PORTLAND, Ore. (July 30, 2005) – Justin Hall, of Davis, Calif., captured his second SCCA Pro Racing Mazdaspeed Miata Cup Presented by Hankook race win of 2005 and extended his point lead after the first round of a doubleheader at Portland International Raceway. Bobby Carter, of Brentwood, Calif., and Terry McCarthy, of Mountain View, Calif., completed the top three.
Hall started from the pole in his No. 12 Off Camber Racing 1990 Mazda Miata 1.6, but it was McCarthy, driving the No. 29 FMG/880 Trailers/Rebello 1995 Mazda Miata 1.8 who took the point from the third starting position. The two changed positions beginning on lap nine of the 20-lap, 39.28-mile contest, with Hall taking the point for good on lap 13.
Carter, who started 18th in the No. 11 Valley Collision Center/880/Rebello 1991 Mazda Miata 1.6 after having his qualifying times disallowed, drove a spirited race through the field and caught McCarthy, who developed a mid-race misfire, with just four laps to go for second. He was unable to run down Hall, though, and finished 3.503 seconds behind.
“It was a great race,” Hall said. “Bob [Stretch] got a great start and was able to get by me, and then Terry [McCarthy] got around both of us on the back stretch. I came around the first lap following Terry and I just couldn’t get around him. Terry is a great driver and drove a great race.
“I finally was able to stuff it down there coming into the last little section of the course, but then blew the turn coming on to the front straight two times in a row. Finally, the third time I was able to make it stick. I was then able to extend a little bit and get to the checkered flag.”
“We should have started third,” Carter said. “We had a little technical difficulty I guess and had to start at the back. We have a good car and Rebello builds big horsepower so we were able to get back up. If I would have started third, I would have won.”
Gary Bockman, of Portland, Ore., looked to be in contention in the No. 89 MiataCage.com/99 West Trailers 1990 Mazda Miata 1.6 until the late stages of the event when he fell back to fourth, but very close to McCarthy for third. Carlo Sparacio, of Federal Way, Wash., was fifth.
Hall extended his point lead to 26 over McCarthy (96-70) halfway through the six-race Pacific Tour Championship. Brad Rampelberg, who finished sixth, is third in points (65), followed by Tom McCarthy (52) and Christian Miller (51).
Round Four of the Mazdaspeed Miata Cup Presented by Hankook Pacific Tour is scheduled for Sunday at 10:45 a.m.
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Link to story: http://www.scca.com/News/News.asp?Ref=371