HOPRA held their National Championships back in June. They had 0ver 100 drivers totaling over 500 entries in their various classes.
We run HOPRA rules at Stewart Raceway. We currently only run two platforms today that are almost always raced at the Nationals: the Viper V-SPEC Lexan car, aka: SPEC RACER; and the Viper-Jet Lexan car, aka: SPEC JET classes.
I suspect next year HOPRA will roll out OS3 TFX rules. No idea what those rules will look like. Hopefully, our TFX Modified class is in the ballpark.
HOPRA also runs a support race using the Mega G+ platforms at the NATS, employing BOX STOCK rules. We don’t run this car other than IROC but it’s a simple and good driving platform and one that all of us have a few of. Maybe we should consider adding it to our active platforms?
Round 3 was finally concluded on a warm sunny day on the SR3 road course. While attendance was lighter than usual, we were able to run a full program of six races and a Concourse d’Elegance competition, in which George Peter’s Mac Tools Viper V-SPEC NASTruck took top honors.
Short Story is George also dominated the Sportsman racing action by winning five of the six events.
Round 3 Overall Results
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
George Peters
865
76
11448.21
2
Jordan Walker
784
50
11487.71
3
Kevin Webster
539
38
7013.408
4
Jerry Pearson
511
28
7020.205
5
Steve Stewart
898
96
11318.63
Race 1: OS3 TFX “BOX STOCK” Camaros (IROC)
Starting the day off with some slower but more difficult-to-drive cars was not a hit with this bunch. With little to no marshal support, the stock TFX race was a drawn-out affair and most drivers could not wait to get to the faster magnet classes. Interestingly, new Sportsman driver, Jerry Pearson did very well with the TFX and ended up in the second spot on the podium in his first-ever TFX race. Detailed Results
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
George Peters
142
13
2463.631
2
Jerry Pearson
129
11
2425.434
3
Jordan Walker
119
7
2425.703
4
Steve Stewart
150
16
2378.29
Race #2: Tyco 440-X2 Wide-Pan NASCAR Bodies
George again dominated this race with one overall heat win and four second-place heat finishes. Jerry Pearson kept Jordan Walker at bay, collecting second-place Sportsman points yet again driving the Stewart Racing Chevy Lumina #7. Detailed Results
While his father, George Peters, took the top spot in the overall race, his son Jordan managed to win two segments and second-place overall in the 300-lap feature event. Jerry Pearson also bagged a heat win in segment 8–nice! Detailed Results
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
George Peters
288
13
2596.459
2
Jordan Walker
279
11
2596.428
3
Kevin Webster
258
7
2603.898
4
Jerry Pearson
250
6
2603.553
5
Steve Stewart
299
16
2585.393
Race #4: Jag Hobbies Augoran (IROC) 15v
George once again dominated the TR-3 IROC event, very nearly winning overall. Jordan had a very good race taking the second podium spot with Kevin Webster in a very close third position. Details
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
2
George Peters
97
13
1024.831
3
Jordan Walker
90
11
1028.456
4
Kevin Webster
88
7
1030.69
1
Steve Stewart
100
16
1016.167
Race #5: Jag Hobbies PR-5 “Lite” (BOX STOCK) NASCAR Bodies
Sportsman driver, Kevin Webster wins his first PR-5 event! As always, the PR-5 race was a hotly contested race with first and second only separated by two laps. Kevin had a great race, taking second in three of the segments and winning one overall. Very impressive! Details
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
2
Kevin Webster
96
13
1489.689
3
George Peters
94
11
1488.155
4
Jordan Walker
90
7
1495.846
1
Steve Stewart
100
16
1488.158
Race #6: Jag Hobbies NC-2 Lite (BOX STOCK) NASCAR Bodies
Another barn-burner race with George Peters finishing off an impressive day on SR3 with yet another Sportsman win and on the same lap in the overall race. Kevin Webster fought hard for another win in this final wild race of the day and came up just 3-laps short in the end. Details
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
2
George Peters
100
13
1890.287
3
Kevin Webster
97
11
1889.131
4
Jordan Walker
80
7
1922.515
1
Steve Stewart
100
16
1879.095
Concourse d`Elegance Competition
Since he didn’t have a horse in the race, Kevin Webster judged the CdE competition. Giving George Peters the nod for best looking Viper V-SPEC car on the day. These Viper V-SPEC cars were raced in the Feature 300-lap event.
