Another victory for Gabby Chaves in Skip Barber

06/30/2007

Elkhart Lake, WI - With a field including Skip Barber National frontrunner Jeff Oleen and 13-year-old Gabby Chaves, coming off a podium finish in one of the National races at the Champ Car Cleveland Grand Prix, plus speedy Cox, Longmore and Revere Greist, we had the makings of a good one. And so it was, as all five were in the mix in this nine-lapper.

Outside frontrowman Von Moltke got swallowed up at the start and even polesitter Chaves ended up acceding P1 to Oleen as the field completed lap one. Chaves took over first on lap two and held it for six consecutive laps while Oleen, Greist and Longmore disputed second place.

On lap seven Greist dropped from second to fifth while Cox took over third, behind the battling Chaves and Oleen. On the next to last lap, Oleen took the lead back from Chaves while at the same time Longmore and Greist overhauled Cox, putting him back to fifth. But, this being Road America, it likely wasn’t going to end this way... and it didn’t. The last lap shuffle saw Chaves take first from Oleen while Cox went from fifth to second. Longmore was able to hold station in third while Greist had to settle for fifth. Another lap and who knows what the order might have been? The fact is the top five drivers finished well inside of 2 seconds of each other and Chaves took a fierce Victory.

 

07/01/2007

Second Race
Elkhart Lake, WI - This was another frantically fought affair but one that was also joined by Jordan Taylor, Ricky’s younger brother. Chaves and Oleen went at it again, but this time Chaves led every lap of the race with Oleen breathing on his neck. At the end on the final two laps Chaves pulled a five car length in-between leaving second place for battle between the others taking the checker flag first. Unfortunately   at some point in the race Oleen touched Chaves from behind and according to skip barber Regional series rules this is penalized by 25 seconds for both drivers no matter whose fault it is. At the checker, which Chaves went under first, Taylor had made up to second spot and Greist (to third). The order at the finish line was Chaves, Taylor, R. Greist, Oleen, Longmore, J. Greist and Von Moltke, but following the penalties earned by Chaves and Oleen, the victor was Taylor, his first. R. Greist was credited with second, followed by Longmore, J. Greist and Von Moltke. Bobby Ellis, Potter, Gregg Markarian and Reid Stewart were all credited with positions ahead of Chaves and Oleen, classified 10th and 11th, respectively.

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