VIR Recap & Mid-Ohio Lead-up

Good morning, racers! Round 2 of the Sports 2000 North America Championship at Virginia International Raceway is in the books, and what a fantastic weekend it was. Partnering with the United States Auto Club (USAC) for our second round of 2025 proved to be a terrific decision—USAC's staff and competitors showed us nothing but professionalism and respect, and the track time was excellent. On behalf of the executive board, I'm happy to report that S2NA and USAC forged a strong connection at VIR, and we're eager to build on it at future events. If you couldn't join us this time, don't worry—USAC has already invited us back, and we plan to add them to next year's schedule for more great racing.

Can't wait to get back behind the wheel? Our next stop is Round 3 at Mid‑Ohio Sports Car Course on August 9–10. Scroll to the bottom of this email for the registration link—we hope to see you there!

Photo Credit: Trey Dusek

VIR WEEKEND RECAP

Friday:

Friday dawned with Practice 1 at 8:30 a.m., and the S2NA field wasted no time hunting lap times. Rob Sherwood set the early benchmark—2:00.496, the only lap under 2:01—hinting there was still pace to find. As temperatures soared, the asphalt started exacting a toll on tires, keeping every driver north of the two‑minute mark for the rest of the day. Sherwood topped the charts again in Practice 2, while Henry Payne IV grabbed P1 in Practice 3.

By day's end everyone had shaken off the cobwebs and turned their attention to Saturday morning's first qualifying session. Pole for Race 1 was still up for grabs, but Sherwood's Carbir looked like the early favorite, while VIR legend Ben Sinnott wrestled with persistent clutch slippage.

Saturday:

Saturday offered the S2NA drivers a more sleep‑friendly start time, but the late‑morning heat meant our coveted fresh rubber was already losing its edge. Qualifying 1 went green at 10 a.m. under rising temperatures and increasingly sticky driver suits. Thanks to swift work by the Eric Langbein Racing crew—operating without their fearless leader this weekend—Ben Sinnott's No. 5 Lola 90/90 SR71 emerged with a new clutch and promptly claimed pole with a 1:59.402, the first sub‑two‑minute lap of the weekend. Absent from the timing sheet was local ace Davis Jones. After limping his HS2 Tiga back to the pits Friday following what he called his “most terrifying on‑track experience,” Apex Speed discovered a gearbox‑to‑adapter‑plate stud had sheared, leading to all sorts of play in the rear end. The crew thrashed to fit a replacement plate but couldn't make Qualifying 1. That opened the door for newcomer Max Whitaker to grab HS2 class pole with a 2:06.065, while fellow new comer Charles Habisreutinger secured VS2 pole at 2:03.797.

With the grid set, teams took a breather before a scorching Race 1 at 2:20 p.m. Sinnott led the field to green with Brent Gernert alongside. Sinnott held onto P1 for the first lap, but Gernert slipped past in Nascar Turn 3 on lap 2 as electrical gremlins hampered Sinnott's power delivery, eventually ending his race early. From there, Gernert managed the pace the field, taking the checkered flag 4.8 seconds clear of Sherwood. Henry Payne IV completed the S2 podium, Brian Gernert claimed VS2 honors, and Davis Jones capped a heroic comeback with the HS2 win—his Apex Speed crew finished reassembling the car a mere 15 minutes before the flying of the green flag.

Catch all the race 1 action on our YouTube livestream—CLICK HERE to watch the replay!

Saturday wrapped up with a lively club party at Randy Hartman's trailer, complete with sponsor giveaways and plenty of camaraderie. We also welcomed news of our soon‑to‑be youngest member: Henry Payne VI. Though we missed Henry Payne V at the track, we extend heartfelt congratulations on the newest addition to the Payne racing lineage!

Sunday:

Sunday morning saw the S2NA field roll out for the weekend's second qualifying session at 8:30 a.m.—the earliest of the weekend. With cooler track conditions, most drivers anticipated improved lap times, and many delivered. Rob Sherwood once again topped the timing sheets with an impressive 1:59.627, closely followed by Brent Gernert. Davis Jones, having regained confidence with a more stable platform, posted the third-fastest overall time and topped the HS2 class. Notably absent from the top of the leaderboard was Ben Sinnott, who continued to battle issues and could only manage a 2:12.671. Charles Habisreutinger once again set the pace in the VS2 class but would need a strong Race 2 showing to secure a win after narrowly missing the top step in Race 1.