Series Points Standings after Round 3:
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
George Peters
2493
223
22298.42
2
Kevin Webster
1899
151
16994.23
3
Jordan Walker
1387
75
15205.31
4
Jerry Pearson
771
49
10508.17
5
Brad Sandahl ♦
900
55
3561.313
6
Steve Stewart ♦
2694
282
21772.77
♦ indicates Expert Class driver. Scored separately in series.
While Round 2 was expected to see a full field of drivers, five were unable to appear for Saturday’s event.
The good news was four drivers rolled through the gates in time to start racing. Well, actually a couple strolled through the gates due to a landscaping crew blocking the entrance to Stewart Raceway.
Anyway, we got a bit of a late start but with only four drivers, the schedule would certainly get compressed. In fact, after the first race, we shut down the two gutter lanes and started racing with just four of the six lanes on SR3.
The short story is George Peters remains the series points leader after two rounds. While the summary results tell a different story, the battle for this round was a lot closer. In fact, several races were lost on the final lap or final corner. That’s exciting racing!
Overall Results
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
George Peters
565
78
6145.547
2
Kevin Webster
521
66
6182.358
3
Jerry Pearson
260
21
3487.966
4
Steve Stewart
589
96
6017.514
Round 2 was NASCAR racing on the SR3 road course, which meant slightly shorter segments but still six races, including a feature race of 150-laps with Jag Hobbies NC-2 cars with NASCAR livery.
Race 1: Tyco 440-X2 “Wide-Pan” Stock Cars (15v)
Home Cook’n, George Peters, Kevin Webster
Jerry Pearson started out his racing debut with a solid second-place finish in the first heat and a very close Run Time to the winner of the heat. The number 7 Lumina body was lowered by GP Designs (George) and worked quite well. Detailed Results
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
Steve Stewart
120
16
1131.07
2
George Peters
111
13
1162.899
3
Kevin Webster
102
11
1160.71
4
Jerry Pearson
95
7
1224.1
Race 2: OS3 TFX “Lites” NASCAR Bodies (18v)
This was Jerry’s first crack at a “gravity car” race but he actually did pretty well, staying very close in total laps for many heats and increasing his lap times throughout the race. George–again– was very close and he had the best median lap time. Detailed Results
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
Steve Stewart
120
16
1497.009
2
George Peters
111
13
1537.096
3
Kevin Webster
106
11
1532.322
4
Jerry Pearson
99
7
1545.817
Race 3: Jag Hobbies TR-3 Augorans (IROC) (15v)
This was another hotly contested race with George and Kevin Webster both winning heats and Jerry besting Kevin by one lap in the final segment. The TR-3’s used are slightly hopped-up with Jag IFE fronts and DF rear wheels. Details
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
Steve Stewart
79
16
710.183
2
George Peters
79
13
720.339
3
Kevin Webster
71
11
759.035
4
Jerry Pearson
66
7
718.049
Race 4: Jag Hobbies NC-2 “Lites” NASCAR Livery (15v)
The”Feature”race was another barn-burner with plenty of drama and controversy. We lost Jerry after the lone IROC race but the three remaining drivers soldiered on through the rest of the schedule using only three lanes and Call Buttons to manage the racing.
