Richard Fite and our Hero Engineer, Todd Joyce, worked at getting Richard’s Radical ready for the National Race (a higher level of preparation is required at the National).   Friday afternoon was the combined practice for the Regional and National, so everyone was out on the track, looking for the fast way around.

Team Radical West Member Ken Adelberg
 Team Radical West results from practice had Ken the fastest, with a best time of; 1:46.4, Justin, a half a second back, and Richard, a couple hundredth’s behind Justin, just getting things warmed up, but giving Ken bragging rights on Friday night.

Our competition consisted of the well sorted and fast Radical Prosport of Keith Young, Jr. from Texas, an up-classed DSR Stohr from Seattle, a factory supported Merloy, and Cal Club’s Johnnie Crean in his pontoon fendered formula car.

Dawn on Saturday revealed a very wet track from an early morning storm. Set ups were changed to full wet on all the Team Radical West cars, and we all gamely hit the track for qualifying.   The wet conditions reduced our number by one, when Justin hit the wall hard, sustaining damage to his SR3, giving the CalClub Emergency Crew a scare, but his SR3 provided the protection he needed to walk away un-hurt.

Richard put up a time fast enough for the CSR pole with Ken a second and a half back, starting second in class. Though Justin’s car saved him, his racing was over for the day.

For the Regional Race on Saturday, Matt Merrill started his first SCCA race, on this intimidating track, from the back of the grid, having missed qualifying (aviators have to work too). Glenn Dulaine was present to help get his SR3 teched, but was not racing yet. He got some great video of these races, that I’m sure we will be seeing in the “highlights reel”.  Thanks Glenn.

   At the green flag, Richard made a strong move from CSR pole, into third overall, but coming into the tight turn three, the carnage began with two of the S2000 cars, with which he was racing, had hard contact and crashed. Throughout this race, many other cars crashing out, but Richard, Ken, and Matt made it through without hard contact through the race.  

The very fast Radical from Texas climbed up through the field and took the checkered flag, with Richard in second and, in their first SCCA race, Ken Adelberg third, and Matt Merrill fourth in their class.  Great job Ken and Matt.

Best lap times were Richard, 1:44.5, Ken, 1:46.7, and Matt with a 1:48.8.  There were two other CSR entries from Stohr and Merloy, but they finished only one and four laps out with mechanical failures.  Radicals in the top four positions at California Speedway (Regional.)

Sunday was the National race, and things got a little more serious.  Richard was joined by four other C-Sports Racers on the grid, the quick Radical of Keith Young, Jr., a re-bodied formula car fielded by Jonnie Crean, and Chad McQueen, son of legendary Steve McQueen, and fine racer himself, in an ACRL sports racer, re-classed to CSR.  

Richard was able to keep pace with Crean and had McQueen handled until he waived him past just before the last full course yellow came out, thinking he was racing in S-2000. Not again Chad. None could eclipse the drive by Young, Jr. in the Radical ProSport. Two separate full course yellows slowed the action, and with a finish under yellow, Richard was kept off the podium, in fourth, following McQueen in Third, Crean in Second and at the top again was Keith Young, Jr. in the Radical. 

Team Radical West established ourselves as a professional level team at this event. Five Radical SR3’s were given their first SCCA logbooks, and the nice folks running Tech Inspection complemented us on how tidy and well prepared our cars were. Thanks Todd and Marc.