2008-09 Round 8

Christmas Classic presented by Village Popcorn - Vista Rio Rancho Raceway

Round 8 of 16

December 18, 2008

FP QP # Driver Team QTime Laps Status Pts TTL Pts Rnk
 1   5  8 Larry Rotter RS Racing Tech  65.000  207 1st win of the year. heat win  53    306   2
 2   2  9 Mark Walczak BMW Racing  62.500  194 Heat win  43    368   1
 3   6 06 John Wiedemann (R) Newman-Haas HO  67.672  180 Best finish of year, heat win  38    194   8
 4   1 10 Dan Margetta BMW Racing  58.406  115 Pole, heat win, DNF Floor  40    224   5
 5   9 27 Tom Spehert Spehert-Foyt  68.930    99 Running  30    226   4
 6   7 02 Mike Lack (R) Newman-Haas HO  68.063    98 Running  28    218   6
 7  13 16 Amy Butler BMW Racing  78.984    90 Running  26    158  11
 8  11  5 Dean Strom RS Racing Tech    70.305    89 Running  24    147  13
 9  14  7 Andy Spehert Spehert-Foyt

 83.258

    88 Running  22    114  14
10   4 20 Matt Hayek Vista Racing  64.266    82 Running, tried to crash out  20    154  12
11   3 11 Mike Fitzlaff Spehert-Foyt  63.922    52 DNF while leading heat  19    288   3
12   8 26 Chris Spehert Spehert-Foyt  68.211    27 DNF  18    173  10
13  10  3 John Shea Team Penske HO  69.484      8 DNF trying to hit Walczak  17    107  15
14  12 22 Mike Kristof Vista Racing  71.617

     2

 DNF  16    179   9

Race Information

Race Length 20 minutes
Laps/Time of Race 207 Laps
Margin Of Victory 13 Laps
Heat Winners Margetta, Rotter, Wiedemann, Walczak
Fastest Lap Dan Margetta - 4.781
Hard Charger

Amy Butler +6

Rotter Takes Christmas Classic

Larry Rotter held off Husarsbilt Cup championship points leader Mark Walczak at Vista Rio Rancho Raceway in Wauwatosa in the Christmas Classic presented bt Village Popcorn.  Rotters impressive victory also moved him to second place in the championship and began to show the kind of "Rotter-tude" which led him to 3 championships.  Rookie John "White Bread" "Mayor of Hubertis" Wiedemann scored his first career podium after polesitter Dan Margetta pulled a Margetta and made the final only to throw the car off the track and end his night early.  Meanwhile, Tom Spehert was back in form with a solid fith place ahead of rookie Mike Lack and Amy Butler.  Mike Fitzlaff, John Shea, Chris Spehert and hometown favorite Mike Kristof all crashed out early and spectacularly on the dangerous V-Triple R turns.  The series takes the holidays off and returns to action at Larry Rotter's home track, Raven Raceway for the Quizno's 250 on Thursday, January 8th.
 
 
FAST FACTS
Christmas Classic Presented by Village Popcorn
 
WHAT: Christmas Classic Presented by Village Popcorn
WHERE:  Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, Vista Rio Rancho Raceway
WHEN:  Thursday, December 18th 2008
U.S. TELEVISION SCHEDULE: YouTube
2007 CHAMPION:  Ev Kamikawa
2007 POLESITTER:  Larry Rotter
TRACK LAYOUT:  Desert road course
RACE LENGTH:  20 minutes
TRACK RECORDS:  Qualifying – 2008, Dan Margetta 58.406; Race – 2008, Larry Rotter, 207 Laps; Fast Lap – 2008, Dan Margetta 4.781
RACE ROUND:  8 of 16 in the 2008-2009 HO Champ Car World Series
 
Christmas Classic (14 events, 1994 - Present)
Year  Race Winner          Track
1994 Pat Jarvis            Shrine Desert Road Course
1995 Jim Kaehny
1996 John Shea
1997 Rick Osterbrink    Sanibel Speedway
1998 Chad Sorce
1999 Ev Kamikawa
2000 Ev Kamikawa
2001 Ev Kamikawa   
2002 Larry Rotter     
2003 Larry Rotter
2004 Jim Iverson
2005 Jim Iverson           Vista Rio Rancho Raceway
2006 John Shea     
2007 Ev Kamikawa
2008 Larry Rotter          Vista Rio Rancho Raceway (reconfigured)
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