The spring desert weather in Chuckwalla Valley was full sun with 90 degree air temps and up to 120 degree track temps, which meant tires would have a big impact on the weekend.
With a lap time of 1.55.698, Geoff Sykes qualified 2nd on the grid for the season opening west coast race in the BMW Club series.
For the first 25 minutes of the 40 minute sprint race, there was barely a car length between Sykes and the leading #33 car of Vic Pizzino. Sykes hounded Pizzino to the left and to the right all around the track until lap 12, when Geoff boldly went for the pass on the outside of turns 6 and 7 and made it stick.
“It was an intense battle between us and even though both our tires were heating up, we kept trading fastest laptimes, even to the very end of the race!”, said Sykes, taking the win by a mere 2/10ths of a second, in what was considered one of the most exciting races to watch in recent history.
Sunday’s race saw Sykes start on the pole, having set a blistering time of 1.53.412 in qualifying. However fading tires meant a struggle to hold on to second place in both of Sunday’s races, with Sykes finishing the weekend on two sets of corded tires.
“With 1 win, 1 pole, as well as 3 trips to the podium, this was a successful weekend for us in the Replay XD E46 M3,” said Sykes, “and with our partners Perfect Fitness and Tour Angle 144, we’re really looking forward to campaigning a good season.”
In addition, Sykes scored the fastest lap of the weekend along with a new lap record for the track.
