The Boss Returns
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (June 30) - In a race run in two halves, split by a
 brief but sudden downpour, Barber Dodge Pro Series points leader Fredrik
Larsson spun off in Turn One in the first segment then hit oil and/or
coolant in  the second half, putting him into the wall and ending his day.
Geoff Boss on the  other hand was picture-perfect through the rain and
 debris and took his long awaited first 1996 win. Ricky Moran, Jr., and
Thomas Schie made it through the mayhem for second and third, respectively.
     On a damp-but-drying track, the moment the green flag flew it began to
rain. The 27-car field headed to One, but numerous drivers, including Larsson,
went in too hot and spun off the suddenly very slick track. Boss, starting
fourth, top-toed through to the lead, while Moran, who started second, lost a
bunch of spots trying to avoid Larsson. Tony Renna took second and Schie
 third. The rain began to lighten, but then came down even harder. After four
laps, officials threw a full-course caution, then the red flag.
    On the re-start an hour later, on a damp-but-drying track and the field
still on slicks, Boss kept his lead but had Renna right on his gearbox and
Jeff Bucknum right behind him, having disposed of Schie in Turn One.
Then Renna, Bucknum, John McCaig and Larsson, somewhere mid-pack, went
flying off the track in Turn 10.
"There was oil or coolant or something, right on the line," Boss said.
" I had a big slide but saved it. The other guys weren't so lucky."
     Moran, who had qualified an outstanding second, was seventh for the
re-start, having lost all those positions in the  "first half ". But he was
onfire in the second half, working his way past Derek Hill, Rino Mastronardi
 and
Steve Rikert in four laps time. With about eight minutes remaining, he got a
run on Schie up thorugh the Esses and got him under braking for the Chicane.
"I might have had something for Geoff had I gotten past everybody sooner,
but really, I am very happy. Second is fantastic right now," Moran said,
 with a  smiling Rocky, Sr. nearby.
     Rikert had his best ever Barber Dodge race, running with the leaders all
weekend. His fifth place means yet another driver to be added to the list of
potential podium players.
     Hill was on track for his third straight podium result, taking third
from Schie five laps from the end, when he hit a bump, knocking off the
starter switch key. He figured it out quickly and turned the switch back up,
but not before losing two spots, crossing the line sixth. Tim Moser struggled
through electronic and chassis problems the whole weekend, then damaged a
front  wing and a zillion spots when he spun off in the first half. But he
does not ever give up and Moser made sure he got himself into the points by
race's end, finishing eighth, just behind Leandro Larrosa. Philippe Siffert
and G.J. Mennen rounded out the top 10.
     Moser lost second place in the points to Rino Mastronardi, but Larsson's
overall lead to second and third place was cut. Boss' win, following a very
tough start for a pre-season title favorite (he had scored just 13 points
through the first five races), moved him to 10th overall. The next race, Sears
Point Raceway July 14, was the site of his third win last year, when Boss
finished second to eventual champion Jaki Scheckter.
     If the last names of three of the drivers in this race ring up F1 bells,
you are not mistaken: Three sons of former World Championship drivers started
this race, the first time anyone can remember something like this occurring;
Bucknum, Hill and Siffert are the sons of Ronnie, Phil and Jo.      -Rick Roso

SCCA Pro Racing, Barber Dodge Pro Series race results, round 6 (June 30),
Watkins Glen International, 2.54-mile, 8-turn "NASCAR Short Course."

Round 6:
Fin.    St.  Driver, town or country, laps completed, reason out (if any),
prize
1.      (4)  Geoff Boss, Narragansett, R.I., 97.759 mph (R), 20 laps, $10,000
2.      (2)  Rocky Moran, Jr., Coto de Caza, Calif., 20, $6,500
3.      (6)  Thomas Schie, Norway, 20, $4,000
4.      (11) Rino Mastronardi, Italy, 20, $2,500
5.      (8)  Steven Rikert, Rhinebeck, N.Y., 20, $1,800
6.      (17) Derek Hill, Santa Monica, Calif., 20, $1,500
7.      (15) Leandro Larrosa, Argentina, 20, $1,300
8.      (5)  Tim Moser, Ventura Calif., 20, $1,200
9.      (22) Philippe Siffert, Switzerland, 20, $1,500
10.     (21) G.J. Mennen, New Vernon, N.J., 20, $1,000
11.     (18) Skip Streets, Manhattan Beach, Calif., 20, $800
12.     (19) Carlo Bonetti, Brasil, 20, $1,200
13.     (26) Michael Kratz, Germany, 20, $600
14.     (24) Jarrett Boon, Chandler, Ariz., 20, $500
15.     (27) Patsy DiFilippo, Apollo, Pa., 20, $500
16.     (13) Bryan Selby, Alpine, Calif., 20, $500
17.     (16) Nick OSullivan, 19,, $500
18.     (3)  Tony Renna, Deland, Fla., 8, accident, $500
19.     (7)  Jeff Bucknum, Novato, Calif., 8, accident, $500
20.     (20) John McCaig, Canada, 8, accident, $500
21.     (1)  Fredrik Larsson, Sweden, 8, accident, $500
22.     (23) Kym Fontana, Houston, Texas, 7, accident, $500
23.     (12) Seiji Ara, Japan, 4, accident, $500
24.     (9)  Andres Felipe Gomez, Colombia, 2, accident, $500
25.     (14) Memo Gidley, San Rafael, Calif., 2, accident, $500
26.     (10) Chris Mennninga, Pella, Iowa, 1, accident, $500
27.     (25) Art Coia, Barrington, R.I., 1, accident, $500

Time of race: 30 minutes, 04.420 seconds
Winning speed: 97.759 mph (R)
Distance: 20 laps, 50.80 miles
Margin of Victory: 2.050 seconds
Most Progressive Driver: Siffert, 22nd to 9th
Lap leaders: Boss, 1 - 20

qualifying session summaries are availabe on the
unofficial Skip Barber Racing WWW site:
  http://www.albany.edu/~gr743




Points following round 6:
1. Fredrik Larsson      79
2. Rino Mastronardi     63
3. Tim Moser            62
4. Thomas Schie         59
5. Derek Hill           54
6. Tony Renna           45
7. Jeff Bucknum         42
8. Bryan Selby          38
9. Geoff Boss           33
10.Seiji Ara            33
Next race: Sears Point Raceway, Sonoma, Calif., July 14

for more information on the Skip Barber Racing School or the
Barber Dodge Pro Series   email to :  SPEED@SKIPBARBER.COM