F1600 Set for Big 2014 Season
Salem, NH – The expansion of the F1600 Formula F Championship Series season to 14-races and seven weekends underscores the momentum behind the Formula F title-chase. New teams, including Chastain Motorsports, Swan Racing, Team Pelfrey and Exclusive Autosport total some 12 additional cars for aspiring drivers and join a roster of some of the country’s best drivers and prep shops as the large grid heads to Road Atlanta for its season opening weekend.
With the fast three from 2013 moving up in the open-wheel world, the 2014 favorite is anyone’s guess, but the story starts at the front of the grid with Chastain Motorsports, three time Indy 500 entrants, entering a double-car effort for second-year driver Sam Chastain and a possible late-addition teammate, both in Mygale/Hondas.
Atlantic car experts Swan Racing file a single entry for 15-year-old Max Mallinen, in a Spectrum/Honda. Max is joined by three entries in Mygales from Team Pelfrey, including Ayla Agren, the highest placing driver in the standings (fourth) from 2013 back for another season. Her teammates include Augie Lerch and Garth Rickards, and a fourth car that could be filled this week prior to Road Atlanta.
WISKO Racing returns for a second season with a pair of Mygale/Hondas for Russian driver Nikita Lastochkin and circle-track expert Will Harvey, from Edmond, Oklahoma.
Other big news is the entrance of Exclusive Autosport as the Spectrum-chassis importer, and its arsenal of five Spectrum/Hondas in Georgia.
The Canada-based squad’s drivers include: No. 90, Jayson Clunie, who competed in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge ST Championship in 2013; No. 91, Max Hanratty, who finished fourth in the 2013 Canadian FF Championship; No. 92, Jeffrey Kingsley, a multiple-time international and national Canadian karting champion; No. 93, Thomas McGregor, doing double-duty in F2000 and the 2013 Quebec F1600 Champion; and No. 94, Jack Mitchell, the 2013 Canadian F1600 A-Class Champion with Exclusive Autosport.
A number of "series regulars" return, including Masters Class expert Mike Scanlan and Polestar’s Lew Cooper, now in a Spectrum/Honda, along with Austin McCusker for his second season for Dotworks racing.
Jim Goughary, the only former F1600 winner in the field, won the opening F1600 race in 2011, and returns for another year, but this time with Ski Motorsports in a Van Diemen/Honda. Steve Bamford is back too, making the trek from Toronto, and also running in the F2000 Series.
At Raceworks, Franklin Futrelle, a Skip Barber instructor, is confirmed for a full season effort along with young teammate Brandon Angel, both in Spectrum/Hondas.
In addition to an expanded schedule, fans and racers can expect a new internet video format following the Series to debut in the summer. All race weekends feature plenty of track time and double-race weekends.
Stay tuned for Road Atlanta news and updates on F1600Series.com