SCCA: Western Conference drivers shake & bake in Portland

Round 11 of the SCCA Western Conference U.S. Majors Tour raced in unseasonal heat at Portland International Raceway. The 1.979-mile course saw temperatures approaching triple digits on a weekend normally known for mild temperatures and occasional rain.

"It's hot, but we got it done," said veteran racer Scotty B. White of Auburn, Washington.White took home victories in Touring 3 and in GT-2 on Saturday, and a third place finish in Touring 4."My crew has their work cut out for them to keep me in shape to race in three different classes, but they're extremely good," White said from the podium.Several key contests are helping to decide the Western Conference class titles. In Spec Racer Ford, John Harris finished just behind current point-leader Paul Raby, so Raby looks good for the title Sunday. In B-Spec, reigning National Champion Kyle Keenan drove his No. 44 Kia Motors of America/Hoosier/Dick Hanna Kia Rio to the win, with Eric Boucher second in his 'The Wife' Mazda2 and Derrick Ambrose third in the No. 71 CorkSport Mazda Performance Mazda2. With Ambrose leading Boucher in the season points, it was a bitter third place, leaving the title to be settled tomorrow.Collin Jackson could have claimed the GT-3 Championship simply by finishing the race, but he went ahead and won it anyway in the familiar No. 53 BM&M Screening Solutions Nissan 240SX. Michael Tazio Ottis won the day's Formula Mazda race in his No. 72 Patrick Ottis Company FM. Class points contender Larry Mason was a no-show.Formula F will come down to Sunday's race, as Daniel Swanbeck took the win in the No. 27 BigWheels.net/SmugMug Pipe FF, with points leader Rick Payne finishing second in the No. 75 Payton Pools Van Diemen/Honda. Dennis Andrade in the No. 87 D&D Racing Vortech clinched the Western Conference Formula Vee crown with a solid win over Brian McCarthy in the No. 05 BRM Engineering Formula Vee Anduril.Other Western Conference Champions crowned today include Michelle Abbate in Super Touring Uunder, Joe Huffaker in F Production, Ed Lever in Formula Atlantic, Robert Armington in Formula Continental, Jeff Read in Formula Enterprise, David Ferguson in Prototype 2, Marc Hoover in Touring 1 and Russ Peterson in Touring 2.Touring 3 is still up for grabs tomorrow, as Tom Wickersham, Lansing Stout, John Baker, and Scotty B. White could all potentially take the title. Derrick Ambrose and Eric Boucher will race for the B-Spec Championship.PORTLAND, Ore. – Provisional winners from Saturday's SCCA Western Conference U.S. Majors Tour Round 11 at Portland International Raceway, with class, name, hometown and car.American Sedan: Dylan Olsen, Kelso, Wash., Ford MustangB-Spec: Kyle Keenan, Vancouver, Wash., Kia RioE Production: Stephen Epperly, Salem, Oregon, Datsun 240ZF Production: Joe Huffaker, Petaluma, Calif., MG MidgetH Production: Parker Johnstone, Wilsonville, Oregon, MG MidgetFormula 1000: Larry Vollum, Portland, Oregon, Phoeniz MV14Formula Atlantic: Edward Lever, Bakersfield, Calif., Star MazdaFormula Continental: Robert Armington, El Dorado Hills, Calif., Van DiemenFormula Enterprises: Jeff Read, Vacaville, Calif., Van DiemenFormula F: Daniel Swanbeck, San Jose, Calif., PiperFormula Mazda: Michael Tazio Ottis, Portland, Oregon, Formula MazdaFormula Vee: Dennis Andrade, Buckeye, Ariz., VortechGT-1: Will Hunholz, Vail, Ariz., PorscheGT-2: Scotty B. White, Auburn, Wash., Dodge ViperGT-3: Collin Jackson, Langley, British Columbia, Nissan 240SXGT-Lite: Lans Stout, Cornelius, Oregon, Nissan SentraPrototype 1: Jim Devenport, Modesto, Calif., Norma M20FCPrototype 2: Chris Farrell, Salt Lake City, Utah, Stohr WF1Spec Miata: Marco Gallaher, Santa Rosa, Calif., Mazda MiataSpec Racer Ford Gen 3: Todd Harris, Portland, Oregon., SRF3Spec Racer Ford: Paul Goudy, Portland, Oregon, SRFSuper Touring Lite: Oscar Jackson, Jr., Chino, Calif., Scion FRSSuper Touring Under: Lance Stewart, Coconut Grove, Fla., Mazda RX-8Touring 1: Marc Hoover, Shingle Springs, Calif., Mazda MiataTouring 2: Russ Peterson, Menlo Park, Calif., Ford Shelby GTTouring 3: Scotty B. White, Auburn, Wash., Ford MustangTouring 4: Lance Stewart, Coconut Grove, Fla., Mazda RX-8Image: Dennis Andrade in the D&D Racing Vortech took a step towards the Western Conference title with a win Saturday at Portland International Raceway. Points leader Skip Streets is not racing at the event, leaving the title open to Andrade.Credit: Jeff Zurschmeide