Motorsport News International
ACRL: 1994 season wrap-up
Bob Kehoe
Wheel-to-wheel mailing list
For Immediate Release
MARGIE SMITH-HAAS of TEAM SAN DIEGO CLAIMS 1994 AMERICAN
CITY RACING LEAGUE DRIVER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
Portland, OR, October 18 -- Years of dedication and hard work
finally paid a premium for Margie Smith-Haas of Team San Diego
when she was recently crowned the 1994 ACRL Driver's Champion
in the Super Sports 2000 Division. She drove her familiar
Valvoline-sponsored Swift DB2-Falcon/Ford-Cosworth, crew-chiefed
by her husband Paul along with Dan Taylor, to a second-place
finish in six of eight races this season, as well as capturing
the pole position at Thunderhill Park and the Molson Indy Vancouver.
Only once this year, at Seattle, did she fall(fail) to qualify and
finish in the Top Five.
Smith-Haas becomes the first female to win an SCCA Professional
Road Racing Cahmpionship. In 1993, she finished second in the
ACRL Driver's Championship behind Lee Lucas of Team San Jose.
The Del Mar, California-based driver, who shared ACRL's 1994
"Rising Star" award with San Diego teammate Gary Green, has
competed in England, Italy, France and Australia. In 1984 and
1985 Smith-Haas was the only woman to compete in the 24 Hours of
LeMans. For the past eleven years the former high school teacher
and coach has also m been a member of the PPG Pace Car Team at
IndyCar events.
Lucas, who drove to four victories in 1994, ended the season second
in driver points in the Super Sports 2000 Division, just one point
ahead of Peter Zarcades of Team Los Angeles. Zarcades recorded
three season wins. Larry Vollum of Team Portland, named ACRL's
1994 Rookie of the Year, finished fourth overall followed by Team
Spokane's Craig T. Nelson. Nelson, whose Screaming Eagles Racing
Team also campaigns a Lexus-powered Spice chassis in selected IMSA
WSC events, recoreded two fourth-place finishes in 1994 at Willow
Springs and Seattle.
ACRL's 1994 Sports 2000 Division Driver's Champion is Dan Clark,
Nelson's teammate at Team Spokane. Clark battled with Gordon Clark
of Team Los Angeles throughout the season for the title, earning the
crown by a mre (mere) seven points. Ian Wood of Team Burnaby, BC
finished third overall in this division, followed by Joe Giroski of
Team Woodland and Jay Leeman of Team Spokane.
Smith-Haas also led San Diego to the 1994 City-Team title, ending
San Jose's domination over the past three years. Her teammates
throughout the year included Gary Green and Leo Sismani, with
Roger Werner and David Welch sharing the team colors at several
events. Los Angles finished second; San Jose finished third.
Spokane and Portland ended in a tie, with Spokane finishing
fourth following a tie-breaking decision.
J.R. Parrish of Team San Jose was named ACRL's Most Improb(v)ed Driver
during 1994, while Ian Wood earned the Sportsperson of the Year award.
Lucas won the Series' Hard Luck Award, while Dan Taylor was named
Mechanic of the Year.
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(sorry for the typos - dyslexic keyboard)
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