LEXINGTON, Ohio (Sept. 24, 2004) – Doug Peterson, of Rescue, Calif., captured his seventh National Championship Friday, taking the GT-5 CLASS win at the 2004 SCCA National Championship Runoffs Presented by Kohler at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Jimmy Burke, of Suwanee, Ga., and Kirk Olsen, of Lakewood, Colo., completed the top-three.
Driving the No. 11 Seven Enterprises/Red Line Oil BLMI Mini Cooper, Peterson led every lap to repeat as GT-5 champion. On the opening lap, the start was waved off, as pole sitter Joe Huffaker pulled off-course with a broken rear axel. Getting the green flag on lap two, Peterson and Burke battled for the lead into turn seven, with Peterson holding the lead. Never truly challenged, Peterson captured his second consecutive GT-5 National Championship by 4.532-seconds and an average speed of 76.774 mph.
“It was a total surprise when Joe [Huffaker] pulled off at the start,” said Peterson, who becomes the first five-time Runoffs winner in GT-5. “I pushed as hard as I could. I knew my tires would likely go away, so I drive as hard as I could. It was a great race.”
Adam Malley, of Conyers, Ga., finished fourth, and Jack Baumgardner, of Mansfield, Ohio, completed the top-five.
Now in its 41st year, the SCCA National Championship Runoffs annually crown the best amateur road racers in North America Champions. More than 700 competitors have gathered this year to battle for 24 class titles this year, with eight races being run each day from Friday through Sunday.
Celebrating its 60th 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 performance rally.
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Link to story; http://www.scca.com/News/News.asp?Ref=149