Summit Point has been host to more Challenge cars than any other track in the country. So for drivers thinking about going to Nationals, it served as an excellent place to do some testing and practice. With only Roebling Road left before Nationals, it would also be the final on-track session for most drivers.

After a season of engine difficulties, Paul Kaiser arrived with a new engine in his menacing #8 black car and hopes of finally finishing the first session without problems. Dan Elam showed up with a new paint/graphics scheme for the #0 car and was joined by Harry Elam with new paint, but familiar graphics. Cates, who narrowly collected both wins just a month earlier, was ready to run along with Bryan Dobyns who was still trying to get Dave Smith’s personal spec racer to make the grade.

For qualifying on Saturday it was Kaiser as the lone man into the 1:23s and within reach of a track record some would though would never be broken. Cates and Elam were not too far behind in the 1:24s. On the start the pole-sitting Viper Competition Coupe stalled – sending Elam swerving from behind all the way over into pit lane, through the grass, and back onto track while Kaiser got the lane on a Super Unlimited stock car to take the overall lead. Cates was tucked in behind as the two took down the track with Elam and Dobyns trying to reel them in.

Dobyns has spent most of the season running Dave Smith’s personal car in what most would consider a frustrating endeavor. The car just hasn’t made good power and has left Dobyns, the series all-time winningest driver – in unfamiliar territory. Dobyns suffered overheating problems in qualifying and finally gave up during the race. Once this engine is discarded, look for Dobyns to have more power and back to being competitive for Mid-Ohio.

Most racers will tell you that it takes some getting used to running up front for the overall lead. Not so for Kaiser. While the stock car and Viper did eventually get by, Cates and Elam could only close the gap, but never mounted a serious threat as Kaiser collected a wire to wire win. The win was his second of the year and showed that this second-year driver will be a marked man at Nationals.

On Sunday it was Cates as the fast qualifier on the outside pole (beside the Viper) and Elam and Kaiser directly behind in a row. This time on the start it was the Cobras all in a row to go down the straight. Elam short-shifted and the extra torque was enough let him get a narrow acceleration advantage. Out of turn 1 it was Elam as the overall leader with Cates, Kaiser, and some AIX cars in a train. The Viper came back through the group and it was the Viper and Elam opening up a slight lead over the next couple of laps. But then the Viper was gone and that left Elam as the sitting duck against the drafting team of Cates and Kaiser who narrowed the gap. A yellow flag in turn 1 meant that Elam had to wait for the lapped cars and that put Kaiser and Cates right back on his bumper. Elam tried to use lapped traffic to his advantage, but it made little difference to Kaiser and Cates who deftly moved through the field.

Coming out of turn 10 onto the long straight had Kaiser closing the gap to Elam. At Summit, the draft is very important and it acts as a slingshot for passing into turn 1. But with turn 1 still under yellow, Elam moved to the inside to force Kaiser left – right where Elam had left a slower CMC car to block Kaiser so that the drag races could begin after the incident. That plan faltered when Kaiser passed Elam and the CMC under yellow. Not wanting to do the same, Elam stayed behind the CMC who continued to slow even more (the rookie may have been confused when Kaiser passed) and Cates smashed into the back of Elam causing damage to both cars.

With fiberglass flapping in the wind on Cates’ car and Elam dragging a side pipe, the duo got back on the throttle to see if they could muster anything for Kaiser. Back to turn 10 it was Cates slingshotting from the draft into turn 1. Elam squeezed Cates to the inside to force the repass, but it ended up being meaningless since Cates’ transmission let go in the corner.

After the race the stewards asked lots of questions called lots of drivers to the tower. (Apparently there was lots of passing under yellow.) At this point it isn’t clear how the officials scored the race, but most of the drivers didn’t care. (As an FYI, Dobyns switched and ran Dan Skittrell’s CMC car which Dobyns drove to a second place finish ahead of the defending CMC champion.) For most drivers, the race was a chance to test setups and strategy. With three drivers running lap times that would have won almost any other race in the history of the track and Kaiser narrowly missing one of the most enduring track records in series history, the weekend certainly served it’s purpose.

Next some racers head to Roebling Road where they will have one final opportunity to improve their cars and get some practice. While Roebling lacks the elevation changes found at Mid-Ohio, it does have similar braking zones and sweeping turns. If the Southeast drivers put up some impressive times there, the Vegas oddsmakers might have a tough time picking a favorite for Nationals.

Race Summary Courtesy of Dan Elam