If Saturday’s extra long course was like a 7-11 Super Big Gulp or one of those 5 pound “eat it if you dare” steakhouse sirloins -- good, but just a little too much to absorb in the time available – Mark Bogg’s Sunday five run offering was like an old-fashioned 6 oz. frosty cold glass bottle of Coke on a hot day or a perfect filet mignon – simple, tasty and satisfying. Basically, it was a truncated version of the long course, which eliminated some crossovers and slaloms, and opened up the first of the tight esses at the finish.
Again conditions were perfect, with temperatures in the 80s tempered by a fresh cooling breeze. And again the field was full; over 100 time entries. On such a day and such a toothsome course, it was unsurprising that the competition was even tighter than the day before. Mere tenths and sometimes hundredths separated the slots within the hotly contested classes, as opposed to the full ticks on Saturday.
Once again, Jake Moran ran the Suxass Subie in the first heat, and once again he set the pace with his last best run, a 50.2. In the second heat, the open wheel boys duked it out, but this time Stan Vann in his Caldwell squeaked by local favorite Matt Felten’s Reynard by a tenth, to snatch FTD and the C Mod class crown with his 47.1. Matt’s 47.2 sealed up the B Mod win to sweep the class that weekend, and land him in second place in Sundy’s overall ranking. Dave Cutchen’s Euroswift Formula car posted a solid 49.4, placing second in CM and fourth overall.
In other second heat action, Brian Karwan, back to redeem himself in the Fast Freddies’ Fabrication FFR Roaster, measured up with his fourth lap, a 50.4, erasing the previous day’s stain with a commendable 6th position in XP and 11th overall for the day. Ziptier Joe Oxenham nailed a back to back ESP class win with his 53.2.
In the Thundering Third, Weasel the Wee Man racked up his second XP class victory in as many days, with his smoking final 48.9 pass, finishing him in third place overall for a double top five finish for the weekend. Fast Freddie and Larry Casey swapped times in the 51s, then the 50s, over the five run afternoon. Mr. Personality shook off the cone that plagued his last run on Saturday, with his final run of 50 flat, landing him third in XP and 7th overall, while Fred logged a clean 50.3, for fifth in class and tenth overall, just ahead of his Fast Freddies’ Fabrications protégé and engineer, Karwan.
Over in Lotusland, Gary Hughes chipped Jeff Duncan on Sunday, 50.06 to the Ultralight’s 50.33, finishing Hughes with a double E Mod class win and sixth overall, and Duncan with an uncontested D Mod class victory and ninth place overall.
Doug Smith logged a solid 50.7 pass, but those few tenths pushed him down to 8th place in the ferociously cutthroat XP class, just ahead of Tink’s Daytona Coupe 51.5 9th place class finish. The Fluffer posted a 51.8, good enough for a creditable tenth place XP berth.
Both guest drivers displayed real talent, finishing in the top ten in the very rough XP class and in the top twenty overall, without much Cobra seat time at all. I hate them both for that, but credit must be given where it is due.
In the cleanup fourth heat, Mike Moran’s Subie elbowed its way past Larry and other hopeful third heat Cobra pilots to snatch second place in XP with a 50.04, a heartbreaking four hundreths faster than Casey’s 50.08. John Hubbell logged a 51.2, fishing seventh in class. Frenchy Bru again clinched BSP, running a 50.86. Don Wilson in a flashy yellow Z06 locked down Super Stock with a 51.5 second run.
Sunday’s results plainly show a remarkable number of races decided in a razor thin zone between 50 and 51 seconds, and, deeper in the ranks, between 51, 52 and 53. Incredibly close and exciting stuff.
When it was done, an impressive array of CACC drivers and honorary CACC drivers finished in the top twenty five raw time honor roll: Wade, Gary, Larry, Fred, Brian K, John, Doug, the Fluffer, and Craig Smith. After a bit of a choppy start, the second meet at Cumberland shows that CACC is coming on strong again this year.
The Sizzler is only six weeks away. If all goes to plan, it will see the Cumberland debut of the Bottom Dollar Coupe. To paraphrase the old saw: Those who can't drive, write. I may never win any trophies for my driving, and it is nearly certain that I will do no justice to the pure racing bloodline of my new steed, but you can bet I will have a blast trying. And there is something magic about Cumberland; it brings out the best in all of its participants. Someday, I just may surprise all of us. Yeah. Right.
