Twenty-one Spec Miata Racers rolled into Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta to wrap up the 2020 season and determine the Southeast Spec Miata champion.
Qualifying on Saturday started with Grant West winning pole position with a 1:45.172, Aiden Crouse P2, John Allen P3, Yan Dia P4, Camden Gruber P5 and Scott Carlisle P6.
At the start, Crouse and West got a good run through Turn 1, but West was able to edge past Crouse just before Turn 3 while Dia had the better run up the hill to take P3, dropping Allen to P4 and Carlisle P5. Crouse was able to pull West on the back straight to take P1, and then Dia pulled West going up the hill after Turn 10b and completed the pass as they headed down the hill toward Turn 12.
Then, on lap two, West out-braked Dia going into Turn 1 with Allen following and the pair both got around Dia. West was able to get back around Crouse, but unfortunately, a full-course caution after the first two laps paused the action until lap eight when the track went green.
On lap nine, West, Crouse, Allen and Dia had a gap on Carlisle and Gruber. West took a defensive line though Turn 1 while Crouse was looking to pass. West held him off and got through Turn 3 still in the lead. Crouse moved right to see if he could make an outside pass in Turn 4, but saw he couldn’t and moved to get back in line with West.
However, as Allen went for the gap and stuck his nose in, Allen’s front and Crouse’s rear tires touched, sending Allen off the track in the Esses. West continued his defensive line through turns 6 and 7 while Crouse waited and drafted behind West on the back straight, and finally passed West at Turn 8. Now it was Crouse’s turn to take the defensive line through Turn 10a as West tried to get a run on him through Turn 10b. But it wasn’t enough and Aiden Crouse took the win with Grant West P2, Yan Dia P3, Scott Carlisle P4, and Camden Gruber P5.
Congratulations to Yan Dia who wins the NASA Southeast Spec Miata championship with Keith Williamson second and Don Elvington third.
