Kakashi Racing Wins 2006 ITA ARRC Championship!
Team Kakashi Wins Pole and Posts Flag-to-Flag Victory at the American Road Race of Champions!
Kakashi Racing dominated the Improved Touring A (ITA) race in their Nissan NX2000 at the American Road Race of Champions at Road Atlanta, GA on Saturday November 11th. Driver Greg Amy's flag-to-flag victory from the pole position capped a tremendously successful 2006 racing season.
The American Road Race of Champions (ARRC) is an event hosted by the Atlanta Region Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). Regarded by many as the unofficial national championships for the Improved Touring category of SCCA sports car racing, the ARRC enjoys high visibility and prestige, and is held every November at Road Atlanta GA, widely recognized as one of the premier road courses in the world. The 2.54-mile, 12-turn Grand Prix course and 700-acre park-like facility is extremely challenging for the competitors, wholly enjoyable for the spectators, and hosts major events like the Petit Le Mans and the AMA Suzuki Superbike Showdown.
Greg's advantages were apparent early. Wrapping up nearly five years of development on their ITA NX2000 program, Greg took the pole over many ably-driven cars during Friday's first qualifying session; no other competitor was able to match the speed of the Nissan NX2000 during the day's second session. Saturday afternoon's race was in dry but threatening conditions, and Greg's NX2000 diced briefly with Acura Integras, Honda CRXs and Mazda Miatas before checking out to a 7.5-second margin of victory.
"I was hounded for half the race by a very capable driver in a Honda CRX, but it was evident that the power of the NX was just too much for him to overcome," said Greg. "He was literally driving the wheels off that car to catch me; When he had a suspension failure halfway through the 20-lap race I knew the victory was ours and we cruised to the finish while managing the gap we had built up."
Crew Chief Matt Kessler and the entire Kakashi Racing team were ecstatic with the results. Greg and Matt's vision, that the NX2000's power could overcome the weight and handling advantages held by other ITA cars, was fully justified. "It was a long road to realize this goal, but we knew we could do it."
"The best part about this win is that my wife, family, and friends were there to share it with me," Greg said. "We had friends and family come in from Texas, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Connecticut for this event, and I'm proud to have delivered the results for them. It truly doesn't get any better than this!"
The victory at Road Atlanta is but icing on the cake of an outstanding 2006 racing season. Greg, Matt, and the NX2000 were dominant throughout Northeast SCCA racing, posting 7 ITA wins in 11 races, setting three track lap records, and winning two regional championships: the North American Road Race of Champions and the New England Road race of Champions, at venues such as Lime Rock Park, Watkins Glen International, New Hampshire International, and Pocono Raceway. Greg's other 2006 racing successes included co-driving to two 2nd-place finishes in the East Coast's most grueling amateur endurance events, the "Kumho 12 Hours at the Point" race at Summit Point West Virginia and the "13 Hours at VIR" at Virginia International Raceway in Danville VA, both while driving the PhilsTireService.com Team GTI.
Plans for 2007 include an extended endurance racing schedule, including the 24 Hours at Nelson Ledges (OH), and further development and campaigning of the ITA Nissan NX2000 in Northeast racing.
Results:
2006 ARRC ITA Qualifying Results
Perspectives - Thoughts and experiences from Greg, friends, and family
Photos - photos and links