Mullan Scores Win on Series Debut Weekend
Summit Point, WV – Colin Mullan continued his impressive pace in his F1600 Championship Series debut weekend, taking the win on Saturday evening for Rice Race Prep at Summit Point in round 17 of the 2018 F1600 season in yet another all-green flag 21-lap race. The second place battle came down to the wire after a thrilling late race battle as Nicky Hays scored the runner-up result in his F1600 debut weekend for Team Pelfrey after a duel with Christian Lall Dass, who finished sixth. A second Team Pelfrey entry for Joey Essma finished third.
“The car was just on rails the entire race,” said Mullan. “Mid-way through the tires came in and I was able to hammer down some quick laps and pull away from the guys battling behind. It was unusual to get a good start in a field like this, but I was able to go from fifth to second in the first corner on the first lap. I got past Joey on the next lap and kept putting down quick laps; thanks to Rice Race Prep for giving me a good car.”
Hays noted: “The race was really good. Team Pelfrey gave me a great car to work with. On the last lap, I was a bit down on power. I drafted up behind Christian. I saw him go defensive, I broke deep and starting coming down to the apex. It looked like he clipped the curb and I ended up second. That was our first real race running in a pack, and we learned the subtleties of where we are good. Work on me, and work on the car, and I have no doubt we may be on the top step.
Essma, in his return to F1600 competition, completed the podium after a close late-race fight with Yuven Sundaramoorthy, beating him to the checkered flag by two thousandths of a second.
“We had a good start; got a great jump,” said Essma. “We were shuffling around the first few laps. I roasted my left front tire. Christian was able to drive away from us, and then I had a great battle with Yuven; the last lap was close, it was a drag race to the finish.”
Sundaramoorthy was fourth ahead of Baylor Griffin.
The Masters Class victory went to Mike Scanlan, who beat Joel Hass to the checkered flag by less than a tenth of a second in a photo finish.
Championship contenders had a rough race. Tyler O'Connor dropped back early and finished in ninth. After his earlier win on Saturday, points leader Dario Cangialosi was forced to switch to a back-up car prior to the race and failed to finish, and was classified 14th.
F1600 competitors next take to the track for their final race of the Summit Point weekend, scheduled for Sunday afternoon.