Summit Point , WV June 14
June 14th Summit Point, WV - On paper it would look like this past weekend’s Annual 12 Hours at the Point endurance title for the Conover Motorsports/Team GTI crew and Flatoutracing.net co-driver Jon Kofod was a mere formality as the team dominated the ITB class over their long time rivals, Team Troxel in their equally successful VW Golf. But a mere formality it was not, as the team had to grapple with a number of obstacles en route to another 12 hour title that proved the team’s preparation, execution and luck were nothing to take for granted.
 Flatoutracing.net driver Kofod, was in for his second stint with the team having finished second in ITB class last year after leading that race for most of the event only to loose out when the gearbox failed with only a few hours remaining. This years line up included multiple endurance champ and team owner, Kirk Kenestis, Phil Phillips of Philstireservice.com, new ITA hot shoe Chris Perera and Kofod. The Conover Motorsports/Team GTI is no stranger to endurance racing having served as the dominant force in ITB class for the past four years with multiple wins in the 12 Hour at Summit, the VIR 13 Hour, and last season the class winner in the 24 Hour of Nelson Ledges.
In nearly every one of those hard fought victories, the team’s main rival was the equally successful Team Troxel VW ITB car. This year’s 12 Hour would prove to be sweet revenge for Kofod and Conover Motorsports/Team GTI which last year led most of the race only to watch Team Troxel take home the trophy.
This year’s event looked promising from the start as Conover Motorsports team scored a strong pole position for the race. In stark contrast the Troxel WV required an engine change overnight to start the race Saturday morning and once the race started was somewhat off the pace.
 Driver’s Kenestis, Perera and Phillips struggled with frequent bouts of heavy rain, some minor contact that required speedy repair work in the pits, and at least two major race stoppages when lightening and poor visibility forced changes in strategy. One by one the competition fell by the wayside in many classes but the Conover Motorsports ITB Golf soldiered on for the race. All three drivers set blazing lap times and at various points opened up three and four lap leads over the Troxel team.
Flatoutracing.net’s Kofod was to do the final night stint around 9:00 - 9:15 but plans changed quickly when third driver Phil Phillips started experiencing leg cramps at around 8:40 pm with a little less than three and half hours to go before the checker. Kofod hurriedly suited up and got in the car at 8:42 pm for the final stint. The team had assumed at this point that Kofod likely wouldn’t make it all the way to the final checker.
 In addition to facing the task of heavy night traffic, some scatted rain showers, and other normal obstacles, Kofod lost radio communication with the crew shortly after getting in the car. What followed for the next three hours and eighteen minutes was a stunning display of racing as Kofod got close to matching qualifying type laps in what was by now
a very used up race car. In at least two instances during his stint Kofod was punted off track, once in turn 1 and once coming down Summit’s infamous turn 4 “shoot”. The latter proved the Golf’s tank like structure as Kofod impacted the outside tire wall and had to come in for a damage check. A quick glance over found the car in good shape and Kofod finished out the final three hours and eighteen minutes in strong fashion setting quick lap times only a few laps before the end where he took the checkered flag for the ITB class win and the 12 Hour title.
The team ended up beating the Troxel VW by a margin of seven laps to take home their third straight endurance win. For Kofod it was his second 12 Hour title in three 12 Hour races, having won the ITA 12 Hour title in 2005 with Hankook Tires/Team iCarp.net in an Acura Integra.
The team and its drivers wish to thank the following:
Conover Motorsports
Team GTi
Hoosiers Tires
Koni Suspensions
Phils Tire Service
VW North America
Kirk Kenestis (team owner)
Chris Perera (co-driver)
Phil Phillips (co-driver)
Jon Kofod (co-driver)
Greg Amy (Crew chief and data acquisition)
Kim Phillips (crew and chef)
Jeff Underwood (crew)
AJ Nealy (crew)
Brian Curry (crew)
Shannon Snider (crew and chef)
Jacob Underwood (fuel man and weather strategist)
Ryan Jenkins (crew and photographer)
Collins Conover (radios, electronics, and fire safety)
Cameron Conover (Lead mechanic and strategist)
Melissa Nemeth (team statistician)
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