2003 Season Race #6 and #7
Buttonwillow 5/25/2003

The forth weekend of the 2003 4 Flight S2 Cup was the first ever run with the SCCA's new Sports Racing Pro Series. The weekend provided a lot of track time, and a very fast track.

Regular Pro Series competitor John Fujii quickly set the pace, running at or near the track record of the mid 1.48s, set by National Champion John Fergus a month earlier.

Even though there was a lot of track time, or maybe because of it, the call to grid for Saturday's qualifying was missed by about half the field. Fujii set the pace, followed by Joe Moran. Regular competitor Jeff Littrell had a front hub "break off" during pre race prep on his new Lola ride ending his weekend before it started... better there than at the Talladega corner. More drivers made it out for the second qualifying but Fujji remained on pole, followed by Moran and Bob Lovenson.

In the race, Fujii ran away and was never really challenged. The best racing was for 3rd spot with Lovenson chasing and catching up Jason Choulochas. Choulochas was up to third after Bob spun, but a late pace car situation called out to collect an SS2, allowed him to close up. On last lap, in the last turn, with a yellow flag out, Choulochas spun. Perhaps it was the pressure or perhaps it was something on the racing line but either way Choulochas gave the 3rd place hat to Lovenson.

Bruce Allison and Gary Holcomb had good (relatively vacuum free) racing, with Holcomb getting the better of Allison at the checkered.

Car No	Driver		Make	Finish
50	John	Fujii	Swift	1
71	Joe	Moran	Carbir	2
11	Bob	Lovenson	Swift	3
29	Jason	Choulochas	Swift	4
84	Gary	Holcomb	Swift	5
87	Bruce	Allison	Lola	6
53	Paul	Schroeder	Swift	7

Sunday was another great day, cooler (mid 80's and maybe a little more wind). Fujii was fast, but Moran was right there with him all the way.

Lovenson, Allison and Choulochas had some fun close racing with several passes occuring between them heading into Star Mazda, in Sunset and in Sunrise/T1.

Allison's "patented" move passing Choulochas on the inside of Sunset was displayed a couple of times, but Choulochas managed to claw back his position. Allison dogged him for a while until he lost his brakes into the Cotton Corners and went off. Lovenson had spun in Sunset earlier so Choulochas was able to nurse his brakes to a 3rd place podium finish.

Paul Schroeder got his fuel pump problems from Saturday sorted out and finished 5th, after Lovenson. Holcomb had major engine trouble.

Car No	Driver		Make	Finish
50	John	Fujii	Swift	1
71	Joe	Moran	Carbir	2
29	Jason	Choulochas	Swift	3
11	Bob	Lovenson	Swift	4
53	Paul	Schroeder	Swift	5
87	Bruce	Allison	Lola	6
84	Gary	Holcomb	Swift	7