F2000 NJMP Preview
Salem, NH – Rolling into New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) this weekend, a deep F2000 Championship Series field of drivers is set to take to the track for rounds 11 and 12 of the 2015 season. Coming off a competitive weekend to start August in Pittsburgh, Championship leader Sam Beasley looks to fend off attacks from any number of drivers.
Eric Filgueiras is fresh off a hard-fought weekend in Pittsburgh, where he drove to a second place finish from fourth on the grid on Saturday in the No. 22 Spencer Racing Van Diemen. Sunday would see the driver tangle while fighting for positions on the race track, recovering to finish, but well down the order.
"We had a very up and down race weekend at Pittsburgh, and as these weekends wind down its going to be so important that I stay focused on the track and do everything I can to beat Steve Bamford and Austin McCusker so we can maximize our points with these final four races,” said Filgueiras. “It's going to come down to who makes the least amount of mistakes."
Steve Bamford took home two overall podiums to start the month, finishing third and second, and hopes to find one more step on the podium and grab his second overall F2000 win.
David Grant won the season opener at Road Atlanta for Polestar, and the No. 29 driver was fast in an Atlantic Championship Series car at New Jersey when Formula Race Promotions last visited in 2012, when Grant swept the weekend taking two victories.
John McCusker, in the No. 01 Dotworks Racing Van Diemen, is hoping to inch forward and take his first Series podium as well.
“I'm feeling good for NJMP,” said McCusker. “I am very confident that the car has the potential to be fast. As we showed good pace at Pitt Race, I think I will be a force to be reckoned with out in Millville.”
Brandon Dixon is another driver to keep an eye on as the No. 5 stormed through the field in round nine of the season, and took home his best finish yet, a top five, in round 10.
After scoring his first F2000 Series podium at Mid-Ohio, Sam Chastain looks to return to his front-running form after a trio of DNFs.
Fresh off a test in Europe, Quinlan Lall will be back in the No. 1 Momentum Motorsports Van Diemen and is looking for his first points-paying podium finish.
After a Thursday afternoon set-up, teams will first take to the track Friday morning for a 30-minute practice session followed by more track time on Friday afternoon. Things get busier on Saturday and Sunday, with morning qualifying and afternoon races.