Home Cook’n clearly had the better car in the feature race thanks to the use of a Johnny Lightning Thunderjet500 “Pull-Back” snap-on body. We use some of their screw-on bodies for the TFX cars. They make two versions: one for T-Jet screw-on bodies; and one for snap-on AFX bodies. There was some discussion after the races about this body not being commercially available but clearly, it is. Detailed Results
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
Steve Stewart
150
16
1388.062
2
George Peters
144
13
1422.24
3
Kevin Webster
137
11
1413.449
Race 5: Jag Hobbies PR-5 “Lites” NASCAR Livery (15v)
Yet another hotly contested race with George Peters very narrowly losing this one to Home Cook’n again. Kevin Webster kept up the good fight, only losing a couple of laps per segment, but first and second were both neck and neck on total laps and just two seconds separating them at the finish–that’s close!! Details
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
Steve Stewart
60
16
697.351
2
George Peters
60
13
699.638
3
Kevin Webster
53
11
709.432
Race 6: Viper-Jet (SPEC JET) NASCAR Livery (12v)
The final race of the day was nearly a repeat of Race 5, with only tenths of a second separating George Peters and Home Cook’n in the final two segments. Kevin Webster remained focused but didn’t have a Lexan body prepared and was forced to run a hardbody, which is obviously a disadvantage in this class.
This was also a “Concourse” race, in which George easily bagged those style points with a nicely prepared Lexan Lumina (middle). Detailed Results
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
Steve Stewart
60
16
593.839
2
George Peters
60
13
603.335
3
Kevin Webster
52
11
607.41
Again, thank all of you who braved the heat and beach traffic to come out in the sticks and race little cars with us. Round 3 of the NASCAR MADness Series is slated for June 25, 2022. Stay tuned for details.
Many thanks to those of you who attended the event Saturday. We ran a bunch of practice laps on the SR3 straight road course and then one IROC fuel race using a house set of 440-X2 “Narrow” Lexan Hammerhead cars.
We also introduced another new driver into the mix. Our most recent new driver, Jerry Pearson, brought along a friend, Randy Cook, who raced 1/24-scale cars years ago as well as 1/1-scale Formula 1000 racing cars.
Seem like Randy and Jerry enjoyed the racing action since both made the podium in the 150-lap IROC race. Nice!
2021 Rookie of the Year, Brad Sandahl, took the top podium spot after battling with Jerry and Randy the whole race.
Both Brad and another new driver, Jared Johnson, brought along their amazing daughters, Carrie and Madeline, who actually did very well driving at lower voltages but amazingly attentive at both driving and marshaling.
While we’re definitely planning a Kid’s Race Day very soon, next Saturday is Round 2 of the NASCAR MADness Series on the SR3 road course. Hoping to see all our new and old drivers battling each other on the road course with NASCAR-style cars next Saturday. Stay tuned for details.
PR-5 Feature event starting grid. Top to bottom, Kevin Webster, Brad Sandhal, Jordan Walker, Home Cook’n, George Peters.
Wow! What an action-packed Day!
We had a smaller field than usual but it was as stacked as ever. The good news was that we were running an oval layout, which allowed us to use wireless call-buttons in lieu of turn marshals. Surprisingly, this actually worked out pretty well and we were able to run six races, including a 480-lap PR-5 Feature race with fuel stops and plenty of drama.
Sadly, the Race Director failed to get many pictures on the day, sorry.
Short story of results are below. George Peters leads in points after Round 1. Things may have been a bit different had Brad Sandhal not had to abandon the final two races on the schedule due to family commitments. George dominated the NC-2 “Lites” class.
