MX-5 Cup: Gallagher claims Road Atlanta season finale

Patrick Gallagher won the final race of the SCCA Pro Racing Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich Tires season as part of the Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda, at Road Atlanta. Dean Copeland and Nathanial Sparks completed the final podium positions.

Gallagher, in the No. 44 Howard Concrete Pumping MX-5, started Friday's Round 12 Race in third, but was able to make up two positions on lap eight to take the race lead. During the four subsequent laps, Gallagher and John Dean were battling for which driver would end up with the top spot. By lap 12, the battle had cooled, as Gallagher stretched his lead in the 21-lap race that averaged 70.528 mph around the 12-turn, 2.54-mile circuit. The race marked the 100th in the Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup history."I'm disappointed that we didn't win the championship," Gallagher said. "There are a number of things, looking back on the season, that we could have done differently, or other people could have done differently. We had a good year. Our Howard Concrete Pumping MX-5, along with the Atlanta Motorsports Group, had a great year. We could have just as easily won the championship if we had a couple things go our way."I was hoping Dean was going to run into some issues when I was in the lead. But, John [Dean] is a good driver and was not going to let that happen. If I look at all the drivers in this series, he is very deserving."In the No. 7 Copeland Motorsports/SyncSpeed Inc. MX-5, Copeland finished on the podium after starting 11th. For his effort in gaining nine positions as he marched through the field, Copeland earned the Battery Tender Hard Charger award. As the full-course yellow flew on lap two, Dean had already worked his way up to eighth. Once the field was turned loose on lap seven, Dean continued his move to the front."It's good to end the season on a high note," Copeland said. "We've been high and low this year, and we're just looking forward to next year with the new car. We want to get our hands on it and get acquainted. We're planning to be back next year to do it all again."We ran as an independent in 2011, but Copeland Motorsports expanded to a three-car team this year. Next year, we're looking at trying to have four cars. So, as far as next year, Copeland Motorsports is looking to expand on our recent success. Hopefully, next year, we can be like the Sick Sideways guys."Sparks, in the No 8 OOTSK Performance/Sick Sideways MX-5, completed the final race of the season in third place after spending the race trading numerous positions at the head of the field. On the penultimate lap of the race, Sparks was able to take the second spot from Dean."We knew, going out there, what the plan was and what we had to do," Sparks said. "So we just kept our heads down and tried to do exactly what we needed to do to execute the plan. We're racers and we're going to end up pushing really hard, even against our own better judgement. Even on the last lap I was thinking I could still get to second place. Helping John Dean, and Sick Sideways, to the championship is just awesome."Sick Sideways has done a lot to help me improve as a driver, over the years, and I'm just happy to tag along and be here to celebrate this, and a third-place finish in the championship. You can talk about being able to make something like this happen, but it is so difficult. There are so many variables that have to come together. I can't believe we were able to do it. It's going to sink in for a couple weeks, but then we'll look back and be able to say that we did it. We're a championship team, and that's awesome."Dean, at the wheel of the No. 16 Bulb Jacket/PPG/Sick Sideways, claimed the 2015 Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich Tires series title after finishing fourth in the final race. Dean was the race leader following the race's initial rolling start, and even held off the field during a mid-race restart caused by a single-car incident in Turn 1. On lap eight, Gallagher took the lead. While Dean spent a couple laps fighting for position with Gallagher, Dean could not