O’Connor’s Last Lap Move at Mid-Ohio Nets Win
Lexington, OH – Round 10 of the 2018 F1600 Championship Series came down to the final lap on Saturday afternoon at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with Tyler O’Connor passing teammate Yuven Sundaramoorthy to win by just over two tenths of a second for K-Hill Motorsports. Christian Lall Dass finished third to score his best result year in F1600 competition after a 18-lap all-green-flag race with multiple lead changes in hot conditions.
“It was a really crazy race; but it was so much fun. We had a four car breakaway, we were all relaxing and trying to feel each other out as it always comes down to the last lap at Mid-Ohio,” said O’Connor. “I had an idea what I wanted to do, I didn’t know it would work, but I made it stick on the outside into Madness. It was an excellent job by the team, it was a team effort.”
Sundaramoorthy said: “I was hoping to be able to hold first; I was trying to keep him around the outside in turn five and he managed to make it stick. I tried a move in turn nine but backed out at the last second. I need to thank K-Hill, my parents and everyone that brought me here, it’s been a fun weekend so far.”
“A lot of people told me you can’t do it with a Ford, but we’ve had a good weekend. The temperature is close to Florida, where I’m fun, and we’re used to a greasy track,” said Lall Dass, who scored the first podium for a Ford-powered car in recent memory with his excellent drive to third in the No. 94 Piper.
Points leader Dario Cangialosi finished fourth after starting on pole, while Joe Colasacco took home the top honors in the Masters Class with a fifth place finish in his 2018 debut for Auriana Racing in round 10 of the 21-race season.
“It’s good to be back; I’ve missed these cars,” said Colasacco. “I had a bad start and dropped back a few spots. I wanted to keep up with the front pack as I knew they would break away from the field. I couldn’t make up the difference, and you need to be in the draft to have a shot.”
Completing the top 10 were Joel Hass, Ryan Bjerke, Dexter Czuba, Jeffrey Bartz and Mike Scanlan.
Fast laps from race one determine Sunday morning's race two starting lineup, with Cangialosi set to lead the field to the green ahead of Lall Dass. Row two will be made up of Baylor Griffin and Colasacco.
The intense F1600 racing action from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course next continues with two more rounds, closing out the triple-header Formula Race Promotions weekend on Sunday July 1.