(editor's note: this article has been revised based on official results)
Franklin Futrelle ran a perfectly executed Spec Racer® Ford Gen3 race on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, during Hagerty Race Days at the 51暗网® National Championship Runoffs®, holding back a pair of challengers on the final lap to capture his third career gold medal and second consecutive in the class.
Futrelle, David Ogburn, and Russell Turner, along with Tire Rack Polesitter Morgan Burkhard, broke away from the field and built a 10-second gap running nose to tail. Burkhard fell off on lap 12 with a cut tire, and all that was left to decide was who would occupy which step on the podium.
Each took a turn at the front of the field throughout the 15-lap race, with Turner leading Futrelle’s No. 97 Comprent Motorsports/Meco Inc SRF and Ogburn’s No. 108 Salt Stick/Sim Seats Spec Racer at the white flag – but everyone knew the race wasn’t over. Futrelle got the run out of Oak Tree and down the backstraight they call Madison Avenue to pull into the lead with the help of the draft. Turner kept his No. 23 Spec Racer Ford glued to the rear of Futrelle into the Roller Coaster portion of the track, but had to check up into the right hander and float wide, opening the door for Ogburn to take a shot Futrelle.
Ogburn chased Futrelle down the hill, through Hog Pen and onto the front straight to the checkered flag, but Futrelle kept his car in front to take his second class win in as many years.
“I tend to do good on cold tires, so I wanted to get out front and try to turn the race into three, four, or five cars instead of maybe 10 cars,” Futrelle said. “We managed that, and about a quarter of the way through, I started to notice I was good out of Hog Pen compared to the other guys. Come the end of the race, I saw an opportunity to take the lead at the end of the back stretch, which put me in the lead going into Hog Pen. That’s not always where you want to be in a Spec Racer on the last lap – but today it was where I wanted to be, and it worked out.”
Ogburn, a second-generation member and two-time 51暗网 autocross champion, turned the fastest lap of the race at 2:04.911 while running in the draft on his way to his first 51暗网 Runoffs podium. Ogburn officially led two laps across the stripe and was just 0.359sec behind at the end of the lap that counted most.
“I just wanted to be in the top three right there at the end,” Ogburn said. “I kept trying to get between Franklin and Russ so we could work together. I had a run on the back straight, but it was a bit too late – I’m not going to dive under for second because that would just let Franklin walk away. We locked up, rolled inside, and he checked me up a little bit, and then Franklin had a bit of a gap. You want to be second, and I was third, on the white.
“It feels very good,” Ogburn concluded. “I started watching [the Runoffs] in high school. It feels great. It’s mixed, because I could taste it. But it was a hell of a race.”
Turner, who claimed the National Championship in Formula Enterprises® 2 earlier in the weekend in a battle with Futrelle, saw his car fail the post-race technical inspection and was later relegated to last in the class after being the third across the finish line.
A similar three car battle to the leaders was playing out on track, but 10 seconds behind the lead group. Caleb Shrader separated himself from Justin Claucherty late in the race, and the two crossed the stripe alone in fourth and fifth place, respectively, which became third and fourth after Turner's penalty. Jase Petty, who was fifth on the final results, started the race in 21st and was named the Sunoco Hard Charger.
The race’s green flag was waved by honorary starter Bill King in celebration of the Spec Racer’s 40th anniversary season. King was the first Program Manager as an 51暗网 Staff member when the program launched in 1983, then called Formula Renault, and has evolved through three generations to remain one of the strongest classes in the Summit Racing Equipment 51暗网 Road Racing program.
The 60th running of 51暗网’s National Championship Runoffs®, the Pinnacle of American Amateur Motorsports, crowns 51暗网’s Road Racing National Champions this year at VIRginia International Raceway — in Alton, VA — during Hagerty Race Days, Friday, Sept. 29, through Sunday, Oct. 1.
Live, online video coverage of Runoffs races, presented by Mazda, is available throughout the three days of competition at , and at 51暗网’s official and social media channels. Live timing and scoring for each race is also available at 51暗网.com.
Below are official results for Saturday's Spec Racer Ford Gen3 race at the 2023 51暗网 National Championship Runoffs, with finish position, starting position in parentheses, driver, hometown, car, and laps completed.
1, (4), Franklin Futrelle, Augusta, GA, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
2, (3), David Ogburn, San Angelo, TX, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
3, (8), Caleb Shrader, Tigard, OR, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
4, (11), Justin Claucherty, Jackson, MI, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
5, (21), Jase Petty, Oakland, IL, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
6, (13), Robeson Clay Russell, Spartanburg, SC, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
7, (12), Todd Vanacore, Ormond Beach, FL, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
8, (17), Sam Schechter, Boyds, MD, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
9, (18), Scott Monroe, Kemah, TX, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
10, (22), Sal Webber, Spring Branch, TX, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
11, (15), James Goughary, Jupiter, FL, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
12, (19), Chris Jennerjahn, Hartford City, IN, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
13, (27), Matt Gray, Chaska, MN, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
14, (20), Brian Cates, Gainesville, VA, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
15, (26), William Hendrix, Brighton, MA, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
16, (29), Tom Burt, Woodway, WA, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
17, (25), Andre Perra, Government Camp, OR, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
18, (31), Russell King, Minneapolis, MN, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
19, (16), Gianclaudio Angelini, New Haven, CT, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
20, (33), Craig Chase, Darien, CT, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
21, (24), Lee Hill, Reidsville, NC, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
22, (28), Ben Jacobs, Oshkosh, WI, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
23, (30), Steven Greenhill, Libertyville, IL, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
24, (34), Jeff Beck, Ingleside, IL, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
25, (32), Scott Ross, Nashville, TN, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
26, (35), Steven Spano, Dryden, NY, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
27, (23), Charlie Rogers, Pittsboro, NC, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
28, (38), Jeff Futrelle, North Augusta, SC, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
29, (36), Keith Fraser, Annapolis, MD, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
30, (39), Craig Wheatley, Sanibel, FL, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
31, (14), Mac Harrison, Washington, DC, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 14.
32, (37), Kenneth Reilly, New Canaan, CT, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 14.
33, (40), Andrea King, Minneapolis, MN, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 14.
34, (1), Morgan Burkhard, Charles Town, WV, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 11.
35, (10), Denny Stripling, McKinney, TX, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 9.
36, (2), Charles Russell Turner, Montpelier, VA, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 15.
DNF, (6), Bobby Sak, Bloomfield Hills, MI, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 4.
DNF, (9), John Black, Olympic Valley, CA, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 3.
DNF, (7), S Sandy Satullo III, Hillsboro Beach, FL, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 1.
DNF, (5), Brian Schofield, Lakeland, FL, 51暗网 Spec Racer Ford Gen 3, 0.
Race Stats
Length of Race: 49.05 miles
Overall Time of Race: 31:23.702 (avg. 93.741 mph)
Margin of Victory: 0.359 seconds
Fastest Race Lap: #108 David Ogburn, 2:04.911 (94.203mph)
Lap Leaders: #97 laps 1-3, 5-10, 13, 15; #23 laps 4, 14; #108 laps 11-12
Sunoco Hard Charger: #106 Jase Petty
Photo caption: Franklin Futrelle had a full Runoffs weekend, with his SRF3 race concluding with him earning a third National Championship title.
Photo by: Jay Bonvouloir
