When the checkered flag was waved the Mazdaspeed Team of Jason Sani, Charles Espenlaub and Charles Putman were the overall winners in their Mazda Miata MX5. The team completed 477 laps and took first place overall as well as the ES Class win. Jason Sani from Lutz, Florida spoke for the team when he said how good it was to win this prestigious race for Mazda and to beat the high powered GT Prototype cars that were not around at the finish.
Second overall and first in the EO class was the BMW M-3 of Team Achilles Motorsport. Drivers included: Ara Malkhassian of Sonoma, Boris Nizon of Beverly Hills, Billy Johnson of San Clemente, and Gil Cervantes of Sacramento. The team completed 477 laps as the battle for the overall win came down to less than a lap after twenty eight hours since the drop of the green flag.
Team Dream Motorsports came home third on the grid and finished second in the EO class after a spirited battle right down to the wire with Team Achilles. Driver John Tecce of Ormand Beach, Florida had the teams Honda Civic on the rear bumper of Team Achilles at the line completing the same 477 laps. Other drivers on the team included: John Schmitt of Sunbury Ohio, Bob Endicott of San Pedro, and Larry Hwang of Torrance.
Fourth at the finish line and first place in the ESR class was Team Green driven by Steve Zadig of Palo Alto, Michael Kantor of Venice, and Dennis Pavlina of Camas, Washington. The ESR class features specialty built sports racers. The team completed 476 laps using an ethanol based race fuel.
Fifth place overall and first place in the E1 class went to another Mazda Miata, MX5. The sporty little Playboy sponsored series entry was driven by Mike Harvison of Colleville, Texas, Ken Dobson of Sonoma, Tyler McQuarrie of San Ramon, and Nick Mancusa of Metawa. Illinois. The team completed 475 laps.
Other class winners included Team Evil Genius 2 driven by Laura Thomas of San Anselmo, Juan Pineda of San Francisco, Jeremy Pike of Redding and Daniel Gehringer of Sacramento. The team drove a 1992 Mazda Miata to a nineteenth place finish overall and first place in the E2 class. The team completed 447 laps.
The EC class was won by the Butte College team of David Vodden of Willows, Brad Dressen of Orland, Ali Arsham of American Canyon, Craig Evans of Wiltom, and Rod Powell of Olympia Washington. The student prepared and supported entry completed 385 laps in their 2004 Honda S2000 and earned a forty third place finish in the final results. The team led by student Gabe Mainz suffered a suspension failure mid afternoon on Saturday that resulted in a major repair by the Butte College automotive training students. Their efforts proved successful as their car proceeded to the finish following the lengthy replacement of most of the right rear suspension components.
Well known NASCAR commentator and ALMS road racer Boris Said of Huntington Beach, Ca. finished sixteenth overall in the ACS Express Racing Ford Mustang after mechanical woes sidelined his team for several laps near the end of the race.
The all-female team known as Divaspeed Racing completed 426 laps and was scored thirty-first overall and sixth in the E2 class. Driver Donna Gilio of Carson City, Nevada led the team that also included: Karen Salvaggio of Lake Mathews, Shea Holbook of Groveland, Florida and Glorymar Fernandez of Puerto Rico. The ladies piloted a Honda Integra. Their all female effort was plagued by an oil leak that required a lengthy pit stop early in the race.
Two hundred and seventy one drivers took turns behind the wheel in the 17 hour race at Thunderhill Park that spanned a 28 hour period starting at 11 am on Saturday and ending at 3pm on Sunday. The event paused for eleven hours because of ground fog.
The annual event held in Willows, Ca., is the longest automobile race in North America.
The 2009 edition of the event is scheduled for December 5th and 6th.
MEDIA CONTACT:
David B. Vodden
President and CEO
Thunderhill Raceway Park
530-934-5588 X-101
