SPEEDSF CHALLENGE - DECEMBER 14, 2019 - ROUND 14 @ THUNDERHILL RACEWAY

INTRODUCTION

We start off Day 1 of the Thunderhill SpeedSF Challenge doubleheader featuring the Cyclone configuration and broken Challenge lap records across four classes!  It’s been quite a while since we’ve run the Cyclone config, but it was a great way to start the weekend! With 19 drivers participating for the final Challenge weekend of the year, is there really a better sendoff?

Class X

Notable Class X driver Lief Storer took home 1st and only place with his 2009 Nissan GT-R. While a 2:02.314 lap time is fast, the fact that the GT-R driven by Lief is still being put through its paces 10 years later is either a testament to longevity or stubbornness. Either way, glad to see it around putting in the work!

Class S1

Fearless class leader Gordon Peng broke a record and subsequently some hearts after setting a very fast lap time of 01:58.053, beating the previous record of a 02:00.031 lap time proving that American power is still the way to go when German motoring is not around. Ravi G proudly took home 2nd place with his 02:04.327 lap time set in his Toyota GT86, rounding out the two-class participants for this Saturday Challenge event.  Good job to Gordon for being the champion of S1 thanks to the trusty steed!

Class S2

2 drivers, 2 podium placers: Chris Lee and Gary Yeung. Boy, were the results surprising! Chris Lee took home 1st place AND broke Gary’s old record of 2:00.293 by putting down a 01:59.548 lap time in his 2007 BMW Z4M. Yes, it’s basically a stripped-out race car BUT THAT’S NOT THE POINT. Chris’ driving has really improved throughout 2019 thanks to excellent coaching and training and today it showed.

Gary and the Dirty Mango S2000 did their best by putting down a 2:00.237 lap time (how consistent) for a 2nd place podium. That’s still pretty fast since it’s NOT a competition-ready race car. Gary destroyed this class anyways in points so 2nd place isn’t bad. Participation award goes to you, sir. Chris can go ahead and use that sweet detail spray on his shiny new 1st place medal!

Class S3

3 drivers, 3 podium placers. Wow, math! Our S3 results featured an S2000 losing 1st place to a GT86, and an M3 ending up in 3rd. So that’s what the “3” in M3 stands for!  

1st place was taken home by Kevin Schweigert in his Subaru BRZ thanks to a 01:59.834 which also obliterated the previous class lap record of 2:05.206 set by Scott Smith! How times have changed! Gary Wong and the TayTay 2004 Honda S2000 took home 2nd place though it appears Gary still took home the Class S3 overall win (a consolation prize). Ken Yip rounded out the podium in 3rd place in his 2011 BMW M3 - a 02:04.465 lap time for his efforts.

Class S4

Hey! Why is Gary in the picture?!

S4 featured 8 drivers for this event. Clearly they all wanted to try out the Cyclone config! Joe McGuigan took home 1st in the FRS thanks to a 02:04.054 lap time (typical) while 2nd place featured Joe Kou (Gary Yeung photo-subbed) who drove his 1999 Porsche Spec Boxster and put down a 02:06.199 lap time.

3rd place, however, featured drivers who all put in a 2:07 lap time but it was in the tenths where it really mattered. While Nick Cahill drove his Miata like a mad man and eventually came out ahead with his 2:07.121 lap time to steal 3rd place, the two almost-3rd-placers were Todd Winstanley in a 2008 Honda S2000 and a 2:07.191 lap time and David Fitz-Randolph in a 1995 Mazda Miata putting in a 2:07.568 lap time. What a drive from everyone!

Class S5

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Ferocious competitors by day, too-close buddies by night, Scott Smith and Gary Yeung/Mia Mango closed out Saturday with their little S5 competition and a broken record! Would you believe it, Gary must love the number 2 because he didn’t win here either! Scott took home 1st place in his Miata and broke the class record thanks in part to a 2:06.723 lap time, putting the new record leaps and bounds ahead of the previous lap record of 2:14.169. GarMia’s lap time on this day was a 2:11.649….good enough, it seems.

CONCLUSION

A great start to the Thunderhill double-header! Excellent work by our drivers who won their places and THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the SpeedSF Challenge! For those who are still chasing podium finishes, more seat time, coaching, and watching videos of the track will certainly get you there!

As we look forward to Round 15 - the second day of the Thunderhill double-header of the SpeedSF Challenge at Thunderhill Raceway East on December 15, we want to say that we truly appreciate our sponsors and participants as it would not be possible without them! 

We thank our sponsors Wine Country Motorsports, G-Loc brakes, Titan7 Wheels, Necksgen, and Charles Schwab for their continued and valued support. Please visit their respective websites to show your support and let them know SpeedSF sent you!

Again, our next SpeedSF Challenge will be held at Thunderhill Raceway East in Willows, CA. Again, please check out the event website by clicking here. Onto Day 2!

Our preliminary 2020 calendar

We are excited to announce our 2020 calendar! There may be more dates added in the future, so please keep an eye on our website and watch for emails. But for now, please mark your calendars for some exciting track day events for next year!

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SPEEDSF CHALLENGE - NOVEMBER 29, 2019 - ROUND 13 @ BUTTONWILLOW RACEWAY

INTRODUCTION

Ah, Black Friday. There are those that get up early in the morning to blow away their money on frivolous retail deals while jumping over each other and causing general chaos, and then there are those who get up early in the morning to blow away their money on gas, consumables, try outdo each other on a race track, and cause controlled chaos. The latter sounds a bit more attractive.

What else is there to do after Thanksgiving other than to join the SpeedSF Challenge at Buttonwillow Raceway for the annual Black Friday event? 21 drivers certainly thought it was a good idea to join the party! With 3 new broken records, it made for an entertaining post-holiday event!

CLASS S1

A guy with a last name that barely anyone can pronounce piloted a German car that blew away the American cars that trailed behind who were, admittedly, only a few seconds behind on pace :D. Will Wattanawongkiri (Team WWR) took home 1st place with a blistering lap of 1:51.009, beating out Dan Avon’s previous lap record of 1:51.706 which was set back on 11/25/16! Pablo Marx took home 2nd place in his C6 Corvette with a lap time of 1:52:028 while Gordon Peng took home 3rd place in some 2-door Chevy thanks to a 1:54.210 lap time. Great job to everyone in this class!

CLASS S2

2 entrants, 2 winners! As usual, Gary Yeung in the Dirty Mango S2000 took home 1st place with his 1:54.572 lap time while Svilen Kanev took home 2nd place thanks to his 2:02.318 lap time settled while behind the wheel of a 2018 BMW 240i. Very good!

CLASS S3

S3’s 5 drivers were within striking distance of each other and the top three drivers were each around a second away from the next person up! 1st place driver Edwin Pham piloted his 2002 BMW M3 to greatness thanks to a 1:55.762, which was roughly 0.700 seconds away from the 1:55.093 S3 lap record set by Randy Chen in his 2004 Honda S2000 back earlier this year during our event towards the end of June. 2nd place was none other than Gary Wong in his Tay Tay S2000. Together they put down a 1:56.580 lap time while 3rd place Tony Rodriguez was just over a second behind in his own 2004 Honda S2000! Great driving put on display by these S3 drivers!

CLASS S4

You’d think the guy in the racing suit would take home 1st place, but it’s actually the grinning dude in the middle with a cheater-spec FR-S. Go figure. Not only did Joe and the FR-S take home 1st place, but he also broke the 1:59.104 S4 lap record once held by Sohan Kota in his 2000 Honda S2000 during the SpeedSF Challenge on 06/30/2019! Joe’s lap for this round was a 1:58.121, shattering the record by almost a full second! Good job big man!

2nd place went to David Fitz-Randolph with his built-not-bought 1995 Mazda Miata thanks to a 2:01.438 lap time while Joe Kuo put down a 2:03.720 lap time in his PTS Bright-AF-Blue 1999 Porsche Spec Boxster to round out the podium in 3rd place!

CLASS S5

The S5 “#YATALIFE” Class featured, would you believe it, all Miatas! 6 Miatas made it to the track, but only 3 made it on the podium. Seriously we should just have a Spec Miata class in addition to S5 for the “others”.

Featured on the podium were two regulars and some dude who only appears at SpeedSF events on Black Friday. The King, King Tang, took home 1st Place, beat his previous S5 lap record of 2:02.737 set back on 11/23/18 AND showed up for the podium ceremony for the first time in 2019. What a Thanksgiving treat! He put down a 2:01.430 lap time in his NA Miata, while 2nd place Scott Smith put down a “close, but no cigar” lap time of 2:01.551 in the “I eat motors for breakfast” Black Mamba Miata.

3rd place and relatively unknown, Zeeshan Khan, drove his 1994 Miata as if he hadn’t lost a step and earned himself a 2:07.293 lap time. Not bad driving for a guy who refuses to track his S2000.

CONCLUSION

An excellent job to our drivers who won their places and THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the SpeedSF Challenge! For those who are still chasing podium finishes, more seat time, coaching, and watching videos of the track will certainly get you there!

As we look forward to Round 14 (THE FINAL ROUND) of the SpeedSF Challenge at Thunderhill Raceway East on December 15, we want to say that we truly appreciate our sponsors and participants as it would not be possible without them! 

