Guyon Wins at Long Beach as Sirois Charges from 15th to Fourth

The concrete canyons of the Long Beach Street Circuit provided a punishing stage for Round 13 of the Sim Gaming Expo ISRA Retro Series, where a field of Lotus 79s tackled 55 minutes of high-speed ground-effect racing with almost no margin for error. The narrow Southern California street course demanded precision from the opening standing start to the final trip through the famous hairpin, and by the end of the night, Alex Guyon emerged with the victory while championship leader David Sirois delivered one of the race’s most impressive drives.

Guyon started from pole alongside Michael Goodman, but Goodman got the jump when the lights went out and charged into Turn 1 with the lead. Richie Hearn, meanwhile, suffered a disastrous start and tumbled from fifth to 14th, while trouble farther back saw a spinning car leave Vern Hawkins multiple laps behind early in the race.

Goodman controlled the opening laps, but Long Beach quickly reminded the field that even the smallest mistake could carry a heavy price. The early leader had a scare when he slid wide in the parking-lot section coming off the back straight, managing to escape without significant damage but giving Alex Guyon an opportunity to close the gap.

By Lap 5, Guyon was firmly attached to the back of Goodman’s Lotus. Using the draft down Shoreline Drive, Guyon made his move into Turn 1, diving to the inside and completing a clean pass for the lead. Goodman stayed close, however, refusing to let the polesitter escape as Chris Valenzuela remained in contention behind them.

The race settled into a strategic rhythm as the field approached the halfway point. Most drivers committed to a one-stop strategy, with pit stops beginning around the 27-to-29-minute mark. Guyon made a clean stop and retained the effective lead, despite later admitting that he had accidentally left his default fuel strategy active and carried more fuel than intended into the second half of the race.

Valenzuela attempted to gain an advantage by extending his first stint and pushing hard before his stop, but Guyon’s smooth pit cycle kept him in control of the race. The stops also shuffled the midfield, with Christopher Ragan emerging ahead of Hearn and setting the stage for a dramatic battle later in the event.

One of the most determined performances of the night belonged to Craig Forsythe, who continued racing after suffering early damage to his right-front wing. Forsythe fought on with a severely compromised Lotus, refusing to retire despite the loss of valuable downforce. His battered machine survived deep into the race before a later crash finally brought his night to an end.

As the final 10 minutes approached, Goodman began closing back in on Guyon. He experimented with wider exits from the hairpin in an effort to maximize his run onto Shoreline Drive and create an opportunity to challenge for the lead. The strategy helped him keep the pressure on, but Long Beach’s concrete barriers were never far away.

A late wall strike disrupted Goodman’s momentum and opened the door for Valenzuela, who slipped past to take second. Goodman recovered to secure third place, earning his first podium finish of the season after spending much of the race in the fight for victory.

While the battle at the front produced the podium, the drive of the race belonged to David Sirois.

Starting from 15th, the championship leader faced a long night of threading his Lotus through traffic. Sirois steadily worked his way forward, avoiding the mistakes and wall contact that claimed positions throughout the field. By the closing stages, he had reached the back of a three-car fight with Ragan and Hearn for fourth place.

With less than two minutes remaining, the battle tightened dramatically. Ragan initially held the position, but a heavy encounter with the wall destroyed his momentum. Sirois capitalized immediately, moving through and turning his attention toward Hearn.

The final lap delivered one last twist. Entering the famous hairpin, Hearn locked his brakes and slid wide, leaving just enough room for Sirois to slip underneath. After starting 15th, Sirois crossed the finish line in fourth place, completing an impressive 11-position charge through the field.

Guyon took the checkered flag to claim victory, followed by Valenzuela in second and Goodman in third. Sirois’ remarkable recovery drive earned him fourth, while Hearn salvaged fifth after his difficult start and late-race mistake.

Guyon described the race as an exhausting mental and physical challenge, particularly with the pressure from Goodman and Valenzuela throughout the event. Valenzuela was pleased with his second-place finish and the performance of his team, while Goodman celebrated his first podium of the season despite the late mistake that likely ended his hopes of challenging for the win.

With only one round remaining, the championship picture now heads toward its final showdown, and after slicing his way from 15th to fourth through the unforgiving streets of Long Beach, David Sirois once again showed why he has been the driver to beat all season.