SCCA: Phoenix Performance leads charge at New Jersey Majors

Someone joked in victory circle that Saturday's SCCA Majors Northeast Conference Round Nine at New Jersey Motorsports Park should have been renamed the "Phoenix Performance Invitational."

It wasn't quite that dramatic, but Phoenix-prepared cars took wins in six classes during the afternoon's 25-minute timed races.The Aquilante family scored three wins themselves, beginning with Andrew's Touring 3 win in the No. 32 Phoenix Performance/Hoosier/Hawk Ford Mustang. Tom Aquilante, Andrew's uncle, snagged the Touring 4 win in the No. 54 TAR/Hoosier/Hawk Chevrolet Camaro.The highlight came in American Sedan, however, when Amy Aquilante – the daughter of Tom – scored a thrilling win in the No. 5 Tom Aquilante Racing/Hoosier/Hawk Pontiac Firebird. Aquilante came out on top in a back and forth battle with Daniel Richardson's No. 15 Hoosier/Performance Auto Works/Auto Gear/Hayworth Racing Brakes Chevrolet Camaro.David Sanders, Kurt Rezzetano, and Preston Calvert added to the prep shop's success at their home track.Joe Sammut traveled down from Locust Valley, New York, taking two wins on Saturday himself. Sammut began the day with a Formula Enterprises win behind the wheel of the No. 57 Pencils Plus/Motion Dynamic Formula Enterprises/Ford, then came back just a couple of hours later to win Spec Racer Ford Gen 3 in the No. 57 Pencils Plus/Motion Dynamic Spec Racer Ford. Sammut was joined on the podium by his brother, Raffaele.The Northeast Conference continues with the doubleheader weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park on Sunday, with live timing and notes available at SCCA.com/live for the 22 lap races beginning at 10:15 a.m. EST.Interviews with race winners can be found at SCCA.com.A complete list of provisional winners follows, with class: name, hometown and car.American Sedan: Amy Aquilante, Phoenixville, Pa., Pontiac FirebirdB-Spec: Brian Audet, Alexandria, Va., Mini CooperE Production: Chris Dryden, New Freedom, Pa., BMW Z3F Production: Charlie Campbell, Corry, Pa., Mazda MiataH Production: Johannes Krauss, Prattsville, N.Y., Volkswagen SciroccoFormula 500: David Lapham, Irvington, N.Y., Invader Qc-1Formula 1000: Jason Slahor, Ellicott City, Md., Citation F1000Formula Atlantic: Garth Rickards, Mechanicsburg, Pa., Swift 016/MazdaFormula Continental: Doug Rocco, Sandisfield, Mass., Van Diemen DPO2Formula Enterprises: Jospeh Sammut, Locust Valley, N.Y., Formula Enterprises/FordFormula F: Austin Mack, Warren, R.I., Mygale/HondaFormula Vee: Roger Siebenaler, North Hero, Vt., Mysterian M-2/VolkswagenGT-1: Scott Quaile, Copake Falls, N.Y., Chevrolet CamaroGT-2: Preston Calvert, Potomac, Md., Chevrolet CorvetteGT-3: Christopher Howard, Holliston, Mass., Mazda MiataGT-Lite: Kyle Disque, Philadelphia, Pa., Toyota TercelPrototype 1: Greg Bell, Ottawa, Ontario, Stohr WF-1Prototype 2: Dennis Hanratty, Mechanicsburg, Pa., West WR-1000Spec Miata: Tyler Kicera, Manheim, Pa., Mazda MiataSpec Racer Ford Gen 3: Joseph Sammut, Locust Valley, N.Y., Spec Racer FordSpec Racer Ford: Bruce Myers, Geenland, N.H., Spec Racer FordSuper Touring Lite: John Hainsworth, Marlton, N.J., Mazda RX-7Super Touring Under: Elivan Goulart, Shelton, Ct., Lotus ExigeTouring 1: David Sanders, Boothwyn, Pa., Chevrolet CorvetteTouring 2: Kurt Rezzetano, Phoenixville, Pa., Ford MustangTouring 3: Andrew Aquilante, Chester Sprints, Pa., Ford MustangTouring 4: Tom Aquilante, Phoenixville, Pa., Chevrolet CamaroImage: Dave Sanders was one of the Phoenix-prepared cars that grabbed wins on Saturday.Credit: Geoff Hall