Season Finalé at Sebring | 2010 NALMS S.2 | GT/C-Class

[Kinst Vonsterga]

Season 2 Champions crowned at Sebring:
(Hein Houweling GT) and (Paul Hamilton GTC)

After taking the pole with a blistering lap time of 2.00.7, Hein Houweling (Howling Racing 997 Porsche GT) lead the first 16 laps, posting one of the fastest GT lap times ever recorded at Sebring during a race. Then on lap 17, Hein pushed his car beyond its limits, losing control in a key section of the track that resulted in significant damage to his Porsche, dropping him down from 1st to 11th place. From lap 18 through 47, James Sharkus led the GT class with equal determination and skill but on lap 48, James dropped from 1st place down to 7th with the Ferrari driver dropping from 3rd place down to 6th, as both GT cars were suffering from failing brakes. In the end, Mike Tribble (Champion Motorsports Viper GT) finishes 2nd in class after racing for position against Tanner Berry (Rush Racing Ford GT) who finishes 3rd, just ahead of Jerry McComas (EcoFriendly Racing C6-R GT) who edged out Jerry Hamilton for final season points. The victory went to Hein, who clawed back lap after lap, regaining one position at a time until he eventually overtook James, Tanner and Mike. A lesser man would have settled for just finishing, but a champion shows what determination can do even in the shadows of dismay.



The ever stoic Tom Cinnamon (Uranus Racing 997 GTC) took his Porsche to the next level, passing some of the faster GT drivers on their own speed course. Positions changed hands during each pit stop, as Kevin Wood (Team DDP 997 GTC) would temporarily regain 1st position before relinquishing it back to Tom after lap 27 and then again after lap 43. Scott Clark's (Team Arctic 997 GTC) domination of the previous road circuits ended at Sebring. After recovering from a major accident during last week's race at Virginia, Phil Elmore (Terrapin Racing 997 GTC) finishes just short of a podium spot and only 1 lap down from the lead lap.



Bob Eardley surprised everyone with his appearance at Sebring, lifting the spirits of many racers who thought his racing days were over. Bob was able to hold on until lap 32 when he was forced to exit the race though cheers were heard from the gallery for his fine effort. Tom Cavanaugh receives the "most inspirational driver" award, as fellow competitors know him as one of the league's finest racers, but Sebring was cruel to him as he had to plow through 2.4 hrs of racing until he relief was found as one of the last road warriors to cross the finish line.



Sebring proved to be especially difficult for most of the CMS drivers as this flat circuit is subject to many bumps and uneven asphalt/concrete sections that tests each one's car setup abilities and driving skill, balancing both mechanic grip, brake wear and top end acceleration.



The final Championship standings for the GT And GTC class are listed below. This has been a remarkable season as half of the 40 initial drivers were unable to finish, reflecting upon the demands placed on them by some very challenging race venues. For those who persevered and finished the Season, congratulations on a job well done! Many have commented on the continued improvements seen in a number of our league drivers as shared across the lines with positive/friendly statements made during each race. This has encouraged many to perform beyond their abilities and as each one of us can attest to, the competition at CMS can be very fierce when the green flag drops.

GT Championship (final standings):

- Hein Houweling - 1st Place
- Kris Hudson - 2nd Place
- JT Tami - 3rd Place
- Ferrari Driver* - honorable 4th Place

GTC Championship (final standings):

- Paul Hamilton - 1st Place
- Tom Cinnamon - 2nd Place
- Joe Owens - 3rd Place
- Phil Elmore - honorable 4th Place

Race Results
Season 2 Final Results



* Yours truly

[Kinst Vonsterga]

[TimCollier]

Lenny,

Fantastic write-up, beautiful screenshots, another real pleasure to read.

Thank you for taking the time throughout the season to write-up reviews up each race for the North American series, taking the time to be concise yet thoughtful and informative, with great shots of the racing we do here at CMS, and of course interjecting your particular style of humor into each.

You are a very integral part of CMS, and I can't be alone in hoping you'll continue to do these reviews in seasons to come.

Thank you.

[Joe Owens]

Thanks! Lenny!,I quess Tim has said it all so I echo his post.

[baristabrian]

Lenny,

Tim is abosulutley spot on, he is definately NOT alone in his appreciation of your efforts. I find myself fondly looking forward to each of your post race reviews, even for events I did not get to participate in simply because they are so entertaining and well done.

THanks for your efforts as I know how time consuming it can be, and I too hope you will be able to continue into the upcoming season. It would not be the same without these wonderful write ups....

My personal fav from 2010 has to be "Brianza" That roman statue was a perfect fit for Monza