We thank our sponsors Wine Country Motorsports, G-Loc brakes, Titan7 Wheels, Necksgen, and Charles Schwab for their continued and valued support. Please visit their respective websites to show your support and let them know SpeedSF sent you!

Again, our next SpeedSF Challenge will be held at Thunderhill Raceway East in Willows, CA. Again, please check out the event website by clicking here. We will see you at our next event!

SPEEDSF CHALLENGE - NOVEMBER 10, 2019 - ROUND 12 @ SONOMA RACEWAY

INTRODUCTION

Back again at Sonoma Raceway where apparently it’s the place to break records and look good doing it. Today featured a special appearance by a pair of Ferraris driven by Ben and Christine Sloss, followed by a pair of Lizard Green GT3RSs. It was as if a bag of Skittles opened in the paddock, as numerous colorful vehicles showed up for a great weekend with SpeedSF at Sonoma Raceway.

CLASS S1

Oh boy, runaway class leader Gordon Peng was finally challenged at Sonoma! His 3rd place finish was due to a 1:48.573 lap time in his 2002 Chevrolet Corvette, while 2nd place “Bruce Lee” put himself firmly in the spot thanks to his 1:47.442 lap time in his 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE - very fast!

In 1st place, and over a full second ahead, is Maksym Lytvyn who piloted his 2019 Porsche GT3RS around the track for a fast lap time of 1:46.811 lap time. Green means go and he sure went!

CLASS S2

This was a CLOSE finish between the top 3 places in this class. Roughly half a second separated them, with 1st place taking over the track record for Sonoma! In 3rd place, we had Mike Ostby who flogged his Honda S2000 around for a great lap time of 1:48.853 lap time. 2nd place, however, was none other than Gary Yeung whose Dirty Mango S2000 earned a 1:48.579 lap time.

Our 1st place finisher and record breaker George Kibilov threw down a 1:48.366 lap time in his BMW E46 to seal the deal. Truly an awesome result in this class! 

CLASS S3

13 entrants decided to take on the challenge in this S3 class - a huge amount of entrants for this class in recent memory. Honorable 4th place was Patrick Chio who ALMOST made it to 3rd place with his 1:49.954 lap time in his BMW E46 M3, but 3rd place finisher Gary Wong stole the spotlight in his 2004 Honda S2000 thanks to his 1:49.186 lap time. 2nd place was Kevin Schweigert in his supercharge 2015 Subaru BRZ who happily put down a 1:48.106 lap time - VERY fast for a BRZ.

In 1st place was another supercharged rocketship, Sean Yepez in a 2007 Lotus Exige S whose 1:47.597 lap time secured him at the top of the podium. His lap time also broke SpeedSF’s lap record at Sonoma Raceway which is a great achievement as well!

CLASS S4

Not as close of a fight here between the drivers, but still great competition nonetheless. In 3rd place, David Fitz-Randolph put down a 1:53.306 lap time in his homegrown modified 1995 Mazda Miata, while 2nd place’s Joe McGuigan took his 2015 Scion FR-S for a good run and was able to earn himself a 1:52.214 lap time.

1st place finisher and 2nd in standings, Sohan Kota, took his 2000 Honda S2000 home with a 1:51.366 lap time. Great driving from everyone in this class.

CLASS S5

King didn’t learn last time - PLEASE show up for the awards ceremony otherwise we have to keep taking awkward makeup pics!

Anyhoo, in 3rd place, Bryan Shiflett took his 1989 BMW 325i around Sonoma for a fast lap of 1:58.318 lap time, while 2nd place GaryMia Yeung put in a 1:57.526 lap time in “his” Mazda Miata and 1st place finisher Rice King took home the class win thanks to his 1:57.275 lap time in his smokescreen-shooting Mazda Miata. Good job guys!

CLASS X

Fast boi club right here. Featuring a race car, a non-production-based race car, and then another race car, it was down to pure power and finesse, squeezing everything out of each drivers’ respective chassis. 3rd place finisher who ALMOST got into 2nd place, David Colbert, piloted his 1980 Lola T540 D Sports Racer around Sonoma Raceway and put down a 1:43.123 lap time, while Mark Hamilton Peters whose 1:43.104 lap time answer in the GT4 Mustang earned him 2nd place on the podium.

In 1st place was the winner by a landslide and record-breaker for the SpeedSF Class X lap record at Sonoma Raceway - Ben Sloss. His Ferrari 488 GT3 lit up the track with his blistering 1:35.044 lap time. Dashing!

CONCLUSION

An excellent job to our drivers who won their places and THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the SpeedSF Challenge! For those who are still chasing podium finishes, more seat time, coaching, and watching videos of the track will certainly get you there!

As we look forward to Round 13 of the SpeedSF Challenge at Buttonwillow Raceway on November 29, we want to say that we truly appreciate our sponsors and participants as it would not be possible without them! 

We thank our sponsors Wine Country Motorsports, G-Loc brakes, Titan7 Wheels, Necksgen, and Charles Schwab for their continued and valued support. Please visit their respective websites to show your support and let them know SpeedSF sent you!

Again, our next SpeedSF Challenge will be held at Buttonwillow Raceway in Buttonwillow, CA. Again, please check out the event website by clicking here. We will see you at our next event!

Inaugural FemPowered Driver's Group Takeover!

Saturday the 26th at WeatherTech Raceway was a variety of events all combined into one. Not only did SpeedSF host our SpeedSF Challenge as well as the NorCal 86 Drive Challenge, but the Inaugural FemPowered Driver’s group takeover as well!

FemPowered is a local, grass roots, non-profit organization dedicated to “empowering women to enjoy life at full throttle.” Long story short, FemPowered is all about getting more women involved in Motorsports. The founding ladies all noticed that there simply weren’t that many women participating in track days or HPDEs and all of them thought, wouldn’t it be nice if we could change that?

The ladies of Fempowered filled a group of 26 female drivers and paired those who were new with coaches in order to give them the best experience possible. The driver experience range was wide, from beginner to high intermediate and even advanced drivers, and every one was courteously abiding by the point-by only rules. SpeedSF was honored to be the first event team selected to host them!

SpeedSF is proud to support women in Motorsports and encourages anyone interested to take that leap, no matter your gender! If you have a car, and the desire to drive, SpeedSF will be happy to have you! For the ladies, if you’re interested in the camaraderie, please check out the FemPowered Drivers’ Facebook page and website (www.fempowered.net) for upcoming events and run group takeovers, and please don’t hesitate to come to a SpeedSF event separately as well!

(Big thanks to Jordan of @corkscrewlife for the group photo of the ladies on the day!)

SPEEDSF CHALLENGE - OCTOBER 26, 2019 - ROUND 11 @ WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA

INTRODUCTION

What a packed day across 5 run groups at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. FemPowered hosted their inaugural track day which meant our instructors (who are also part of the Challenge) were faced with the task of running to their staged cars in order to take advantage of the lunchtime Challenge session! We’ll think of it as a Le Mans-style start, albeit a bit safer and they actually buckled their seatbelts/harnesses! Lap records fell across two classes during this Challenge round which made this a great and competitive one for our 15 entrants.

Class S1

Either people gave up trying to keep up with Gordon or he just made everyone else feel bad after lighting everyone up with his fast lap times in his 2002 Corvette C5 Z06. His fast lap time during this Challenge was a 1:37.472 so… is anyone going to try anymore?

Class S2

One day, Gary Yeung is going to learn how to look at the camera. Anyways, he unleashed his crazy side by taking home 1st place in this class by putting down a 1:38.354 lap time in his Dirty Mango S2000. Steve Chi, on the other hand, was more than a second off Gary’s pace (must have been that crazy drift down the Corkscrew) with a 1:39.523 lap time. Not bad for 2nd place! A true knock-out, “KO” put down a 1:43.870 lap time in his Porsche 911 991, rounding out the podium for a 3rd place finish. Great driving from everyone here!

Class S3

A record has fallen in this class! 1st place and new class record at Laguna Seca goes to Sean Yepez who laid down a 1:38.541 lap time in his 2007 Lotus Exige S. A composed drive kept Sean from the clutches of Patrick Chio who took home 2nd place in his BMW E46 M3 and his 1:40.135 lap time. Gary Wong in the Dirty Coconut S2000 was SO CLOSE to taking home 2nd, but had to settle for 3rd place no thanks to a 1:40.250 lap time. The track gods really prevented him from getting a 1:39 this time around… perhaps next time. Might help to not eat all the pastries before getting on the track *shrug*.

Class S4

Joe Joe Joe Joe - Joe McGuigan’s favorite track in the whole wide world apparently was kind to him during this Challenge, as he was able to take home a solid 1st place win in that lovely FR-S thanks to a 1:42.970 lap time. Keep it up, Joe! 2nd place went home to Sohan “Brown Rice” Kota, thanks to a great 1:43.021 lap time in his 2000 Honda S2000. 3rd place finisher Jeremy Young earned himself a 1:48.592 lap time in his Subaru BRZ, so not a bad way to round off the podium!

Class S5

“Mia” Yeung took home the only place, 1st place, in this class. Not bad for a person who looks suspiciously like Gary…

Good job on that 1:48.909 lap time!

