MINI Wins the C Class at the SCCA Runoffs

From the SCCA.com:

Pete Taylor, of Ortonville, Mich., captured his first National Championship Sunday, taking the Showroom Stock C class win at the 2005 SCCA National Championship Runoffs Presented by Kohler at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Ryan Ciechanski, of Clinton Township, Mich., and Joel Lipperini (also in a MINI), of Pittston, Pa., completed the top-three.

Commencing the final day 2005 Runoffs, Taylor led the 39-car field to the green flag. Going two and three wide down the back straight, Ciechanski and David Waleke had dynamite starts, moving into second and fourth place respectively behind Taylor. Behind the leaders, several cars made contact in madness, resulting in a full-course caution being shown for a car upside-down the gravel trap. Getting the green flag on lap four, Taylor had ideal restart, holding off Ciechanski into the esses. Racing nose-to-fender, Taylor and Ciechanski immediately established a multi-car gap on Lipperini. Getting quicker every lap, setting a new lap record in the process, Taylor steadily began to pull away from Ciechanski as the race progressed. Running error-free fast laps to the checkered flag, Taylor led-flag-to-flag, capturing his first Showroom Stock C National Championship by 0.452 second.

“I have been driving a Neon this year but switched to a Mini for the Runoffs,” said Taylor. “I think that there is hardly any comparison; the Mini is just that much better. I had a good start although Ryan [Ciechanski] also had a very good start. He got alongside of me, but I was able to keep the lead through the first turns and since this is a hard track to pass on I felt comfortable.”

[ Taylor Holds Off Challenge to Win Runoffs Title in Stock C ] SCCA.com

Congrats to Pete Taylor and Joel Lipperini for fantastic performance!