Mike gets first win at Lime Rock! June, 2000

On June 24th, 2000, at an SCCA regional race in the Volvo Historic Series, Mike got his first pole position in qualifying. In the race, he got the start of a lifetime with two more powerful 280Zs behind him. He accelerated when he thought he saw the starter twitch, then thought about backing out, but by then the green was up and he was away. Here is the 1st lap coming into the lefthander :

Stayed ahead of the Zs, though one caught up several times due to traffic. Mike did not break any personal lap records but a wise racer once said "go just fast enough to win". This was Mike's first win at his home track, Lime Rock. Mike's Mother and Daughter attended their first race and cheered him on from the hill

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The following weekend, the Independance Day weekend, were another pair of Volvo Historic races. Saturday and Monday were a race with the Shelby club. They had 3 race groups of Cobras and GT40s, Trans-am cars, and GT-350s, along with our Volvo Historic series group. There were more GT40s and Cobras there than you could believe! Mike again qualified on the pole for the Monday race, with a lap time that was his personal best and a record for the series, and won from the pole with another lap record for the series. At the start, the outside pole position Volvo P-1800 pulled slighty away, but Mike carried good speed into Big Bend and the Volvo was forced to follow. Here is the start:

The 280Z passed the Volvo and was getting close to Mike, but spun in the left hander. The Volvo attacked towards the end of the race but pushed too hard with a cracked cylinder head and blew his engine just before the end of the race.

Tuesday (4th of July) was an SCCA regional along with the historic group. Not many cars stuck around for this race, which used the previous day's finishing position for qualifying places. Mike was passed on the start by Manfred's fast RSR, but passed him back later in the lap and held on for his third win at Lime Rock in 10 days.

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