Field Gets Tighter as Season Sets Up for Six Races in Five Weeks

July 24, 2013
Connery leads Minor at Watkins Glen (photo: Valet)

Sharon, CT – Kyle Connery may have returned to his race-winning form, but can he do anything about Tim Minor’s 102 point lead in the F2000 Championship? That is the question heading into the final six races of the season, with two rounds this coming weekend at Mid-Ohio. The front of the field has tightened with rookies gaining momentum, and some new faces, along with the usual suspects and some familiar names returning.

Throwing drivers and teams an added challenge is the fact the final six races of the year take place in just five weeks, with another return to Mid-Ohio in August followed by the season finale at Summit Point in August. Drivers and engineers that figure out Mid-Ohio first could capitalize in a major way with four races scheduled in Lexington, Ohio.

Minor has six wins compared to Connery’s two – but a twisty Mid-Ohio race course may reward Connery’s Van Diemen over Minor’s Citation. If those two find themselves in trouble, David Grant lies just a few points behind Connery in the Championship, and has built a bullet-proof model of consistent finishes in his Polestar Van Diemen. Grant has passed some 35 cars this year.

Of the new faces, 15-year-old Santino Ferrucci joined 18-year-old Roberto Lorena at HP-Tech, with Ferrucci immediately landing a podium result in his Van Diemen. Lorena currently sits fourth in the standings.

Fabio Orsolon made a late appearance on the entry list for Mid-Ohio, driving the factory Radon No. 77 car, which he nearly passed the entire field with at Watkins Glen in June. Orsolon led practice times in June but could not capitalize with car issues during the first race.

Chris Livengood, a two-time Mid-Ohio winner, will note his first start of the 2013 season this weekend, in the No. 37 RFR chassis.

Sitting two points apart for fifth in the Championship are WISKO teammates Kevin Kopp and Federico Mosconi, both coming off less-than-perfect Watkins Glen weekends and hoping to rebound for their first career F2000 victories.

Group A Racing is back too, for the first time in 2013, with young Mexican Jose Armida at the wheel of the team's Van Diemen.

The Series is coming off a banner weekend at Watkins Glen, with the biggest field seen in some years, three different chassis makes on the podium for the second race in Connery's Van Diemen, Minor's Citation and Orsolon's Radon.

Track time is on tap this coming weekend at Mid-Ohio, with Thursday twilight testing leading into two practice sessions on Friday, with Saturday and Sunday both featuring an early-morning qualifying session and 1:45pm race start. A full schedule, live audio, results, photos and more are available on www.f2000series.com

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