Eidson Paces Friday Practice at Mid-Ohio
Lexington, OH – Coming off three straight race wins and leading the Championship, Jake Eidson piloted his No. 10 to the top of the time sheets in two fast-paced practice sessions for the F1600 Formula F Championship Series at Mid-Ohio. The Spectrum/Honda driver wasted no time in returning to top-form despite a two-month break since Lime Rock. In the afternoon practice session, Eidson was quickest ahead of Championship rival Adrian Starrantino and IndyCar driver Tristan Vautier.
"The expectations this weekend are just to maintain the momentum,” said Eidson, who drives for Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing. “Practice went great and we had a good gap, hopefully we can hold that gap. The car is handling great, there are obviously things you can expect from this track with the types of turns, but overall, the grip is really good.”
Eidson lost valuable track time on Thursday evening with a fuel pressure issue sidelining the Spectrum for one of three unofficial testing sessions held by the track. The Cape Motorsports crew was able to find the issue and correct it overnight before 8:00am practice.
Bryan Herta Autosport’s Starrantino was second quickest on the afternoon time sheets, narrowly behind Eidson while Vautier was third quick in the Van Diemen for Quantum Racing Services.
The Frenchman, who is entered this weekend primarily for track time, was a quick-study in getting acclimated to the F1600 cockpit, and led Thursday testing at the track. He is also racing against his girlfriend, Ayla Agren, who drives for Bryan Herta Autosport.
Vautier, along with Eidson and Starrantino, spent the afternoon practice trading fast laps back and forth.
Rounding out the top five in the afternoon practice session were Aaron Telitz, second in the Championship in the WISKO Mygale, and Lew Cooper, in a Van Diemen and the first Ford-powered car for Polestar Racing Group.
Sam Chastain was sixth quick in one of his best performances of the year for the Bryan Herta team, with Jim Goughary, Ayla Agren, Paul Alspach and Steve Bamford following.
After a slow start to the year, Goughary, a former race-winner, appeared to be back on form with a top-five time in the morning, following by seventh on the afternoon time sheets.
The morning session featured faster times, with Eidson running a 1:27.390, which is under the existing qualifying track record. Telitz followed in that session with Starrantino, Vautier and Goughary in positions three through five.
The weekend at Mid-Ohio features rounds seven and eight of the 12-race 2013 Championship, with another visit to Mid-Ohio in two weeks followed by the conclusion of the year at Summit Point in late August.
A mini-points race is on offer for all four Mid-Ohio races, with the driver amassing the most points winning the “King of the Buckeyes,” with various prizes including a dedicated trophy, custom-made commemorative poster and more going to the victor.
Click here ( http://f1600series.com/results.html ) for practice results.
The weekend continues on Saturday and Sunday with 8:00am qualifying followed by a 12:15pm race on both days. Stay updated at f1600series.com.