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When the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) removed Sports 2000's National status, owners of these cars were required
to comply with the new Prototype rules and make modifications or retire their vehicles.
However, the Sports 2000 North American (S2NA) group was formed and has given owners of
Sports 2000 cars another alternative which is to compete in the S2NA series.
The series consists of four race weekends, with events in America and Canada.
In 1978, Sports 2000 cars made their first appearance in North America and were recognized as a National class by the Sports Car Club of America in 1980. The cars are rear engine open-cockpit purpose-built prototypes. They are constructed by British and American manufacturers such as Lola, Swift, Tiga, Doran, etc. The chassis' are either an aluminum monocoque or tube frame design. All Sports 2000 racers are powered by a four-cylinder, two-liter single-overhead camshaft engine previously used in the Ford Pinto and Mustang. Fitted to the motor is a Hewland MK9 transaxle. Depending on the camshaft option, a vehicle must weigh no less than 1310 or 1335-pounds with the driver. There are three classes in the S2NA series:
The first weekend of the 2025 Sports 2000 North American series was held at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park during the VARAC Vintage Grand Prix. Drivers competed in four races around the ten-turn 2.459-mile road course.
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A depleted field of ten Sports 2000 North American competitors head into Canadian Tire Motorsport Park’s corner one for the final contest of the weekend. Leading the field is local racer Connor Clubine in the No. 6 British West Motorsport prepared Swift DB2. Trailing Clubine is the No. 98 Swift DB2 of another local driver, Jim Hallman. Behind the leaders is Mark Coombs, driving the No. 17 Lola T90/90. |
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The 2024 Toyo Tires F1600A champion, Connor Clubine, drove the No. 6 British West Motorsport Swift DB2. Clubine was making his series debut and competed in the Vintage Sports 2000 category. In race one, he qualified second overall and first in class. Clubine was no match for Sports 2000 competitor Brent Gernert and finished third overall. During the VARAC event, he earned two overall and four class victories. |
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The No. 5 Lola T90/91 was driven by Ben Sinnott, a competitor in the Sports 2000 class. This wasn’t Sinnott’s first visit to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. When the series last stopped at the facility in 2023, he won three of four races. Sinnott was the fastest qualifier for Friday’s race and went flag-to-flag for the victory. The next morning, he lost a position to Brent Gernert and finished in second place. Sinnott failed to complete the next round but returned for the finale to grab a class win. |
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Brent Gernert also visited the VARAC Grand Prix in 2023, driving the No. 76 Lola T90/90. Gernert won the last race of the event and went on to secure the 2023 Sports 2000 championship. He was gridded third for the weekend’s first contest and passed Vintage Sports 2000 competitor Connor Clubine to finish second overall. The next morning, Gernert grabbed a victory. Saturday afternoon, he retired. On Sunday, Gernert failed to take the Starter’s flag. |
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Another local competitor at the VARAC Grand Prix was Jim Hallman, driving the No. 98 Swift DB2. He raced in the Vintage Sports 2000 class. Hallman was the 2023 Vintage Sports 2000 champion and finished fifth in last year’s points chase. In this year’s season opener, he finished fifth in class and thirteenth overall. Hallman was prepared for the next three contests but was no match for Connor Clubine, finishing third overall in each race. |
