Rob Warren Won His First Summit Classic to Cap off First Gold Crest Wing Championship
Madera, CA – April 26, 2017…Rob Warren’s record-setting year in the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series, (SUPRS), ended on another high note Wednesday night at Madera Speedway when he pulled into victory lane as the winner of the 13th Annual Summit Classic 125. Warren passed Joe Achzet with less than 15 laps to go for the win. Steve Callahan came home third.
Rob Warren won his first Summit Classic 125 after a late race pass on Joe Achzet. Steve Callahan came home third.
“I think this is the hardest summit classic that’s ever happened,” said the winner. “The top three were on top of each other the whole race, you could throw a sheet over Joe Achzet, Keith Powell and myself. That was an amazing race.”
The win set a new SUPRS record of 15 in a season surpassing the old mark of 14 set by Ray Sand, Jr. Warren also won his first SUPRS Gold Crest Wing Championship XIII, set seven track records, and won the first leg of the 2016-17 SUPRS Triple Crown-the SUPRS All-Star Classic 200 as well as the Terry Gibson Memorial 100. Add to that a Keystone Nationals Championship, The Crazy Canuck Snowball Derby, and the Mid-Season Championship and Warren’s 2016-17 wing season was nothing short of stellar.
“It’s been an amazing season racing with these guys,” said the champion. “There have been some really tough battles out there. My goal is to make it fun for everyone.” Then he added with a smile, “While it was fun, I’m ready for a break.”
“The Pass”
While the top three had a whale of a race for well over 100 laps, and there were only two cautions, perhaps the most remembered part of the 13th Annual Summit Classic 125 will be “The Pass” where Rob Warren stole the lead from Joe Achzet and the ensuing melee’ left third pace racer Keith Powell sitting sideways.
Achzet looked to be on his way to winning after leading a race high 111 laps, but lost the lead after a drag race down the backstretch with Warren. The Rabbit and the Rocket played chicken and when Achzet slid high in turn three Warren was wasn’t about to let up and pounced. The two made contact and then Keith Powell attempted to slide by Achzet as well.
Warren explained his view of the incident saying, “We got near the end of the race and I was letting Joe lead all the laps but I could see his car was washing up. He just went into the corner a little hot and heavy, we went down the backstretch pretty much side by side and he came diving into turn three and I said “I can’t give you this spot, we’re already here for the same couple of inches” and we made a little collision there.”
Achzet, fighting to hold second, made contact with Powell which sent the Carrollton, OH driver around as the trio exited turn four. Powell slid to a stop on the front stretch with his hopes of wearing the Summit Classic crown dashed.
Understandably, Achzet’s view was a bit different. “I’m disappointed but it is what it is,” he said. “My car was great it, was on rails right up until it got railed.”
Then Achzet dropped a real bombshell. After winning 10 races this season and battling for the SUPRS Gold Crest Wing Championship he solemnly said, “I just want to thank all you but I’m going to take this opportunity to announce my retirement from SUPRS.”
Callahan Closes Season with Small Victory
As the top three fought tooth and nail for every inch of Madera macadam, Steve Callahan was gradually reeling in the top three from fourth place. When his teammate spinning out as he drove by, the CPR Motorsports driver suddenly found himself with a shot at winning.
The 2013 Summit Classic 125 Champion has had a horrendous sim racing year, but felt some vindication with his third place finish. “It was real important especially the way the first two nights went,” he said. “I was pretty frustrated and disgusted with the non-wing race and the way I time trialed.”
“The car came in about lap 30 and I was able to reel them in,” explained Callahan. “But every time I’d start to reel them in, I’d catch lapped traffic. I hate it for Keith, his car was good, but I finally caught a break.”
Kyle Clark came home fourth and won the “Rookie of the Race” while Powell recovered for fifth. Each driver also won their heat race. Clark also won the SUPRSCharger Award for advancing the most places from his starting spot.
Just two cautions slowed the race with the first one coming out on lap four for a spinning Nelson Rodrigues and the second for the Powell spin.
The SUPRS racers will take a much-needed break for the month of May so that many of the members can enjoy the start of the real supermodified season, including the Oswego Speedway season opener and the Vukovich Classic at Madera Speedway. Several others plan to make their way to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 101st Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.
SUPRS will fire up the 13th season of non-wing online supermodified sim racing the first week of June when they take to an updated version of Oswego Speedway for the third year using the SUPRS rFactor mod.
Fans of supermodified racing and online sim racers alike can learn more about the Supermodified Ultimate Pavement Racing Series by visiting www.SUPRS.net, “Liking” SUPRS on Facebook, Circling SUPRS on Google+, Following @SUPRSOnline on Twitter, and Viewing SUPRS videos on YouTube.
SUPRS RACE RESULTS:
- SUPRS 13th Annual Summit Classic 125
- Race 41 of 41
- April 26, 2017
- SUPRS rFactor W v7.1 mod
- Madera Speedway
Supermodified Time Trials (showing car number, driver name, hometown, sponsors, lap 1, lap 2-best lap underlined)
- 14-Joe Achzet; Yorkville, NY; Cottontail Designs, GraphX: 11.314, 11.182
- 35-Rob Warren; Pulaski, NY; 1st to Finish Race Servers, Designs of Elegance: 11.294, 11.239
- 41-Keith Powell; Carrollton, OH; Icings on Top, CPR Motorsports: 11.418, 11.264
- 7-Nelson Rodrigues; Stoneham, MA; Star Speedway: 11.572, 11.402
- 25-Bob Gangwer; Goshen, IN; Wing Side Up Enterprises, RW Woodworking: 11.503, 11.456
- 38-Kyle Clark; Mexico, NY; Coors’ Light, Disturbed Motorsports: 11.566, 11.474
- 55-Steve Callahan; Cuyahoga Falls, OH; Exide Battery, CPR Motorsports: 11.549, 11.551
- 15-Joey Callahan; Cuyahoga Falls, OH; Racing for a Cure, CPR Motorsports: 11.786, 11.677
- 77-Kevin Timmins; Baldwinsville, NY; BreezeGraphics.com, Wesley Motorsports: 11.986, 11.898
- 42-Carl Becker; Lansing, MI; Wholesale Diamond Exchange, Michigan Hill Gang: 12.102, 12.341
Supermodified Heat Race 1 – 10 Laps (showing car number, driver, name)
- 41-Keith Powell
- 25-Bob Gangwer
- 42-Carl Becker
- 15 Joey Callahan
Supermodified Heat Race 2 – 10 Laps (showing car number, driver, name)
- 38-Kyle Clark
- 77-Kevin Timmins
- 7-Nelson Rodrigues (DNF-fuel)
Feature 125 Laps (showing car number, driver name, starting place, bonus, fastest lap, distance behind winner)
- 35-Rob Warren; P2 | * | ! | 11.053
- 14-Joe Achzet; P1 | * | ** | 11.108 | +0.171
- 55-Steve Callahan; P3 | 11.066 | +2.192
- 38-Kyle Clark; P5 | ⇑ | 11.135 | +2.247
- 41-Keith Powell; P4 | 11.073 | +4.341
- 25-Bob Gangwer; P6 | 11.338 | +2 Laps
- 77-Kevin Timmins; P7 | 11.521 | +6 Laps
- 42-Carl Becker; P8 | 11.789 | +11 Laps
- 7-Nelson Rodrigues; P9 | 12.572 | DNF (crash)
- 15-Joey Callahan; DNS
Time of Race: 26:33.774
- * Denotes Lap Led
- ** Denotes Most Laps Led
- ! Denotes Fastest Lap of Race
- ⇑ Denotes SUPRSCharger
