Checking in on East Coast 944 Cup Racing

By the time the days get longer and the temperatures are on the rise, the 944 Cup has already motored through nearly half of the 26 events across the nation scheduled for the series’ 17th season. Let’s look at the five Chapters that comprise the regional championships for the series held in the East and West, to find out who might just have a head start on championships.

Warm-Weather Races Ignite Southern 944 Competition
With Sebring, NOLA and Road Atlanta on the books to open the season for the South, fields have begun to take shape – 68 total entries in all for the three 944 Cup classes. While the faster SP3 944’s have typically lead the way in car counts in recent years, this season shows the pure spec SP1 cars have are now fighting for the claim to the most populated 944 class.
944 Cup Veterans Brent Knoll, Larry Helm, and Denny Hiffman have blasted out of the gates to take the early lead in their respective classes for SP1, 2 and 3. But the pack behind lingers close behind with drivers like Mitchell Butaud, Rodrigo Herrera and Karl Poeltl boasting a combined total of 10 wins to date, keeping the pressure on for the second half of the season. .

North Chapter sets the Stage at Lime Rock
As if the official start of the North season did not create enough anticipation, four drivers in SP3 are all within 12 points of each other going into Round 2, with Denny Wasser makes his presence felt occupying the top spot. Next up is Watkins Glen, already bragging of a 40 car field for the 944 Cup classes as of this writing. Not going unnoticed is the welcomed return of former Cup champ Jim Rothenberger, who had his season unexpectedly cut short in 2017, but has returned to SP2 to take the early lead in the standings. Long time 944 racer Dave Mann hopes to spoil the champs return as he rides just behind in second place. .

Mid Ohio Opens for Midwest
SP3 and the Eurosport stable has long dominated the 944 Cup series in the Midwest Chapter, and its shaping up for an encore in 2018 with multiyear champ Denny Hiffman tied for first place with Jim Hamman who is mounting a legitimate effort to unseat the champ with solid finishes in the opener. But the chapter championship is long form being decided with 9 races still to go and some of the best drivers and cars in the country staging for another barn burner in the class.

SP1 reigns Supreme in Southwest
In last year’s 944 Cup National Championship West race at Hallett, SP1 drivers set a record count for PCA and 944 Spec cars anywhere with 35+ cars. SP1 is poised again to bring these phenomenal numbers back to the track in the Southwest with huge fields showing up at COTA, NOLA and the Heartland tracks. The warm weather at these events has allowed the chapter to already run 9 of 11 races in the books with Michael Butaud taking a stranglehold on the Southwest crown with 7 wins. The last two races of the season at Hallett include two double points races, giving hopeful SP1 drivers like Bruce Kingsley, Steve Coomes and Jose Ayala a chance to upset the leader.

944 Cup Nationals
The 944 Cup Nationals is a one race head to head competition to determine the 944 Cup National Champions for each of the three 944 Cup classes that take place in both the East and West.
The venue for the 944 Cup Nationals East will be at the iconic Daytona International Speedway on October 26-28. The venue for 944 Cup Nationals West will be in Hallett Motor Race Circuit on October 6-7. The best of the best and those trying to elevate their skills will be in attendance at the 944 Cup Nationals.

Any PCA club racer who has participated in at least one regional 944 Cup event during the season is eligible to become either or both East and/or West 944 Cup National Champion.

Can't wait for the events. Cheers for the update, Dave. Who is considered a favorite to win the whole thing this year btw?

Most regional championships are still up in the air. So, you can check with the standings for each chapter and class to see who is in contention: http://44cup.com/chapters

For Nationals, look to past champions for the favorites: http://44cup.com/champs