The second Spec3 race for the Northeast Region for 2022 saw four registered racers from Pennsylvania and Maryland. Unfortunately, mechanical issues claimed one car, and the Saturday race featured three racers, two of which were racing at NJMP for the first time. Taylor Johnson started the Saturday Race on pole followed by Edward Higginbotham and rookie Joe McCormick.
Spec3 took a standing start, which saw Higginbotham take the lead through Turn 1, followed by Johnson and McCormick. Johnson and Higginbotham spent several laps nose to tail until a bit of oversteer pushed Higginbotham wide in Turn 5, allowing Johnson to pass on the inside in Turn 6 to take the lead. The laps wound down as Higginbotham chased Johnson for the lead position until a miscalculation on fuel level before the race caused the second place car to suffer fuel starvation through the closing laps to finish the race. Finishing order for the Saturday Race – Johnson, Higginbotham, McCormick.
The Sunday race saw a wet track with standing water for a planned 40-minute race. Most racers opted for dry tires, expecting the track to dry out before the end of the race. Due to the wet track, the fields all took rolling starts and Higginbotham once again took the lead into Turn 1. However, the wet track and lack of ABS in his car led to a lock up in the braking zone, and Johnson was able to take the lead.
Here’s the onboard with Edward Higginbotham from the rainy Sunday race at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
Johnson maintained his lead for several laps as they approached slower traffic from the classes ahead, at which point Higginbotham was able to use slower traffic to pass down the inside of Turn 4 to take the lead. Some laps later, Johnson was able to get a run down the front stretch and pass on the inside under braking into Turn 1, with the two drivers taking the corner door to door. This lead only lasted one lap because Higginbotham was able to strike back with a late-braking pass on the inside of Turn 7 to reclaim the lead. The two racers then fought nose to tail through traffic to the end of the race where Johnson was able to get a run on the last turn once again to run side by side down the front straight across the line with the two racers finishing one tenth of a second apart and Edward Higginbotham taking the victory.
