The 12th annual Classic Sports Racing Group (CSRG) Charity Challenge was held October 2-4, 2015 at the 12-turn, 2.52-mile Sonoma Raceway Sears Point in Sonoma, California. The event featured a strong field of historic race cars, with pre-war, sports racing, production and GT entrants running in eight race groups. This year’s vintage car race featured Masters USA Historic Formula One machines, Formula Junior Historics and the 50th anniversary of the Alfa Romeo GTA.
Eddie Lawson used all the skills that made him a four-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion to lead the first Masters USA Historic Formula One race from start to finish in his Wolf WR4. He also posted the fastest lap time at the sun-drenched Sonoma circuit.The battle for second was led by James Hagan in his Benetton-liveried Tyrrell 011 but a mistake on the 7th lap dropped him down to 6th and he never recovered the lost places. Mike Thurlow took the advantage and never really looked vulnerable as he stayed ahead of a battle for the next few places. Randall Smith, a Masters newcomer in his Arrows A1, managed to stay ahead of a determined Steve Cook in the March 741 as they crossed the line with less than a car length between them. An early error by Keith Frieser cost him a couple of places and he worked hard to finish a creditable 5th. Chris Locke was the first of the JPS Lotus’ home as he kept his Lotus 77 ahead of Martin Lauber in Wolf WR6 and Andrew Beaumont Lotus 76 had to be content with 9th place.