Class X

Well hello there, Mr. Record-Breaker! Finally, after 2 years, the Group X lap record at Laguna Seca has fallen! David Colbert hustled that 1980 Lola T540 D Sports Racer around Laguna with a 1:31.539 lap time. Holy smokes! While he did win this award, he will be truly satisfied if he is able to match the lap record for a SCCA D-Class Sports Racer. We are definitely cheering for him to reach that goal!

CONCLUSION

An excellent job to our drivers who won their places and THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the SpeedSF Challenge! For those who are still chasing podium finishes, more seat time, coaching, and watching videos of the track will certainly get you there!

As we look forward to Round 12 of the SpeedSF Challenge at Sonoma Raceway on November 10, we want to say that we truly appreciate our sponsors and participants as it would not be possible without them! 

We thank our sponsors Wine Country Motorsports, G-Loc brakes, Titan7 Wheels, Necksgen, and Charles Schwab for their continued and valued support. Please visit their respective websites to show your support and let them know SpeedSF sent you!

Again, our next SpeedSF Challenge will be held at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, CA. Again, please check out the event website by clicking here. We will see you at our next event!

SPEEDSF CHALLENGE - SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 - ROUND 10 @ THUNDERHILL RACEWAY - WEST

INTRODUCTION

West is Best - and on a Saturday, no less! Featuring a new S3 lap record set by some commoner in a hovercraft, this lap record was previously set by a Dirty boy. SHOCKER! Anyways, while it was a hot day, it didn’t stop 15 wonderful people from showing up trying to best driver they could be for this SpeedSF Challenge on Thunderhill West!

CLASS S1

This guy, man - being the sole entrant made it easy for Gordon Peng to take home 1st place in S1. He and his Chevy flew around the course, putting down a quick 01:21.411 lap time for the day. Great job!

CLASS S2

Bunch of fools in this group - Three drivers, three podium-placers! Andrie Hartanto drove some type of vehicle to take home 1st place! Andrie and the invisimobile drove levitated or something around Thunderhill West and used its magic powers to get a 01:20.795. This was obviously more of the car than the driver so let’s just take this with a grain of salt. A REAL driver by the name of Gary Yeung, piloted his Dirty Mango S2000, taking home 2nd place thanks to his 01:20.795, just a hair slower than the 1st place guy in the Mystery Machine. 3rd place finisher Gary Wong took a wrong-wheel drive Honda around the circuit for a 01:23.042 lap time. Probably faster than his Dirty Coconut S2000, tbh.

CLASS S3

Fearless leader Patrick Chio struck again with a new S3 lap record, except this time in the S3 class thanks to some excellent driving in some unnamed German tank. A 01:21.954 lap time beat out Gary Yeung’s S2000 lap time of 01:22.150 which was set back in 2016. This put Patrick securely in 1st place ahead of 2nd place Seigo Ma who set a new personal best lap time of 01:23.333 lap time! Bob Blackwood (not pictured because he went home early) took home the 3rd place finish with his 2005 Lotus Elise and a 01:25.012 lap time. Great job to our drivers in this class! We love seeing our drivers set new PBs.

CLASS S4

Suddenly, a wild Alfa appeared in the SpeedSF Challenge, driven by Jeff Tam, whose 01:26.306 lap time narrowly edged out Ritchie Punzalan’s 01:26.352 2nd place lap time set in his BMW E36 M3. Much respect to Jeff for helping that 4C shine! 3rd place…. dude, come on, Joe. A 01:26.387 in your FR-S! Need a friendly gust of wind next time to get you up the podium places :)

CLASS S5

“Mia” Yeung took home first place in not-his Miata, but earned a graceful 01:28.747 lap time, while 2nd place Kyle Abbas traversed this desert oasis in his Podracer, putting down a 01:34.747 lap time! Tatooine would be proud!

CONCLUSION

An excellent job to our drivers who won their places and THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the SpeedSF Challenge! For those who are still chasing podium finishes, more seat time, coaching, and watching videos of the track will certainly get you there!

As we look forward to Round 11 of the SpeedSF Challenge at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on October 26, we want to say that we truly appreciate our sponsors and participants as it would not be possible without them! 

We thank our sponsors Wine Country Motorsports, G-Loc brakes, Titan7 Wheels, Necksgen, and Charles Schwab for their continued and valued support. Please visit their respective websites to show your support and let them know SpeedSF sent you!

Again, our next SpeedSF Challenge will be held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, CA. Again, please check out the event website by clicking here. We will see you at our next event!

SPEEDSF CHALLENGE - AUGUST 30, 2019 - ROUND 9 @ THUNDERHILL RACEWAY - 5 MILE

INTRODUCTION

Back at Thunderhill for the epic 5-mile. Highly anticipated some broken lap records as it’s most people’s second time out on this configuration this year, but was that the case? With 19 people showing up for this Friday SpeedSF Challenge, it made for a good way to start off the weekend!

CLASS S1

Three drivers, three podium placers! With “Aguri Suzuki” taking home 1st place in some kind of German vehicle thanks to a 02:58.864 lap time, it was up to the 2nd and 3rd place drivers to settle the score between the both of them. Gordon Peng in the 2002 Chevy Some 2-Door took home 2nd with a great 03:07.458 lap time while Steve Chi (Gary Yeung as award stand-in) took home 3rd place behind his 2010 BMW M3 putting down a 03:08.653 lap time. Maybe Steve didn’t want to show up for the podium since he didn’t win this time! :O

CLASS S2

With S2 featuring 4 drivers, and fast cars, it was a toss-up as to which driver was going to take home what place. Robert Harper took home 1st place with his 2019 Ford GT350 putting down a 03:11.889 lap time, while Steve Melson took home 2nd place behind the wheel of his 1991 300ZX. Being a more unique entry to the challenge, especially in a higher place, his 03:14.648 lap time was a fantastic for the S2 class That car has been turned into a full racecar and it shows! 3rd place driver Jim Pyle put in a 03:20.083 lap time while piloting his 2002 Chevy Corvette Z06. Great driving from everyone in S2!

CLASS S3

Familiar faces on top of this podium again, with Bob Blackwood and his Lotus taking home 1st place once more because of a blistering 03:11.236 lap time! Jay Lapid and his Nissan 350Z put down a 03:16.380 lap time to take home 2nd place while Gabriel Rothman and the trusty 2003 Honda S2000 did just enough to take home 3rd with his 03:20.626 lap time.

CLASS S4

Lumberjack squad took on the first two spots, per usual, in the S4 class. Joe McGuigan, you loveable bear! Joe put down a very good 03:17.002 (oooh so close!) lap time in his (and Becca’s) FR-S while Sohan Kota drove his 2000 Honda S2000 to a 03:35.731 lap time and a 2nd place finish! 3rd place finisher was George Bentinck in a 2017 Mazda…I assume Miata… who drove valiantly to earn his 03:39.826 lap time!

CLASS S5

Troublemaker squad in a bunch of Miatas. Don’t need to put a lot here but the obligation is necessary just to make them feel better.

Ever the King indeed, King Tang in his blank Miata took home 1st place with a 03:22.884 lap time, while not far behind, alternate universe cover girl “Mia Yeung” took 2nd place back to the modeling agency with his…her… 03:24.737 lap time! Scott Smith, who is clearly starting to slip, took home 3rd place in his non-blank 1996 Spec Miata while achieving a 03:28.591 lap time for his efforts.

Good job everyone! Now, drive faster!

CONCLUSION

An excellent job to our drivers who won their places and THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the SpeedSF Challenge! For those who are still chasing podium finishes, more seat time, coaching, and watching videos of the track will certainly get you there!

As we look forward to Round 10 of the SpeedSF Challenge at Thunderhill Raceway West on September 22, we want to say that we truly appreciate our sponsors and participants as it would not be possible without them! 

We thank our sponsors Wine Country Motorsports, G-Loc brakes, Titan7 Wheels, Necksgen, and Charles Schwab for their continued and valued support. Please visit their respective websites to show your support and let them know SpeedSF sent you!

Again, our next SpeedSF Challenge will be held at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, CA. Again, please check out the event website by clicking here. We will see you at our next event!

SPEEDSF CHALLENGE - AUGUST 16, 2019 - ROUND 8 @ SONOMA RACEWAY

INTRODUCTION

The sweltering heat joined us at during our SpeedSF Challenge at one of Northern California’s premier tracks. With 35 drivers entered for the Challenge, we knew it was going to be a good one! Overall, the event featured full capacity in all the groups so it truly was one helluva Friday. No super high-dollar exotics came to play, but there were still some great cars out on track with even better drivers behind them. That said, let’s check out the results!

CLASS S1

5 entrants dared to play in the S1 class, which pitted high-powered American cars against high-powered German cars. With Max Lytvyn taking home first place thanks to his 1:46.553 lap time put down in his 2019 Porsche GT3RS, it was up to the 2nd and 3rd place drivers to fight for their spots. With only a tenth separating these drivers, it really was any driver’s hot lap to lose. Ben Cho ultimately took home the 2nd place win in his 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE due to a powerful 1:47.315 lap time while Gordon Peng was oh-so-close, finishing 3rd with a 1:47.419 lap time in some 2002 2-door Chevy. Great driving by everyone in this class - keep up the good work!

