Spec E30 Photo Finish at Willow Springs International Raceway

The NASA SoCal region descended upon the iconic high-speed sweeps of Willow Springs International Raceway on March 15-16, 2025, and the Spec E30 field delivered a weekend packed with camaraderie, close racing, and a nail-biting photo finish. Willow Springs tested both veteran racers and ambitious newcomers, producing unforgettable racing moments across the weekend and throughout the field.

The weekend kicked off under chilly Saturday morning conditions, making the first laps treacherous on cold tires but promising fast times for qualifying. Tom Paule, driving the #93 Team “Build My Wealth Racing” car, capitalized on the dense air, securing pole position for Race 1 with a blistering 1:35.1 lap time. While Paule prepared his car with his usual “meticulous cleaning of the windshield,” his competitors faced some more “real” challenges getting ready for the weekend. Matthew Ibrahim endured a nightmare journey just getting to the track, battling a failed pressure plate during Friday practice that required a late-night clutch change, followed by two separate trailer tire blowouts on Saturday morning. Despite the setbacks, Ibrahim arrived ready to fight, opting for shiny, new sticker tires to counter a power deficit revealed on the dyno. Team Build My Wealth ran the weekend on older tires joking that the Maxxis tire is right up there with Maxwell House Coffee, “Good Until The Last Drop”

Race 1: Paule Manages, Ibrahim Chases
Race 1 began with Paule capitalizing on his pole position, quickly establishing an early lead in car #93. While Paule stretched his advantage, the battle behind him heated up. Matthew Ibrahim (#06) and Sebastian Bacon (#100) engaged in a gripping duel for second place, their BMW 325is matching pace lap-for-lap. Paule humorously admitted, “My conspiracy theory is they let me win,” highlighting the good-natured camaraderie among competitors.

Race 2: Photo Finish
If Saturday was about managing the lead, Sunday was an all-out brawl for the win. Ryan Walton stepped into the victorious #93 Build My Wealth car, while Matthew Ibrahim was determined to challenge for the top spot in his #06 machine. What unfolded was, in Ibrahim’s words, “truly the best race of my life.” The two drivers engaged in a breathtaking duel, swapping the lead multiple times per lap, often running door-to-door through Willow’s daunting high-speed corners. “Me and Ryan in race two, we just went at it the whole time, swapping positions three, four times, leaving Herb Lopezinches from each other,” Ibrahim recounted. “He was so respectful. He would leave me room where I was fast and I would leave him room where he was fast and we were racing each other hard but super clean. “Knowing he was slightly down on power, Ibrahim utilized exceptional car control, particularly through the challenging Turns 8 and 9 complex. “I decided to do some drifting during this race and eight and nine,” he explained. “I could go through there sideways… it would make the car a little bit wider, harder to pass.” This set the stage for a dramatic final lap. Ibrahim, seeing Walton slightly ahead entering the final corner, Turn 9, sent his BMW in deep and sideways, challenging for the lead on the inside. Walton gave him racing room, dropping two wheels off track on exit as they drag-raced side-by-side towards the finish line. In a near dead heat, neither driver knew who had won until timing and scoring confirmed Walton and the #93 Build My Wealth car took the victory by the slimmest of margins, capping off a perfect sweep for the team.

From the Paddock
Beyond the lead battle, the weekend highlighted the depth and community of the Spec E30 group. Andrew Clark (#13), intentionally starting from the back to shake down his new car, was blown away by the action. “It was so incredible to watch these guys race from the back,” he said. “There’s a lot of close racing in NASA, but there’s no doubt that at least in SoCal, E30 has the closest racing.” Driver Marcelo Calcagnotto, while facing his own struggles finding pace and focusing on data analysis, praised newcomer Shant Kalenderian (#82) for having an “amazing weekend” mixing it up in the mid-pack.
The series continues to be the largest single class in NASA SoCal, a testament to its accessibility and exciting nature. “The cars are cheap, the racing is amazing, the people are the best,” remarked Ibrahim, who has become a vocal advocate for the series. Efforts are ongoing to bring more drivers in, including promoting arrive-and-drive rental opportunities – the very way Ibrahim got his start just last season. National Series Director Shawn Meze added, “You can tell everybody is racing as hard as they can, but they’re giving each other room… That’s what we want racing to be. It’s amateur road racing. We want them to have that excitement, have the hard close racing, but also have the respect for one another.”

Next Up
Team Build My Wealth Racing leaves Willow Springs with maximum points, but Matthew Ibrahim’s overall performance signals a fierce battle for the championship is brewing. With strong participation, new drivers joining, and unparalleled on-track action, the NASA SoCal Spec E30 series heads to Buttonwillow Raceway Park on April 5-6 for its next round, ready to run the classic counter-clockwise configuration. Expect more close finishes and high excitement! Registration for the Buttonwillow event is open here.