Sometimes you’re the windshield. Sometimes you’re the bug. If you were Charlie “Buzz” Buzzetti racing in 944 Spec at Willow Springs International Raceway May 4 and 5, you were most definitely the windshield, and a powerful, efficient one at that. For the third race weekend this year, Buzzetti set a new track record on the new spec tires, the Toyo RRs, a lightning quick 1:35.9. But if you were this writer, you were most definitely the bug, caught on the hood and just hanging on for the ride.
The weekend started auspiciously for everyone, with the same drivers that had competed so mightily at Buttonwillow in April ready to test their cars and push their nerves to the limits at “The Fastest Road in the West.” It didn’t take long to see that Buzzetti had the track and his car dialed in. Buzzetti pulled away for an easy win in Saturday’s race, but the battle for second was shared by Jim Richmond, “Jiven” Jim Hicks and Tom Atteberry. At the checkered flag, Richmond took second and Hicks took third place.
Sunday morning is always a fun and relaxed time at the track, even when your canopy structure is not fulfilling its intended purpose, looking more like a bad art project. The 944 Spec racers inverted for a Sunday morning qualifying session, giving this writer and his hobbled car one chance all weekend to lead the group.
Not surprisingly, it didn’t last long. During the sprint race Sunday afternoon, Buzzetti took sail on the second lap, making it three cars wide around Turn 2. That pass, on the outside of a corner taken at full-throttle, gave Buzzetti the lead and he never looked back. Richmond and Hicks were probably looking back on occasion, since each had the other in his mirror throughout the race. They had a fierce battle, one they waged to the very last lap. In fact, their fastest laps in the race were only .008 seconds apart.
Sunday’s results matched Saturday’s, with Buzzetti in first, Richmond in second, and Hicks in third. It was well worth the price of admission, and as the racers packed up for their journey home, those with limping cars promised to come back more ready than ever when they hit Buttonwillow in early June.
