Nadeau Perfect, Second is Good Enough for Scheckter
 
The 1995 Barber/Dodge Pro Series wrapped up at the New
Orleans street curcuit on October 8. The were two stories
the race itself, and the three way series title fight
between Geoff Boss, Barry Waddell amd Jaki Scheckter.
 
Jerry Nadeau, a former Barber Pro Series competitor who
moved his effort to the NASCAR Busch Grand National series
this season, reprised his New Hampshire winning performance
through the streets of the Big Easy. Pole, lead every lap,
take the win, has been Nadeau's series story this year,
a perfect two for two. While it wasn't much of battle
up front, the war for the series crown raged.
 
Scheckter and Boss put on a heck of a show, with the South
African nephew of the former F1 World Champ taking the title,
due in large measure to his own driving ability AND a
classy performance by Boss. Boss came into the race as
the series leader, and the luxury of knowing that if he
and Scheckter DNF'd the titleholder would be Boss. The
Rhode Islander had the opportunity to win the '95 Barber
Dodge crown in the same manner that have decided several
recent F1 world championships. With five minutes left
Boss was running right under Scheckter's rear wing, and
then got a run on SWcheckter out of turn four, headed
for Macy's, an off-camber left-hander at the end of
the fats back straight. Boss stuck his nose inside as
both cars late-braked. But Boss realized it might not
work. Had he stayed with it, it might have worked and
he'd be in second place. But if if didn't they'd both
be taken out. And Boss would be champion. But Boss didn't
do what he easily could have; he backed off and gave
Scheckter a car width. In the process Boss got off into
the marbles and slid softly into the tire barrrier. End
of title dreams. "I didn't  want to win it that way, by
crashing" Boss said later "I was sure I could get him
cleanly". Eleventh place would not be good enough to
turn the crown to Boss, so Jaki Scheckter takes the
$100,000 NGK Career Enhancement Award and the first
series title for the Dodge powered Barber Pro Series cars.
 
For the third contender Barry Waddell it was an uphill
fight all weekend -- with the best ten finishes counting
Waddell had to drop one scrore, so he was in a must-win
situation and the pieces just never fell together.
 
ESP will broadcast the Barber/Dodge Pro Series New
Orleans finale on Saturday October 28 at 4 pm. EDT
 
Order of finish
fin  start  driver & home              laps    notes
1    1      Jerry Nadeau  Charlotte NC  20
2    2      Jaki Scheckter  SAfrica     20
3    5      Thomas Schie    Norway      20
4    10     Andres Gomez   Colombia     20
5    7      Mattias Andersson  Sweden   20
6    11     Skip Streets  ManhattanBchCA20
7    15     Fredrik Larsson  Sweden     20
8    8      Barry Waddell  Evansviile IN20
9    12     Giovanni Gulinelli  Italy   20
10   13     Leandro Larossa  Argentina  20
11   4      Geoff Boss Narragansett RI  20
12   16     Will Pace     Jackson MS    20
13   18     George Frazier  ProspectKY  20
14   17     Jarrett Boon   Chandler AZ  20
15   20     Cary Capparelli  Chicago IL 20
16   21     John Walzinger SanClementeCA19
17   6      Tony  Renna   Deland FL     17 DNF accident
18   19     Patsy DeFillipo Apollo PA   11 DNF accident
19   14     Chris Menninga   Pella IA    4 DNF accident
20   3      Luis Zervigon  New OrleansLA 2 DNF accident
21   9      Tim Moser  Ventura CA        0 DNF accident
 
lap leader : 1-20 Nadeau
fastest race lap: Andersson  1:09.983
 
thanks to Rick Roso for providing the race notes
 
for more information:
 
Skip Barber Racing School  --        Rick Ratajczak  203 435-1300
 
Barber Dodge Pro Series    --        Rick Roso       203 435-4646
 
 
all typos are mine, with apologies
 
 
Greg Rickes