Shea and Walczak also topped the GT class in the newly reformatted race. Dan Margetta and Corey Galbraith won the LMP division.
There were several new rules for the 2009 race:
-drivers were allowed to choose a teammate before the race, unlike past years when drivers were randomly paired together
-no qualifying was held
-there was a GT class in addition to the LMP division
-teams could race whatever division they chose as long as they completed 4 segments in each class of car
-There would be an overall winner and class winners
-Teams were randomly assigned a stock 440X2 chassis supplied by the league
Shea and Walczak teamed together. John Wiedemann and Mike Lack continued their partnership from the Jaguar team. Past endurance champions Mike Fitzlaff and Everet Kamikawa were also teammates.
Margetta was forced by circumstances to be Galbraith's partner.
The first heat saw three of the teams start with GT cars and Margetta start in a LMP.
Kamikawa took the early lead in a Ferrari F40 followed by another F40 of Wiedemann.
Shea started in third, however handling problems on the newly designed Corvette C5 dropped him off the pace while Margetta passed him into third place by quarter distance. Margetta continued to pass cars and finished the stint seven laps
in front of the field while Kamikawa held the GT lead.
The second heat saw all the drivers in GT cars. Mike Fitzlaff sped away and was several laps in front of the field before being beset by handling problems. Mark Walczak started the heat in the Corvette, but strategy had him switch with Shea just after the start. Fitzlaff's troubles allowed Shea to gain several laps back with Mike Lack close behind.
At the end of the second heat race it was Shea with a two lap lead on Fitzlaff and a three lap lead over Lack in GT. Margetta led LMP by the fact they were the only ones to have run that division so far.
Corey Galbraith started in the C5 Corvette before being relieved by Margetta at halfway.
At the end of the second stints:
Shea and Walczak had a two lap lead over Kamikawa/Fitzlaff and a three lap lead over Wiedemann/Lack. Margetta and Galbraith led the LMP division.
Heat three saw most teams continue with GT while Margetta took the LMP back on track. Margetta had a killer stint to start to build a large lead in LMP.
This is the heat that sealed the GT division for Shea/Walczak. Kamikawa started but completely lost focus and had several early offs and penalties. By the time he recovered, Shea had built enough of a lead to switch with Walczak without suffering a time penalty.
Wiedemann started for his team and was steady but had several offs. A smart move to change drivers allowed Lack to stay within shouting distance of Kamikawa for second place in the division, 21 and 29 laps behind Shea respectively.
The fourth segment saw three teams complete the GT portion of the progam. Walczak started and switched to Shea to avoid a large penalty towards the end of the segment.
In a desperate attempt to gain ground, Fitzlaff and Kamikawa split the heat to aviod any long time penalties.
Lack suffered mechanical failure on a set of tires and fell off the pace.
Galbraith started in GT but also decided to change drivers to avoid a long penalty. Margetta tried to make up time, however fatigue from his LMP stint taxed him.
At the halfway point the standings looked like this:
GT
Shea/Walczak 693 laps
Kamikawa/Fitzlaff 661 laps
Wiedemann/Lack 639 laps
Margetta/Galbraith 225 laps
LMP
Margetta/Galbraith 368 laps
The fifth heat saw three teams run their LMP cars and Galbraith back in the GT car.
Walczak used his home track knowledge and his own car to have a penalty free stint and take a one lap lead over Margetta/Galbraith's total (after one LMP heat), seven over Fitzlaff and 11 over Lack.
Heat six saw all teams run LMP. Margetta continued his teams strategy of running all LMP heats to scorch the field and win the heat by seven laps.
Wiedemann and Kamikawa made it interesting, however it was clear that Margetta/Galbraith had the car to beat in LMP, while Shea/Walczak wondered if their huge lead in GT would give them the overall title.
Heat seven had Galbraith start GT, however two quick offs forced Margetta back into the car in order to avoid any penalties as any loss of time would take away their chances at the overall title.
The only way to win it was to close the GT gap to Shea/Walczak as much as possible and then rely on ther LMP lead to hold up/
Margetta's GT car had burned through its tires and he didn't have the grip he needed. He and Galbraith finished well off the pace set by Shea/Walczak sealing their GT title.
The stock tires had worn almost completely down, forcing Fitzlaff and Lack to constantly pit for tires. Both finshed well off the pace and were out of the running for either division title.
Going into the final segment, the standings looked this way:
GT
Shea/Walczak 693 laps
Kamikawa/Fitzlaff 661 laps
Wiedemann/Lack 639 laps
Margetta/Galbraith 637 laps
LMP
Margetta/Galbraith 554 laps
Shea/Walczak 531 laps
Kamikawa/Fitzlaff 483 laps
Wiedemann/Lack 469 laps
Shea started the eighth segment and tried to stay even with Margetta. He couldn't. That forced Walczak back into the car.
While he couldn't make up ground to Margetta, he didn't lose much.
Margetta finally had tire issues having used the same chassis in the previous seven segments. A late switch to a new chassis and no penalties kept him in front during the segment, however he couldn't make up enough ground to wipe out Shea and Walczak's large GT lead.
Lack also started, but gave way to Wiedemann when he ran into big time penalties. Kamikawa started and Fitzlaff took the Nissan car home.
Margetta and Galbraith would win the LMP class title, while Shea and Walczak would win the GT class and overall titles.
The final LMP standings were:
LMP
Margetta/Galbraith 722 laps
Shea/Walczak 700 laps
Kamikawa/Fitzlaff 627 laps
Wiedemann/Lack 595
GT
Shea/Walczak 693 laps
Kamikawa/Fitzlaff 661 laps
Wiedemann/Lack 639 laps
Margetta/Galbraith 637 laps
The final Overall standings were:
Shea/Walczak 1393 laps
Margetta/Galbraith 1359 laps
Kamikawa/Fitzlaff 1288 laps
Wiedemann/Lack 1234 laps
Steve "The Wrench" Ratchett
