So Who Won the 91 MPH Class at the 2011 Sandhills Open Road Race?

As regular readers of the Power Source blog know, OPTIMA invited a group of industry influencers to what we like to call a "Power Summit" in the middle of Nebraska. As part of this event, these folks participated in hot-lapping sessions at Motorsports Park Hastings, as well as the Sandhills Open Road Challenge (SORC).

OPTIMA brought so many competitors to the SORC, that they were given their own 91mph class. In this class, competitors attempt to average a speed of 91mph over two legs of an open road course, which measures 28.7 miles in one direction and 26.6 miles in the other direction.

After attrition of various sorts took it's toll, 14 cars were able to finish the race, gunning for that perfect time of 36 minutes and 27.692 seconds. As the picture in this blog suggests, JB Granger topped the finishers, missing the mark by just -.354 seconds in his 1967 Camaro. In second place, Bill Howell missed the mark in his 1972 Dodge Charger by just +1.760 seconds. Tom McBride rounded out the top-three by driving a 1970 Ford Fairlane to within +2.444 seconds of his target time.

The rest of the field finished as follows:

4th  Albert Melchior     1973 Trans Am     -4.098 seconds

5th  Jimi Day     2010 Mustang     +4.246 seconds

6th  Brian Finch     Borrowed C5     +4.814 seconds

7th  Steven Rupp     1968 Camaro     +5.417 seconds

8th  Stan Wilson     2010 Challenger     +5.675 seconds

9th  Tom Farrington     1966 Chevelle     +9.208 seconds

10th  Tom Tomlinson     1999 Firebird     +10.960 seconds

11th  John Parsons     2007 Corvette     +23.793 seconds

12th  Michael Copeland     2010 Corvette     -34.528 seconds

13th  Kyle Tucker     1969 Camaro     +1:08.693

14th  Cheryl Herrick     1979 Malibu     +1:59.367

Congratulations to all competitors and thank you for your willingness to be a part of our Power Summit and the Sandhills Open Road Challenge. See a video about this incredible event here.