Rounds 7 & 8 of Skip Barber Summer Series at Homestead

Rounds 7 and 8 of the 2015 Skip Barber Summer Series at Homestead Miami Speedway provided something new and exciting. For the first time in Series history, the future stars of professional racing would get to shine under the lights. Along with the half way point in the season for the Formula cars, the Mazdaspeed Challenge Summer Series would host its finale under the lights as well.

Race 1 of the weekend would take place during the day, the heat coupled with the low grip surface at Homestead Miami Speedway presented a challenging experience for the drivers.

In Group 1, Dakota Dickerson would take the pole by the narrow margin of .039 seconds over current points leader Timo Reger. Jonathan Sugianto, Chase Owen and David Porcelli would complete the top 5 in qualifying. The race would prove to be no disappointment, with several lead changes amongst the top 5. Each of the top 5 exchanged the honor of holding the fastest race lap throughout the race. Ultimately in the end, Jonathan Sugianto would take the top spot over David Porcelli. Chase Owen would complete the podium. Dakota Dickerson would come 4th as well as taking the bonus points for setting the fastest race lap. Timo Reger rounded out the top 5. The ever consistent Jeff Stern would bring home the Master's win. Robert Masson and Chris Brassard would complete the Master's Podium.

Group 2 consisted of the Mazdaspeed Challenge Mx-5 Competitors. Coming into the finale weekend, the points leader Bryan Hixon had a small margin and it would come down to him or Gavin Reichelt for the championship. Reichelt immediately took charge during the weekend and was able to pick up the 3 bonus points for qualifying on the pole after being challenged in qualifying by Tom Hankinson who would line up second for the race. At the start of the race, Tom Hankinson and Bryan Hixon would get the jump on Reichelt. Reichelt responded by laying down fast laps all while being hounded by Bryan Hixon. Tom Hankinson kept the leaders honest and made his presence known in their mirrors as well. Ultimately Reichelt would pick up the bonus points for the fastest race lap but an unfortunate spin with a few laps to go relegated him to 5th at the finish. Bryan Hixon would hang on for the win. Tom Hankinson would hold on to 2nd to score his first overall podium as well as the Master's win. An intense battle between Casey Cronk and Jose Da Silva would see Cronk score his first podium of the season.

Group 3 would see some familiar faces from Group 1, Timo Reger, Chase Owen, and Dakota Dickerson would be leaving the race weekend early to take part in the interview process for the Team USA Scholarship at Road America. Fittingly enough those three drivers would dominate qualifying and sweep the top 3 spots with Reger leading the field to the green. The race looked to be a 6 car battle for the win at times. Each lap someone else would benefit from the draft and take the lead. Some unfortunate contact took Don Whittington and Kyle Masson out of contention for the podium. The four car battle continued and saw the top 3 separated by a tenth coming across the line. It was Chase Owen who was first to the checkered flag followed by Jorge Herrera and Timo Reger. Dakota Dickerson would be 4th and once again the fastest driver in the race. Robert Masson came home a solid 5th overall and winning in the Master's class. Jeremy Carriere and Bill Hynes would have solid rookie debuts and round out the Master's podium. Scotty Steele who was taking a weekend away from his Stadium Super Truck duties was our top finishing rookie.

Race 2 for the 3 run groups was set to be something special. It was the first time ever that the Skip Barber Race Series would hold a night race. In Group 1 Jonathan Sugianto continued his dominant form by storming to the pole. Jeff Stern would join him on the front row after a stellar qualifying run and Charles Streicher would slot in 3rd. At the start of the race, there would be slight contact between David Porcelli and Jeff Stern, this would ultimately take them out of the lead pack that later became a 4 car race for the win. Sugianto would stay up front through out the race but the charge from Charle Streicher and Benjamin Waddell was there all race. Chris Brassard drove a flawless race and was in striking distance of an overall podium for most of the race. Sugianto would be able to hold off Streicher and Waddell as the trio completed the podium. Brassard would come home 4th overall and win the Master's category. Bill Hynes was 5th overall and 2nd in the Master's category. Jeremey Carriere would complete the Master's podium.

Group 2 was the final race of the 2015 Skip Barber Mazdaspeed Challenge Summer Series. With the pressure mounting and losing a few points in Race 1, Gavin Reichelt did what he had to do and qualified on the pole to pick up the bonus points. Hixon would end up starting 2nd and missing the pole by just a tenth. The race was a nose to tail battle between Reichelt and Hixon. Each would lead laps. Ultimately Reichelt would win and Hixon would finish second. Jose Da Silva would ride in the draft of the leaders and post the fastest race lap en route to finishing 3rd. The battle for 4th saw 3 drivers finish within a tenth of one another. Casey Cronk would take 4th followed by Master's winner Tom Hankinson and Zach Month. Ben Hankinson would round out the field in what is arguably one of the closest Mx-5 fields seen in years. Upon the finish of the race, season ending award presentations saw Hixon crowned as Champion with Reichelt and Da Silva completing the year end podium. Jose Da Silva would also pick up the Most Improved Driver award and Gavin Reichelt would be the Rookie of the Year. Tom Hankinson was crowned the Master's Champion as well.

Group 3 would get the challenge of racing in the darkest conditions of the event. Qualifying saw Scotty Steele set the fast time but after and infraction it would be Jorge Herrera starting on the pole followed by Jeff Stern and Charles Streicher. The racing was spectacular. Kyle Masson, Jorge Herrera, Charles Streicher all took a turn in the lead. Don Whittington, Scotty Steele and Jeff Stern were all running fast laps in tow with the leaders as well. Once again the top 3 would be separated by only a tenth of a second at the finish. This time it was Kyle Masson who took his first career win followed by Charles Streicher and Jorge Herrera. Don Whittington and Scotty Steele would complete the top 5 with Steele also setting the fastest race lap. A last lap spin by Jeff Stern would give the Master's win to Chris Brassard. Robert Masson and Jeff Stern would complete the Master's podium.

In just 2 weeks, the Skip Barber Summer Series makes the trek out west to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The championship is still wide open. With many drivers finding their first career wins and podiums in recent rounds it proves to only get more competitive.