Field was virtually perfect at the virtual Summit Point, driving his Solstice to two poles and two wins in as many races.? Virtually perfect?? The only blemishes on his record came from a paltry four incidents during the course of his week at the West Virginia road course.
Hughson didn’t win any poles and “only” earned one win in two starts en route to the Week One SRF points lead ahead of Dan Lambright and Daniel López.? On the other hand, he took no fewer than ten wins in 13 starts to slot into third place in the Solstice class, right behind Chris Wiggins and just 34 points adrift of Field for the class lead in what, at this stage at least, looks like a potential bid for both the SRF and Solstice crowns.
One week into the season, the divisional standings see Hughson (of course) atop SRF Division One, with Nenad Matijevic, Emil Spindel, John Pappas and Bruno Fuchs leading Divisions Two through Five, respectively.? Steven van Helsdingen, Christopher Reeves, Richard Plange, Colin Gorton and Brian Cross top Divisions Six through Ten, while an impressive Andrea Disarò leads the rookies and stands 28th overall in SRF points on the strength of five wins and 11 top fives from a dozen starts.
On the Solstice side of life, Field leads Division One with Wiggins out front in Division Two and Joao Farias, Martin Olscher, Thomas Christian and Markus Bellé leading Divisions Three through Six.? Michael Madsen is just ahead of Jesse M. Reid in Division Seven, Robert Beech leads Division Eight, and Division Nine and Ten leaders Daniel Macgregor and Robert Magee are tied for thirty-fifth overall on 88 points.? The Rookie leader?? That would be Scandinavia’s Lars Norgren with 80 points from a win and a fourth place finish.
Ultimately, more significant than the points standings one week into a twelve week season, is the fact that, while the different speeds of the two cars resulted in a few incidents and frayed temper or two, most were pleasantly surprised by the degree of cooperation exhibited by SRF and Solstice drivers alike.
With occasional exceptions, SRF and Solstice managed to peacefully co-exist at Summit Point.
“What amazes me is how little complaining there have been about backmarkers and such once the series actually started!” said Spindel. “I haven’t had any problems really. Just I lost half a second or a little more with bad timing once, but that’s nothing!? That’s just the way it is. And no blocking and people being in the way.
I’m really glad how well this has turned out . . .”
“The practices can be a bit crowded sometimes though.. But that’s not so bad. It’s just practice. And also pretty good opportunity to learn how to pass the Solstices and vice versa.”
“I have only done four mixed class races and have to say that the etiquette so far has been great,” sais Alan Johnstone.? “Whether that stays the same when we get to somewhere like the Jefferson course (narrow and twisty) we will see but so far, so good.”
Week Two finds the inRacingNews Challenge competitors ensconced in the lush countryside of western Connecticut for a week of sim racing on the “full” Lime Rock.? The Solstice is very nearly a match for the SRF on the 1.5 mile bull-ring of a road course, given that Eric Foss’ lap record of 59.214s in a Pontiac is less than a second off the SRF’s best lap ever – 58.390s – a time posted by Alexi Elomma.? What will the week have in store for the iRNC??? Check back in seven days’ time and see.
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