Volker, Hebert & Haynes Win Big in Vegas with PROTOform

For the 8th year in succession, the Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada was the site of the International Indoor Championships. The event, put on and announced by the one and only Scotty Ernst, attracted some of the top on-road drivers from around the world and featured over 350 entries in total.

PROTOform’s Dale and Eric Epp kicked off the week by showcasing the brand new PROTOform Lexus LFA to the public for the first time at the IIC Meet & Greet. The night provided a great atmosphere for racers and vendors to interact without the pressure of competition, enhanced by an all-you-can-eat taco buffet and free beer.

After 2 days of controlled practice, on track action heated up on Thursday with 2 of the 4 rounds of qualifying, the single fastest round determining grid positions. Right out of the box, PROTOform team drivers Ronald Volker and Keven Hebert established themselves as the drivers to beat in the event’s 2 marquee classes, Touring Car Modified and 1/12th scale modified. Friday’s 2 final rounds of qualifying saw PROTOform drivers TQ in 7 different classes of racing. Josh Cyrul and Mike Dumas, two fixtures in the American on-road scene the past decade, paced World GT racing the PROTOform Sophia GT race body. The four Touring car classes were dominated by the venerable PROTOform Mazdaspeed6 race body, with 2-time defending ETS Champion Volker narrowly outpacing Hebert by 1.3 seconds to TQ the Modified class. Not to be outdone, Hebert put his PROTOform AMR-12 race body on the pole in 1/12th scale modified, and his Mazdaspeed6 in Touring Car Super Stock.

The first two A-mains on Saturday featured the World GT class.  Dave Ehrlich and Josh Cyrul won from their TQ spots in 13.5 and Expert classes, both racing the Sophia GT body. In 1/12th Scale modified, Hebert and Finnish ace Juho Levanen were the class of the field. The teammates battled in and out of traffic throughout the 8-minute A-main, but Hebert proved too quick and pulled away for a 2-second victory. PROTOform team driver Paul Lemieux snatched the last podium position with a last lap pass of Cyrul.

David Zorn and Sam Nelson, both racing Mazdaspeed6‘s duked it out in a great Amateur Touring Car A-main, with Zorn besting top qualifier Nelson by just 0.6 seconds. IIC’s most popular class, Touring Car 17.5 with over 60 entries, was won by Mike Haynes (Mazdaspeed6).

The most thrilling of all the A-mains came in Touring Car Super Stock. Japanese star Hayato Matsuzaki blasted off the grid past top qualifier Hebert. The two were nose to tail for nearly the entire 5-minute main before a slight bobble by Hayato with less than 2 laps remaining allowed the Canadian to squeak past to take his 2nd trophy of the day.

With 5 countries represented in the A-Main for Touring Car Modified, the grid truly had a world-class feel. The race was vintage Volker, showing off his superb speed and driving ability. The biggest thrill the fans in attendance got during this final was when Hayato’s fan shorted out, sending his car up in a plume of smoke. Volker led from wire to wire with his Mazdaspeed6, denying Hebert a triple championship. Mike Haynes, racing in his 4th A-main of the day (2 1st place, 2 3rds) raced his way up to the last podium spot.

All in all, it was a fantastic event: competitive racing, professional organization and a great setting in Vegas. PROTOform congratulates all of the 2012 IIC winners!

To see PROTOform’s complete photo gallery of the cars, drivers and Top 10′s from the event, click here.

1. Ronald Volker – TQ (GER) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
2. Keven Hebert (CAN) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
3. Mike Haynes (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
4. Mike Dumas (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
5. Andrew Hardman (CAN) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
6. Rick Hohwart (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
7. Drew Ellis (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
8. Juho Levanen (FIN) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
9. Paul Lemieux (USA) // PROTOform LTC-R
10. Hayato Matsuzaki (JPN) // PROTOform LTC-R

1. Keven Hebert – TQ (CAN) // PROTOform AMR-12
2. Juho Levanan (FIN) // PROTOform AMR-12
3. Paul Lemieux (USA) // PROTOform AMR-12
4. Josh Cyrul (USA) // PROTOform AMR-12
5. Donny Lia (USA) // PROTOform AMR-12
6. Andrew Knapp (USA) // PROTOform AMR-12
7. Drew Ellis (USA) // PROTOform AMR-12
8. Walter Henderson (USA) // PROTOform AMR-12
9. Ronald Volker (GER) // PROTOform AMR-12
10. Rick Hohwart (USA) // PROTOform AMR-12

1. Keven Hebert – TQ (CAN) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
2. Hayato Matsuzaki (JPN) // PROTOform LTC-R
3. Mike Haynes (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
4. Andrew Knapp (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
5. Andrew Hardman (CAN) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
6. Brad Johnson (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
7. Drew Ellis (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
8. Josh Hohnstein (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
9. Arthur Scrimo (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
10. Ray Darroch (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6

1. Josh Cyrul – TQ (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
2. Mike Dumas (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
3. Pete D’Agnolo (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
4. Hupo Honigl (AUT) // PROTOform Sophia GT
5. Brian Wynn (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
6. Dave Ehrlich (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
7. Brian Bodine (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
8. Donny Lia (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
9. Joe Nolasco (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
10. Frank Calandra (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT

1. Dave Ehrlich – TQ (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
2. Mario Ficco (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
3. Brian Bohlman (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
4. Dave Berger (USA)
5. Michael Hanulec (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
6. Patrick Morehead (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
7. Joel Vautour (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
8. Brent Klingforth (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
9. Joey Krysinski  (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT
10. Mark Day (USA) // PROTOform Sophia GT

1. Mike Haynes – TQ (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
2. Craig Xavier (USA) // PROTOform LTC-R
3. Josh Hohnstein (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
4. Arthur Scrimo (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
5. Brad Johnson (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
6. Austin Harrison (USA) // PROTOform LTC-R
7. Eric Anderson (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
8. Blake Keulen (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
9. Sandro Kuriger (SUI) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
10. Brian Wynn (USA) // PROTOform LTC-R

1. David Zorn (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
2. Sam Nelson – TQ (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
3. Phillippe Gelinas (CAN) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
4. Roel Espina (USA) // PROTOform LTC-R
5. Chris Hillier (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
6. Michael Larcher (USA) // PROTOform LTC-R
7. Steven Breuer (USA) // PROTOform Mazdaspeed6
8. Ryan Cooper (USA) // PROTOform LTC-R
9. Chris Bangle (USA) // PROTOform LTC-R
10. Aaron Sanford (USA) // PROTOform LTC-R