For immediate release
June 3, 2001
Jeff Hecox Wins Third Round of the Magnaflow Vintage
2.5 Challenge Series
Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows, CA Jeff Hecox, driving a 1967 BMW won the third round of the Vintage Sedan Racers Group (VSRG) Magnaflow Vintage 2.5 Challenge race held at Thunderhill Raceway Park on Saturday and Sunday, June 2 and 3, 2001. Just as with the first two races, the Thunderhill event produced exciting, close racing action that is rarely associated with vintage racing.
Hecox ran a strong second in the qualifying race to place his BMW on the lead row for Sunday's final race. Many thought that Hecox might be out of the race as his car developed a high RPM misfire late in the qualifer that plauged the team up until the start of Sunday's race. At the drop of the green flag it was evident the problem was fixed as Hecox took the lead and lead all the way to the checkered. Pole sitter Kevin McKee stayed on Hecox's bumber the entire race but he did not have the power for a clean pass so he waited for any miscue by Hecox that would allow him to get around the fast BMW. McKee tried every trick in the book however Hecox drove a near perfect race to the checkered and all McKee could do was pull alongside occassionally.
C.J. Bonura driving the immaculate 1967 Ford Cortina always seems to add a little drama to every race and this event was no exception. At the start of Saturday's qualifying race the little red Cortia would not start leaving C.J. all alone in the hot pits. His crew went to work and diagnosed the problem as a failed fuel pump. By the time the pump was replaced C.J. was down many laps meaning he would start from the back of the grid on Sunday's final race. Many spectators were well aware that C.J. would make a charge to the front and were anticipating a memorable race on Sunday, they were not disappointed. C.J. moved through the field like a hot knife through butter until he came up behind Alan Ward driving the well known maroon Alfa. Ward held off C.J. for a few laps but C.J. finally got past him at the end of the home straight with a late braking pass. Ward stayed glued to Bonura's bumper for the remainder of the race and the Cortina did not have the power to run down the third place Datsun 510 of Steve Link.
The three way tie in the points was broken by this race with Kevin McKee holding a slim 2 point lead over Jeff Hecox. Steve Link is one point back of Hecox and Bonura is one point back of Link meaning all four are easily in the hunt for the Championship.
In other Sedan racing, the team of Jim Froula and Terry Tinney drove a beautifully prepared Alfa Romeo GTV to a win in the Porsche vs. Sedan Enduro race. The one hour race held Saturday afternoon pitted the sports cars of the Porsche 2 Liter Challenge series against the sedans of the Magnaflow 2.5 Challenge. The race format required a driver change during a mandatory 5 minute pit stop. Froula started the race and had built a substantial lead over a Porsche 911 which was closely followed by the Alfa team of George Willet and Kevin McKee. A spin dropped Froula back to third and the top three cars held their relative positions up to the required pit stop. Both the 911 and the Willet/McKee cars were held in the pit for a penalty giving the lead back to Froula/Tinney. Tinny drove the last half of the race and opened the lead considerably for the win. This is the second Prosche vs. Sedan Enduro with both races won by the 2.5 Sedans. The next Enduro will be at Willow Springs on the weekend of October 6-7.
The next race of the Magnaflow Vintage 2.5 Challenge will be with HMSA at the world famous Laguna Seca raceway on September 22-23 Information on the Magnaflow Vintage 2.5 Challenge series can be found on the VSRG web site (www.bsedan.com) or the HSR-West web site (www.hsr-westracing.com). Finishing Order:
Position / Driver
1. Jeff Hecox 1967 BMW 1600 2. Kevin McKee 1967 Alfa Romeo GTV 3. Steve Link 1970 Datsun 510 4. C.J. Bonura 1967 Ford Cortina
5. Alan Ward 1972 Alfa Romeo GTV 6. George Willet 1969 Alfa Romeo GTV 7. Henry Manney 1967 Alfa Romeo GTA 8. Tim Pick 1971 BMW 2002 9. John Hall 1972 BMW 2002 10. Terry Tinney 1967 Alfa Romeo GTV 11. Don Forrester Alfa Romeo GTV 12. Doug Ellinger 1972 Alfa Romeo GTV 13. Al Bourdet 1967 Alfa Romeo GTV 14. Chris Kattchee 1966 Alfa Romeo Giulia GT 15. Dan Haney 1966 Mini Cooper (DNS, Transmission)
Magnaflow Vintage 2.5
Challenge Series Points
(Through Thunderhill, 6/2001)
| Pos | Points | Driver | Car |
| 1 | 21 | Kevin McKee | 67 Alfa Romeo GTV |
| 2 | 19 | Jeff Hecox | 67 BMW 1600 |
| 3 | 18 | Steve Link | 70 Datsun 510 |
| 4 | 17 | C.J. Bonura | 67 Ford Cortina |
| 5 | 10 | Alan Ward | 72 Alfa Romeo GTV |
| 6 | 3 | Henry Manney | 67 Alfa Romeo GTA |
| 7t | 2 | Al Bourdet | 67 Alfa Romeo GTV |
| 7t | 2 | Marissa Clay | 72 BMW 2002 |
| 7t | 2 | Tim Pick | 72 BMW 2002 |
| 7t | 2 | Anthony Rimicci | 68 Alfa Romeo GT 1300 |
| 7t | 2 | Dick Stoehr | 66 Alfa Romeo Giulia |
| 7t | 2 | Chris Welch | 72 BMW 2002 |
| 7t | 2 | George Willet | 69 Alfa Romeo GTV |
| 14t | 1 | Doug Ellinger | 72 Alfa Romeo GTV |
| 14t | 1 | Don Forrester | Alfa Romeo GTV |
| 14t | 1 | Jim Froula | 68 Ford Escort |
| 14t | 1 | Neil Hadfield | 66 Alfa Romeo GTA Jr |
| 14t | 1 | John Hall | 69 Alfa Romeo GTV |
| 14t | 1 | Dan Haney | 66 Mini Cooper |
| 14t | 1 | Paul Held | 65 Ford Cortina |
| 14t | 1 | Chris Kattchee | 65 Alfa Romeo Gulia Ti |
| 14t | 1 | Mike Kinney | 65 Alfa Romeo GTA |
| 14t | 1 | John Morton | 67 Alfa Romeo GTV |
| 14t | 1 | Peter Nitoglia | 66 Alfa Romeo GTV |
| 14t | 1 | Eric Roberts | 71 VW Super Beetle |
| 14t | 1 | Fred Schueddekopp | 67 Alfa Romeo GTV |
| 14t | 1 | Terry Tinney | 67 Alfa Romeo GTV |
| 14t | 1 | David Wall | 67 Alfa Romeo GTV |
| 14t | 1 | Shelly Zide | 71 Alfa Romeo GTV |