The 2000 edition of the Motorola Cup consisted of 10-events (Daytona, Sebring, Phoenix International Raceway, Homestead-Miami, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Toronto Exhibition Place, Mosport, Watkins Glen and Virginia International Raceway) for showroom stock cars. With a few exceptions the races were mainly 3-hours in length. The cars were relatively unchanged from their road going versions – modifications were mandated primarily for safety – roll cages, window nets, etc. They also used spec DOT-approved tires produced by Hoosier. Based on performance potential the cars were divided into four groups:

  • Super Grand Sport: The quickest of all groups, this class was introduced in 2000 for the fastest mass produced vehicles. Cars competing in this group included the Chevrolet Corvette C5, Dodge Viper, Saleen Mustang SR, Porsche 911 Turbo, etc.
  • Grand Sport: Was an existing class that included cars such as Pontiac Firebird, BMW M3, Acura NSX, Ford Mustang Cobra R, Porsche 993, etc.
  • Sport Touring: Another new class was the result of combining the former Sport and Touring into one group. Popular vehicles found in this group were the BMW Z3 Coupe, Acura Integra Type R, BMW 328, Lexus GS 400, etc.
  • C2K: The previous year this category was called Compact but renamed C2K for 2000. It included the Honda Civic Si, Acura Integra GSR, Hyundai Tiburon, Mazda Miata, etc.

Close competitive racing with cars that fans could relate to contributed to the popularity of the series. It also provided an environment for automotive manufacturers to test and showcase their products.

To encourage participation and competition, the prize money was distributed based on class size – more cars competing in a class meant that more money was allocated to that group. The series prize fund was also bolstered by a Contingency Awards Program.

At Mid-Ohio, there was an entry of 54-cars, twice the size of the Motorola Cup race turnout when the series’ first appeared at the track in 1998.
Race leader Randy Pobst made contact with a Grand Sport class car in turn-eleven. The incident forced Pobst to pit for a new left rear wheel. This allowed the No. 19 Porsche now driven by Jean-Francois Dumoulin to take the class and overall lead. At this point in the event, it was clear sailing as Spenard and Dumoulin won by over 20-seconds.
David Brown was on a roll heading into Mid-Ohio. In the previous round at Miami-Homestead he and co-driver John Kohler won the Grand Sport class driving the TF Racing Ford Mustang Cobra R. And, prior to this event, at Phoenix, he won Grand Sport with John Shreiner. Unfortunately, his luck ran out at Mid-Ohio when the car retired with overheating problems.
One of the local entries was Honda of America Racing Team with a crew that included many Honda employees from the manufacturer’s Ohio facilities. Victorious in the C2K class sharing a Civic Si were team members, John Schmitt and Forrest Granlund. The team's other entry driven by Pete Halsmer and Bryan Johnson led the class much of the day but finished sixth in the C2K category.
The Grand Sport class was won by the father and son team of Sam and Brett Shanaman driving a Pontiac Firebird. About halfway through the race, the duo took over the lead from the class pole-sitters in the No. 97 Pontiac Firebird - Joe Kent and Charles Espenlaub. Kent and Espenlaub would finish third in Grand Sport and eighth overall.
The No. 93 Chevrolet Camaro driven by Clint Field and Brian Heggs spun early in the race. Fortunately, all competitors were able to avoid them allowing the team to continue and finish fourteenth in the Grand Sport category.
The Phoenix American Motorsports entry of John Heinricy and Stu Hayner started from the pole and during his stint, Heinricy was among the lead group. When Hayner took over the driving, he was also in the lead pack until a suspected spark plug problem caused him to slow. The team finished fourth but when the Pobst/Pilgrim Corvette was excluded they took the final spot on the podium.
Andy Lally and Howie Liebengood in the No. 49 BMW 328is were able to capitalize on the problems suffered by the Moser Acura Integra Type R to take the Sport Touring class victory. Also benefiting from the Moser's misfortune was Andy Linder and Jason Potter, who finished just 5-seconds behind the BMW.
Entering Mid-Ohio the No. 16 Porsche 993 driven by Al Wortzman and Mike McCalmont led the Grand Sports Driver Championship. The two had earned their first series victory at Sebring when they shared the driving duties with Darren Law. At the Mid-Ohio event the started seventh in Grand Sport but were able to finish second in class.
Ohio brothers Will and Wayne Nonnamaker raced the No. 41 Acura Integra GSR. Wayne’s knowledge of Mid-Ohio allowed him to earn the fastest time during qualifying for the C2K class. At the checkered flag, the brothers finished third in C2K and twentieth overall.
Mike Fitzgerald and Michael Culver in the Franz Blam prepared Chevrolet Corvette had their best race to date. When the Phoenix American Corvette experienced problems and the KAC Technologies Corvette was excluded the pair found themselves with a second overall and in the Super Grand Sport class. In fact, Fitzgerald led for four laps until he was black-flagged for entering the pits when they were closed.
Another team benefiting from the Moser Racing’s bad luck was the Power Racing Team Acura Integra Type R driven by Andy Linder and Jason Potter. The team started the race thirty-second overall and seventh in Sport Touring but were able to finish second in class and fourteenth overall.
One of the quickest cars in the Motorola Cup series was the No. 11 SGS class Powell Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette. Powell Motorsports had a lot of success with Corvettes in the SCCA’s World Challenge Series and the team car had won round one at Daytona. Entering Mid-Ohio Devin Powell and Doug Goad had managed third place finishes at Sebring and Phoenix. Mid-Ohio would not be one their better races as they finished ninth in class and twenty-sixth overall.
The No. 08 Chevrolet Corvette driven by Randy Pobst and Andy Pilgrim led laps 38 through 86. Pobst was leading when he and the Bill Black Pontiac Firebird made contact. After making a pit-stop to replace a damaged wheel, Pobst returned to finish third. However, the team was later excluded from the event due to an irregularity with the car’s flywheel.

