Who will win the SCCA Runoffs? Part 4: Formula classes

This week we've been previewing the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, which takes place Sept. 25-Oct. 1, 2017, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. We've covered all of the production-based and tube-frame classes, plus Spec Racers and Formula Enterprises, so today we look at all of the remaining Formula classes plus the Prototypes. Who will win come race day? With no home track advantage this year, it's impossible to tell, but here's who we think will run up front.

Formula Atlantic, Formula 1000, Formula Continental, Formula Mazda

Sedat Yelkin, who won Formula Atlantic three years ago, is a bit of an unwilling participant this year. "I wasn't planning on racing this year but got talked into driving again," he admits. "I went to the June Sprints but my car failed. My good friend Kris Kaiser lent me his Swift 016.a and I had to start 18th and last. I was fortunate to finish fifth, then won the main event on Sunday. My own car – a Toyota-powered Swift 014.a – is slower than the 016.a, so I am working with K-Hill Motorsports, which is preparing a 016.a for me."

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Yelkin has won four other times this season and will be battling perennial threat Keith Grant in the Polestar Swift 016.a. Grant has two wins and is unlucky to not have at least one Runoffs crown. He has a number of seconds and thirds, including last year, and should push Yelkin closely. Young Spencer Brockman has three wins, but has been driving an older Swift. However, he has shown good speed and can surprise. Dudley Fleck and Matt Miller are dark horses to be watched.

In Formula 1000, Alex Mayer was our pick to win last year, but it came a cropper at the start of the second lap when he dropped a wheel, spun, and clouted the barrier. Mayer wants to make up for that ignominy with a win this year, and we would not at all be surprised to see him do it. He has three Hoosier Super Tour wins so far and is the man to beat. He knows how to win, he knows what he did at Mid-Ohio last year, and he knows that he must make up for it. His JDR is ready and so is he.

There are some obstacles in his way, however. Foremost is Jeremy Hill, who has been fast and winning for a number of years in his Photon. He has not been to the Runoffs the past two years, but is back and ready this season. Joel Haas has a Piper under his control and has scored a brace of wins in the car. Kevin Roggenbuck wants to prove that last year's win was not a fluke, while Michael Beauchamp, Glenn Cooper, and Gary Hickman are set to challenge. The dark horse is Nicho Vardis, a steady winner who was third last year after two spins. He has raced only four times this year but has won all four and states that, "last year still hurts. I have to make up for that."

John LaRue intends to defend the Formula Continental title he won last year, but will undoubtedly have a hard time. The competition this year is stronger than last and should make for a tight race. Rob Allaer is a past champion who ran well in 2016, and Robert Arrington is compiling a list of wins. LaRue sees Tim Minor as perhaps his strongest threat. "He has two pro championships to his credit and has put in some time at Indianapolis in the SVRA pro race in June. Rob Allaer crawled into his car cold at Mid-Ohio last year and almost won, while Rob Arrington is a force to be reckoned with. "I ran at the SVRA event so the course is not new to me, although the configuration will be a bit different."

The dark horse is Brian Tomasi. He has won twice before, but has not raced since 2011. He may be a bit rusty, but he is a winner. Mitch Egner, Devin Leseuer, Tom Hope, Reece Everard, Charles Moran, and Douglas Rocco are all doing well this season and could conceivably figure at Indy.

For the Formula Mazda race, Jarrett Voorhies, who had a bad day last year with a very early spin and exit, is back and determined to rectify the mistake. "Last year I have to say that my mind was not there – I was not mentally prepared for the race," he admits. "This year I am more mature and feel much better and more confident. There are many good drivers in the race, but my biggest competition is myself. I must stay focused on myself. Having said that, anybody can come out of nowhere and win, but of those I think that Mike Anderson is one to fear."

And how is he preparing? "This is my first time at Indy, but I am getting plenty of sim time. At first I was slow, but I am getting faster."

Anderson has three wins so far, while Stuart Rettie has four. Both are poised to take the top step on the podium. Last year's winner, Matthew Machiko, has not entered as of this writing, but if he does, everyone should be aware. Brad Yake is the dark horse who may well upset the apple cart.

Formula 500, Formula Vee, Formula F

Our pick to win this year's Formula 500 National Championship is the 2015 National Champion Calvin Stewart. After starting on the pole last year and battling for the lead during most of race, Stewart was left stranded after a spin. "I'm looking forward to the biggest Runoffs ever," Stewart says. "Indy has always been on my bucket list, and I'm excited for this opportunity."