Class S2

The result of this class is what is known as a “surprise”. It was Steve Chi and NOT Gary Yeung who took home 1st place. The hard-charging Steve threw down a 1:48.624 lap time in 2010 BMW M3 and beat 2nd place Gary by almost a full second! Gary’s lap time was a 1:49.537 in his Dirty Mango S2000, a result that not everyone expected. Friendly face and world-class gentleman George Kibilov took home 3rd place with his 1:50.141 lap time, just three-tenths ahead of 4th place challenger Jim Hall in his Porsche GT4. For his efforts, his driving ultimately ended up with a 1:50.446 lap time. Close battle for 3rd place on the podium here!

CLASS S3

My goodness, 13 drivers entered this stacked class with 2nd and 3rd place also fighting for not-1st-place supremacy. Sean Yepez arrived at Sonoma with a few new upgrades on his 2007 Lotus Exige S. Looks like it helped because he was able to place a 1:49.625 lap time, which put him squarely ahead of 2nd place’s Tarek Latouf who was able to blast around Sonoma in his 1994 Mazda something or other and earned himself a 1:50.168 for his efforts. Gary Wong brought big boy suspension upgrades of his own to Sonoma, so we’ll just say Gary was learning the suspension for the first time. That said, he set a new PB thanks to a 1:50.305 lap time in his 2004 White Garlic Honda S2000.

CLASS S4

Three drivers, three winners, 2 pictured. Sohan, we wish you and your S2000 well! At least your 1:52.429 lap time earned you 1st place right? Adam Swan took his not-drifting-1991 Nissan 240SX to a 2nd place win thanks to a great 1:54.701 lap time while Joe McGuigan was a full second behind with his 1:55.891 lap time in a Scion FR-S. A 240SX is not something everyone expects to see on the track but Adam is breaking barriers, kicking ass, and chewing bubblegum…and he’s all out of gum.

CLASS S5

Ahem…next time show up to the podium ceremony King!

Anyways - typical Miata goodness in S5 was the norm, with 1st place finisher King Tang breaking the previous 3-year old lap record once held by Alejandro Rios (1:57.826, 2003 BMW 540i on 05/09/16). The new lap record set by King is a 1:57.012 - that’s certainly pushing it! Since he’s the new lap record holder, he earned himself a $50 credit to use at Wine Country Motor Sports! 2nd place was taken home by Wa Huong who was also driving in his Miata and placed a 1:59.580 lap time while Scott Smith put down a 2:00.367 lap time in his 1996 Spec Miata. The MiataGang streak continues in this class - I imagine this to be the case going forward.

Class X

This group had such a wide spread of lap times, but given the types of cars that entered this class it was inevitable. Brenden Wright blew away the competition with his Radical SR3 RSX, placing 1st due to his 1:41.957 lap time. Joe Kou firmly took hold of 2nd place in his 2019 Porsche GT3RS and a 1:44.816 laptime, whereas 1:49.322 put down by Lief Storer in his 2009 Nissan GT-R earned a 3rd place win. Always a fun group to watch thanks to the cars that enter here during every Challenge.

CONCLUSION

Drivers aiming to set fast laps or personal bests for the day only had a limited window as the first full session of the day was the optimal time to do it. The day was only going to get hotter from there. Fortunately, we did witness another record fall, something that’s always good to see as we see our SpeedSF drivers develop.

Excellent job to our drivers who won their places and THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the SpeedSF Challenge! For those who are still chasing podium finishes, more seat time, coaching, and watching videos of the track will certainly get you there!

As we look forward to Round 9 of the SpeedSF Challenge at Thunderhill Raceway (5-mile) on August 30th, we want to say that we truly appreciate our sponsors and participants as it would not be possible without them! 

We thank our sponsors Wine Country Motorsports, G-Loc brakes, Titan7 Wheels, Necksgen, and Charles Schwab for their continued and valued support. Please visit their respective websites to show your support and let them know SpeedSF sent you!

Again, our next SpeedSF Challenge will be held at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, CA. Again, please check out the event website by clicking here. We will see you at our next event!

SPEEDSF CHALLENGE - JUNE 30, 2019 - ROUND 7 @ BUTTONWILLOW RACEWAY

INTRODUCTION

It was another very hot summer day at Buttonwillow (typical), and with scorching hot asphalt temps, it was hard to imagine anyone beating the current SpeedSF Challenge lap records. Still, our 16 Challenge drivers had a lot of fun as they usually do at BW!

Class S2

No S1 drivers came to play this time around but that’s okay. Two cool cars came to play - a Sunburst Yellow RX-7 and a 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Ken Xu took home 1st place and 3rd fastest time of the day with his 1:53.499 lap time thanks to his loud and beautiful RX-7, while “JKM CARS” took 2nd place with his 1:57.145 lap time while piloting his 2017 Chevrolet Corvette Z06.” Great driving from these two!

Class S3

Party of 1 - Randy Chen in a 2002 Honda S2000 came to play in his aesthetically-pleasing S2000. He took home 1st and only place with his 1:55.093 lap time.

Class S4

The biggest class of the day with 9 drivers! The top two drivers were within tenths, making this a really good space to watch as we go forward into our next SpeedSF Challenge. Less than six tenths separated Sohan Kota’s 1st place win from 2nd place. With a great lap time of 1:59.204 in his 2000 Honda S2000, he was able to stave off the hard charging lumberjack in a white mislabeled Toyota.

Joe McGuigan, per usual, took home 2nd place in his (and Rebecca’s) Scion FR-S. With a lap time of 1:59.816, it was certainly faster than his previous best lap time, but still oh so close to beating Sohan. Perhaps November’s Black Friday event will produce a different result for him!

3rd place winner Tony Rodriguez firmly held his spot here thanks to a 2:00.793 lap time in his own 2004 Honda S2000!

Again, this class is the one to watch as we progress through the SpeedSF season, so stay tuned for more!

Class S5

Easy to be the King when no one else wants to challenge you for the throne. That loud Miata of his earned him that gold medal around his neck with a 2:03.293 lap time, which is still really fast for a Miata!

Class X

3 drivers, 3 podiums, 2 drivers in the photo :O.

Jon Van Caneghem in his Elan DPO2 took home 1st place thanks to his fastest lap time of the day: 1:40.313! 2nd place Kui Qin piloted a 2018 McLaren 720S around the track for a 1:51.810 - a blazingly fast lap time! Not-pictured 3rd place winner Jean-Sebastien Gagne drove his 2005 Porsche GT3 Cup around BW and put down a 1:59.643 lap time. Hm, must have been the heat.

CONCLUSION

A hot, hot, hot day for everyone at Buttonwillow. While records weren’t broken, personal bests were beaten - and that’s always a good thing!

Excellent job to our who won their places and THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the SpeedSF Challenge! For those who are still chasing podium finishes, more seat time, coaching, and watching videos of the track will certainly get you there!

As we look forward to Round 8 of the SpeedSF Challenge at Sonoma Raceway on August 16th, we want to say that we truly appreciate our sponsors and participants as it would not be possible without them! 

We thank our sponsors Wine Country Motorsports, G-Loc brakes, Titan7 Wheels, Necksgen, and Charles Schwab for their continued and valued support. Please visit their respective websites to show your support and let them know SpeedSF sent you!

Again, our next SpeedSF Challenge will be held at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, CA. Again, please check out the event website by clicking here. We will see you at our next event!

SPEEDSF CHALLENGE - JUNE 16, 2019 - ROUND 6 @ WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA

Introduction

Oh my goodness, what an event! This course again proved to be everyone’s favorite, as not only were both days featured full slots across all run groups, but 35 drivers filled this SpeedSF Challenge at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, with the S3 and S4 classes being the most stacked, with 8 and 10 drivers respectively.

A notable appearance was made by a Ferrari 488 Pista driven by a capable owner in Class X, as well as a pair of McLaren 720Ss that tried to keep up with the Ferrari.

Now that we have that out of the way, it’s time to move on to the regular cars on the field!

Class S1

Again known as the Porsche GT3 class, this group featured 4 drivers, 2 of whom were in the 1:37s! Maksym Lytvyn brought his 2014 Porsche GT3 ready to dominate, and he surely did as he placed a healthy 1:35.712, earning him a great 1st place win. That was not only the fastest time of the group but was also fastest time of the entire day, beating the 488 Pista by ~.901 seconds! Great work by him here!

2nd place was claimed by Hai Peg Sun in his GT3 thanks to a 1:37.013 fast lap time, while Bruce Lee took home 3rd place with his 1:37.822 lap time with his Camaro ZL1. Pretty close fight!

Class S2

Someone thought he was in S1, because 1st place winner Gary Yeung threw down a 1:37.701 lap time in the Dirty Mango S2000, beating the previous S2 lap record for Laguna once held by Andrie Hartanto and his Porsche GT4. That lap time was a 1:37.974, and Gary didn’t need a Porsche or 6 cylinders to beat it! Congrats on the Wine Country Motorsports $50 gift certificate!

2nd place winner Steve Chi put in a 1:39.030 lap time with his almighty 2010 BMW M3, while Geoff Richards and his 2008 Porsche 997S did well to take home 3rd place thanks to a great 1:42.449 lap time.

