Scott Fraser Captures Third AutoCrosser of the Year Title
It’s a three-peat! Scott Fraser made it three-for-three by winning the Goodguys 2020 FAST AutoCrosser of the Year title in Scottsdale during the Duel in the Desert at the 23nd Speedway Motors Southwest Nationals presented by Barrett-Jackson. Fraser conquered a field of 32 cone-carving drivers who raced into the Duel in the Desert competition ladder, keeping his three-year victory streak alive.
All three of Fraser’s wins have been behind the wheel of Bruce Cambern’s ’66 AC Cobra – an original, authentic Shelby that Bruce has owned since 1965. Cambern continues to fine tune the Cobra’s heavily modified chassis and the Kinetics Race Engines-built 440c.i. Ford big block, though this is only the second time the car has competed in 2020. Fraser and Cambern had the car at the Goodguys Salt Lake Nationals in July, but only made a few runs before a broken pulley sent them home.
Fraser qualified first for the Duel in the Desert with a 37.876-second time. He defeated James Eaton, Robby Unser, and Eric Sheely before meeting up with Brian Peters in the final round. Peters and Fraser have been racing each other for 14 years in both SCCA competition and Goodguys AutoCross. “He’s a tough competitor,” Fraser said. Peters was driving David Carroll’s LS-powered Datsun Z-car for the weekend and qualified for the Duel with a 38.361-second run, but had run as fast as 37.548 in earlier rounds. In the final, Peters ran his best time – a blistering 37.324-second lap. Fraser knew he had to stay on his game and he hit the course with determination, ripping off a 37.058-second lap, the fastest lap run by him – or anyone else – for the whole weekend.
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- Scott Fraser
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- Brian Peters
Josh Leisinger, who was the 2019 Goodguys PRO-X Season Points Champion, raced against Eric Sheely for third and fourth place. It was a battle of Corvettes – Josh in the Summit-sponsored ’64, and Sheely in the bright-yellow ’72 – a car many remember as the RideTech 48-hour ’Vette. Sheely made a 38.275-second run, while Josh ripped off his fastest lap of the day to capture third place with a 37.220, which was actually the fastest run of the Duel until Fraser ran his final lap.
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- Josh Leisinger
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- Eric Sheely
The 32-car Duel was another exciting Goodguys AutoCross Shootout and a fantastic way to finish a racing season that was cut way too short. Goodguys would like to thank Duel in the Desert sponsors American Racing, K&N Engineering, and LeCarra for presenting such a spectacular race, and FAST for once again sponsoring the AutoCrosser of the Year award.
Photos by Steven Bunker and Damon Lee
