Heinricy Wins Fifth Consecutive Touring 1 National Championship

LEXINGTON, Ohio (Sept. 23, 2005) – John Heinricy, of Holly, Mich., captured his eighth National Championship Friday, taking the Touring 1 class win for the fifth consecutive year at the 2005 SCCA National Championship Runoffs® Presented by Kohler at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Scotty B White, of Puyallup, Was., and Lance Knupp, of Fenton, Mich., completed the top-three.

Starting from the pole position, White got a great jump at start, holding lead into the first turn. Behind White, the lead group went multi-car abreast through the esses, with Philip Croyle and Chris Ingle moving into second and third respectively. Midway through the opening lap, the full-course caution was displayed for oil on the racing line in turn one. When racing resumed on lap four, White once again held the lead into the esses. Battling for third place Heinricy and Ingle made light contact, with Heinricy taking the position. Pushing his car to the limit, Heinricy quickly caught Croyle and passed for second on lap five. Within two corners, Heinricy caught White, passing for the lead as the duo crossed the start/finish to commence lap six. Once out front, the reigning National Champion steadily built a gap on the White and the 27-car field. The top-five remained unchanged until lap 16, when Croyle slowed exiting turn one and pulled off-course. Despite a late challenge by White, Heinricy led the remainder of the race to capture his fifth consecutive Touring 1 Runoffs win by 1.649 seconds

“I was really asleep at the start,” said Heinricy. “I wasn't even looking at the flag when Scotty [White] floored it. I ended up fourth by the second turn. I then had to pick them off one by one. This was the first race for this chassis. It was just built up as a brand new race car. Life is good!”

Andrew Aquilante, of Chester Springs, Pa., finished fourth, and Cindi Lux, of Beaverton, Ore., completed the top-five.

No. 29 Kulka wins the Sunoco Hard Charger Award for advancing nine positions, to finish 14th after starting 23rd.

Now in its 42nd year, the SCCA National Championship Runoffs annually crown the best amateur road racers in North America as Champions. More than 750 competitors have gathered this year to battle for 23 class titles this year, with eight races being run Friday and Saturday and seven on Sunday.

Celebrating its 61st anniversary, Sports Car Club of America is a 60,000 member motorsports organization that sanctions and promotes grassroots and professional motorsports events of a variety of disciplines, including road racing, autocrossing, road rally and rallycross.