The East Coast Honda Challenge made its way to Alton, Virginia for rounds 11 and 12 of the 2006 points season at Virginia International Raceway. The series would be running the “north course”, which measures 2.25 miles in length and is packed with elevation change and technical sequences.

In H1, Chad Slagg in the #14 Civic SI would grab the pole position for Saturday’s race with a lap time of 1:41.49. Pete Curpier in the #42 Civic coupe would be slotted into 2nd position with a qualifying time of 1:42.00, while Chris Drabouski in the #62 Civic hatchback would start the race from the 3rd spot with a time of 1:42.06, just 6 hundredths of a second off of Pete! Jason Franza in the #06 Integra Type R and Kevin Helms in the #05 Civic hatchback would round out the top 5 of qualifying. Adam Curpier in the #45 Integra Type R, Todd Reid in the #11 Civic hatchback, Justin Culbert in the #01 Integra Type R, John Oldt in the #75 S2000, and Matt Bookler in the #33 Civic hatchback, would round out the top 10 of the H1 grid. A rookie having just graduated from the NASA competition school, Andrew Lee would start from the 11th H1 spot in his #27 Civic hatchback. After getting a great start, Franza would be able to slide in front of Drabouski and also get past Pete Curpier entering turn 1. Utilizing the power of the H22, Adam Curpier would be able to gain 2 spots on the standing start and move into 4th position! After completing the first lap, Pete Curpier would go wide at the exit of turn 5 and would run out of pavement, forcing himself off the track. This enabled the H1 field to move up a position. A few laps later, after a great nose-to-tail battle, Franza would be able to get a great run out of turn 3, and overtake Slagg for the race lead in the braking zone of turn 4. Franza would hold on for the race win, with Slagg claiming 2nd. Much to the same, Drabouski would get a similar run out of turn 3, and would slip in front of Adam Curpier into the 3rd spot. With just one lap remaining, Pete Curpier after charging from the back of H1 after his off, would come back to take the 4th position! Adam Curpier, after suffering a tire failure, would remarkably be able to salvage a 5th place. Reid, Helms, Oldt, Culbert, Bookler, and Lee would complete the H1 finishing order, respectively. Franza would set fast lap of the race, a new H1 track record, a 1:40.7.

In H2, Allan Haggai in the #81 Integra Type R would use his experience at VIR to take the class pole with a time of 1:44.08. John Whitaker in the #88 Integra Type R would claim the 2nd spot with a time of 1:46.22. Parker Whitt in the #32 Integra Type R would have been slotted in the 3rd H2 spot (12th overall) for the standing start, but would have his qualifying time disallowed due to being underweight at post-qualifying impound. After the race start, Haggai and Whitaker would be nose-to-tail heading into turn 1. Whitt, after starting at the back of the Honda Challenge field, would climb several positions at the start and would soon find himself on Whitaker’s tail. Whitt would get a great run coming out of turn 17, and would power by Whitaker for 2nd position on the last lap of the race! Haggai would claim the race win, with Whitt and Whitaker finishing 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Whitt would claim the fast H2 lap time with a 1:44.4.

In H4, Andrew Zimmerman in the #181 Integra would put his car on the pole as he has done several times this season with a time of 1:48.97. Lyonel Kent in the #95 Civic coupe would be right behind in 2nd with a time of 1:49.27, while Karl Kondor in the #31 Accord would start from 3rd with a time of 1:50.81. There was no looking back for Zimmerman, as he would cruise to the win from pole. Kondor would claim a well-earned 2nd, while Kent would DNF due to mechanical issues. Zimmerman also set fast lap for H4, a 1:48.7.

H5 would see its usual tight qualifying grid with the top 2 being separated by a mere 15 hundredth of a second. Adam Mouradian would put his #52 CRX on the pole with a time of 1:50.75, while David Lee in the #90 Integra was close behind with a time of 1:50.90. Beno Rubin in the #8 Civic would start from the 3rd spot, while Keith Edwards in the #46 CRX would start from 4th. There would be no stopping Mouradian, as he would obtain yet another win. Rubin would move into and retain 2nd for the duration of the race, while Edwards would claim a 3rd. Lee would suffer a DNF due to mechanical trouble. Mouradian would also set the fast lap for H5, a new track record 1:49.8.

H1 saw an even tighter qualifying grid compared to the day before, as the top 5 qualifiers were separated by less than a second. Franza would claim the class pole with a 1:41.18. Slagg would start from 2nd just two tenths behind with a 1:41.38, while Adam Curpier would be slotted in 3rd with a 1:41.75. Helms and Pete Curpier would start from 4th and 5th, while Drabouski, Reid, Culbert, Oldt, Bookler, and Andrew Lee would round out the H1 grid. Franza would be able to hold on to 1st for the race duration, and would take the win. Slagg would again claim 2nd. After a great start and using the H22 power, Pete Curpier would be able to overtake Helms at the start and settle into 4th position. Due to electrical issues, Pete Curpier would be forced to pit for repairs. This allowed Helms to move into 4th. After a great battle and exchanging positions twice, Helms was finally able to overtake Adam Curpier and hold onto 3rd position. Adam Curpier would hold onto 4th, while Todd Reid would turn in a great performance for 5th. Oldt, Culbert, Bookler, Drabouski, Lee, and Curpier would complete the finishing order. Franza would again set fast lap with a 1:41.08.

In H2, Whitaker and Haggai would swap qualifying positions from the day before, with Whitaker taking the pole with a time of 1:45.79. Haggai would post a time of 1:46.01, while Whitt would start from 3rd with a time of 1:47.18. At the start, Whitaker would give Haggai the “squeeze” to the inside, forcing Haggai into the grass pre-turn 1. After a few laps, and after some great driving, Whitt would get a great run on Haggai coming through turn 17, and would be able to pass Haggai for 2nd. He didn’t stop there, as he would also get by Whitaker for the race lead!  After exchanging positions, Whitaker and Haggai would battle for most of the race respectively, as a 2nd and 3rd seemed to be eminent as Whitt had built a considerable lead. However, on the last turn of the race, Whitt would experience clutch failure, and after an unbelievable drive, be passed on the front straight and would take a 3rd place finish. Whitaker would claim the win, while Haggai would take 2nd. As you could imagine, Whitt set the H2 fast lap of the race, a 1:45.37.

In H4, tight would be the only word to describe the top two slots on the grid. Zimmerman would get the pole by only 6 hundredths over Kent with a time of 1:48.40. Kondor would qualify in the 3rd spot with a 1:49.87. David Lee, after reclassifying himself to H4 at a lighter weight, would start from 4th with a 1:50.3. Zimmerman would yet again be able to hold on for yet another class win, while Kondor would take a well-earned 2nd. Kent, after having issues with traffic, would take 3rd. David Lee would claim 4th. Zimmerman again claimed fast H4 lap with a 1:48.53.

H5 would be yet another impressive show by Mouradian, as he would again claim the pole with a 1:49.50. Rubin would take the 2nd spot on the grid, while Edwards would start from the 3rd position in class. Mouradian would continue to affirm his claim for the 2006 championship by taking yet another class win, while Rubin and Edwards would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Mouradian would take another fast lap and better his track record from the day before, a 1:49.42!

The East Coast Honda Challenge would like to thank King RAT Motorsports, NASA Mid-Atlantic , the staff/workers/EV of Virginia International Raceway, the fans, and the drivers, along with their crew and families for braving the heat and making this yet another fantastic event.

The East Coast Honda Challenge makes its way back to Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia for rounds 13 and 14 of the 2006 season on August 26 and 27. For more information about the Honda Challenge series, please visit our website, www.honda-challenge.com .