The challenging twists and elevation changes of Ozarks International Raceway tested the Thunder Roadster field during a demanding three-race weekend April 12-13, 2025. Close racing, mechanical dramas and remarkable displays of driver skill and camaraderie defined the event, offering a potential preview of the intense competition expected at the NASA Championships later this year.
Qualifying
The weekend kicked off under sunny skies as the unique, open-cockpit Thunder Roadsters, powered by detuned Suzuki Hayabusa engines, led a multi-class field onto the notoriously technical circuit. Qualifying saw John Spain narrowly edge out Derrek Morehead for pole position in Race 1. However, not everyone had a smooth session. Jeff Stutler faced an early setback, missing warm-up due to a car issue and starting qualifying from the back. “I chose to hang way way back and then go for one, you know, one bomb lap on cold tires,” Stutler explained. His strategy paid off, allowing him clear track to secure a midfield starting spot, avoiding the complexities of navigating slower traffic from other classes.
Saturday: Spain Sportsmanship
Saturday’s Race 1 began with Spain leading the field, but his advantage lasted only a lap and a half before disaster struck. A broken right upper ball joint forced him out of contention. Displaying commendable sportsmanship, Spain carefully limped his ailing car back to pit lane, avoiding a full-course caution that would have disrupted the race for his competitors. “That was a real hero move. Saved our race,” Stutler commented later. With Spain sidelined, the battle raged on. Jordan Dosch, tackling Ozarks for the first time with limited practice in Friday’s test sessions, used the race as a learning opportunity. Starting eighth, he tucked in behind the lead pack. “I just kind of went to school and took some notes and watched what they were doing,” Dosch said, noting he cut 1.5 seconds off his qualifying time by following the leaders. Dosch was able to pull off a 6th place finish while Morehead, Tinker and Stutler locked in the podium.
Sunday: Spain Comeback and Morehead Sweep
Sunday brought warmer temperatures and two more races. Many teams spent Saturday evening making setup adjustments. “Many people who got off the track after racing on Saturday decided that they needed to change their springs and get a little bit more ride height out of the cars,” Spain noted, explaining that cars were bottoming out in several sections as drivers found pace on the demanding layout.
Race 2 saw reigning National Champion Derrek Morehead assert his dominance, pulling away to win by a commanding seven seconds. Behind him, the racing was incredibly tight, showcasing the parity within the class. “I think if you look at the results the top six finishers were within about six and a half tenths of each other in best lap times,” Dosch observed. “Maybe that is a preview to what to expect at nationals.” Spain, starting from the back due to his Race 1 DNF, put on a charge, dicing through the field to finish fourth. “It was a lot of work to get up through all you jokers,” Spain quipped. Part of his progress came courtesy of Dosch, who strategically let the faster Spain by. “My strategy was as soon as you got up to me, I was going to let you pass because I wanted to see what you were doing,” Dosch admitted.
The final race on Sunday afternoon proved particularly punishing. The challenging track, combined with drivers pushing the limits, led to a spate of mechanical failures, primarily affecting the right front suspension. “Race three seemed to really put the cars to the test,” said Dosch. Spain, Jeff Stutler and Stu Jones all suffered similar upper control arm or clevis pin failures while running near the front. Spain felt his issue develop mid-race: “I started to feel something weird in the steering, I knew something was broken in the front of the car and had no confidence to try to pass Morehead.” Despite the problem, Spain nursed his car home to second place behind Morehead, who completed the Sunday sweep. Stu persevered to finish third with his damaged car, while Stutler elected to pit.
From the Paddock
Beyond the on-track battles, the weekend highlighted the unique camaraderie within the Thunder Roadster community. Drivers from various regions NASA Great Lakes, NASA Florida, NASA Northeast converged with NASA MidAmerica, sharing setup tips, tools and even garage space. “There’s no secrets here either,” Spain emphasized. “We’re all there to help because we want everybody in the series to be competitive. We love the close racing.” This collaborative spirit extends off-track, with drivers often gathering after hours. “The bench racing is one of the best parts of a race weekend with this group,” Spain added, recounting a Saturday night gathering filled with shared food, stories and car talk.
As the dust settled, Derrek Morehead stood atop the Sunday podiums, but the entire weekend showcased the thrilling, close-quarters racing and resilience characteristic of the Thunder Roadster class. With drivers already applying lessons learned and vowing to return stronger, the battles at Ozarks International Raceway set an exciting stage for the rest of the season and the upcoming NASA Championships at this very track. John Spain perhaps summed up the venue best: “Ozarks International Raceway is one of the finest racetracks in the country. It is a blast! if you like a challenge, then come to Ozarks.”
