Large grids, unpredictable weather, deliver thrilling October race at Spring Mountain

Cool temperatures and unpredictable weather set the stage for an exciting October weekend as the Spring Mountain Race Series returned to the Charleston Peak South Course. Packed grids, changing conditions, and close competition tested every driver’s confidence and precision.

The Sports Car Series featured an impressive 22-car field, with the GTM class taking center stage as the most competitive of the weekend. Race one came down to the final moments, with Michele Abbate surging from third to second in the closing laps. Unfortunately, mechanical issues in Race two forced her to fall just short of the overall podium by two points. Dylan Northern moved into third, Chad Lancaster secured second, and Randy Wonnenberg stood atop the podium. The ongoing battle among these three drivers promises an exciting championship run.

Paul Chamberlain secured first place in the GTL class despite losing a wheel weight mid-race, with Brian Schmidt close behind in second.

The GT4 class saw the return of both Mike Dean and Tom MacMillan, with Dean coming out ahead and MacMillan finishing second. John Mueller and Henry Marshall tied for third place, but Marshall secured the position after winning the tiebreaker due to a better finish in Race two.

There was another close battle in the GTX class between the Reynolds duo, with Michael Reynolds taking second and Brian Reynolds claiming the win.

In GTU, Mark Ramsey made a commanding season debut, taking first place with a dominant drive. The competition in this class is expected to intensify in the coming rounds.

The Radical Cup Challenge grid remained strong with 18 racers across multiple classes. In the Platinum class, Nick Kelly faced new competition from sports car veteran Sam Yu, who made his debut in a Radical SR10. Kelly held firm to take first place, while Yu followed closely for second.

The Gold class once again produced some of the weekend’s most thrilling battles. Nick Groat demonstrated his experience from Super Trofeo competition to take third place. Tanner Harvey and Brandon Rambo continued their fierce rivalry, with Harvey securing second and Rambo returning to the top of the podium. Their season-long duel shows no sign of slowing down.

In the Silver class, multiple incidents in Race one tested both drivers and the Spring Mountain Racing support crew. Thanks to overnight repairs, every driver returned for Race two. Brian Reynolds earned the win, followed by Jim Mason in second and Jason Horwitz in third. Bruce Semler tied with Horwitz but narrowly missed the podium after a tiebreaker.

Finally, in the Rookie class, Ed Fernandez made an impressive debut, celebrating his first-ever podium finish in his maiden race weekend.

Championship Standings