2008 Molecule Formula Mazda Challenge
Round 6-7
June 27-29, 2008
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca

Kevin Woods Rolls to Victory at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Bill Weaver Continues Winning Ways in Standard Class

June 30, 2008.
Monterey, California.

Series rookie Kevin Woods recorded his first career victory in his Pro Formula Mazda and Bill Weaver kept his Standard Formula Mazda winning streak alive this weekend during Rounds Six and Seven of the MOLECULE Formula Mazda Challenge at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Running with the San Francisco Region of the Sports Car Club of America's Double Regional weekend, Woods and a field of 30 Mazda powered formula cars attacked the circuit at the spiritual home of Mazda Motorsports, with drivers from the Southwest Formula Mazda Challenge joining the West championship drivers for the festivities.

Making his sixth start in the series, the Newark, California based driver lined up fifth on the grid for Saturday's fourteen lap race. When championship points leader, and pole sitter for the race, Patrick O'Neill, spun in turn two on the opening lap, Woods battled teammates Dave House and Frank McCormick for the lead, finally locking down the top spot four laps into the event. He would bring his #81 World Speed Motorsports Mazda across the finish line 5.5 seconds ahead of House, with McCormick just 0.365 seconds further adrift of House.

Tesla Motors CEO Ze'ev Drori would sit just outside the podium in fourth place in his #21 World Speed Motorsports machine, while 2005 and 2006 Champion Stan Kohls recorded a fifth place finish towards the championship.

O'Neill, who was able to get back on the racing surface following his spin, was disqualified by SCCA officials for several on-track incidents during the event.

"It's pretty exciting to climb onto the top step of the podium," Woods commented. "I hadn't qualified as high as I would've liked but got a good start and when Patrick spun the race was wide open. Patrick had a pretty good winning streak going and I'm happy that I was the driver that got to break it. I have to thank World Speed for giving me a great car and for my teammates Dave and Frank for some fun racing as we all wanted the lead."

While one season long winning streak was snapped another one continued to grow as Bill Weaver captured his sixth pole position and victory in the Standard Formula Mazda class of the championship behind the wheel of his red, white and blue #67 James G Parker Insurance Standard Formula Mazda. Joining Weaver on the podium were non points scoring drivers Derry O'Donovan and Woody Yerxa.

Hazy skies and mild temperatures greeted racers as they arrived at the track on Sunday for Round Seven of the championship. His winning streak snapped, O'Neill set out to start a new streak with the San Rafael resident claiming pole position and the top spot for his sixth victory of the season in the #64 O'Neill Construction Pro Formula Mazda. Joining O'Neill on the podium were House, recording back to back second place finishes this weekend, and Woods, fresh from his victory with another podium finish.

McCormick would miss out on a podium finish this time by just over 2 seconds while Larry Schnur would record a fifth place finish in his #30 World Speed Motorsports Mazda.

In Standard Formula Mazda action Weaver would once again top the charts in both qualifying and the race, leading all eleven laps to take the checkered flag ahead of O'Donovan and Yerxa. Series regulars John Ertel and Stew Tabak finished sixth and tenth overall, with Tabak getting knocked out of the race at the start as drivers checked up from an aborted start.

With seven of the eleven rounds of the MOLECULE Formula Mazda Challenge complete O'Neill leads the Pro Formula Mazda class with 271 points overall while Woods sits in second place with 257 points. Stan Kohls holds third place with 216 points and Sean Prewett and Michael Guasch round out the top five with 210 and 191 points respectively. In the Standard Formula Mazda class Weaver has a stranglehold on the top spot with a maximum 315 points while Tabak holds second place with 274 points and Ertel moves to third place with 175 points. Bruce Carpenter and Matt Trudell complete the top five in the class with 170 points and 148 points respectively.

The MOLECULE Formula Mazda Challenge now prepares for the final two race weekends at Infineon Raceway, with the first doubleheader scheduled for August 30 through September 1 at the famed Sonoma circuit and the season finale on November 8-9.