WRPM 2012 Race Results
WRPMotorsports driver Willie Phee continues his podium streak with
5 podiums in 5 races at the SCCA sanctioned Barber Motorsports
Park Double Rational.
September 1–2, 2012 – Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Alabama
WRPMotorsports driver Willie Phee would finish 1st in both STL races, 2nd in
both SARRC races and finish out the 2012 Pro-IT season with a 2nd place
finish. In addition Phee would garner two pole positions over the weekend
with both coming in the SARRC regional races.
“What a fantastic
weekend” said
Phee, “I wasn’t
sure about trying
to run five races
over the weekend
but it worked out
and I couldn’t be
happier with five
podium finishes”.
It was an
especially
challenging
weekend due to
the intermittent
rain in qualifying
and the Saturday
STL race. When
the weather was
dry, Phee would qualify no worse than fourth for any of his races.
Qualifying would be held over three days with an afternoon session on Friday
and two morning sessions on Saturday and Sunday. The morning sessions
would prove to be the quicker sessions since the weather and track were
cooler.
Phee would qualify on pole and eighth overall for the Saturday afternoon
SARRC race. In SARRC race one Phee would be starting outside row four.
The first start was waived off, but on the second start Phee would hold on to
lead for the first eight laps until lapped traffic would hold up Phee and allow
the second place car to catch up. “I had a decent lead, but once I got into
lapped cars it really held me up. This track only has a few places to try and
make a pass, so catching slower traffic in certain sections really help me up”.
Phee would lose the top spot on lap eight but continued to stay within
striking distance of the leader. Phee would hold off a late race charge from
his teammate and finish second in class and 10th overall.
Qualifying for the afternoon STL race was held in overcast conditions and
Phee would qualify fourth in class and 14th overall. STL race one would be a
rain race as the skies opened up just minutes before the cars were sent to
the grid. At the start Phee would settle into third spot and slowly up his pace
to eventually move into the top spot as the rain subsided.
“When the race started it was raining heavily, but it let up about half way into
the race and I started to increase my pace” said Phee. “A couple of the front
running cars spun off and it allowed me to take the lead”. Phee would end
up 1st in class and ninth overall at the checkers.
Pro-IT qualifying was held Saturday morning and Phee would qualify second
in class and fourth overall. The Pro-IT race would be on Sunday at 10:30
and would be held in sunny conditions. Phee would start from the back of
the grid due to the short turn around from STL qualifying that was just prior
to the Pro-IT race.
“I knew it was going to be close with qualifying and the race so close
together, but the field was small so I didn’t give up much track position”.
The first five laps were crazy as the multi-class pack was three and four wide
in several spots on the track.
With three different classes racing each other and lap times within a half
second of each other the racing was extremely tight and aggressive for the
first few laps. “I moved up to second in class and had a great seat watching
the top four cars race each other”, said Phee. “With all of the back and forth
passing it allowed me to stay in touch with the leading BMW”. “After six laps
the field sorted itself out and I managed to hang onto second and finish just
a few seconds behind the leader”. At the finish Phee would end up second in
class and fifth overall.
Qualifying for SARRC race two was Sunday morning and Phee would again
put the OPM Autosports Acura Integra on the pole for the second time this
weekend with a one second gap on the second place Nissan.
SARRC race two was held just after lunch and Phee would start on the inside
of row five. At the flag Phee would move to the inside in turn one but drifted
wide in turn two allowing a couple of cars to get by but by the end of lap one
Phee would have a four second lead and would continue to pull away until
five laps to go.
“In the turn five horseshoe two of the ITS cars got together and spun out
wide, I saw an opening on the inside and dove for it and ended up with a big
gap on the rest of the field. At the half way point I had a big enough gap
that I was just trying to maintain a pace to the finish. Unfortunately with
about five laps to go the car had a fuel pick-up problem. It started cutting
out in a few of the right hand turns. I figured I would just short shift the car
and keep the revs down in order to save fuel. But it eventually got so bad I
wasn’t sure I would make it to the finish. With one lap to go I had to give up
the lead and try to nurse the car to the finish”. Phee would end up second in
a race he was clearly dominating.
“It was disappointing to give away a clear victory but sometimes mechanical
problems prevent you from claiming the victory” said Phee.
Qualifying for STL race two would also be Sunday morning and Phee would
qualify third in class and 14th overall. For STL race two Phee would start
outside row seven. At the start Phee would get a good jump but get pushed
out wide in turn one. By the end on lap one Phee had dropped back 4
positions and was in fourth place in class. “I knew I had 18 laps to try and
close the gap so I just tried to be consistent with my lap times and not lose
sight of the leaders” said Phee. Phee would run consistent lap times and
slowly close in on the leading duo as they battled for first place. On lap 10
Phee would be on the bumper of the second place car and make a double
pass for the lead in the turn five horseshoe.
“I had a run and I could see both of them battling for the lead. I figured I
would just drive down the inside and try to get a least one pass made, but I
ended up getting both of them”. Phee would go on to an eight second gap
by the end of the 19 lap race finishing first in class and 11th overall.
“It was a fantastic weekend, to compete in five races and get five podiums
was amazing. The OPM crew did their usual great job of keeping the right
tires on the car, ice in the cool box and the car prepped and ready to go. I
don’t think we changed the settings all weekend which is a testament on how
well Tom Fowler sets up the car. I can’t thank him enough” said Phee.
The next race is the American Road Race of Champions scheduled for
November 2-4, 2012 at Road Atlanta Raceway in Braselton, Georgia.
Race
Results