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SPEED SECRETS DRIVER MIKE HILL TAKES OPENING TWO ROUNDS OF STAR MAZDA

Mike Hill Sweeps Opening Weekend of 2007-2008 Winter Series

November 19, 2007. Buttonwillow, California. Driving the #2 John Walko Racing Pro Formula Mazda, Mike Hill, from Gilroy, California, swept the opening weekend doubleheader at Buttonwillow Raceway Park for the 2007-2008 Formula Mazda Challenge Winter Series presented by Standing Start on November 17 and 18. Mike had not sat in a Star Mazda car until the week before the race. He was lead by Speed Secrets coach Gord Bentley and the top level team of John Walko Racing during a two-day test prior to the event where he proved to be a quick study under Coach Bentley. “We were introduced to Mike through our driver coach Gord Bentley at Speed Secrets. We spent some time with him at our season ending race at Laguna Seca and have been working on a deal ever since," commented team owner John Walko. "Mike has had a lot of success in karting, racing in the competitive California karting scene. That area has produced some of the top drivers in Star Mazda recently so we hope that Mike can carry on that tradition." Mike quickly adapted to the Mazda powered car, although the first test day was not without a little drama, as Mike had a couple of quick spins as he came to grips with the car. Mike’s Speed Secrets coach got him settled down and properly focused and he went to work on learning the car and communicating with the Walko crew. By the second day of the test, Mike was getting up to speed and was well on his way. Mike and Gord had found their groove working together and the team was listening to Mike’s feedback, making changes to the set up that would ultimately end up in a great race day package. Hill, who finished 15th in the 2007 Formula BMW Championship while competing for Team KWA, qualified second for both events and drove smart races to record the double victories, putting a lap on the field in Saturday's event and taking advantage of a miscue by pole sitter Taylor Hacquard to jump to the front in Round Two. The first race was tense at the start with a number of cars, Hill included, having to take evasive action in the first turn. Mike regained the track in third place where he wasted no time in tracking down the leaders – and was all the way up into first place by the end of lap one. Hill put his head down and drove flawlessly, eventually lapping the entire field, to record his first Star Mazda Winter Series win on his first try. Joining Hill on the podium for the opening round of the championship were World Speed Motorsports team-mates Frank McCormick and Dave House after Taylor Hacquard, Hill and Hearn Motorsports driver Billy Goshen got tangled up on the opening lap with Goshen retiring on the spot and Hacquard pulling to a stop six laps later with mechanical trouble. Sunday saw Hacquard and Hill forming the front row once again. Mike started where he left off with a strong qualifying effort that was bested only by Taylor Hacquard on a late session charge. Hacquard built an early lead in the 19 lap affair, but Mike made up the gap and began worrying Hacquard who eventually succumbed to the pressure, allowing Hill to take the lead. Hacquard was able to close the gap to Hill at one point, but could not match the pace of the Speed Secrets driver and spun trying to keep up. Mike Hill went on to his second victory of the weekend, building an 18 second cushion in the process. He was joined on the podium by Hacquard and Goshen. It was a great first outing for a young driver with his first experience with a Speed Secrets coach. JWR provided a quick, reliable car and the combination proved to be too much for the rest of the field

Written By: host
Date Posted: 3/27/2008
Number of Views: 4885

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