Race 2—the final contest of the weekend—got underway at 11:55 a.m. Fortunately for Sinnott, the grid was based on the fastest lap from the entire weekend, allowing him to start on pole despite his Q2 struggles. Rob Sherwood lined up on the outside of the front row, ready to challenge for the lead.

The green flag flew with Sinnott setting the pace early until a full-course yellow was called midway through due to a stricken Brian Gernert. The safety car bunched up the field, and as the saying goes, "yellows breed yellows." On the restart, multiple cars spun into Turn 1 while avoiding Ted Gunther, who was turned while defending his position around the outside. Fortunately, the quick work of the safety team cleared the incident in time for a final sprint to the checkered flag.

As Sinnott broke away on the restart, the real drama unfolded in the HS2 class between Matt Kane, Max Whitaker, and Davis Jones. Jones had rebounded beautifully from an earlier spin to reclaim P1 in class, but a missed shift while overtaking Mark Coombs at Oak Tree cost him momentum onto the back straight, dropping him to third in class. Whitaker led into Hog Pen, but Kane got a superb run through the final corner and snatched the class win at the line in a thrilling finish—just three-tenths of a second separating the top three in class!

Finally, after coming up short from pole on Saturday, Habisreutinger sealed the deal in Race 2, taking the VS2 class victory and capping off a fantastic weekend for all involved.

Catch all the race 2 action on our YouTube livestream—CLICK HERE to watch the replay!

Mid-Ohio Circuit Intro

S2NA's next destination is the legendary Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. This 2.25-mile, 13-turn circuit in Lexington, Ohio, stands out as a highlight on our calendar. Originally opened in 1962 by Les Griebling and a group of Mansfield-area businessmen, the track initially faced criticism for being “too slow.” Just a year later, a minor redesign in the Thunder Valley section straightened the run into The Carousel, significantly improving speed and excitement.

Following those early upgrades, Mid-Ohio began hosting major events, including Can-Am and Formula 5000 races throughout the 1970s. In 1980, CART added the track to its calendar, elevating its prestige. Two years later, Jim Trueman purchased the facility and began transforming it into a more spectator-friendly venue, adding grandstands, garages, and the prominent leaderboard we still see today. Since 2011, Green Savoree Racing Promotions has owned the track, continuing to maintain it as a top-tier motorsports venue that we're always thrilled to return to.

A lap of Mid-Ohio begins under the Cooper Tires bridge with a high-speed, high-commitment Turn 1. A precise turn-in will leave you just clipping the back side of the apex curbing, setting you up for a run up the hill into the Keyhole. Be cautious not to carry too much speed here, as it's easy to drop a wheel into the grass on exit. Next is the Keyhole — arguably the most critical corner on the circuit, as it leads onto the long alternate Start/Finish straight. You'll be climbing uphill on entry, so don't be afraid to brake a little deeper than usual. Maximize your exit and keep an eye out for late divebombs.

After blasting down the back straight, you enter the Madness complex. The braking zone here is downhill, the opposite of the Keyhole, making it easy to overshoot — and end up beached in the China Beach gravel. Turn 9 comes up quickly after the flowing Turn 8; make sure the car is settled and squared before turning in to minimize steering angle and hit the apex cleanly. Throttle control is critical here — too much gas over the crest and you risk spinning the car.

From there, it's flat-out through Thunder Valley with only a touch of braking needed through Turn 11 as you set up for The Carousel. Be mindful when braking over the hump — it's easy to lock up as the front gets light here. As you work your way down to the apex, you'll feel a bump right where you want to place the car — a good sign you've nailed it. After that, only Turn 13 stands between you and a completed lap. Hit your marks, carry speed, and don't drop a wheel and you will find yourself quite happy around a 1:30 lap time.

Check out the video below of Mark Coombs fighting at the front of the pack and laying down some seriously quick laps. We're just under a month away from Mid-Ohio, and I can't wait to see everyone out there racing hard and clean — just like Mark!

We hope that all of the members of the S2NA Club find a venue that works for their schedule and will join in the challenge, fun, camaraderie, and excitement of our racing events. Join now to be included in this season's activities; it's never too late. The membership form can be found on our website under the Members tab (link at the bottom of this email). If you haven't yet, be sure to click the link below and sign up for our 3rd round of the season at Mid-Ohio. Keep it clean, and the track stays green!

Mid-Ohio Registration