Finally getting his day in the sun, Matt Varsha broke through for his first win in the Skip Barber National Championship Presented by RACER, taking round nine in flag-to-flag fashion on Saturday at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant.
On Sunday, Jordy Vorrath notched his third victory of the year on after a mighty battle with… Varsha.
In the weekend's first race, Varsha from pole kept everyone behind him from the start. After a full course yellow on lap three to get round eight race winner Jonathan Goring out of the Turn Two sand, Varsha looked cool as a cucumber and led the entire race. Bonilla kept second for couple of laps but eventually fell prey to Vorrath. Garrett Zine and Cole Nelson (also a race winner, at VIR in April) also bundled Bonilla backward. When Zine fell off the road in the Turn Four-Five complex mid-race, Nelson got his third-place and Bonilla fourth. Andy Rossetto, winner of the other aero battle (round nine) at Road America, took fifth.
Sunday morning, Varsha remained on fire, taking his second pole of the weekend, a full half-second clear of Vorrath and Bonilla. Though he kept the lead the first half of the opening lap, Varsha "couldn't get the car to turn" in Eight (a second-gear hairpin that leads onto the long backstraight) and paid the price, as Vorrath got past him before the turnin for 10. But Varsha fixed the problem the next time around and did the same deed to Vorrath, getting inside for the lead as they shot through 10, a very quick fourth gear righthander. With the two blue cars looking like one, the two V Boys promptly marched away from the rest of the field. On the 11th of the scheduled 14 laps, Vorrath again took advantage of Varsha's inability to get Turn Eight just right and grabbed the lead for good going into 10; Varsha stayed right with him but finished half a tick behind. Zine amply made up for his Saturday goof, getting Bonilla under braking into turn 10 on the last lap for the final podium spot.
The series now heads back to Wisconsin, supporting the August 20-21 Road America 500 ALMS weekend, for rounds 11 and 12. Vorrath, Nelson and Varsha each now have a legitimate shot at the championship -- but they'll need at least one truly poor result out of Bonilla in the last four races to do it.
Round 9 of 14, July 23, 2005, Skip Barber National Championship Presented by RACER
Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant, 15-turn, 2.65-mile road courseStart position in parentheses
1. (1) Matt Varsha, Atlanta, Ga., 14 laps, 78.643 average mph2. (2) Jordy Vorrath, White Rock, B.C., Canada, 143. (5) Cole Nelson, Atwater, Calif., 144. (4) Gerardo Bonilla, Orlando, Fla., 145. (6) Andy Rossetto, Grafton, Wis., 146. (7) Paul Albert, Ottawa, Ont., Canada, 147. (3) Garrett Zine, Rio Linda, Calif., 148. (8) Winston de Wardt, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 149. (10) Richard Heistand, Sunny Isles, Fla., 1410. (11) Jimmy Holden, Tiona, Pa., 1411. (9) Jonathan Goring, Norfolk, Conn., 13 (spun, rejoined)
Race length: 14 laps of 2.65-mile, 14-turn road course for 37.1 milesTime of race: 28 minutes, 18.310 seconds (lap 3, full course yellow)Winner's average speed: 78.643 mphMargin of victory: 6.740 secondsLap leaders: Varsha, 1 - 14Fastest race lap: Varsha, 1:48.236, lap 12Fastest qualifier: Varsha, 1:47.902
Round 10 of 14, July 24, 2005, Skip Barber National Championship Presented by RACER
Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant, 15-turn, 2.65-mile road courseStart position in parentheses
1. (2) Jordy Vorrath, White Rock, B.C., Canada, 14 laps, 87.980 average mph2. (1) Matt Varsha, Atlanta, Ga., 14 laps3. (4) Garrett Zine, Rio Linda, Calif., 144. (3) Gerardo Bonilla, Orlando, Fla., 145. (5) Cole Nelson, Atwater, Calif., 146. (7) Andy Rossetto, Grafton, Wis., 147. (9) Paul Albert, Ottawa, Ont., Canada, 148. (6) Jonathan Goring, Norfolk, Conn., 149. (11) Jimmy Holden, Tiona, Pa., 1410. (8) Winston de Wardt, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 1411. (10) Richard Heistand, Sunny Isles, Fla., 7 (spun, retired)
Race length: 14 laps of 2.65-mile, 14-turn road course for 37.1 milesTime of race: 25 minutes, 18.073 secondsWinner's average speed: 87.980 mphMargin of victory: 0.562 secondsLap leaders: Vorrath, 1; Varsha, 2 - 10; Vorrath. 11 - 14Fastest race lap: Varsha, 1:47.404, lap 14Fastest qualifier: Varsha, 1:47.636
Top 10 in points after 10 of 14 rounds:1. Gerardo Bonilla, 1552. Jordy Vorrath, 1303. Cole Nelson, 1264. Matt Varsha, 1215. Garrett Zine, 856. Andy Rossetto, 837. Paul Albert, 688. Alan Sciuto, 569. Richard Heistand, 5010. Winston de Wardt, 50-Rick Roso
