Summit Point Finale Preview
Sharon, CT – With Tim Minor the 2013 F2000 Champion, the Masters Class veteran would like nothing more than to sweep his home track as F2000 heads to Summit Point to end the 2013 season with rounds 13 and 14. The West Virginia location is the site of Minor’s first overall victory in 2009 before he ran away to the 2013 Championship. Elsewhere, the fight is on for second in the points between Kyle Connery and David Grant – who continues to look for his first F2000 Championship Series win.
Minor remains the hands down favorite for wins at his home track, as the veteran has been fast all year in the No. 88 Citation, won more races than anyone else, more poles, and has already clinched the title. He is also the only driver in the field with a past pro win at the track and has a home-field advantage after a season of setting lap records at most of the track’s visited on the calendar.
Enter the younger generation, many of whom could play spoilers as video games and fast reflexes let the likes of Santino Ferrucci, Roberto Lorena, Kyle Connery and more learn race tracks in mere minutes. Connery led laps at the track in 2012, although that was in a downpour.
While Connery has won races this year, both Lorena and Ferrucci have been quick and their HP-Tech team took a win at Summit Point on the way to the Championship in 2012. The teammates from Ft. Lauderdale-based HP-Tech are still searching for their first wins in their rookie year in the category.
While Lorena sits fourth in points, and could catch Grant with a bit of help, he needs to protect his position from Steve Bamford, who rounds out the top five on a string of strong finishes in the No. 71 Van Diemen.
Bamford will again get the added benefit of more laps than anyone, as he contests both F1600 and F2000 sessions at the 10-turn two-mile road course.
Tied for sixth in points are WISKO teammates Federico Mosconi and Kevin Kopp. Kopp finished on the podium at his home track in 2012.
Ferrucci is eighth in points, a result of missing the opening six races, but being ultra-fast since joining the Series at Watkins Glen.
One of the more unique weekends on the 2013 schedule, F2000 will share Summit Point with the ultra-competitive F1600 Series, and a group of professional motorcycle road racers.
The name of the game at Summit Point may be survival based on the amount of track time on tap. Friday, August 23, is literally non-stop, with four F2000 practice and qualifying sessions for races 1 and 2 at 11:00 and 4:30 local time. Saturday and Sunday both feature a 7:45 warm-up and 11:45 race, followed by a banquet on Sunday night to conclude the 2013 F2000 Championship Series campaign.