FN.ST.NO.CLPSDRIVERCARLAPSSTATUS
1219SGS1Dumoulin / SpenardPorsche 911 Turbo106-
2422SGS2Culver / FitzgeraldChevrolet Corvette106-
3137SGS3Hayner / HeinricyChevrolet Corvette105-
4850SGS4Amick / VardeDodge Viper105-
51484GS1Shanaman / ShanamanPontiac Firebird102-
61616GS2Wortzman / McCalmont /LawPorsche 993102-
7730SGS5Conway / TonelliChevrolet Corvette101-
81097GS3Kent / EspenlaubPontiac Firebird101-
9643SGS6Nonnamaker / PateChevrolet Corvette100Off Course
101723GS4Snow / SnowBMW M3100-
111945GS5Baughman / HinesPontiac Firebird99-
122249ST1Liebebgood / LallyBMW 32899-
132474GS6Ackley / HoukFord Mustang Cobra R99-
143212ST2Linder / PotterAcura Integra Type R99-
153139GS7Yarosz / Zeigelman/ HaynerPontiac Firebird99-
163769C2K1Granlund / SchmittHonda Civic Si99-
174327C2K2Fenton / BeedeHonda Civic Si99-
182113GS8Black / DanaherPontiac Firebird99-
192363ST3Moser / MoserAcura Interga Type R99-
203441C2K3Nonnamaker / NonnamakerAcura Integra GSR99-
215478GS9Thompson / Hitt / ThompsonPontiac Firebird98-
222634ST4Villamil / ConnollyBMW Z3 Coupe98-
23456C2K4Herbert / CraigHyundai Tiburon98-
244848C2K5Magner / Del VecchioOldsmobile Achieva98-
253024ST5Colletti / KeravichAcura Integra Type R97Unknown
26911SGS7Powell / GoadChevrolet Corvette97-
273600C2K6Halsmer / JohnsonHonda Civic Si96-
282896GS10England / MitchellPontiac Firebird96-
294771GS11Pfeifer / HeltonBMW M396-
302772ST6Trask / TraskBMW Z3 Coupe96-
315267C2K7Kiel / QuinetteHonda Civic Si95-
322970ST7Patch / PlumbBMW Z3 Coupe95-
33408C2K8Cullen / Dal CinHyundai Tiburon95-
345161GS12McDougall / McGlynnAudi S493-
354951C2K9Baglier / LuffyMazda MX693-
363876GS13Lynch / FitzgeraldMazda RX7 Turbo92-
37598SGS8Miller / CoxChevrolet Corvette92-
383990ST8Bunting / PiscelliLexus GS40092-
394493GS14Heggs / FeildChevrolet Camaro91-
40419ST9Gleason / GoldsboroLexus GS40087-
413591C2K10Phillips / CookMazda Miata78Transmission
423315ST10Steiner / JamesBMW 325is77Unknown
431210GS15Bourassa / StewartAudi S471-
444292C2K11Whitaker / KerrMazda Miata68Mechanical
455529C2K12Speakman / Schwarz Nissan 240SX61Unknown
461517GS16Brown / KohlerFord Mustang Cobra R53Overheating
475344SGS9DeFontes / BorchellerSaleen SR47Contact
482575GS17Mountain / SchreinerFord Mustang Cobra R46Clutch
491352GS18Rehagen / DishawFord Mustang Cobra R45Oil Pressure
502018GS19Herzog / Diaz Jr.Ford Mustang Cobra R38Unknown
515042C2K13Starita / WymoreAcura Integra GSR29Accident
521855GS20Schulteis / GilbertFord Mustang Cobra R9Mechanical
531132GS21Weinberg / HaynerPontiac Firebird8Off Course
EXCL308SGS10Pilgrim / PobstChevrolet Corvette106Excluded
544660ST11Pawley / StephensToyota Supra0DNS


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