Monday, March 14, 2005
It was a foggy day at Laguna Seca but the sun was shining for Tim Traver who locked up the Western Championship almost six years to the day after completing his Three-Day School. Tim, who had been a contender for the Championship many times in the past, confirmed his strength by taking pole in both his races and finishing both on the podium.
Tim Traver celebrates his 2005 championship with his wife Sarena
G3R1 (Championship) Tim took off on the start with Jeffrey Kaiser in hot pursuit. One lap into the race John Scalamini, Curt Berg and Sprague Theobald tangled in turn 2 bringing out a full course yellow to rescue a stranded John, his race over almost before it had begun. On the restart Tim took a tight line into turn two whilst defending his lead from the hard charging Jeffrey Kaiser, locked his brakes and spun to the back of the field. “After kicking myself for being such an idiot I then had fun trying to drive back to the front” said Tim later. Jeffrey Kaiser stretched out a comfortable lead as he headed for his win but behind him Dom Bastien and Tom Roberts fought for second and on lap 11, Tim caught them and joined in the fray. Dom Bastien then had his mirrors full of Duncan Ende who recovered from his four-off at the start, Duncan dismissed Dom on lap13, and ahead Tom Roberts and Tim Traver had their fans on their feet. Tim eventually making his pass for second stick on turn 2 leaving Tom in third, having to be content with fastest race lap, and Duncan in fourth.
Jeffrey Kaiser and some fans!
G3R2 (Championship) Dom Bastien starting second blasted by polesitter Jeffrey Kaiser at the start and earned himself a stop-and-go for jumping the start. Jeffrey Kaiser seeing the black momentarily lifted thinking it was black all and Tim Traver up from a sixth-place starting position slipped by never to be headed. The track was really greasy from the fog so the going was tough. Guest drivers from the Masters National, Michael Auriemma and Jimmy Locke, touched in the Corkscrew and had to visit the pits. Meanwhile young Duncan Ende led a train for third until John Mayes went four-off in T2 and the ever-present Tom Roberts pounced on lap 14, demoting Duncan to fourth. Dom Bastien recovered from his stop-and-go to take fifth, followed closely by Sprague Theobald.
G1R1 (Sportsman) Sprague timed his start perfectly over polesitter John Scalamini and these two were chased by David Gionfriddio, Mike Clark and Gray Gregory. John took the lead from Sprague on lap 4 and two laps later they touched in Turn Two. John pitted first followed a lap later by Sprague and Mike Clark.Young Mike in his first ever race saw the black flag and mistakenly thought it was for him and followed Sprague into the pit, giving up a possible P2 finish! All this promoted Duncan Ende to first, which he kept to the checker, and Gray Gregory driving smartly took second place with a delighted Alan Bala in P3. The race was stopped after 11 laps due to the fog rolling back in from the sea making the visibility too bad to race.
Duncan Ende celebrates with his mom!
G1R2 (Sportsman) John Scalamini looked like he had the race wrapped up as he led and posted fastest race lap -- until he spun out of the lead on lap 11. The hard-charging Curt Berg took over the lead and his first ever Skip Barber win. John recovered to finish third behind the ever improving Duncan Ende. Sprague Theobald tried to tussle fourth from Gray Gregory but ended up spinning down to seventh and allowing the nose to tail duo of Mike Clark and Alan Baia to claim fifth and sixth, respectively.
Curt Berg after his first win!
Skip Barber Racing congratulates its new Western Race Series Champion Tim Traver! Divina Galica
