All Eyes on Championship Battle
Lexington, OH – Americans Jake Eidson, Adrian Starrantino and Aaron Telitz are locked in a three-way fight for the 2013 F1600 Formula F Championship Series title with just four races to go. The three aspiring racers take their talents back to Mid-Ohio, where both Eidson and Starrantino won just two weeks ago, and where Telitz led until just two corners to go on Sunday afternoon before contact with Starrantino.
The contact between the race leaders resulted in a monetary fine for Starrantino’s Bryan Herta Autosport team and his No. 98 Mygale/Honda, but did not take points away from the young racer.
While versions of events differ, Starrantino was able to come away with the win, while Telitz settled for a broken car and lost valuable Championship ground. The No. 13 WISKO Racing camp will be looking to rebound to their form that saw Telitz go from third to first on the last lap at Road Atlanta in May.
But before the drama at Mid-Ohio, Eidson cruised to his fourth victory of the season and fourth in a row on Saturday afternoon in the rain. The Spectrum/Honda driver for Cape Motorsports marked his third straight rain run-away drive, and inched out what is now a 29-point Championship lead for the defending F1600 title winning team.
The season has unfolded in momentum shifts, with Starrantino sweeping VIR, Telitz winning at Road Atlanta, and then Eidson going on a four-race win streak prior to Starrantino’s last lap ordeal at Mid-Ohio.
The key to the Championship may have started two weeks ago, who had Mid-Ohio figured out, but as races developed and the weekend unfolded, all three of the drivers vying for the title were very fast at the road course, all leading laps and separating themselves from the rest of the pack.
Elsewhere, Steve Bamford is coming off a podium at Mid-Ohio in race two, and won the June Sprints, and could factor in near the front of the field. As could Telitz's WISKO teammate Paul Alspach, who has been inching toward the front of the field since joining the Series in May at Road Atlanta.
Jim Goughary was back on form too, hanging around the top five last time out, while Sam Chastain and Ayla Agren, two additional entries from Bryan Herta Autsoport hope to rebound after tangling in round eight after running in the top five.
Thursday August 8 features twilight testing at Mid-Ohio, following by Friday practice sessions at 8:30am and 1:45pm local time. Saturday and Sunday give way to 8:30am qualifying and an 12:50pm race start, with live coverage available on www.f1600series.com.