F2000 Friday Notebook
Lakeville, CT – Five sessions before two races on the same day at Lime Rock: That is almost an infinitesimal amount of track time, and certainly gives competitors their fair chance to learn the track (way more than five laps) before having to take the green flag. Tim Paul talks about his season so far, and Lime Rock 2010.
Two for One
Lime Rock is offering a special two-for-one ticket deal through its website at www.LimeRock.com – fans on Saturday are treated to a NASCAR Modifieds feature and F1600 and F2000 races in both the morning and the afternoon (not four Formula Ford races).
Double Races on Saturday
Lime Rock marks the second time in two years, and first and only time in 2011 where the F2000 Championship Series will run both races on the same day. The track has a long-standing agreement with the community that says “no racing on Sundays” – meaning a truncated Friday-Saturday event weekend with the NASCAR Modifieds and the ever-growing F1600 Formula F Championship Series.
Two races on the same day, even with hours in between, can pose some challenges if a driver were to run into problems in race one.
Last season, Champion Victor Carbone, now racing in Indy Lights, was served his first and only DNF of 2010 when he was involved in a turn-one incident. A few hours later, after a rush to fix the car, the Alegra Motorsports No. 23 was on the top step of the podium.
Can similar drama play out this year? A DNF in race one for Remy Audette would certainly play into the hands of Kyle Connery, who is sitting the race out, or Chris Livengood, who is facing an uphill battle to track Audette down before the season ends.
Paul: SMR Waiting All Year for This
For Tim Paul (nickname: "Taco Tim"), Lime Rock is the home race for his No. 06 SMR/GTP Motorsports/entry. The Mahopac, New York-native will have a large group of friends, family and sponsors supporting him throughout the event.
“We've been waiting all year for this weekend, and we know we run pretty quick around this short track,” said the former oval-track racer.
“With some testing done we know how competitive we will be, and as long I keep the car together and on track, we should do well. I'm looking for my first podium this weekend, and I will push as hard as I need to,” he continued.
Last year, in front of a packed house and large team hospitality group, Paul suffered a huge shunt during the first race of the weekend.
“The wreck from last year, which is easily the worst I've had in formula cars to date hasn't done a thing to slow me down,” added Paul.
This season has seen a break-through drive to fourth at Watkins Glen, challenging for third on the last lap, and a near-win in pouring rain in Virginia to start the season.
“Basically we're going to show up, kick some ass, take some names and hopefully be drinking a bit of champagne.”
More Local News: Gumprecht Returns
New York-native Chris Gumprecht returns to the F2000 Championship Series paddock at Lime Rock for the first time since racing at Elkhart Lake in 2010. Gumprecht has upgraded from his traditional blue/black #97 Van Diemen to a new RFR.