20FC
Prototype 2: David Ferguson, Paso Robles, Calif., VanDiemenRFS-03/Mazda
Super Touring Lite: Thomas Lepper, Benecia, Calif., Acura Integra
Super Touring Under: Toby Larsson, Anaheim, Calif., BMW M3
Spec Miata: Clement Lee, San Diego, Calif., Mazda Miata
Spec Racer Ford: Jake Pipal, Oakdale, Calif., Spec Racer Ford
Spec Racer Ford Gen 3: Mike Miserendino, Bakersfield, Calif., Spec Racer Ford
Touring 1: Marc Hoover, Shingle Springs, Calif., Mazda Miata
Touring 2: Aaron Bailey, Shasta Lake, Calif., Pontiac Firebird
Touring 3: Tom Wickersham, Piedmont, Calif., Ford Mustang
Touring 4: Tom Wickersham, Piedmont, Calif., Mazda MX-5

Image: Tim Harris gives a fist pump just in front of Skip Streets.
Credit: Dennis Baer