The Ricmotech Classic Sprint Series completed its 18th Season with an exciting final race at Barber Motorsports Park. Despite a record 19 drivers competing for the Pro Class Championship, Elvis Rankin took the race victory and the Season 18 Championship with four wins in the seven-race season. The Apex Racing Team driver overcame intense pressure from fellow MX-5 hot shoes Zac Burke, Mike Dam, and Robert Hartley, all of whom claimed a race win during the season on their way to second, third and fourth place finishes for the season, respectively. Past class champions John Allen and Travis Schwenke finished off the championship podium but had multiple top-five finishes in the season to keep them fifth and sixth in the overall standings. Mitchell Peake finished seventh for the season and was recognized with the "Most Improved Driver" Award after making the jump from the Open Class and never finishing outside the top 10 all season long. Despite the close racing at the front the Pro Class field, Zac Burke added the "Mr. Clean" Award to his second-place championship trophy for having the fewest incident points during the season.
SPRING 2021 RICMOTECH CSS ST PRO CLASS CHAMPION - ELVIS RANKIN
The Season 18 Open Class provided every bit as fierce competition as the Pro Class, also featuring 19 drivers gunning for top honors. Series newcomer Joshua Soto showed early promise by taking the season-opening win at Road Atlanta and followed it up with four more wins to claim the Open Class Championship. With two wins of his own combined with three second-place finishes, Brennan Houran earned the second podium spot in the Open championship. Edgar Sanchinelli took the final podium spot and kept the front two honest through a solid six top-five finishes in the seven-race season. Jeffrey Cranston, Derick Holland, Mike Key and Greg Brockway finished in fourth through seventh with only 12 championship points separating Cranston from Brockway.
SPRING 2021 RICMOTECH CSS SEASON 17 MOST IMPROVED DRIVER - MITCHELL PEAKE
Season 19 kicks off on June 28th with nine races on a series of international tracks, in contrast to the all-North American tracks featured in Season 18. Drivers will open the season at Interlagos, then face the chicanes at Montreal. The third and fourth races will feature an exciting new twist - two 30-minute sprint races offering double championship points on the same night - and the top 10 finishers in the first heat will be inverted on the grid for second heat. This new sprint-race format will take place at popular Brands Hatch. Drivers will challenge the new Hockenheimring for race five, followed by another double points night dual 30-minute sprint feature at Donington in races six and seven. Race eight will be a roller coaster ride at Oulton Park. The Season 19 Finale will have an Italian twist at Imola.
2021 CSS SEASON 18 MR. CLEAN AWARD - ZAC BURKE
(safest driver to be around)
