F500 Challenge Cup Race Report
[SIZE=2]The 2008 FCM F500 Challenge Cup, Presented by Hoosier, is in the “books”. Those racers who ignored predictions for a rainy weekend were rewarded with dry racing while carting off plenty of merchandise awards, trophies, and that old stand by…cash! [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=2]A dampish track and a few rain drops drew a mix of only few cars on dries with most on wets for Saturday’s Long Track qualifying session. The session checkered with the F500’s National drivers pole going to Mike Brent and newbie driver Mike Allenbaugh capturing the Regional drivers pole. Of particular note, “Machine Gun” Mike Brent missed the overall race group, 51 cars, pole by .005 of a second to FF driver Steve Maxwell. Both Maxwell and Brent made the best guess on tires, dries, and it paid off. [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=2]Saturday’s dry track race was pretty much a parade up front with the FF of Maxwell leading, followed by Brent then two more FF’s chased by Jim Libecco, up from last place, and Steve Moore. That isn’t to say there wasn’t any position racing deeper in the field between some FF’s, and the F500’s of Shaughnessy, Rudolph, Blumenthal, Katie Lapham, and Geoff Gerko. [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=2]Saturday WGI Long Track F500 Results [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]1. (N) Mike Brent, Invader [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]2. (N) Jim Libecco, KBS/Stinger (Nice-A-Job! Jim started dead last, no Q time) [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]3. (N) Steve Moore, Invader [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]4. (N) Tom Shaughnessy, Invader [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]5. (N) Jeff Blumenthal, KBS [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]6. (N) Ted Rudolph, Raptor/Rudolph [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]7. (N) Katie Lapham, Invader [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]8. (R) Geoff Gerko, KBS [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]9. (R) Russell Strate, Rocketech [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]DNF [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2](N) Cristina Libecco, KBS/Stinger (jackshaft) [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2](R) Mike Allenbaugh, KBS (punt) [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2](N) David Lapham, Invader (mech) [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=2]Sunday’s short track qualifying was green flagged away under breezy sunny blue skies. During the session Maxwell and Brent were again duking it out for overall pole until Brent lost a caliper bolt jamming the steering. This caused him to slide off course. The session ended with overall pole to the FF Piper of Steve Maxwell. The F500 National pole went to Hard Charger Jim Libecco with Mike Allenbaugh picking up his second Regional pole. [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=2]Sunday’s Short track race was in no way a copy of the previous day’s race. On the pace lap Maxwell’s Piper died. Steve later said, “The motor quit and would not catch” as he tried desperately to restart it. Not what he wanted leading towards the Runoffs. This left Jim Libecco with a shot at the lead only to be jumped at the green by Steve Moore. Moore, 2007’s F500 Challenge Cup Champion, was showing the results of some good wrenching by Scott Rudolph and Jim Schultz. Moore started pulling away in his sharp looking number 62 Invader. Jim Libecco was hanging with him maybe seeing some positive results from a last minute clutch weight change in his modern looking Stinger bodied KBS. Mean while Bent was getting untangled form his ninth place starting position. Machine Gun Mike quickly worked his way forward joining More, Libecco, and the FF of Charlie Foster for an intense race long shoot out. The numerous lead changes were captured on both fore and aft cameras mounted on Foster FF. I hope we’ll get to see this action on You Tube. I counted at least four finish line led changes and heard several more mid lap changes resulting from back markers and a short yellow. As all this madness was going on the Quiet Man, Tom Shaughnessy was slowly working his way forward to challenge Libecco. In the closing laps Brent took over from Moore on lap thirteen and hung on to the checker two laps later. The Regional drivers were led home by Allenbaugh followed by Gerko and Strate. [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=2]Sunday WGI Short Track F500 Results [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]1. (N) Mike Brent, Invader [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]2. (N) Steve Moore Invader [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]3. (N) Tom Shaughnessy, Invader [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]4. (N) Jim Libecco, KBS/Stinger [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]5. (N) Katie Lapham, Invader [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]6. (N) Jeff Blumenthal, KBS [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]7. (N) Ted Rudolph, Raptor/Rudolph [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]8. (R) Mike Allenbaugh, KBS [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]9. (R) Geoff Gerko, KBS [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]10. (R) Russell Strate, Rocketch [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]DNF [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2](N) Dave Lapham, Invader [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]DNS [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2](N) Cristina Libecco, KBS/Stinger (jackshaft) [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=2]Congratulations to Mike Brent a double winner for the weekend and our 2008 FCM F500 Challenge Cup, Presented by Hoosier winner! [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=2]F500 Challenge Cup Results [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]1. Mike Brent , 400 points [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]2. Steve Moore, 330 points [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]3. Jim Libecco, 315 points [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=2]It was encouraging to here how many drivers and teams liked the Regional/National concept. A bunch of racers went home with a lot of loot. Later I’ll follow up with a separate report on who won what. [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=2]Thanks again to all who towed in to support the F500 Challenge Cup. The NE Division folks now know the F500’s have the numbers and are fast. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Also a very special thank you for the support received from the business community. [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=2]For their support we thank: [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Formula Car Magazine, Hoosier Racing Tires, SUNOCO Race Fuel [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Moore’s Auto Sales, Quadrini Racing Enterprises, Racer Parts Wholesale, The Glenn Motor Inn, Lakewood Vineyards, Liquid Rack Creations, [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Oakley Sunglasses & Race Ware, F500 Constructors Series. [/SIZE]
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[SIZE=2]Ted Rudolph, Jim Schultz, Louie Schultz [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]FCM F500 Challenge Cup [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Presented by Hoosier[/SIZE]
l-r standing:
S Moore, D Lapham, J Libecco, G Gerko, T shaughnessy, R Strate
l-r kneeling:
C Libecco, J Blumenthal, M Brent, M Allenbaugh, T Rudolph
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what track was this race held at?