match his pace. With a solid finish guaranteeing the season-long title to Dean, he backed off to preserve his equipment.Rookie Alex Bachoura, in the No. 17 Copeland Motorsports MX-5, finished fifth. The result served as the best race finish during his inaugural season.In the Skip Barber MAZDASPEED Pro Challenge, Nikko Reger completed the Road Atlanta sweep by winning both races of the double-header event. Reger started the race second, in class, and stayed close to that position until the mid-race restart. Reger utilized the bunched pack of cars to build momentum for a push to the front of the pack. Once he got there, Reger checked out from the rest of the Skip Barber field and pulled out a 26-second lead."During the restart, everyone made a couple small mistakes," Reger said. "I was able to get around (Sam) Adams in Turn 1. I was able to get to the lead after passing two more cars that made mistakes shifting. I had such a huge run down the back straight. Once I got to the lead, I just decided to let those last two guys battle things out. I stuck to my points and got a huge lead."The entire race was made after they started to battle with each other. They were a little closer in points, and that just let me run away. I'm really looking forward to next season. This race is like the end of an era. It's a crazy feeling and I can't imagine these particular cars not racing in this series. This is a new chapter in Mazda's racing history, and I'm a part of it."Robby Foley finished second in the race, which was good enough to push him to the top of the class championship standings. Bryan Hixon completed the race podium in his No. 63 EdgeAddicts.com SBMX-5.With all the points counted, Dean captured the Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship with a total of 659 points. Gallagher finished second, just 13 markers behind, with Nathanial sparks completing the top three with 597 points.In the Skip Barber MAZDASPEED Pro Challenge, Foley completed his championship campaign with 666 points. Sam Adams finished second, seven markers arears while Reger finished third.The season-ending banquet, where formal championship presentations will be made, are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET this evening.Results from Friday's 45-minute SCCA Pro Racing Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich Tires Round 12 race, part of the Petit Le Mans Powered by Mazda at Road Atlanta with position, class, starting position in parenthesis, driver, hometown, car, laps, and gap.1,MX,{3},Patrick Gallagher,Thornville Ohio,MX-5,21,2,MX,{11},Dean Copeland,Bowie Md.,MX-5,21,6.6783,MX,{4},Nathanial Sparks,Spanish Fort Ala.,MX-5,21,8.2944,MX,{1},John Dean II,Sebring Fla.,MX-5,21,8.4775,MX,{13},Alex Bachoura(R),Houston Texas,MX-5,21,20.3836,MX,{6},Devin Jones,Mooresville N.C.,MX-5,21,30.1657,MX,{2},Drake Kemper,Toluca Lake Calif.,MX-5,21,34.4358,MX,{15},Sam Barnett,Charlotte N.C.,MX-5,21,37.4619,MX,{12},Tim Probert,Houston Texas,MX-5,21,39.84410,MX,{14},Brent Mosing,Lafayette La.,MX-5,21,40.30611,MX,{18},Christian Tetzlaff,Athens Ga.,MX-5,21,42.07412,MX,{16},Keith Jensen(R),Dallas Texas,MX-5,21,45.58613,MX,{10},Ara Malkhassian,Houston Texas,MX-5,21,54.30414,MX,{20},Aurora Straus(R),New York N.Y.,MX-5,21,1:37.61215,MX,{7},Charlie Hays,Walnut Creek Calif.,MX-5,20,1 Lap16,MX,{17},Zach Lee,San Antonio Texas,MX-5,20,1 Lap17,MX,{5},Peter Portante,Plainville Conn.,MX-5,12,9 Laps18,MX,{19},Russell Walker,Dallas Texas,MX-5,11,overheat19,MX,{8},James Vance,Toronto Ont.,MX-5,10,transmission20,MX,{9},Sarah Montgomery,Lafayette La.,MX-5,1,crash1,SBMX,{22},Nikko Reger,Houston Texas,SBMX-5,21,2,SBMX,{23},Robby Foley,Randolph N.J.,SBMX-5,21,27.3643,SBMX,{29},Bryan Hixon,San Antonio Texas,SBMX-5,21,29.0304,SBMX,{21},Sam Adams,Richfield Wis.,SBMX-5,21,31.2995,SBMX,{27},Sam Schecter,,SBMX-5,21,50.4576,SBMX,{26},Kieron O'Rourke,Grand Cayman,SBMX-5,21,51.7637,SBMX,{25},Mike Iler,Highland Calif.,SBMX-5,21,53.5248,SBMX,{28},Chris Beaufait,Freeland Wash.,SBMX-5,20,1 Lap9,SBMX,{24},Ben Albano,Greenwich Conn.,SBMX-5,20,1 LapImage: Patrick Gallagher drove to victory in Round 12 of the Battery Tender Mazda MX-5 Cup at Road Atlanta.Credit: Al Merion Padron