Last week was the annual SCCA Southeast Invitational Championship at Roebling Road Raceway, and boy, did I feel like I was in my old stomping grounds! I was fortunate enough to grow up in the sport, doing exactly what these drivers at Roebling—including the young Spec Miata driver I was coaching—were doing throughout the weekend. I even raced in the Southeast Invitational as I was making my way up through the ranks.
Zack is a young driver in his second season of Spec Miata, and I had the pleasure of meeting him at the Runoffs just last month at Virginia International Raceway. Fun fact: his first racecar was actually one of the Spec Miatas built by Long Road Racing!
Zack and I worked together on the test day leading into the Southeast Invitational, which we primarily focused on car setup and specific corner optimization, since Roebling Road has recently been repaved. That fresh pavement really changed a track that has had the same personality for years!
Just like any track, as the cool mornings transitioned to the warm afternoons, the track dynamics changed, which meant drivers needed to further refine setup adjustments. We prioritized that component, which put an emphasis on knowing what time of day the important sessions—like qualifying and the races—would happen.
We even got to compare data between the two of us and used in-car video to refine some nuances, allowing Zack to pick up those tenths of seconds that are so critical at a fast track like Roebling Road.
Over the course of the weekend, Zack continued to pick up speed, and in the final championship race on Sunday, he had a stellar performance that resulted in a second-place finish! Not only did he get second in the race, but he also got second in the 2022 Spec Miata southeast championship!
I was so impressed with how Zack was able to implement everything we had worked on to maximize his results during the event. I was also impressed that, at only 21 years old, he is wise beyond his years and has a mature perspective. His demeanor, both on and off the track, promises that he has a bright future ahead of him.