Spec Focus Drivers Rev Up For Nationals at a Soggy Mid Ohio

Lexington Ohio, August 18-19, 2007

NASA’s Spec Focus drivers rolled into the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in mid August for a closer look at what will be the focal point of NASA’s National Championship come mid September. Saturday would turn out to have ideal conditions in which any racer would hope for, sunny with temperatures in the mid 70’s. The first time the cars would see the track was for warm-up in the early morning. Lowell Marx driving the number 68 Capaldi Racing machine was the class of the field setting a warm-up time almost a complete 3 seconds faster than the next competitor, but with the diversity and competitive nature of the rest of the field that gap would quickly diminish come qualifying time.

Qualifying would come late morning and bring with it an example of how close these cars and drivers are with the Spec Foci. As the session began, Lowell Marx once again proved to be on top of his game clicking off fast lap after fast lap. Next fastest would be Matthew Marks in his newly completed number 111 Focus. With little time or on track experience at Mid Ohio Matthew quickly got up to speed desperately trying to top the number 68’s fast time. By the time the checkered flag was shown on qualifying, the top three stood: Lowell Marx (#68 Capaldi Racing Focus), Matthew Marks (#111 Focus), and Craig Capaldi (#69 Capaldi Racing Focus).

Finally, time to throw out all the stops and get wheel to wheel racing. As the field intently followed the pace car, the Spec focus drivers were in close formation with each wanting to be the first car into turn one. With the cars and drivers being so close in every aspect, the littlest lead or advantage can win or lose a race. As the field rolled into the throttle on the backstraight, the green flag dropped. The pole sitter Lowell Marx was quickly swallowed up Mattew Marx on the grass to the outside, and Craig Capaldi to the inside. But don’t count Mr. Marx out yet. Capaldi and Matthew Marks battled for the lead for some time with Capaldi finally prevailing. As the laps started ticking away all Capaldi was thinking was “Here comes Lowell, he’s getting bigger and bigger in the mirrors”. Finally, Lowell Marx stuffed his Focus to the inside of Capaldi going into the Key Hole for the lead and made it stick. As Capaldi hounded the back of Marx Focus for several laps, a multiple car spin occurred heading into the carousel directly in front of the two Spec Foci. Outcome? Marx chose the grass, and Capaldi found an opening on the black stuff putting him in the lead. Marx quickly caught back up, but was unable to pass for the lead as Capaldi drove to his first Spec Focus win by a mere .886 of a second. If day one was exciting, wait until day two!

Sunday would turn out to be a little more on the damp side than the previous day, not to the liking of most of us unless you were a duck. As teams prepared their cars for the rain conditions, the Spec Focus drivers were ready to try and tame the wet track surface. The warm-up began very wet, but as the rain lightened and the track started to dry as the laps times continued to fall putting the top three as Marx, Capaldi, and Marks.

Qualifying once again would be in the wet as each driver would try to better their laps put down in warm-up. The front wheel drive Foci proved to have the advantage in the wet as Capaldi, Marks, and Marx qualified 11th, 15th, and 21st respectively overall in the group of 42 cars.

On to race time. Rain, or no rain, that is the question everyone hoped to have the answer for. As the grid was opened, the track was dry and the sun was trying desperately to make its first appearance of the day. Would the rain hold out? Once again the green flag dropped on the field with Craig Capaldi taking an early lead followed by Matthew Marks with Lowell Marx in tow. As the first few laps past Capaldi tried desperately to gap himself from the rest of the Spec Foci field to no avail. Marx managed to secure a pass on Marks and proceeded to chase down Capaldi for the lead. Once on Capaldi’s bumper, Marx yet again out broke Capaldi heading into the Key Hole for the lead. As the race wound down Marx led but was closely followed by Capaldi and Marks. With no misfortune in the sites of Lowell Marx this race, he held off Capaldi’s last lap charge to also win his first ever Spec Focus race by .800 of a second.

As the seasons end nears, be sure to grab a seat at the NASA Nationals and strap yourself in for what will be a outstanding battle between one of Americas top compact cars as the NASA Spec Focus Series hits the pavement of Mid Ohio for the biggest battle yet!