Stepanyan Stomps TU! MPTCC Round 4 Willow Springs

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Stepanyan Stomps TU!  MPTCC Round 4 Willow Springs
Andy Hope got a huge jump on the rest of the field.  Edik Stepanyan got around Joon Maeng quickly and set off in pursuit of Hope.  Dai Yoshihara was not so lucky and was stuck behind Joon and took several laps to get around him.  This gave Stepanyan and Hope a huge lead on the pack.

Yoshihara managed to pass Maeng and started a drive to close the gap between him and the other TU cars setting the fastest race lap.  In the meantime the Fontana Nissan Sentra SE-R of Scott Vanderheide blew a turbo seal causing an oil down and a full course yellow that rebunched the field.

Stepanyan Stomps TU!  MPTCC Round 4 Willow Springs
Formula D competitors Joon and Dai battled for several laps before the MotoIQ Sentra got around the Lucas Oil S13.

At the restart, the trio of Hope, Stepanyan and Yoshihara took off from the rest of the field.  Yoshihara had cooked his tires in his quest to catch the flying Integra and CRX and could not maintain the pace after a few laps.  The lightweight Honda and Acura had the advantage of tire life over the more powerful but much heavier Sentra.

Stepanyan Stomps TU!  MPTCC Round 4 Willow Springs
Pattarapong Note’s beautiful Buddy Club Honda Fit is surprisingly fast for its humble econo box underpinnings.

On the last lap Edik pulled a ballsey pass on Andy in turn two but got sideways in turn six allowing Andy to close on him.  The pair closed rapidly to lap Martin Gonzales in his G20 in turn 8.  Edik took a wide and careful line around Martin but Andy aggressively charged up the inside for the lead as the trio approached the braking zone for turn 9.

Stepanyan Stomps TU!  MPTCC Round 4 Willow Springs
Martin Gonzales smoothly piloted his G20 to sixth place.
Stepanyan Stomps TU!  MPTCC Round 4 Willow Springs
Richard Ho drove the APM Acura RSX to third place.

 

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