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Mark Coombs pilots the No. 17 Lola T90/90, which is categorized in the Sports 2000 class. Coombs was entered in the 2023 and 2024 Sports 2000 North American series. Last year, he finished seventh in the final standings, but the previous season, Coombs was fifth in the championship. He started 2025 by finishing fourth in the first two races. When the leaders, Ben Sinnott and Brent Gernert, encountered issues, Coombs grabbed the victory. In the finale, he was fourth in class. |
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| FINISH | CLASS | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | S2 | Ben Sinnott | 1991 Lola T90/91 | 14 | - |
| 2 | S2 | Brent Gernert | 1990 Lola T90/90 | 14 | - |
| 3 | VS2 | Connor Clubine | 1987 Swift DB2 | 14 | - |
| 4 | S2 | Robert Dusek III | 1986 Swift DB2 | 14 | - |
| 5 | S2 | Mark Coombs | 1990 Lola T90/90 | 14 | - |
| 6 | VS2 | Bryan Gernert | 1986 Swift DB2 | 14 | - |
| 7 | S2 | Joseph Moran | 1999 Carbir CS2 | 14 | - |
| 8 | VS2 | Larry Rossi | 1985 Lola T598 | 13 | - |
| 9 | VS2 | Greg Miller | 1985 Swift DB2 | 13 | - |
| 10 | S2 | Lee Brahin | 1989 Lola T89/90 | 13 | - |
| 11 | S2 | Robert Dusek II | 1992 Doran JE1 | 13 | - |
| 12 | HS2 | Angelo Savoia | 1980 Tiga SC80 | 12 | - |
| 13 | VS2 | Jim Hallman | 1986 Swift DB2 | 12 | - |
| 14 | VS2 | Martin Hulick | 1987 Swift DB2 | 11 | - |
| - | VS2 | Rhett Merriman | 1985 Lola T598 | - | Did Not Start |
| FINISH | CLASS | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | S2 | Brent Gernert | 1990 Lola T90/90 | 15 | - |
| 2 | S2 | Ben Sinnott | 1991 Lola T90/91 | 15 | - |
| 3 | VS2 | Connor Clubine | 1987 Swift DB2 | 15 | - |
| 4 | VS2 | Jim Hallman | 1986 Swift DB2 | 15 | - |
| 5 | S2 | Joseph Moran | 1999 Carbir CS2 | 15 | - |
| 6 | VS2 | Bryan Gernert | 1986 Swift DB2 | 14 | - |
| 7 | S2 | Mark Coombs | 1990 Lola T90/90 | 14 | - |
| 8 | S2 | Lee Brahin | 1989 Lola T89/90 | 14 | - |
| 9 | VS2 | Greg Miller | 1985 Swift DB2 | 14 | - |
| 10 | S2 | Robert Dusek II | 1992 Doran JE1 | 13 | - |
| 11 | VS2 | Martin Hulick | 1987 Swift DB2 | 13 | - |
| 12 | HS2 | Angelo Savoia | 1980 Tiga SC80 | 13 | - |
| 13 | S2 | Robert Dusek III | 1986 Swift DB2 | 8 | - |
| 14 | VS2 | Larry Rossi | 1985 Lola T598 | 4 | Did Not Finish |
| - | VS2 | Rhett Merriman | 1985 Lola T598 | - | Did Not Start |
| FINISH | CLASS | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VS2 | Connor Clubine | 1987 Swift DB2 | 9 | - |
| 2 | S2 | Mark Coombs | 1990 Lola T90/90 | 9 | - |
| 3 | VS2 | Jim Hallman | 1986 Swift DB2 | 9 | - |
| 4 | VS2 | Larry Rossi | 1985 Lola T598 | 9 | - |
| 5 | S2 | Joseph Moran | 1999 Carbir CS2 | 9 | - |
| 6 | S2 | Lee Brahin | 1989 Lola T89/90 | 9 | - |
| 7 | S2 | Robert Dusek II | 1992 Doran JE1 | 8 | - |
| 8 | VS2 | Martin Hulick | 1987 Swift DB2 | 8 | - |
| 9 | HS2 | Angelo Savoia | 1980 Tiga SC80 | 8 | - |
| 10 | VS2 | Bryan Gernert | 1986 Swift DB2 | 8 | - |
| 11 | S2 | Ben Sinnott | 1991 Lola T90/91 | 7 | - |
| 12 | S2 | Brent Gernert | 1990 Lola T90/90 | 6 | - |
| 13 | S2 | Robert Dusek III | 1986 Swift DB2 | 6 | - |
| 14 | VS2 | Greg Miller | 1985 Swift DB2 | 1 | Did Not Finish |
| - | VS2 | Rhett Merriman | 1985 Lola T598 | - | Did Not Start |
| FINISH | CLASS | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VS2 | Connor Clubine | 1987 Swift DB2 | 15 | - |
| 2 | S2 | Ben Sinnott | 1991 Lola T90/91 | 15 | - |
| 3 | VS2 | Jim Hallman | 1986 Swift DB2 | 15 | - |
| 4 | VS2 | Bryan Gernert | 1986 Swift DB2 | 15 | - |
| 5 | S2 | Joseph Moran | 1999 Carbir CS2 | 15 | - |
| 6 | S2 | Lee Brahin | 1989 Lola T89/90 | 15 | - |
| 7 | VS2 | Greg Miller | 1985 Swift DB2 | 14 | - |
| 8 | S2 | Mark Coombs | 1990 Lola T90/90 | 13 | - |
| 9 | HS2 | Angelo Savoia | 1980 Tiga SC80 | 13 | - |
| 10 | VS2 | Martin Hulick | 1987 Swift DB2 | 12 | - |
| - | VS2 | Larry Rossi | 1985 Lola T598 | - | Did Not Start |
| - | S2 | Robert Dusek II | 1992 Doran JE1 | - | Did Not Start |
| - | S2 | Brent Gernert | 1990 Lola T90/90 | - | Did Not Start |
| - | S2 | Robert Dusek III | 1986 Swift DB2 | - | Did Not Start |
| - | VS2 | Rhett Merriman | 1985 Lola T598 | - | Did Not Start |
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