Battling it Out in Monterey
S2 C360R: LAGUNA SECA
May 26th, 2009 // Article By: Skunk2 Staff // Photographer: Skunk2 Staff
Following the team’s 1-2-3 dream finish at New Jersey Motorsports Park’s Thunderbolt Raceway in early May, all eyes – and bets – were on the Skunk2-sponsored Compass 360 Racing Civic Sis two weeks later in Monterey, California. Skunk2 and C360R returned to the fourth round of the 2009 Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge May 15-16 at Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca with an impressive driver line-up, and intentions on taking home a win.
Jamie Holtom, 2008 Street Tuner champion, filled in while Christian Miller’s #74 Civic Si co-driver, Randy Pobst, competed across the continent in the Speed World Challenge series. Holtom had his hands full as he helped secure Miller’s position at the top of the season’s Driver’s Championship. The race marked Holtom’s first for 2009, although he’d previously tested with the C360R team earlier last year. Laguna Seca also marked Holtom’s first time competing in a Civic Si. “I’ve raced against these Hondas for so many years; I’m looking forward to trying one on for size,” he says about the S2-sponsored Civic. Matt Pritiko and Travis Walker continued to share the C360R #76 Civic Si, and team owner Karl Thomson and rival Fenton team driver Bret Spaude paired up in the team’s #75 Civic Si. Spaude intends on racing for the C360R team during events the Fenton team won’t make.
Following the team’s unprecedented three-car victory in New Jersey, Grand-Am Cup regulations were tightened on all competing Civic Sis, calling for a 60lb weight penalty and a one-gallon fuel tank reduction. The weight penalty is easily rectified as properly distributing the additional pounds can improve handling, but the reduced fuel capacity can throw off a team’s pit strategy and allow for less flexibility. Fortunately S2/C360R team members adapted quickly.
Despite the penalties, the three C360R Civic Sis qualified Second, Third, and Seventh, with cars #74 and #75 finishing the race in places 13 and 14, respectively. Car #76, driven by Pritiko and Walker, encountered mechanical problems, causing the Si to fall behind, and although pit crew member Charles Madrid solved the problem and got the Civic back on the track, the Si finished in position 25. Car #74 – despite how well it placed – wasn’t without its own problems. An above average oil temperature prompted the team to pull the Si in during qualifying rounds at which time a new engine was at the ready to be installed. But the solution was a quick fix and the replacement engine was set aside. The S2-sponsored C360R Civics’ next stop is Lime Rock Park , Lakeville, Connecticut. See the Related Articles to the right for complete Lime Rock coverage.
Jamie Holtom, 2008 Street Tuner champion, filled in while Christian Miller’s #74 Civic Si co-driver, Randy Pobst, competed across the continent in the Speed World Challenge series. Holtom had his hands full as he helped secure Miller’s position at the top of the season’s Driver’s Championship. The race marked Holtom’s first for 2009, although he’d previously tested with the C360R team earlier last year. Laguna Seca also marked Holtom’s first time competing in a Civic Si. “I’ve raced against these Hondas for so many years; I’m looking forward to trying one on for size,” he says about the S2-sponsored Civic. Matt Pritiko and Travis Walker continued to share the C360R #76 Civic Si, and team owner Karl Thomson and rival Fenton team driver Bret Spaude paired up in the team’s #75 Civic Si. Spaude intends on racing for the C360R team during events the Fenton team won’t make.
Following the team’s unprecedented three-car victory in New Jersey, Grand-Am Cup regulations were tightened on all competing Civic Sis, calling for a 60lb weight penalty and a one-gallon fuel tank reduction. The weight penalty is easily rectified as properly distributing the additional pounds can improve handling, but the reduced fuel capacity can throw off a team’s pit strategy and allow for less flexibility. Fortunately S2/C360R team members adapted quickly.
Despite the penalties, the three C360R Civic Sis qualified Second, Third, and Seventh, with cars #74 and #75 finishing the race in places 13 and 14, respectively. Car #76, driven by Pritiko and Walker, encountered mechanical problems, causing the Si to fall behind, and although pit crew member Charles Madrid solved the problem and got the Civic back on the track, the Si finished in position 25. Car #74 – despite how well it placed – wasn’t without its own problems. An above average oil temperature prompted the team to pull the Si in during qualifying rounds at which time a new engine was at the ready to be installed. But the solution was a quick fix and the replacement engine was set aside. The S2-sponsored C360R Civics’ next stop is Lime Rock Park , Lakeville, Connecticut. See the Related Articles to the right for complete Lime Rock coverage.
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