On a race weekend that saw nearly every weather condition possible, from bright sunny skies to rain, then sleet and then snow on Sunday, Race 3 for the USERA Carbotech Endurance Championship was as unpredictable as the weather.

The Puskar Motorsports driver team of Chris Puskar and David Daughtery were poised to be the pair to beat heading into the weekend, and they certainly lived up to the pre-event expectations.  Puskar was quick right off the trailer, setting the quickest times in both the practice and qualifying session.  Puskar secured his third pole in as many races for the start of the three hour USERA/CASC Sundown Enduro event:

26 - C. Puskar/Daughtery (5th overall!)
8 - Dewey/Sweeney
47 - Hine/Spain
28 - Kucera/ D. Puskar

Since USERA was racing as part of the CASC Sundown Enduro, the USERA drivers elected to grid as a second group behind the CASC car group.  This meant the USERA cars would be racing from the back of the overall race grid throughout the event.  Everyone had a great start and by the end of the second race lap Puskar had moved the number 26 car into the top ten overall.  Along the way Puskar set a new Mosport lap record for Spec Miata with a 1:41.048 lap.

Right at the midway point the race saw its only full course caution when a CASC car introduced itself to the tires at turn two, thus necessitating a visit from the course safety crew to fluff the tire wall.  The number 26 Puskar/Daughtery car inherited the overall race lead from laps 42 through 50 during the pit stop shuffle.  At this point of the race USERA cars occupied 2nd, 3rd and 5th overall.

The Dewspeed entry of Shawn Dewey and Herb Sweeney held the lead in class for five laps as racing resumed following the caution.  Daughtery resumed the lead on lap 57 and would hold on to the lead through the end at lap 102.  There was some late race drama as the #8 Dewspeed car thought they may have to make to stop for a splash of fuel.  But the team implemented their conservation mode program and was able to make it to the end without making the dreaded splash-n-go stop.

The second Puskar Motorsports entry driven by Danny Puskar and Bob Kucera had a great third place run going, having actually led a lap during the pit stop shuffle, only to have it all go wrong when the engine expired with 20 minutes remaining in the event.  This handed third place to USERA newcomers John Spain and Nate Hine driving for Team Driver Supply.  Spain and Hine had originally entered the CASC portion of the event and switched to join the USERA event when they met the teams and realized that they could race within a series designed specifically for their Spec Miata.

Final results were:
26 - C. Puskar/Daughtery (2nd Overall)
8 - Dewey/Sweeney (3rd Overall)
47 - Hine/Spain (5th Overall)
28 - Kucera/ D. Puskar (14th Overall)

Puskar and Daughtery leave Mosport tied for first in the Driver Championship.  Dewey made the best advance in the Driver Championship moving to within 22 points of Puskar and Daughtery.  Dan McKeever, who was unable to attend Mosport, is 34 points behind Dewey.

The next event on the 2006 USERA calendar will be Race 4 at the Nashville Superspeedway on July 8, 2006.  Race 4, which will be a special six hour event under the lights at the speedway, will be pivotal for Dewey as he continues to chase Puskar/Daughtery for the USERA driver title.