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The 2nd round of the 2008 NASA-SE AI/X/CMC championship was held on the weekend of Mar 14-16 at Road Atlanta. Unfortunately, “The Pot-O-Gold Rush”, the name given to the event and honoring the luck of the Irish, didn’t fair well as far as the weather was concerned. With lots of rain, high winds, and the possibility of tornadoes predicted, the weekend weather was going to be dishing out a lot more challenges and issues than usual for the racers. Even though the rain and high winds turned some of the previously registered competitors away, another big field of AI/X/CMC racers were on hand. AI: Because of multiple tornado warnings, rain, and high winds on Saturday, the overall event schedule and races in particular were delayed and shortened. Even though this was the case, it was a testament to the awesome staff and officials of NASA-SE to find a way to get all of the days sessions in. When the AI/X/CMC drivers made it to grid, they were informed that it would be a 15 minute race or more like a 15 minute shootout. All of a sudden, the top qualifiers realized just how lucky they were to have good qualifying runs. When the green flag was dropped, number two qualifier and visiting AI racer from the Mid-Ohio region, Robin Burnett, in a Mustang, hammered the loud pedal and was able to get around number one qualifier, Landon Ball in his Camaro. After the first lap of what would only be a 4 lap race, the top 3 drivers were Burnett, Ball, and last years AI champion, Chris DeSalvo. Newcomer to AI from the ranks of Grand-Am and driving the Goldwasser Mustang, Joe Lee Middlebrooks, who started from the back because of not being able to qualify, was coming hard and making his way through the pack. When the checker flag was thrown Burnett would take the win with Ball 2nd and Middlebrooks 3rd. DeSalvo experienced a blown engine which would put him out for the rest of the weekend. If the weather was about as bad as it could get for racing on Saturday, Mother Nature made up for it on Sunday as the weather was about as perfect as it could get for racing. The start for Sunday’s race was clean with Burnett once again out front and making it hard to catch. Middlebrooks was nipping at his heels but ran out of time and couldn’t catch him. Another new addition to NASA-SE AI and piloting a Mustang, Brian Tone, made his way through the pack with a very impressive run but also didn’t have enough time to mount a challenge for the win. When the checker was thrown, this would remain the finishing order with Burnett taking another win and Middlebrooks and Tone finishing in 2nd and 3rd respectfully. CMC: In CMC, the battle continued between Pete Urbanski and Gregg Houseman with several other CMC competitors thrown into the mix. Apparently, Houseman’s Mustang was better in the rain and when the checkered was thrown, he would bring home the win on Saturday with Urbanski on his heels. Camaro driver Gary Recktenwald experienced yet another blown motor and would have to sit out the rest of the weekend. Again, the luck of the Irish would elude Recktenwald as this would make the 3rd motor he has lost at Rd Sunday’s race in CMC brought a big surprise to the Urbanski/Houseman duo. Ken Goldwasser, a prior AI racer, jumped out in front in his detuned ex-AI Camaro midway through the race and was unable to catch. When the checkered dropped, it was Goldwasser 1st, Urbanski 2nd, and Houseman 3rd. All of a sudden, it looks like the CMC field has some new blood in town… The 3rd round of the NASA-SE AI/AIX/CMC takes place the weekend of April 5-6 at the new and improved Respectfully Submitted, Ed McGuire AI/AIX/CMC Director, NASA-SE
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