Beneath a bright autumn sky and the rolling sand dunes of eastern Long Island, the final chapter of the GTC 60s Championship was written in glorious, tire-smoking fashion at the fearsome and undulating Bridgehampton Race Circuit. It was a race that had it all - drama, collisions, wheel-to-wheel duels - and a championship fight that went right down to the final corner of the final lap.
And when the dust finally settled after 36 grueling laps, it was SDH-M ~ HappyKojot, driving a brilliantly prepared Shelby Cobra 289 Hardtop, who emerged not only victorious on the day, but also crowned champion of this unforgettable season.
Qualifying: Inches in the Sand
Tensions were high before a single engine had fired, as the tight championship standings meant every fraction of a second counted. Pole position was snatched by Adam Celárek, his TVR Griffith Series 200 posting a blistering 1:40.690 - a mere 0.086 seconds ahead of HappyKojot. Third on the grid went to championship leader Nat Stevenson, also in a Cobra, with Florian Masse and Hayley Smith rounding out the top five.
With the top trio separated by just over three-tenths of a second, a high-speed showdown seemed inevitable.
Race Start: Thunder in the Dunes
The engines roared to life and the field surged into Turn 1 like a pack of unleashed beasts. Celárek led the charge off the line, but it took only two laps for HappyKojot to strike. The Cobra muscled its way past the TVR, taking the lead with an aggressive yet calculated move on Lap 2.
But this was no easy steal - Celárek retaliated just one lap later. The two drivers traded positions and even traded paint in a breathtaking dogfight that saw contact on Lap 4, both refusing to yield an inch. Another scuffle followed, echoing through the paddock like a flashback to classic duels of yesteryear.
Despite the friction, both machines stayed intact - a testament to old-school toughness - and the duel continued unabated.
Mid-Race Madness: Heat and Heroics
By the race’s halfway mark, the order at the front remained unchanged, but far from settled. Celárek set the fastest lap of the race - an eye-watering 1:40.474 on Lap 29 - as he tried to claw his way past the Cobra once more.
Behind them, Nat Stevenson ran a calm and composed race in third, doing exactly what he needed to keep his championship hopes alive. But while the front three kept it sharp and tidy, chaos reigned in the midfield.
Lap 1 saw multiple tangles, including Ingroover, Mark Johnson, and Falling Falcon, all jostling for space. Ramen Grosjeant had a torrid time, bouncing off the environment like a pinball, while the ever-mischievous Brandon Hawkin and Ryan Pandiscio treated fans to a post-race demolition derby, racking up over 40 collisions after the session officially ended!
There’s racing - and then there’s Bridgehampton.
The Final Showdown: Decided by a Tenth
As the race drew to a close, every pair of eyes was locked on the dueling leaders. Celárek attacked again and again, but HappyKojot defended like a lion. As the two thundered down the final straight, the checkered flag was in sight - and HappyKojot crossed the line a mere 0.107 seconds ahead of the TVR.
An astonishing drive from both - the kind of wheel-to-wheel spectacle that will be replayed in paddock folklore for decades to come.
Championship Finale: A Swing of Two Points
The championship battle had been tight all season, and it was only fitting that it should be decided by the smallest of margins.
| Driver | Points Before | Bridgehampton | Final Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| HappyKojot (HAP) | 141 | 40 | 181 |
| Nat Stevenson (STE) | 145 | 34 | 179 |
| Adam Celárek (CEL) | 133 | 37 | 170 |
By finishing first, HappyKojot leapfrogged Stevenson in the final standings by just two points, snatching the crown in a dramatic, last-race reversal. Celárek’s late-season charge - pole, fastest lap, and second place - earned him a well-deserved third overall in the final championship tally.
Podium, Legacy, and Legends
This season was more than just numbers. It was raw power, sand-kissed curves, and open-top beasts thundering through circuits steeped in history. The car selection - Cobras, Ferraris, TVRs - all brought their own flavor. And the teams? Well, Side Heart Motorsports, boasting both HappyKojot and Celárek, will forever be remembered for delivering a 1–2 finish at the finale and a 1–3 in the championship.
As the sun set over Bridgehampton’s old guardrails and windswept straights, the crowd knew they had witnessed something special.
Because on that day, HappyKojot didn’t just win a race - he etched his name into THRs Wall of Champions ;-).
Detailed Race Results:
https://simresults.net/remote?result=http%3a%2f%2f5.75.183.156%3a8772/results/download/2025_5_18_21_16_RACE.json