Stewart had planned to attend the SVRA race in June, but due to a mechanical issue at Mid-Ohio, he had to skip. It hasn't deterred his confidence, however. "I'm feeling pretty good, but it's not going to be easy," he says. "The competition is better than ever. It's a record field, and there are several teams that could win this year. Steven Thompson has a good setup and will be fast, Wiley Clint McMahan is always fast and could win, James Weida has experience at Indy and will be a contender, and Michael Meuller knows how to win and has a fast car."

We think that Russell Strate Jr., and Scott Rudolph have podium chances as well.

Formula Vee will be another edge-of-your-seat race. But five-time National Champion – and our pick to win this year – Michael Varacins is planning to take a different mental approach than before. "This is going to be an interesting event with so many cars and so many people," Varacins says. "It's going to take some time getting comfortable with that big of an event as it's not like any Runoffs we've had before."

He's up for the challenge, though. "We are bringing the same car we've been running over the years," he says. "We've done a few development tweaks to maintain the advantage we've had over the years, including running at the SVRA [Indy] event this summer."

Data from that event could prove vital. "I've been looking at data trying to figure out whether or not it's important to be fast in the infield or on the front straight," Varacins says.

Varacins feels like familiar front-runners Roger Siebenaler and Rick Shields could work together and be a big threat, as could Andrew Whitson. We don't think he should count out Charles Hearn, either.

In Formula F, with their pro series experience and success at Indy earlier this year, Zachary Holden, Jonathan Kotyk, and Yuven Sundaramoorthy are all ones to watch in this class. But you can't count out last year's champion Neil Verhagen, should he choose to use his provisional.

Rounding out other podium contenders will be Rick Payne and David Livingston Jr. Formula F will be paired with Formula 500 during qualifying, so luck will definitely play a role in vying for the important top starting spot in both of those classes.

Prototype 1, Prototype 2

Jim Devenport is the defending Prototype 1 National Champion, and he's on a run. He was third three years ago, second two years ago, and won last year. He has taken a route separate from the rest, running a French Norma M20FC powered by a 2.0L Honda K20 engine. This has been a top ticket against the motorcycle-powered cars.

Despite a CRB adjustment that has Devenport worried, he's still pulling out all the stops. "I've never run Indy before, so I will use iRacing to get familiar with it," he says. "The track does not have any elevation change so we should be able to get up to speed quickly. It is wide open as to who will win, but I think that Timothy Day and Jason Miller will be tough competition, although the Miller car has to prove its reliability."

A somewhat unknown factor is Jacek Mucha. But, with six second-place finishes in this class at the Runoffs, why is he unknown? It is simply because he has been absent from the Runoffs for the past few years. However, he has entered this year and will be tough. Mucha runs what essentially is a Formula Atlantic Swift 016.a with fenders, and its Mazda engine is powerful. While Devenport has nine wins this season, Mucha is right behind with eight. If Devenport is to be beaten, Mucha is the most likely to do it.

Our third pick is a fingers-crossed situation. Jason Miller has raced his Wynnfurst West seemingly forever and it has two characteristics. First, with its six-cylinder Kohler engine it is very powerful and fast. However, that is countered by its fragility. If it doesn't win, it breaks, and it has broken far too many times. If it holds together, this could – at long last – be the year.

Timothy Day has been winning in a Stohr and is the dark horse to get on the podium. There are hordes of Elans racing, especially in the Midwest, and any of them could be a factor, too.

In Prototype 2, Jeff Shafer won last year after a debate over whether to race his Stohr or Radical. He is going through the same drill this year. "I will do a back-to-back test of both cars so I can understand the strengths of both. I assume the Stohr will be preferred, but the Radical is quick and I am comfortable with it. I am still trying to get 100 percent in sync with the Stohr because I have only driven it twice and need more seat time. The field seems deep this year and I have only raced once, so I hope that I haven't fallen too far behind in development.

"I see that Sherman Chao and Tim Day are doing a lot of work with their cars and they will be quick," he continues. "Michael Crow, Greg Gyann, and Jake Thielmann can all win, too.

His strategy? Simple, he says. "The track is new to me, but it should be an even playing field. My plan is very scientific – go out and go as fast as I can!"

Sherman Chao was the runner up last year and looks to be in the picture again this year. He and his Stohr are fast and he can mix it up at the front. Students of numerology will note that Chao was third two years ago and second last year, so maybe this is the year. Jake Thielmann got a late start to the season but has won all four of his races since then. He was on pace for at least a second last year at Mid-Ohio before a spin near the finish ended that. He is eager to make up for that faux pas.

Tim Day is running and winning in both P1 and P2, and is the dark horse for P2. He can surprise. Bryan Yates is running well and also merits consideration.

This article originally appeared in the October 2017 issue of SportsCar magazine, SCCA's official member magazine, which mails monthly to all members of the Sports Car Club of America. For more information about how to join the SCCA, head to www.scca.com.