Summit Point Weekend Preview
Salem, NH – With just two weekends remaining in the 2017 season, tensions are rising in the Atlantic, F2000 and F1600 Championship Series as drivers battle for every remaining point. This weekend the action for Formula Race Promotions heads to Summit Point in West Virginia for a three-day action-packed race weekend on the 10-turn road course.
F1600
Rounds: 2017 Season Rounds 15, 16, 17
Points Leaders: Matthew Cowley (577), Jonathan Kotyk (523), Zach Holden (500), David Osborne (463), Yuven Sundaramoorthy (412), Joel Haas (318 – Masters Class Leader)
2017 Race Winners: Matthew Cowley, Zach Holden, Jonathan Kotyk, Yuven Sundaramoorthy, David Osborne
Pittsburgh (Last Event) Winners: Jonathan Kotyk x3
Pittsburgh Recap: Missing Friday practice for Team USA Scholarship functions, Jonathan Kotyk showed up a day late for Team Pelfrey and proceeded to dominate the F1600 weekend at Pittsburgh, winning all three races and vaulting himself up in the point standings.
Other Key Talking Points
- Matthew Cowley pieced together a strong weekend at Pittsburgh to hold onto his points lead, but anything can happen with a triple-header weekend at Summit Point on the docket.
- Joel Haas took his first ever Masters Class win at Pittsburgh and has moved into a strong position in the Masters Class Championship for Rice Race Prep, leading the title-battle over Mike Scanlan.
- Other race winners will be looking to return to form for both Team Pelfrey and K-Hill Motorsports, which is located just up the road from Summit Point in Abbottstown, PA.
F2000
Rounds: 2017 Season Rounds 11, 12
Points Leaders: Brandon Dixon (356), John McCusker (277), Tim Paul (274), Steve Jenks (271), John LaRue (232)
2017 Race Winners: John LaRue, Nicolas Palacio, Brandon Dixon, Austin McCusker, John McCusker, Tim Minor
Pittsburgh (Last Event) Winners: Tim Minor, Brandon Dixon
Pittsburgh Recap: Tim Minor, in his first start in F2000 in nearly three years, held off a charging Steve Jenks for the Saturday win. A day later, Brandon Dixon and team dug deep after changing engines to return to victory lane for their second victory of 2017.
Other Key Talking Points
- With just four races to go, all eyes will be on an ultra-tight points battle as McCusker, Paul and Jenks look to track down Dixon. Paul and Jenks are still searching for their first ever F2000 wins, with Paul emerging as a regular contender in recent events.
- Tim Minor is back for the second consecutive weekend and this time at his home track. On the last visit to Summit Point by F2000 in 2013, he swept both races taking two strong wins.
- Another driver looking to play spoiler will be VIR winner Nicolas Palacio, who is entered for the weekend at a circuit he has plenty of experience at.
- The weekend also plays host to the second annual Glenn Philips memorial classic, which will be the Saturday afternoon F2000 race. A commemorative trophy will go to the winner in memory Phillips, who passed away in 2015 after a battle with cancer.
Atlantic
Rounds: 2017 Season Rounds 11, 12
Points Leaders: Peter Portante (436), David Grant (397), Keith Grant (392), Bruce Hamilton (Masters Class Leader - 234)
2017 Race Winners: Peter Portante, Keith Grant, David Grant
Pittsburgh (Last Event) Winners: Keith Grant, David Grant
Pittsburgh Recap: It was an all Grant and Polestar Racing Group weekend at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. Keith Grant won Saturday’s race and demolished the overall track record in qualifying. A day later, it was brother David Grant driving to the checkered flags first. Points leader Peter Portante put together dual second place finishes for K-Hill Motorsports and continues to manage a slim points lead.
Other Key Talking Points
- The Atlantic Championship Series last raced at Summit Point in 2012 with Tonis Kasemets and John Dole taking the wins in challenging conditions. David Grant finished second in both races on his way to the 2012 title, while Keith Grant finished third in both races.