Class S3

The S3 class featured consistently fast drivers; the same faces we have seen throughout the season. 1st place winner Gary Wong took “TayTay” the white 2004 Honda S2000 for a thrill ride, resulting in a 1:40.430 lap time. Gary certainly “Shook Off” Gary Yeung’s old Dirty Mango Laguna lap record, which was a 1:40.618 lap time. This earned Gary Wong a $50 gift certificate from Wine Country Motorsports thanks to some great heroics on display! 2nd place winner

Patrick Chio drove his red missile BMW M3 for a great 1:41.033 lap time while Kenneth Yip was rounded out the podium in 3rd place thanks to a 1:42.713 lap time in his 2011 BMW M3.

Class S4

The continuing domination of the S2000s in classes S2 and S3 extended into S4, as the ever-so-competitive Sohan Kota took his own 2000 S2000 around Laguna for a 1:43.581 lap time. What looks like as fresh from the showroom, Nash Ramar’s 2019 Mazda Miata carried him to a 2nd place win thanks to a 1:44.408 lap time, while Joe McGuigan drove the stickered-up FR-S to a 3rd place finish, putting down a 1:45.893 lap time.

Class S5

S5 Miata Club featured close lap times for the podium place winners, as they all hit the 1:49 lap time wall. With tenths separating each other, this was a nailbiter. Wa H brought along a Spec Miata and earned his 1st place due a 1:49.183 lap time. Scott Smith, less than .400 seconds off, drove a fine 1:49.564 lap time. Daniel Doerr and his 2016 Mazda Miata Club (wow a not-Spec Miata) was very close to 2nd, but ultimately had to settle for 3rd place with his 1:49.626 lap time. Great close driving by everyone in S5!

Class X

Ah yes, back to our star players: the Ferrari 488 Pista, McLaren 720S, with the 2 co-star purpose-built racing cars: a Lola Sports Racer and a Radical!

1st place winner was Frank Fun, whose 1:36.613 lap time in his Ferrari 488 Pista removed all doubts as to which would be a faster car on the track. The McLaren 720S piloted by Fui Lam was driven to a well-earned 2nd place thanks to his 1:37.299 lap time, putting him a little over .600 seconds ahead of 3rd place winner David Colbert’s lap time. The 1:37.925 lap time in the 1980 Lola TS40 D Sports Racer was hard-fought for, as the honorable mention goes to 4th place’s Nady, who, in his own McLaren 720S, was only .007 seconds away from getting a podium finish! Wow, that is close!

CONCLUSION

This was a great day out for all of our drivers. The S2000’s dominance was displayed once again in classes S2-S4 with Gary Y, Gary W, and Sohan “Gary X” Kota respectively leading the way in showing the S2000 prowess.

Excellent job to our who won their places and THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the SpeedSF Challenge! For those who are still chasing podium finishes, more seat time, coaching, and watching videos of the track will certainly get you there!

As we look forward to Round 7 of the SpeedSF Challenge at Buttonwillow Raceway on June 30th, we want to say that we truly appreciate our sponsors and participants as it would not be possible without them! 

We thank our sponsors Wine Country Motorsports, G-Loc brakes, Titan7 Wheels, Necksgen, and Charles Schwab for their continued and valued support. Please visit their respective websites to show your support and let them know SpeedSF sent you!

Our next SpeedSF Challenge will be held at Buttonwillow Raceway in Buttonwillow, CA. Again, please check out the event website by clicking here. We will see you at our next event!

SPEEDSF CHALLENGE - MAY 31, 2019 - ROUND 5 @ THUNDERHILL RACEWAY 5-MILE!

A special SpeedSF Challenge for 15 entrants was held on 5 miles of hot asphalt at Thunderhill Raceway. This was sure to be a great day despite the heat, as 90° F was the highest temperature for the day, which meant the asphalt was baking! New and familiar faces alike joined and enjoyed the event regardless of the crazy heat, showing that Fridays were meant for Challenges just as much as Sundays do.

The best part of the day? Multiple records were broken in all but 1 class, setting the stage for a fantastic showing for the 2nd Thunderhill Raceway 5-mile Challenge of the season which will be hosted on August 30. The benchmarks have been set, and with that said, let’s go to the results!

Class S1

Two drivers, two Chevy-branded vehicles. Jeff Cook’s Camaro ZL1 took the S1 first place medal home with his blistering 03:01.828 lap time (which also set the class record for the 5-mile with Bypass!) while Gordon Peng took 2nd place with his trusty 2002 Corvette Z06, putting in a lap time of 03:08.950.

The heat may have been intense, but these drivers didn’t care! Hats off to Jeff and Gordon (hah “Jeff Gordon”) for displaying a good show with their V8 monsters!

Class S2

With 4 entrants for this class, obviously only 1 driver wouldn’t make it onto the podium. The Dirty Mango, which is was as bright as the sun on this particular day, made it onto the 1st place podium… barely. While a hard-earned 03:08.298 S2 class record-setting lap time in the S2000 was in the books, those important 0.240 seconds separated him from 2nd place winner Steve Chi who took his 2010 BMW M3 around the hot course with a 03:10.043 lap time.

3rd plan winner was Geoff Richards in his Porsche 997 C2S, who put in a 03:16.981 lap time - certainly nothing to scoff at! Great driving by all in this class. Steve Melson and his 2015 Audi R8 did their best to match the Porsche but managed to get a 03:17.044 for their efforts.

Class S3

Hot damn, this was a good podium! The Dirty Coconut S2000 of Gary Wong blew away the field with a 03:10.515 lap time, roughly 9 seconds ahead of both 2nd and 3rd place. 3rd place winner Bob Blackwood rung out his Lotus Elise for a 3:19.311 lap time, but ultimately fell .016 seconds short of 2nd Place , as Marcelo Maia’s great drive displayed behind the wheel of this 2015 Porsche Cayman GTS, earned him a 03:19.327 lap time. Round of applause for the drivers in this group - it doesn’t seem like the pressure will be letting up any time soon!

Class S4

An S2000, a BRZ, and an ND Miata go on track… any guesses as to who finished in what place?

Well, it was close, but on paper, the finishing order was expected! Chris Smith took home 1st place with his clean 03:30.705 lap time thanks to all that VTAK, while David Peterson took 2nd place with his 2016 Miata doing a 3:32.290 lap time. E-famous track dad did his first 5-mile event at his home track and did exceptionally well with a 3:33.958 lap time, which is great for an almost-stock BRZ! I heard he’s putting in a couple of mods for the next Challenge! Very good driving from all three podium finishers in this group!

Class X

It’s easy to win if you’re the only one in this class for the day, isn’t that right, Kamui Kobayashi? Regardless, the red rocket of a C6 Z06 Corvette was pushed to the limit, earning a 03:00.882 and fastest time of the day.

Conclusion

With class-setting lap times thrown down for Groups S1-S4 + Group X, it’ll be interesting to see what August 30th’s 5-mile Challenge will result in. S5 is certainly ripe for the pickings, as the 2014 class record set by Eric Lin on July 2014 stands at a 03:55.190. Someone PLEASE break that record!

Another fine job from the drivers who won their places and THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the SpeedSF Challenge! 

As we look forward to Round 6 of the SpeedSF Challenge at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on June 16th, we want to say that we truly appreciate our sponsors and participants as it would not be possible without them! 

We thank our sponsors Wine Country Motorsports, G-Loc brakes, Titan7 Wheels, Necksgen, and Charles Schwab for their continued and valued support. Please visit their respective websites to show your support and let them know SpeedSF sent you!

Our next SpeedSF Challenge will be held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, CA. Again, please check out the event website by clicking here. We will see you at our next event!

SPEEDSF CHALLENGE - MAY 25, 2019 - ROUND 4 @ SONOMA RACEWAY

Ah yes, Infin—Sonoma Raceway. Proclaimed by many drivers as the Best Track in the West, it’s hard to disagree especially when a bunch of high-powered Beetles are at front of the SpeedSF Challenge train eager to put down their best lap times. Whether it’s the various elevation changes, its challenging turns, or the track’s proximity to various vineyards, Sonoma Raceway seems always bring out the best participants during our SpeedSF Challenge.

As a result, 31 drivers joined the Challenge and, oh boy, was it a good one, especially in S4! Not only did the 1st place winner of S4 beat a 2-year S4 Sonoma lap time, 2nd place and 3rd place were within tenths of each other!

With that said, let’s go to the results!

Class S1

The High-Powered Beetle Group along with some four-bangers and a 2-door Chevy! Chris Bales and Jeff Han ruled this class with a 1-2 win, respectively. Chris Bales took his 2019 Porsche GT3 RS to a first place win by putting down a 1:45.826 lap time, just .600 away from beating Andrie Hartanto’s Ferrari F430 lap record here at Sonoma!

Jeff Han’s lap time of 1:47.128 in his 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS was great as well, placing him 1 full second ahead of some kind of silver 2002 C5Z06 Corvette driven by Gordon Peng.

Gordon’s lap time of 01:48.133 was just enough to keep him in 3rd place, as Bruce Lee’s 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE was gnawing at the bit with his 1:48.555 lap time. Perhaps next time, Bruce. Until then, be like water, my friend.

