Factory Five Challenge Series driver John George won impressively at the Virginia International Raceway March Madness 3-hour endurance race! Almost as impressively, John turned in a fast lap time of 2:05.265! That is a SICK fast time for a 320 HP Factory Five Challenge Car.
Race report from John George:
The 2015 race season started with VIR March 20-22 in the NASA MidAtlantic region. Friday test/tune, 3hr Enduro, Sat/Sun sprint races sets the stage for great racing. Factory Five drivers included John George, Paul Arnold, Roger Fusse, Paul Kaiser, and John Kabacinski driving his flat black LS3 powered GTM. Factory Five customer Austin Nally brought his bright red FFR Challenge car with a massive engine and big brakes and worked the weekend as NASA instructor.
Friday’s test/tune saw wet track conditions early on drying in the afternoon. The test/tune sessions were uneventful with drivers learning the track and making sure their winter modifications were without issue.
John George participated in the 3 hour enduro with qualifying around lunchtime on a damp track setting the fastest time securing pole for the start of the race. Helping John fuel was John K, Paul A, and Roger were setup in the pits as the green flag dropped starting the enduro. John’s strategy was to have scheduled to come in every 1 hour taking 15 gallons of fuel. Leading the race early on, he settled into a comfortable pace running 2:06-7’s until the first pit stop. Ratchet Head Racing were running 2 BMW ES cars going for the overall win, and they were leading after John’s first pit stop. He turned up the pace running them down battling for a number of laps eventually passing them on track and improving his fast lap to a 2:05.3. The second pit stop was a repeat of the first, with John’s black and orange Factory Five Challenge Car chasing down the BMWs making for some excellent racing. John was able to win the checkered flag in a very close 3 hour race! John started on the pole and won the race overall as well as the EO class, not bad at all!