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Mid-Season Report - Prather Cars
Gaining Momentum
MGA Improved, Jesse Goes FP Racing
TOPEKA,
Kan.
(July 4, 2006) - Prather Racing has picked a fine time to gain
momentum, with a string of victories in SCCA Club Racing competition with
a variety of cars as summer begins and the 2006 National season hits its
midpoint.
Never willing to rest on his laurels, Kent Prather
completed a lengthy offseason rebuild of the venerable #26 Prather
Racing/Moss Motors/Goodyear MGA that has carried him to a record six
national championships. Most importantly, the car's historic front
suspension has been completely redesigned and replaced.
Prather shook the car down for the first time in a
series of exhibition laps at the vintage race in Hallet, Okla. at the
beginning of June, a race that son Jesse took the Prather Racing vintage
MGB to victory.
One week later, June 11,
Kent
gave the car its first test of the season at the biggest National
Heartland Park Topeka has ever seen, with nearly 300 cars in attendance
and a number of National Championship contenders. Prather was pleased with
the car's performance, and despite a late-race spin to avoid another
spinning car, Prather started his season off with a third place finish in
G Production.
Less than a month later,
Kent
gave the MGA its first National win of the season July 3 at Hallet.
After planning to take the season off,
Jesse Prather
saw an opportunity he couldn't pass up--the F Production Mazda Miata he
built for
Chris Bovis
two years ago. Jesse had planned to build a new car this offseason, but
when Bovis' car became available, the decision was easy.
Starting in July meant Jesse had only four Midwest
Division races to fulfill his requirements to make the Runoffs. His effort
started out well, with a dramatic win in Hallet after 2005 Runoffs pole
winner and early leader John Saurino suffered a mechanical failure in the
last corner.
Jesse's win marked the third in the last four F
Production races for a Prather Racing-powered car in the Midwest Division.
Eric Prill
scored wins at Mid America Motorplex (April) and Heartland (June) in his
1-800-FIGHT-MS/Prather Racing/Hoosier Lotus Super Seven. At Heartland, he
topped both front row starters from the 2005 Runoffs—Saurino and Steve
Sargis, and took a new track record. There were no F Production Prather
Racing cars at Gateway in early May, meaning no possibility for
four-straight.
Jesse and Kent will both attempt to continue their
winning ways July 30 at Mid-America Motorplex, followed by Gateway (St. Louis,
Mo.) on Aug. 13 and finally back at Heartland Park Topeka on Sept. 3.
For results from each race, please visit the Results
section of the site.
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