Throwback Thursday: Scott Zampach Wins Debut Triumph Speed Triple Challenge (1996)

Larry Lawrence | June 30, 2022

Tripp Nobles, Lance Holst and David McGrath Also in the Mix at Willow Springs

In this week’s Throwback Thursday, we dial up February 18, 1996 into our time machine with the location of Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond, California. That weekend was the opening round of the 1996 Sunoco Race Fuels Formula USA Series. One of the support classes for the series, was a new spec class called the Mobile 1 Triumph Speed Triple Challenge. In this photo you see four of the main protagonists of that debut event. Leading is Scott Zampach (No. 11) over Tripp Nobles (No. 1), Lance Holst (No. 88) and David McGrath (No. 66). Nobles took the early lead in the race only to be passed by Willow Springs specialist Holst. That duo battled up front ahead of McGrath and Zampach. But the Z-Man, who was a drafting expert thanks to his years of Harley-Davidson 883 racing, eventually played the draft perfectly and slingshot his way all the way from fourth into the lead. Former World Superbike competitor Nobles hung tough and challenged Zampach a few times, but it was the Z-Man going on to win the debut Speed Triple Challenge event. Nobles was runner up and McGrath third. Holst, who set a blistering pace early, melted his tires and dropped back to sixth at the finish.

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