Class S2

Maximum Effort was indeed displayed by the drivers above…and George Kibilov (not pictured), I guess. After Ostby’s S2000 time was deleted, the top 3 winners for this class was Gary Yeung, Anthony Calayas, and the aforementioned George Kibilov. The Dirty Mango S2000 took a commanding 1st place win after Gary drove a blistering 1:48.446 pace, which was only .047 seconds off his own S2 Sonoma July 2018 lap record. You’re losing it, Gary! Maybe a favorable gust of tailwind would have been helpful to get you over the line just a bit faster ;) .

Anthony took his Porsche Cayman GT4 to a great 2nd place win by putting down a 1:49.500 lap time, while George drove his 2002 BMW M3 to a 3rd place win with a 1:50.309 lap time. Great driving by all, including Ostby with his deleted lap time!

Class S3

Class S3’s top three drivers consisted of two guys who have one-syllable last names and some famous So-Cal driver with a multi-syllabic name. The fact that Sonny drove all the way up to NorCal goes to show how appealing Sonoma is to drivers!

Reigning class champion Gary Wong took his 2004 Honda S2000 to a 1st place victory showing that SoCal Sonny who’s boss by placing a 1:50.318 lap time. Sonny, for his efforts, drove his 2013 Scion FR-S to a secure 2nd place win by throwing down a 1:51.546 lap time. He was the probably fastest FR-S on the track for the whole day! Kenneth Yip and his 2011 BMW M3 took home 3rd place with a lap time of 1:52.495. Good job to everyone in this class.

Class S4

Oh here we go. 10 drivers on the track, only 3 could go home. As mentioned before, the 2-year old S4 Sonoma lap record (1.52.512) once held by Scott Smith and his crazy Miata fell as a result of Sohan Kota’s 1:51.330 lap time set in his 2000 Honda S2000. As a result of the new lap record, Sohan won a Wine Country Motorsports $50 Gift Certificate!

Joe McGuiGui took home 2nd place in his (and Rebecca’s) FR-S after adding on some ricer bits on the car to make it go just a bit faster. As a result, the car was able to cross the line with a 1:53.143, just .023 seconds ahead of the 3rd place winner, Daryl Chan who drove his DC2 Integra around Sonoma screaming “VTEC!!” and earned himself a 1:53.166 lap time. Wow, that is close! Hey Joe, looks like the rice came in handy!

Class S5

Fast Driver Party, Party of 1! Scott Smith ‘s Spec Skittles showed Sonoma sweet skills, supposedly setting swift speed. A 1:58.551, good consolation prize since he didn’t get on the podium in S1 with his GT3 :O.

Class X

Dedicated SCCA racer from the 80s vs a 2009 high-HP production turbo-charged vehicle. Hm. David Colbert took that Radwood racer to Class X victory thanks to his 1:48.814 lap time, putting him 0.357 seconds ahead of Lief Storer and his 2009 Nissan GT-R. Awesome driving from the dude with the big cat on his shirt and from a literal rocket scientist!

Conclusion

Overall, this was a successful day. A record fell, close lap times happened, class S5 is still around, somehow. It should just be re-named “Group-where-stockish-Miatas-can-play”, honestly. Adam Swan, I hope to see your beautiful 240SX on the podium again!

A great job to the drivers who won their places and THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the SpeedSF Challenge! 

As we look forward to Round 5 of the SpeedSF Challenge at Thunderhill Raceway on May 31 we want to say that we truly appreciate our sponsors and participants as it would not be possible without them! 

We thank our sponsors Wine Country Motorsports, G-Loc brakes, Titan7 Wheels, Necksgen, and Charles Schwab for their continued and valued support. Please visit their respective websites to show your support and let them know SpeedSF sent you!

Our next SpeedSF Challenge will be held at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, CA. Again, please check out the event website by clicking here. We will see you at our next event!

Meet William Wang, your trusted Wealth Advisor!

William B. Wang, AWMA®

Will Wang is a trusted wealth advisor at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., (Member SIPC) who serves the local Bay Area market. Back in 2011-2012, Will tracked a 96 DC2 Integra frequently alongside Speed SF owner Patrick Chio, who was operating another track organization at the time. As he watched Patrick’s racing career and business grow, Will focused on growing a financial services business and client base. His goal is to have a bigger presence in the HPDE/racing community and be the advisor the track community can consult with regarding their financial futures. Additionally, since recently acquiring an Integra Type R and E36 M3, Will wants to come back and get more seat time at our future events! 

Will provides clear, relevant, and actionable advice unique to an investor’s situation. He assists with wealth management, investing, portfolio analysis, college planning, retirement, and other major life events, and welcomes clients from all backgrounds, from those just starting out to those with higher net worth. Schwab’s modern approach to wealth management focuses on transparency, value, and an emphasis on financial ownership. Will can be reached at 408-446-7974 or at William.wang@Schwab.com.

(0519-96UN)

SPEEDSF CHALLENGE - APRIL 21, 2019 - ROUND 3 @ WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA

The SpeedSF Challenge Circus made its Round 3 appearance at the historic WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, which featured a fleet of more common production cars than previous Laguna Seca SpeedSF Challenge events in the past. While Saturday opened up with wet conditions that slowly dried over the course of the day, Sunday was warm and Sunny from the get-go, setting the stage for a stellar and packed Sunday. With the Challenge starting at its usual lunch hour, several questions were raised: Could the Honda S2000 be the new Miata? Will rare production cars continue to successfully compete against purebred race cars? How does the Nissan S13 fare in a sea of roadsters? Why is the sky blue? Let’s find out!

CLASS S1

Power track? We’re talking about power track? They say Laguna is a track that favors the the cars with the most power under the hood (or latch, for our RR/MR buddies). However, 1st place winner Philip Spencer disproved the whole “power > all” rhetoric with his heroic 1:36.897 lap time in a 2007 Lotus Exige S. In 2nd place, Scott Smith took his blue streak Beet — 911 across the line with a 01:37.195 lap time. Gordon Peng took home 3rd place with his 2002 Chevrolet Corvette by putting down a 1:38.372. Can this tried and true American V8 keep up with the 911 down the road as we progress through the season? Stay tuned for more!

Class S2

**Car represents the missing podium winner** - Shawn Thomas was our only S2 driver and winner with his 1:50.212 lap time. We wanted to see your pretty face on the podium. Don’t be afraid to say hi next time!

Class S3

Looks like the car with the most power won out here while the two 4-cylinder powered cars were left to fend for themselves. Kennth Yip’s 2011 BMW M3 ran away with 1st place thanks to his 1:42.449 lap time, while Tyler Macy and Seigo Ma, driving a 2008 Lotus Exige and a 2007 Honda S2000 respectively, were fighting for 2nd and 3rd place glory. Tyler was able to hold on to 2nd place thanks to his 1:43.324 lap time while Seigo wasn’t that far behind with his 1:43.557 lap time. This is a good close battle to watch for the Challenges coming up.

Class S4

So here in S4, it looks like the Miatas reign supreme, beating out 5 Honda S2000s and this S13 that found its way onto the track after a successful stint in being a tire slayer in the drift world. Adam Swan decided to take his talents to the track world instead, and he delivered! He edged out a hard-charging Daniel Ha and his Honda S2000 by laying down a 01:46.338 lap time in a 1991 Nissan 240SX, just a mere 0.112 seconds difference!

In 2nd place was none other than King Tang who piloted his Mazda Miata to a 1:46.338 lap time as well, while Nash Ramar took his 2019 Mazda Miata to first place with his 1:45.270 lap time. The Miatas reign supreme in S4 but it seems we have a Swan lying in wait.

Class X

This is where things got interesting! Joe Nuxoll’s Radical took home first place with a blistering 01:32.944 lap time, while Shah Khan (not pictured) got a 01:40.299 lap time in his 2018 McLaren 720S. In 3rd place and only .551 down was David Colbert in his 1980 Lola T540 D Sports Racer. Two things with this: a car from the 80s kept up with a 2018 supercar, but at the same time, a production car managed to get 2nd place in an entire field of purpose-built racing cars. That’s epic!

CONCLUSION

A great job to the drivers who won their places and THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the SpeedSF Challenge! 

As we look forward to Round 4 of the SpeedSF Challenge back at Sonoma Raceway on May 25, we want to say that we truly appreciate our sponsors and participants as it would not be possible without them! 

We thank our sponsors Wine Country Motorsports, G-Loc brakes, Titan7 Wheels, Necksgen, and Charles Schwab for their continued and valued support. Please visit their respective websites to show your support and let them know SpeedSF sent you!

Our next SpeedSF Challenge will be held at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, CA. Again, please check out the event website by clicking here. We will see you at our next event!

NorCal 86DRIVE Challenge - Rounds 3 and 4 at Thunderhill West - April 6, 2019 - April 7, 2019

The NorCal 86DRIVE Challenge showed up to play with the SpeedSF Track Events family as they hosted a double-header weekend for Rounds 3 and 4 at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, CA. With a full field of 86s, FR-Ss and BRZs out in full force, a lot of it came down to driver skill and setup vs. straight up mods.

Saturday’s Round 3 of the Challenge featured 20 eager drivers who were looking to get their share of the championship points in their respective classes while showing Thunderhill West who’s boss. With that, let’s go to the classes!

