Ferrari Challenge Laguna Seca Mazda Raceway 2012

Ferrari Challenge

Ferrari Challenge car race. Ferrari customer and Ferrari Club members in street cars on track between the races.

Starts: 05/19/2012

Ends: 2012-05-20

Laguna Seca Mazda Raceway

Monterey, California

USA

Images© and story by Michael Rockich, Contact Photographer For Information on Photos of this Event

Ferrari Racing Days, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Wrap-up 2012
Michael Rockich ACC Editor

On May 19 th and 20th Ferrari Racing Days convened at the Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca, California. This excellent program architected by Ferrari involves all Ferrari lovers including fans, Ferrari street cars, and Ferrari racing cars right up through Formula One. The program involves all these factions in one way or another. Ferrari scheduled the weather for bright Monterey sunshine with a cooling breeze to keep swelter away. My turtle neck was not employed.

The first Challenge race for the Ferrari 458 Italia occurred on Saturday with the chrome 458 of Alex Popow leading from start to finish. He was pursued closely for the entire race by Onofrio Triarsi's yellow 458. Near the end of the race Triarsi pulled nearly to Popow's gearbox, but did not have enough advantage to make the pass. Popow hit the dirt border several times sending up small puffs of dust but looked in complete control seemingly able to take such minor risks.

The second race Sunday was much a replay of the first except for an extended safety car period involving a crash. Popow took checkers again with Triarsi in hot pursuit.

Race 1 results
1st - Alex Popow, car # 2, Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale
2nd - Onofrio Triarsi, car # 23, Ferrari of Central Florida
3rd - Harry Cheung, car # 77, Ferrari of Beverly Hills

Race 2 results
1st - Alex Popow, car # 2, Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale
2nd - Onofrio Triarsi, car # 23, Ferrari of Central Florida
3rd - Enzo Potolicchio, car # 22, Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale

Ferrari owners who normally spend their time on streets got their opportunity to test the track. The Ferrari corral attended en masse putting two groups of about 50 cars on the course. Later cars assembled in rows in the Ferrari corral for all to admire.

The Ferrari 599XX and the FXX were on track in time slots dedicated exclusively to them. The FXX is produced exclusively for the race track. Ferrari calls the FXX a technological testbed, having a limited production run of only 30 cars. The FXX is powered by a 860 horsepower V12 engine that can push the car to 214 mph. The 599XX is a track version of Ferrari's 599 front engine street cars. Its V12 generates 740 horsepower giving the car a top speed of 188 mph.

These special cars were supported in pit lane by personnel from Corse Clienti. Founded in 2001, Corse Clienti support Ferrari racing programs in various locals worldwide. Corse Clienti is based at Ferrari's R&D track Pista di Fiorano near the Ferrari factory in Maranello in the region Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

Bud Moeller's Ferrari Formula One made the exciting sounds of 17,000 RPM, but did more than that. The car bested Sebastien Bourdais' all time lap record at Laguna Seca. Mr. Bourdais was a recent F1 driver. Mark Gene, the 2009 overall Le Mans winner and former F1 race driver consulted to Mr. Moeller but also took the car on track. The F1 was in the 174 mph range through the speed traps. This car was raced for Ferrari in F1 several years ago by veteran Rubens Barrichello.

A Ferrari 333 shared the track with the F1. The 333 is a purpose built race car powered by a roughly 600 bhp V12 which began racing in 1994. It appeared in lovely condition.