Filgueiras Scores Pole, Finishes 2nd in Finale
Looking back on the previous six weekends in the 2015 F2000 Championship season, the Lipten Energy Solutions Spencer Racing team has had an incredible freshman season in professional racing. The team was able to have a quick teething process in the pre-season weekend at PBIR finishing in 5th position, and acquiring the knowledge that would help them prepare for the main season races. Armed and prepared, over the next six race weekends the team battled courageously and scored 5 podiums, and consistent top five finishes!
The final race weekend of 2015 F2000 Championship season would be a repeat track, the first time the series would see a repeat track in 2015. Without a Thursday test day, the action jumped straight into official Friday practice. Mixed conditions in the first session and use of older tires in the second session placed Eric just outside of the top-ten at the end of the day. The Spencer Racing team would equip their machine with fresh rubber for Saturday’s qualifying.
The weekend’s first qualification round was met with cold conditions. New tires would need quite a bit of time to reach operating temperature at 35 degrees out. Carefully raising the car’s temperatures, Eric would get going and end the session in a solid 4th place position. Saturday’s race would go Filgueiras’ way until the closing stages, with the car’s handling going away Eric would slip back into 4th Position.
Sunday would serve as the final opportunity to make an exclamation point on the series competition. With Saturday playing as a motivation to improve, the 21-year young Floridian set out with a goal for top spot. With incredible focus, Filgueiras managed to piece together a lap to place him at the very top spot- Pole Position! In the early afternoon, in a most bizarre fashion it began to snow. With enough moisture on the ground, the race would be ran on wet Hoosier tires. Filgueiras would go uncontested more than half the race until a full-course caution would fly, bunching the field back up. The Spencer Racing Driver would get a great restart, but unfortunately as the track dried the car went away again, with Filgueiras settling for 4th position.
In a quote from the season runner-up, Filgueiras said “ What an incredible year. There have been plenty of highs and lows throughout and we persevered . My team is incredible. We’ve come a long way, but there has been plenty of behind-the-scenes activity that has gotten us here. I have to given a special thanks to Jorge Herrera of HP-Tech for helping us with our set-up needs this year, along with our friends at the track that helped us make sure the car was in correct condition each weekend. Thanks so much to our supporters and partners, we wouldn’t be here without them.”
The 2015 season is completely wrapped up. Both Eric Filgueiras and Spencer Racing entered the championship with uncertainty but finished as strong contenders, respected throughout the paddock. The off-season will undergo a continuation in the team’s constant evolving in the motorsport world. Be sure to follow them for a 2016 announcement in the coming months!
All of this year’s success was accomplished with the constant support of Lipten Energy Solutions, Kovi Consulting, SPEEDCOM Communications, HAWK Performance, BELL Helmets, Oakley, A&B Graphics, GoPro, RaceQuip and Dark Horse Pros. (Watch Eric’s Pole Position Lap from the weekend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6__mW4GTzDY)
Team/driver contact available at eric@ericracing.com