2007 Miller Motorsports Park

In 2006, the International Motor Sport Association (IMSA) introduced IMSA Lites. The series was created to provide an opportunity for drivers competing at the amateur level to advance to a professional series or to prepare for a category such as the American Le Mans (ALMS). The mission is to develop future drivers and teams for the ALMS.

IMSA Lites features three classes of purpose-built sports racing prototypes – Lites 1, Lites 2 and Lites 3. The primary factor determining the categorization of a car is engine displacement.

Lites 1 (L1) – This is the fastest category. The most common vehicle in this group is the Elan DP-02 manufactured by Elan Van Diemen. The DP-02 features a carbon fiber monocoque fitted with an aerodynamic package that includes a front splitter, diffuser and rear wing. The car is powered by a 2.3-liter four-cylinder Mazda MZR motor mounted to a six-speed sequential transmission.
Lites 2 (L2) – This group includes several chassis and engine combinations. The West WR1000 is a popular choice powered by a 1000-cc Kawasaki ZX engine. The car also uses an electronic paddle-shift system.
Lites 3 (L3) – Only one car competes in this category. The Van Diemen DP-06, introduced by the Sports Car Club of America in 2002, is powered by a 2.3-liter Mazda MZR engine.

2007 IMSA Lites Championship consisted of six race weekends, with doubleheaders at each event.

March 16-17 – Sebring International Raceway
May 18-19 – Miller Motorsports Park
July 6-7 - Lime Rock Park
August 25-26 – Mosport International Raceway
October 4-5 - Road Atlanta
October 20-21 – Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

In addition to a driver’s championship, there are also titles for Teams and Constructors.

Rounds three and four of the 2007 IMSA Lites Championship presented by Hankook Performance Tires were conducted at Miller Motorsports Park. Drivers would compete on the twenty-three turn 4.486-mile road course.

The pace lap and twenty-four IMSA Lites competitors enter corner twenty-three for the start of round four of the championship. On the pole is the No. 6 Paralix Racing Elan DP-02 of Tonis Kasemets. On the outside of Kasemets is the second-fastest qualifier and L1 points leader, Gerardo Bonilla, driving the No. 9 BK Motorsports / Skip Barber Elan DP-02. Occupying row two are Jay Cochran and Joel Feinberg.

The L1 points leader when the series arrived at Miller Motorsports Park was Gerardo Bonilla, who won the first two races of the year at Sebring International Raceway. Bonilla qualified second in the No. 9 BK Motorsports / Skip Barber Elan DP-02 for the weekend’s first contest but collected his third consecutive victory. His streak would end on Sunday when the car caught fire and he retired on lap-2.

Earning the first L2 win of the weekend at Miller Motorsports Park was Eric Vassian. 2007 was Vassian’s second year competing in the IMSA Lites Championship with PVM Racing in the No. 24 West WR1000. He moved from thirteenth overall and third in class to claim the victory. On Sunday, Vassian was gridded third in the L2 category but moved into second and finished 13.727-seconds behind the winner, Robby Card.

The L3 honours went to Chris Funk, who qualified on the class pole on Saturday. The driver of the No. 5 KC Racing Van Diemen DP-06 grabbed a win and runner-up result on the first weekend of the year at Sebring International Raceway. Funk qualified first in class on his way to his victory. The following day the category belonged to two-time Spec Racer Ford National champion Richard Spicer.

Tonis Kasemets had a pair of L1 runner-up results in the opening rounds at Sebring International Raceway. At Miller Motorsports Park, he put the No. 6 Paralix Racing Elan DP-02 on the pole, but in the race, he lost the top spot to Gerardo Bonilla and collected another second-place finish. Kasemets started the finale in first place. Bonilla retired on lap-2 of the race, which allowed Kasemets to collect his first victory.

The No. 45 PVM Racing prepared West WR1000 was driven by Robby Card. Card won the L2 category in round two at Sebring International Raceway. He was the fastest qualifier in class for Saturday’s contest. During the race, he set a new lap record. Unfortunately, he fell out of contention and finished last in L2. The following day, Card started on the class pole and redeemed himself with his second victory of 2007.

POS.	CLASS	DRIVERS	CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	L1	Gerardo Bonilla	Elan DP-02	10	-
2	L1	Tonis Kasemets	Elan DP-02	10	-
3	L1	Jay Cochran	Elan DP-02	10	-
4	L1	Joel Feinberg	Elan DP-02	10	-
5	L1	Chapman Ducote	Elan DP-02	10	-
6	L2	Eric Vassian	West WR1000	10	-
7	L1	Matt Downs	Elan DP-02	10	-
8	L1	Tom Mabey	Elan DP-02	10	-
9	L3	Chris Funk	Van Diemen DP-06	10	-
10	L3	Kelly Toombs	Van Diemen DP-06	10	-
11	L1	Johnny Meriggi	Elan DP-02	10	-
12	L3	Robert Mumm	Van Diemen DP-06	10	-
13	L2	Alex Gonzalez	West WR1000	10	-
14	L3	Jay Meale	Van Diemen DP-06	10	-
15	L2	Mark White	West WR1000	10	-
16	L1	Richard Berry	Elan DP-02	10	-
17	L2	Michael Mallinen	West WR1000	10	-
18	L3	Jeff Fishman	Van Diemen DP-06	10	-
19	L1	Dan Weyland	Elan DP-02	10	-
20	L3	Chris Doyle	Van Diemen DP-06	10	-
21	L2	Robby Card	West WR1000	9	-
22	L3	Paul Schneider	Van Diemen DP-06	6	Did Not Finish
23	L1	Mishael Abbott	Elan DP-02	2	Did Not Finish
24	L3	Richard Spicer	Van Diemen DP-06	0	Did Not Finish
25	L1	Kerry Jacobsen	Elan DP-02	-	Excluded

POS.	CLASS	DRIVERS	CAR / ENTRANT	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	L1	Tonis Kasemets	Elan DP-02	11	-
2	L1	Jay Cochran	Elan DP-02	11	-
3	L1	Matt Downs	Elan DP-02	11	-
4	L1	Kerry Jacobsen	Elan DP-02	11	-
5	L1	Joel Feinberg	Elan DP-02	11	-
6	L1	Chapman Ducote	Elan DP-02	11	-
7	L1	Johnny Meriggi	Elan DP-02	11	-
8	L1	Mishael Abbott	Elan DP-02	11	-
9	L1	Tom Mabey	Elan DP-02	11	-
10	L2	Robby Card	West WR1000	11	-
11	L2	Eric Vassian	West WR1000	11	-
12	L2	Mark White	West WR1000	11	-
13	L2	Michael Mallinen	West WR1000	11	-
14	L1	Dan Weyland	Elan DP-02	11	-
15	L1	Richard Berry	Elan DP-02	11	-
16	L3	Richard Spicer	Van Diemen DP-06	11	-
17	L2	Alex Gonzalez	West WR1000	11	-
18	L3	Kelly Toombs	Van Diemen DP-06	11	-
19	L3	Robert Mumm	Van Diemen DP-06	11	-
20	L3	Chris Doyle	Van Diemen DP-06	10	-
21	L3	Jeff Fishman	Van Diemen DP-06	10	-
22	L3	Jay Meale	Van Diemen DP-06	7	Did Not Finish
23	L1	Gerardo Bonilla	Elan DP-02	2	Fire
24	L3	Chris Funk	Van Diemen DP-06	0	Did Not Finish
25	L3	Paul Schneider	Van Diemen DP-06	-	Did Not Start

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