Last weekend WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in California hosted the Prototype Sprint Series Association (PSSA) on the West Coast of the USA, while across the border in Canada, the Formula Prototype Challenge Canada (FPCC) took place at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.
PSSA
Following the Sonoma Round of the PSSA West Championship the Revolution RSR team headed back to Las Vegas to prep for Laguna Seca in just 2 weeks’ time. A small fuel pickup issue was identified following Sonoma and was first on the list for the RSR team to rectify. Excellent support from the factory in the UK meant that the team could remove the fuel cell and identify the issue. The issue turned out to be broken down foam in the cell from suspected bad fuel. Supported by a rapid parts supply service from the factory in the UK, the RSR team quickly fitted a new fuel cell and did some other maintenance as well as a full pre-race meeting prep. The car was tested at Spring Mountain Raceway in Pahrump Nevada to ensure the issue was resolved and it was a green light to travel 11 hours to Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey California. Fellow Revolution Driver Dave Tweedlie supported by Ryno Racing was making his PSSA debut in the #65 500SC.
The weekend started with a Thursday practice day and both teams dialled in their setups over the 3x 30 min test sessions. Both drivers testing out the new pavement set impressive times faster than the 2023 pole time. Ron Fletcher of Team RSR set a 1:26.193 and Dave Tweedlie of Ryno Racing set a best of 1:26.735.
Friday had a 25 min free practice and 25 minutes qualifying. Incoming bad weather was expected on Saturday so Friday qualifying was crucial to set a time. Tweedlie lead the Revolutions with a 1:24.484 and Fletcher‘s best was a 1:25.877. Saturday morning came and the rain looked like it was holding off but light sprinkles started just as the green flag dropped for Qualifying #2. Ryno Racing decided to hold on the 24.484 set in Qualifying #1 but RSR went out on slicks but an unfortunate red flag happened on Fletcher’s push lap and he had to back out of the lap of which he was up over a second.
The rain came in heavy at the noon hour which cancelled a feature Trans Am race and flooding caused the track to be shutdown for 3hrs. As everyone was packing up for the day it was announced that the PSSA Feature Race #1 would go ahead in extremely wet conditions. Ryno Racing did not brave the weather but Team RSR put the Batmobile on a set of Hankook F200 full wet tires and after a first lap battle with a Norma M20 Ron Fletcher scampered into the distance winning the race outright by 17 seconds. Fastest lap was 1:54.359 showing how wet the circuit actually was. The Revolution was untouchable in the wet.
Sunday morning came and the weather had cleared. There was 2 races scheduled. The first being the 60 min enduro with International GT. Dave Tweedlie started P4 and Ron Fletcher P5 behind 3 Lamborghini Super Trofeo EVO2’s. On lap 10 Tweedlie pulled off not feeling well which left Fletcher the only Revolution to take on the grid of 22 GT cars. Fletcher sliced through the field and was holding P2 behind the #55A Lamborghini who forgot to stop, a post-race penalty gave Fletcher the overall win, his first in the IGT Enduro. Ron Fletcher bettered his fastest lap on lap 23 of the Enduro setting a time of 1:24.664.
The final race of the weekend was a 30 min sprint with 25 other competitors. A hard fought battle between Tweedlie and Fletcher ended with Tweedlie taking the PS1 win and Fletcher taking P2.
Next up for the Revolutions in the USA is Road America at the end of June where they will find themselves in the biggest PSSA field ever assembled.
FPCC
Meanwhile while across the border in Canada, the Formula Prototype Challenge Canada was taking place at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.
Jonathan Labbee in his Revolution 427, ran by Rilli Racing was doing battle with a field of Radicals. Jonathan Labbee, driving the slowest Revolution model, the 427, put on a great showing, securing an impressive duo of P2’s only being narrowly bettered by an SR10.
It was a very solid start to the campaign for Jonathan, who will be joined by two more Revolutions at the next round in July when the FPCC revisits the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.
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