Overall Results and standings after Round 1:
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
George Peters
1063
69
4704.665
2
Brad Sandahl
900
55
3561.313
3
Kevin Webster
839
47
3798.461
4
Jordan Walker
603
25
3717.603
5
Steve Stewart
1207
90
4436.628
Race 1: AFX Magna-Traction Jalopies (IROC)
These were very cool Mercury sedans prepared by GP Designs (Georgie) that were really smooth and fun to drive. Detailed Results
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
Steve Stewart
147
16
695.992
2
Brad Sandahl
143
13
725.377
3
George Peters
139
11
717.186
4
Jordan Walker
116
7
756.994
Race 2: OS3 TFX “Lites” 18v
These cars are always fun and even more so on an oval. Brad had a slight advantage in this one since he was running a Fray-style resin body while the rest of us used NASCAR-style bodies. Kevin Webster bested George for the final podium spot in this hotly contested race. Brad showed he hadn’t lost any of his 2021 Rookie of the Year luster, handily winning the race. (Detailed Results)
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
Brad Sandahl
150
16
629.653
2
Steve Stewart
135
13
636.91
3
Kevin Webster
121
11
644.259
4
George Peters
120
7
749.468
5
Jordan Walker
100
6
705.083
Race 3: OS3 TFX “Stock” House Camaros (IROC)
These are also way fun cars on the oval. Stock isn’t exactly stock since we allow Black Dragon motor magnets to make these cars a little faster and better handling than “box stock.” Brad Sandahl actually won the final heat but some bad luck and mishaps kept him from pressuring Home Cook’n too much. Of course, George, no stranger to T-Jets, took the final podium spot. Kevin Webster was very close throughout the race and even managed a second place finish in Heat 5. Detailed Results
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
Steve Stewart
149
16
784.276
2
Brad Sandahl
141
13
793.091
3
George Peters
113
11
795.812
4
Kevin Webster
108
7
799.975
5
Jordan Walker
83
6
808.517
Race 4: Jag Hobbies PR-5 NASCAR “Lites” Feature Race 16.5v
The “extended” feature race was–as always–full of mayhem, vicious crashes, and major amounts of adrenaline. This race, by far, is the most intense race of the day simply because of the number of laps and the overall duration of the race. Shockingly, George managed to finish on the podium in spite of being heavily distracted throughout the race trying to help/coach Jordan. who was not having a good go of it at all. Jordan actually started out well and was in third place overall after three segments but gradually lost concentration and focus as the grueling race went on. Home Cook’n miraculously avoided much of the carnage the others had to contend with to secure the win in the very fast and furious feature race. Detailed Results
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
Steve Stewart
480
16
1408.693
2
Brad Sandahl
466
13
1413.192
3
George Peters
414
11
1435.543
4
Kevin Webster
392
7
1418.129
5
Jordan Walker
304
6
1447.009
Race 5: Jag Hobbies NC-2 “Lites” NASCAR 16.5v
With Brad out of the line-up and Jordan opting to marshal instead of driving, George was able to concentrate on his own racing, and nicely won the NC-2 race, winning three of the six segments. Detailed Results
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
George Peters
147
16
447.538
2
Steve Stewart
146
13
447.971
3
Kevin Webster
108
11
453.652
Race 6: Tyco 440-X2 Wide-Pan NASCAR Hardbody 15v
The final race of the day was a vintage-class race using our Tomahawk platforms with NASCAR-style hardbodies. George Peters clearly had the horsepower in this one but rear tire troubles plagued him throughout the six 25-lap segments. Home Cook’n manage to secure the win over the hard charging duo. Detailed Results
Place
Name
Laps
Points
Total Time
1
Steve Stewart
150
16
462.786
2
George Peters
130
13
559.118
3
Kevin Webster
110
11
482.446
Many thanks to those of your who participated in making Round 1 a success. The NASCAR theme seems to be enjoyable to everyone and the oval both a fun and challenging course to race on.
Round 2 is slated for June 11, 2022 and will be run on the SR3 straight road course. Stay tuned for details.
Okay, shut up and drive!
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Round 3 was finally concluded on a warm sunny day on the SR3 road course. While attendance was lighter than usual, we were able to run a full program of six races and a Concourse d’Elegance competition, in which George Peter’s Mac Tools Viper V-SPEC NASTruck took top honors.
Concourse d`Elegance Competition
This was also a “Concourse” race, in which George easily bagged those style points with a nicely prepared Lexan Lumina (middle). 
Many thanks to those of you who attended the event Saturday. We ran a bunch of practice laps on the SR3 straight road course and then one IROC fuel race using a house set of 440-X2 “Narrow” Lexan Hammerhead cars.
Race 2: OS3 TFX “Lites” 18v
Race 3: OS3 TFX “Stock” House Camaros (IROC)
Race 4: Jag Hobbies PR-5 NASCAR “Lites” Feature Race 16.5v
Race 5: Jag Hobbies NC-2 “Lites” NASCAR 16.5v
Race 6: Tyco 440-X2 Wide-Pan NASCAR Hardbody 15v