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MADISON, Ill. - ArmsUp Motorsports got their season into full swing last weekend at the SCCA St Louis Region's March Wins National. The event was
split into a regional race on Saturday and a national race on Sunday for the ArmsUp drivers of Pat Mc Ginnis and Jim Victor. Both days the duo of
ArmsUp drivers came home with podium results. Mc Ginnis scored the win in the regional and was second in the national event with Victor bringing home
a pair of third places in the Formula Continental (FC) division.
Saturday's regional festivities kicked off with a qualifying session. Mc
Ginnis wasted no time in getting up to speed. The St. Louis native was turning times under the current Gateway FC track record and put his number 00
Van Diemen on pole for the race. Jim Victor put in a solid qualifying session to line up in the third spot. The race was more of the same for the
ArmsUp crew with Mc Ginnis driving to the race win and Victor holding station in the third position.
The ArmsUp group arrived at the track
Sunday morning to much different conditions than the day before. The same rains that postponed both the Indy Car Series and the NASCAR race were also
prevalent at Gateway International Raceway. Sunday's qualifying session was in full wet conditions with Mc Ginnis setting the second fastest lap and
Victor lining up third in FC. The track stayed wet the rest of the afternoon as scattered showers moved through the area. When the race went green Mc
Ginnis worked his way into the lead during the first lap. On lap two Mc Ginnis relinquished the lead content to run second the rest of the race rather
than risk his car in the changing conditions. Victor drove a steady race to maintain his third position in FC and brought his Smith Barney Van Diemen
home in one piece.
"This was a good weekend for the guys," ArmsUp Motorsports owner Gregg Borland said after the race. "You can see how much
more comfortable Pat is in the car after a year under his belt. Saturday he was the only FC car running below the track record and he did a solid job
in the race. Jim Victor drove well all weekend and he only gets better as the season goes on. This was a good way to kick off the spring for
us."
ArmsUp Motorsports will now head off to the historic Virginia International Raceway on April 18th for the SCCA North Carolina National.
ArmsUp will have a four car armada at the event with Revere Greist, John Greist, Jeff Pietz and Rick Balsley all making their season
debuts.
Formed in 1995, ArmsUp Motorsports is one of the premier SCCA Formula Continental and Formula Atlantic racing teams. Based in Elkhart
Lake, Wis ArmsUp Motorsports is a full service prep shop for Formula Continentals, Formula Atlantics, and Vintage racing cars. For more information
please visit the official ArmsUp website at www.ArmsUpMotorsports.com.
Pat Mc Ginnis took a win and second place in front of his home crowd at Gateway International Raceway.
(Photo Courtesy Jacques-O-Lot Photography)
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