GTRadial Stock’s top 3 drivers were within tenths and even hundredths of each other, showing that the smallest of nuances in driving skill can be the difference between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Starting in 3rd place, Tor Anderson took home 5 points with this 1:30.776 lap time, while 2nd place driver, “Track Dad” Matt Belter, took home 7 points with his 1:30.665 lap time. 1st place winner Ben Luu, barely beating out Matt by a mere .057 seconds, took home 10 points with a 1:30.608 lap time. Excellent driving by this group – a class to surely pay attention to! 

GTRadial Street featured very fast drivers here as well, with the top 2 drivers separated by .093 seconds! Scott Malloy took home 3rd place with his 1:30.885 lap time, while Felipe Burga took 2nd place home with a 1:29.968 lap time. 1st place, however, was Daniel Harada, who had eeked out a 1:29.875 lap time. Very nice driving from all 3 drivers in this class!

Ah yes, Touring class, where tire choice now plays a role! This class featured a fast group of drivers and fast they were! 3rd place winner on RC-1s was Neal Wiebmer who put down a 1:26.665 lap time. Joe McGuigan chose to put on a set of RE-71Rs for his time out and managed to put down a 1:25.287 lap time, while Kevin Schweigert laced up with a set of Michellin PS4S and threw down a 1:24.565 lap time to settle the score. Driver skill, car mods, tire choice… who knows what the X-factor was here!

Unlimited class featured 1 driver and of course, 1 winner: Brandon Yun who had a 1:26.450 lap time for his efforts. Where was Jeff Nucum this round? We definitely need more drivers in the Unlimited class to see who the best is here!

With Saturday done and dusted, the NorCal 86DRIVE Challenge was back at it again for Sunday’s festivities at Thunderhill West for Round 4 and the results were very different from Round 3’s. Perhaps it was the weather, or maybe drivers finally mastered Thunderhill West and were able to shine on a splendid Sunday.

GTRadial Stock featured 6 skilled drivers, but of course, only 3 can get on the podium. Haven Latimore put it all on the line, pushing the limit to getting 3rd place for the first time this season. Great driving, Haven! 2nd place’s Ben Luu, who was Round 3’s GTRadial Stock class winner, found himself faster than his previous winning lap time with a 1:30.241, but Matt “Track Dad” Belter improved upon his Saturday result significantly, walking away with 1st place and a 1:30.65 lap time, which was exactly .600 seconds faster! Regardless of the results, that is some great overnight improvement from both drivers!

The podium for GTRadial Street featured another placement switch between the top 2 drivers while the 3rd place winner snuck in for his second 3rd place win of the season. Max Paolozzi put down a 1:30.765 lap time to earn his 5 points for the day, while Daniel Harada, who had previously won this class in Round 3, took home 2nd place instead with a 1:29.935 lap time. Felipe Burga improved his lap time from Round 3 by placing a 1:29.741 lap time on the tarmac and improved himself into a 1st place win!

Touring once again featured the same 3 podium winners from Saturday Round 3’s results in the same order. Neal Wiebmer improved upon his Saturday time with a 1:26.429 lap time and 3rd place win, while Joe McGuigan took home 2nd place despite a slower 1:25.855 lap time. Kevin Schweigert was able to keep his 1st place win for Round 4 despite a slightly slower-than-Saturday lap time of a 1:24.689.

Overall, this was a great double-header weekend and many people were excited to be a part of this great event. A huge thank you to GTRadial, WedsSport, The Racers Line, Salasko Racing, Verus Engineering, Elite Performance, Winmax, Bluemoon Performance, Raceeng, MPH Fabrication, Footwork Autosport, Spnywoosh, Norcal 86DRIVE, and Scott Grasso Photography for being great supporters of the NorCal 86DRIVE Challenge, which allows them to grow and keep these cars where they’re meant to be: on the track!

SPEEDSF CHALLENGE - MARCH 17, 2019 - ROUND 2

The SpeedSF Track Events party continued on to Thunderhill West held in the middle of March, much to everyone’s happiness. As they say, “West is Best!” — and our drivers agree!

This round featured a fallen record and excellent driving from all participants involved.

Class S1

A man in a literal league of his own by the name of Gordon Peng in some Chevy 2-door arrived on scene to win his class, putting down a 01:21.962. Despite having a rough start to the SpeedSF Challenge session, he managed to get what was rightfully his!

Class S2

When your last name is literally the same name as a popular brand of racing tires, you’re pretty much expected to go fast. Dan definitely lived up to the name by not only rejoining the SpeedSF Challenge after a few years off, but dominated the S2 group while still maintaining the signature smile. His 01:19.870 lap time in his fearsome 2004 BMW M3 was ridiculous. This not only was a fast lap time, but he obliterated Gary Yeung’s S2000 S2 class lap record of 1:21.411. That’s certainly one way to re-introduce yourself to everyone!

Gary’s efforts did not go unnoticed as he put down a 01:21.606 lap time for his 2nd place win. Never mind the fact he was only .300 ahead of 3rd place winner and other M3 driver of the podium Steven Chiu. Steven’s also came out of a mini retirement and put down a 01:21.914 lap time. Come on Steven, shake off that rust! How are you going to beat Gary again this season?

Class S3

Going o

There were 9 drivers who showed up to play in this group, and the top three were relatively close to each other in lap time - not bad! Gary Wong took home 1st place with some crisp driving in his 2004 Honda S2000, proudly laying down a 01:22.353 lap time. The 2nd place winner was Bob Blackwood who drove his 2005 Lotus Elise with a masterclass display and a 01:23.139 lap time to boot. Martin Riente rounded off 3rd place with a 01:23.836 lap time in his Honda S2000 as well. Great job to all the drivers in this group.

Group S4

More S2000 love continuing on to Group S4, with 1st place winner Sohan Kota putting down a neat 01:24.721 lap time in his 2000 Honda S2000, while 2nd place winner, driving a car we don’t normally see outside of drifting events (a 1991 Nissan 240SX), put down a cool 01:28.682 lap time! “Dad” of the NorCal86DRIVE Challenge, Matt Belter, piloted his Subaru BRZ to a 01:32.536 lap time to round out 3rd place for this group. Awesome stuff guys!

Group S5

This was a Miata-filled group that featured a rotary-powered Mazda cousin who was in the group for a good show AND a class win for the day! Daniel Riente drove his 1985 Mazda RX-7 to Class S2 victory by using all of his Dorito power and laying out a 01:29.608 lap time and managed to beat 2nd place NA Spec Miata driver Scott Smith by just .163 seconds! Super close! Perhaps Scott can improve on his 01:29.771 the next time around? 3rd place driver Eric Fernandez, also in a Miata ( albeit an NB), was very close to beating Scott with his own 01:29.902 lap time — certainly a respectable lap time for a non-Spec Miata! This is going to be a great group to watch with the top three drivers being separated by mere tenths!

Conclusion

A great job to the drivers who won their places and THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the SpeedSF Challenge! 

As we look forward to Round 3 of the SpeedSF Challenge back at Weathertech Race Laguna Seca we want to say that we truly appreciate our sponsors and participants as it would not be possible without them! 

We thank our sponsors Wine Country Motorsports, G-Loc brakes, Titan7 Wheels, Necksgen, and Charles Schwab for their continued and valued support. Please visit their respective websites to show your support and let them know SpeedSF sent you!

Our next SpeedSF Challenge will be held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, CA. Again, please check out the event website by clicking here. We will see you at our next event!

SPEEDSF CHALLENGE - FEBRUARY 24, 2019 ROUND 1

SpeedSF Round 1: Done and Dusted

Round 1 of the SpeedSF Challenge series is in the books along with 3 broken records to boot! The drivers that broke records were treated to a $50 gift certificate from Wine Country Motorsports.

Speed SF Challenge dates, details & vehicle classification.

Track Records

NEXT Challenge: 03/17/19 Thunderhill West!

Class S1

This class featured four drivers, 2 German makes and 2 American makes. The Americans won this time around, as 1st place driver Jeffrey Cook heroically CHARGED his 2018 Chevrolet Camaro around the track for a 1:52.782 lap time. Not only did this put him securely in 1st place, but he earned himself a $50 Wine Country Motorsports gift certificate for breaking the S1 lap record!

2nd place driver was Jason Fries in his 2012 Porsche 911 Turbo S with a 1:58.239 lap time while 3rd place driver piloted a not-even-from-this-decade Chevrolet Corvette (C5) and threw down a 02:01.426 lap time. Fun fact, he only drove 2 laps the whole day and the car’s clutch decided it didn’t want to play anymore. Basically, he got Fernando Alonso’d. Better bring a lawn chair next time so you can bask in the sun, Gordon!

Class S2

Here we are again with the S2 class with the lockout leader yellow mangomobile. Gary Yeung and the Dirty Mango S2000 were at the top of the heap in this 4-driver class: a 01:56.696 showing, which not only put him squarely ahead in front of the other drivers, but broke the S2 lap record for this track. Gary earned himself a beautiful $50 certificate from Wine Country Motorsports for his efforts.

2nd place driver was Shaun Webster who drove his 2017 BMW M2 (a beautiful machine to say the least) to a 1:59.681 lap time — very cool! Shannon French rounded out the podium in 3rd place by driving his 2002 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 to a respectable 02:04.208 lap time. Good stuff here going on in this group to start off the season!

