Top 5 For Filgueiras at Palm Beach
Following a very successful 2014 season, and last few months full of hard work and planning, we were finally anxious and ready to hit the track. The newly formed Spencer Racing team spent the winter holidays searching for and recently acquired an F2000 car for the season. With only two weeks before the F2000 Championship series preseason Winter Exhibition, held at Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR) in Palm Beach, the Spencer Racing members worked tirelessly to get the car prepped for its first shake down runs and race.
After many long days and nights at the Michigan shop, the team’s Principal Jim Spencer and crew member David Spencer were able to get the car prepped and transported to Florida. The team then embarked to PBIR to begin the three-day preseason event. The first and second days of track time the car went flawless with exception to a small oil overflow that was quickly and easily taken care of. The third and final day would see the young F2000 competitors and teams alike pitted against each other for green-flag qualifying and race conditions. With a new set of Hoosier tires on the car, 21 year young Spencer Racing driver Eric Filgueiras was able to place the #22 Lipten Energy Solutions Van Diemen Zetec in 3rd position.
As soon as the green flag dropped, the battle ensued. Eric, not getting the most ideal start shuffled back to 4th position into turn one and battled early on, fighting against other competitors and his own car alike until finally slotting into position and crossing the line in a very well-deserved 5th place finish. “ This whole weekend was such a great learning opportunity that I’m really glad we could capitalize on” explained Filgueiras. “I think considering we had an extremely small window to prep the car after the point of purchase, and the fact that the car’s gear ratios were off, as well as not set up to its optimum potential to our knowledge, we did great this weekend. And I’m really excited for the season to come. We’re taking this next month-and-a-half before the season opener at Road Atlanta and working on everything full-force to insure we come out swinging and make our presence known.”
All of this success is the result of hard work and great partners of the team. Spencer Racing would like to take the time to recognize and thank Lipten Energy Solutions, Kovi Consulting, Driven Racing Oil, SPEEDCOM Communications, HAWK Performance, BELL Helmets, Oakley, A&B Graphics, GoPro, SafeQuip and Dark Horse Pros.
Join Spencer Racing at the first round of 2015 F2000 Competition April 11th-12th at Road Atlanta!