The Winter Carnival at Roebling Road in January started Saturday morning with light rain, which prompted a number of Spec Miata drivers to wait for qualifying in hopes of better track conditions. The rain stopped, but the track was wet for qualifying. Steve Kaney grabbed pole position, with Williamson in second and Dia third.
The track was dry for the qualifying race, and at the green flag, Williamson got a good start and was pulling Kaney until Dia pushed Kaney and himself past Williamson and into Turn 1. The order stayed Kaney, Dia, Williamson until the exit of Turn 9, where Williamson pushed Dia past Kaney for the next four laps, until Kaney fell back with fuel pickup issues. Williamson then closed on Dia and passed him on lap 11 when he got a better run out of Turn 9. The qualifying race ended, setting the order for Saturday’s points race with Williamson on pole, followed by Dia, Kaney, Tal Tsfany, James Harrell and Jason Moritz.
At the start of Saturday’s Points Race, Dia got the jump on Williamson but Kaney pushed Williamson ahead to lead into Turn 1 followed by Dia and Kaney. The order remained unchanged until on lap six when, approaching traffic entering Turn 1, Dia got around Williamson for the lead. The trio continued through traffic until Kaney tried to follow Williamson as he passed an E30 on the outside in turns 6 and 7, but the E30 driver shut the door, and Kaney dropped a tire and spun.
With light rain falling, Dia gapped Williamson by several car lengths. Dia got delayed by traffic and Williamson closed to within a car length as the pair caught four E30s going into turns 6 and 7 on the last lap. Williamson lagged back a bit to try to get a run out of Turn 9, but Dia brought home the win, with Williamson, Kaney, Tsfany, Harrell and Moritz rounding out the finish.
Heavy rain fell Saturday night and Sunday morning, and lightning canceled the qualifying race, so the finishing order of Saturday’s race set the grid the for Sunday’s points race. With steady rain falling and a heavily puddled track, Spec Miata took the green flag, and by the exit of Turn 2, Dia had caught the back of the E30 field, with Williamson, Tsfany, Harrell and Moritz following.
With visibility getting worse from rain, spray and fogged windshields, the Miatas worked their way through the field. By lap six, Dia was gapping everyone. Moritz dropped out on lap eight with a fogged windshield, and Williamson dropped out on lap 14 with a wet ECU, leaving the finish order: Dia, Tsfany, Harrell, Williamson and Moritz.
RESULTS
http://timingscoring.drivenasa.com/NASA_Southeast_Region/2017%20-%20Official%20Results/