Group S3

Ah yes, Group S3 - the class Gary Yeung obliterated before moving on to Group S2. Except now, a new Gary has taken over: Gary Wong! Gary and his white 2004 S2000 put on a flyer of his own with a 01:57.945 lap time, earning himself 1st place in this class. What a difference a wing can do, eh?

2nd place driver Andre Eisenbach drove his 1995 BMW M3 to a 01:58.533 lap time while 3rd place driver Kenneth Yip drove his 2011 BMW M3 to place a 2:00.065 lap time. Not a bad set of laps for these fine gentlemen in this group.

GROUP S4

Wait, Joe McGuigan won Group S4 again? Figured that lumberjack beard would have weighed him down just a little bit! Anyways, he and his borrowed 2015 FR-S got 1st place with a 02:05.286 lap time, while King Tang drove his NA Miata to 2nd place thanks to a fast 02:06.500 lap time. One day you’ll beat Joe, King. One day…

Oh and 3rd place driver David Cornelius drove his 1998 BMW M3 with a resounding 02:07.535 lap time. Great showing from the S4 drivers here!

GROUP S5

Now this was an interesting turn of events in this group, as one would expect Scott to come away with the win in his Spec Miata. NOT SO FAST THERE!

In fact, it was Nash Ramar (represented in this photo by his friend) who actually took home 1st place by just .053 seconds in his stock 2019 Mazda Miata. Those NDs have a bit more pep in its step, eh? Scotty Scotty, you shall reclaim 1st next round. But for now, your 02:08.445 2nd place lap time will have to do!

Group X



Ah the big boys. Familiar faces and probably familiar results…with a twist! “Michael Angelo” took home 1st place AND a $50 Wine Country Motorsports gift certificate thanks to an epic class-crushing 1:50.603 lap time in his Dodge Viper ACR. Looks like he may be holding this class lap-record for a while unless someone formidable comes along. This will have to do for now!

Lief Storer made an appearance for this round, bringing along his tried and true 2009 Nissan GT-R. He drove his baby to a 01:58.885 lap time. Have you shaken off the cobwebs fully yet, Lief?

Conclusion

A great job to the drivers who won their places and THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the SpeedSF Challenge! 

As we look forward to Round 2 of the SpeedSF Challenge back at Thunderhill Raceway West, we want to say that we truly appreciate our sponsors and participants as it would not be possible without them! 

We thank our sponsors Wine Country Motorsports, G-Loc brakes, Titan7 Wheels, and Necksgen for their continued and valued support. Please visit their respective websites to show your support and let them know SpeedSF sent you!

Our next SpeedSF Challenge will be held at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, CA. Again, please check out the event website by clicking here. We will see you at our next event!

SpeedSF Beginner Group - How It Works:

SpeedSF Beginner Group - How It Works:

FAQ

-- Do I need a modified car?

            Absolutely not! Modifying cars can get expensive, so we recommend you bring your car to your first track day mostly stock. If you’re going to change anything ahead of finding out whether or not the track life is for you, we recommend upgrading your brake pads and adding some additional cooling. If you are bringing a convertible, make sure it passes rollover restrictions for the track and event group.

-- What do I need to bring?

            Yourself, your car, and a great attitude are a good start! Helmets are required to be on track, so you should purchase a helmet (SA2010 or newer in good condition) if you can, but if you’re not ready or unable, we recommend checking the track’s website to see if helmet rentals will be available, or ask a friend.

-- When should I arrive?

            SpeedSF emails all registered attendees with a schedule for the event day - this schedule will tell you when your driver meeting will be held. We recommend you arrive 30-45 minutes ahead of your meeting so that you can unpack your car and check in.

--  How should I prepare?

       For your car: We recommend all drivers check tires, fluids, and brakes prior to coming out. We have a tech sheet to help guide you through this process. Download here. Also, make sure you have numbers on both sides of your car - we sell numbers at registration, but you can also use painter’s tape if you’d like, as long as you have numbers! (No repeating 1’s or 7’s!)

For yourself: Just like how you check if your car is in tip-top shape, you also need to make sure YOU are in top shape! Get lots of rest, have that morning coffee, and  stay hydrated and fed! We also recommend you check out our SpeedSF track day flag guide.

-- Convertible?

We do accept convertibles, however, only with some form of roll-over protection (factory or aftermarket roll bars). Convertibles with no roll-over protection are prohibited.

Please contact us to make sure your convertible is allowed. Both driver and passenger heads with helmets must be below the top of front windshield and roll bar.

-- What should I expect?

            Beginners with SpeedSF are assigned an instructor for the beginning two sessions of the day. Drivers will follow their instructor to learn the racing line, and after each lead and follow, there will be a classroom meeting - 1st session: vehicle dynamics, 2nd session: track drill down. If drivers want more instructor time, they should feel free to ask their instructor ride along with them.

-- Don’t know? Ask!

We want you to come back and have a great time, so don’t be afraid to ask questions!  We are here to help! Nobody knows everything, and some people who have been doing this for 10+ years are still learning new things every time they come out, so be curious! Our track coaches are able to help you get your skills to where you want it to be!

-- For more information, please visit our FAQ page: www.speedsf.com/faq or Contact us at info@speedsf.com

FEDERAL TIRES SPEEDSF CHALLENGE @ BUTTONWILLOW RACEWAY PARK - OCTOBER 28, 2018 - ROUND 13

For those coming from NorCal/Bay Area, the driver to Buttonwillow Raceway Park, the drive to this particular track can be considered grueling. A long drive down the less-than-stellar Highway 5 makes the 3.5 hour trip feel like half the day had already passed. Most people opt to drive down the night before and stay at any one of the area’s finest rooms with beds, but for the most part, others decide to make a day trip out of it. No matter how one decides to end up at Buttonwillow, the feeling of relief erases all the grief from the trek down.

Buttonwillow surely tests beginners and experts alike, but with the generous runoffs and lack of walls, mistakes are mostly forgiven and minimal consequences allow for those who have the gusto to try to find and exceed their limits. The drivers who were part of the SpeedSF Challenge were those drivers willing to put their ego and car on the line and win their class on this day, some attempting to extend their lead in the championship points, while others were looking to catch up.

Group X

Patrick Chio and his beastly C7 Z06 were at the top of the list again this round with a blistering 1:51.332 lap time. So as long as the car can properly plant its tires on the ground, all of that surging power definitely translates into fast lap times! 2nd place winner was Khanh Hoang in his Honda S2000 who laid down a 1:54.892 lap time. Very nice! In third place was Savanna Little in her Enjuku Racing Nissan 350Z who had a 1:57.37 lap time. Good job to everyone in Group X.

Group S1

Another group of very fast drivers in the low 1:50s, but this time, the top three drivers were piloting Chevy-powered vehicles! Chad Armstrong drove a 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE to 1st place by putting down a 1:53.760 lap time, while 2nd place Sean Cagle also drove a 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and earned a 1:54.311 lap time. Maybe the 3 extra letters made Chad that much faster? Gordon Peng blew the doors off its competitors in a car 16 years older than the 1st place winner’s car by laying out a 1:54.691 lap time in his 2002 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Ridiculously good performance from an experienced driver!

Group S2

Ah yes, S2, where it starts to get a bit more dicey! Gary Yeung and his Dirty Mango S2000 were once again at the top of the S2 chart. With his 1:54.473, he’s looking at some S1-type driving here! Ivan Hung drove his 2008 Honda S2000 to 2nd place with a resounding 1:56.390, while the 3rd place winner decided to break up the Honda party by bringing his 2004 BMW M3 into the mix and put in a 1:59.050 lap time, narrowly being beaten out by 4th place winner Geoff Richards who had a 1:59.900 lap time in his 2008 Porsche 997S.

Group S3

Group S3’s podium was a Honda S2000 and BMW E46 sandwich, featuring 1st place winner Martin Riente in his Honda S2000 who posted a great time of 1:56.996 in his Honda S2000, while 2nd place winner Sam Huang had a 2:00.052 lap time. Ming Kai placed his S2000 in 3rd place by putting down a 2:01.247 lap time. Great driving by everyone in S3!

GROUP S4

The group with the most amount of drivers that day, it was a hotly contested bunch, with a Civic, S2000, and Miata locking out the top 3. Daniel Kirby and Sohan Kota, 1st and 2nd place winners respectively, were relying on the power of VTEC to get them across the line. Cars released 10 years apart, yet finishing within .3 seconds of each other, it was a great battle to watch. Daniel took his 1990 Honda Civic to a class win with his 2:00.324 lap time while Sohan did his best to gain his 2:00.663 lap time. Chris Willard in a Miata put down a 2:02.449 lap time!

CONCLUSION

A great job to the drivers who won their places and THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the SpeedSF Challenge! 

As we look forward to Round 14 of the SpeedSF Challenge back at Buttonwillow Raceway Park for our famous BLACK FRIDAY we want to say that we truly appreciate our sponsors and participants as it would not be possible without them! 

We thank our Challenge sponsor Federal Tires, as well as SpeedSF Track events sponsors Wine Country Motorsports, G-Loc brakes, DBA USA, Titan7, and Necksgen.

Our next SpeedSF Challenge will be held at Buttonwillow Raceway Park on Friday, November 23. Again, please check out the event website by clicking here. We will see you at our next event!