Future star shines as Radical’s North American season commences

Future star shines as Radical’s North American season commences

The annual event, loved by professional and amateur drivers alike, commenced with a six-hour race into the night. Monticello Motor Club members Joe Robillard, Dwight Merriman and Ari Straus punched above their weight in an SR3 RSX 1500 to finish first in the RS3 class and second outright in a field dominated by high-horsepower, high-cost cars such as the outright winning Porsche GT3 Cup and third placed Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo. For much of the race it had looked like the Radical Canada SR3 RS 1340 of Doug Allingham, Alan Shaw and Robert Burgess would contend for the overall win, however contact in the final hour meant they would have to settle with the RS4 class win. Team Stradale’s Eric Wagner and Francesco D’Avola also came away with a podium finish, taking second place in the RS3 class.

Image of author By Radical
By Radical

The world’s most popular sportsracer, Radical’s SR3, again showed its endurance capabilities in Friday’s 90 minute race, with four SR3s finishing in the top ten. Finishing second outright behind an LMP3 machine, Joe Robillard took RS3 honors for Monticello Motor Club and Heinlien Racing Development in an SR3 RSX 1500, while Luis Cordero won the RS4 class and finished fourth overall in his SR3 RSX 1340- a result which helped him earn the weekend’s Star Driver Award. Canadian Bruce McIntyre was the first placed Radical SR8.

Friday was also when Spencer Brockman found the limelight for the first time. An intense qualifying session for Race 1 of the Radical Cup East saw the young American duke it out for top honors in the 1500 class with Scottish pro Stevan McAleer. Brockman’s dominance of the session, until a late run by McAleer sealed the class pole, impressed the paddock, and confirmed the potential Radical Texas see in the young star, who is also racing in the SCCA’s Formula Atlantic class.

Chuck Quinton, in an SR8 RX, led the sixteen car field of Race 1 from start to finish, winning the Masters class from Bruce McIntyre. Brockman, meanwhile, found his way past McAleer in lap one, only to have McAleer repay the favor five laps later. Nevertheless, Brockman kept pushing, setting the fastest 1500 lap of the race on his penultimate tour, earning him class pole for Race 2. McAleer won the 1500 class from Brockman and a fast finishing Richard Thomas– the reigning 1500 Champion and WISKO Racing driver earned the Hard Charger award for storming from the back of the grid to earn a podium place. Antoine Comeau won the 1340 class from Robert Burgess and fellow Team Stradale driver Luis Cordero.

Spencer Brockman shared the front row of the grid with Chuck Quinton for Sunday’s Radical Cup Race 2. While prior commitments kept McAleer from starting, Brockman now had champion Thomas right behind him on the grid. However not even Thomas recording the fastest 1500 lap of the race unsettled Brockman, who drove a textbook race to record his first Radical Cup win during his first ever Radical Cup event. Completing the 1500 podium– to highlight Brockman’s feat even further– was Wisko’s Jim Booth, last year’s European Radical Masters series Fangio Trophy winner.

Chuck Quinton again took the outright win, and another Masters class victory from Floridian Andrew Varona, who impressively carved his way up through the field, and Bruce McIntyre. Antoine Comeau also made it two wins for the weekend, taking the 1340 class victory from Robert Burgess and Eric Wagner. German driver Katarina Kyvalova earned Race 2’s Hard Charger award after working her way from the back of the pack to finish fourth in the 1340 class.

Radical’s next North American race will take place April 7-9 at the famed Road Atlanta circuit in Georgia for the first round of the Radical North American Masters. Like Sebring, this event, which can be entered by privateers and drivers supported by Radical dealers, will feature hospitality and social events to promise a spectacular weekend both on and off the track. For more information contact your local Radical dealer or email tom.drewer@radicalsportscars.com.