SCCA_Heinricy_Wins_Third_T1

Joe Aquilante, president (610) 482-0141 JFAPhoenix32@aol.com

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Heinricy Wins Third Consecutive T1 National
Championship at Valvoline Runoffs®

LEXINGTON, Ohio (Sept. 20, 2003) – John Heinricy, of Holly, Mich., pole sitter and the favorite to win the T1 race at the Valvoline Runoffs at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, drove flag-to-flag to capture his third consecutive T1 National Championship. Richard Gilhart, of Cincinnati, Ohio, finished second, and Thomas Oates, of Cape May, N.J. drove to a third-place finish.

Starting on the pole, Heinricy was never seriously challenged throughout the race; in fact, at one point, Heinricy had more than an 11-second lead over second-place. Piloting his No. 35 Phoenix Performance/Goodyear Chevrolet Corvette, Heinricy captured his third consecutive T1 National Championship with a 8.488-second margin of victory at an average speed of 82.908 mph on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn track.

“We had it dialed in,” Heinricy said of his wining run. “It was a great day for the Corvettes. It is really great when you can get in a car like that and drive it as easy as that one was to drive.”

Gilhart, driver of the No. 54 Kumho Tires Chevrolet Corvette, started second on the grid, but quickly dropped to third as Scotty White, of Puyallup, Wash., passed him on lap three for second-place. On lap ten, White appeared to have mechanical problems and pulled off course in the keyhole, that allowed Gilhart take over second-place for good.

Oates spent most of the race trying to catch Gilhart, but, in the end, his No. 99 Goodyear/99chevy.com Chevrolet Corvette did not have enough.

“We had a good race at the beginning, some great side-by-side [racing],” Oates said describing his race with Gilhart. “I think I got ahead of him at one point and he got me back. And, at the end, I was just trying to hang on, because Cindi Lux was catching up to me. I guess I need to get a little more coaching from John [Heinricy] on how to put the pedal to the metal in these Corvettes. There is a lot left in that car, I just got to find out how to use it.”

Lance Knupp, of Fenton, Mich., drove his No. 97 JP Race Cars/Goodyear/IEC Chevrolet Corvette to a fourth-place finish and Cindi Lux, of Aloha, Ore., piloted her No. 78 Kumho/Suburban Chevy/Red Line Chevrolet Corvette to a fifth-place finish.