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USAC/F2000: Justus extends point lead with 'wire-to-wire' IRP triumph

30 May 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Aaron Justus of Crestline, Calif. extended his lead in the United States Formula 2000 National Championship Presented by SpeedVision with his wire-to-wire victory in Saturday night's 50-lap feature at Indianapolis Raceway Park. The race was part of IRP's 55th Annual Budweiser "Night Before the 500" activities.

Justus, USAC's 1995 Russell Championship Series Champion, won the pole for the 50-lapper in his Forsythe-InDeck/Torco Van Diemen/Quicksilver and proceeded to lead all the way to beat Billy Asaro, Marc-Antoine Camirand, Tony Buffomante and Arie Luyendyk, Jr. to the checkered flag. The win left him 29 points ahead of Ireland's Peter Walsh going into July 8-9 races at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisc. Walsh was 14th at IRP.

Justus' time of 21.119 seconds erased Craig Taylor's eight-year-old track record and was the fastest of 24 qualifiers. Justus also leads the 2000 USAC "Oval Crown" F2000 standings by 20 points over Camirand and Buffomante.

USAC F2000 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS

1. Aaron Justus 108
2. Peter Walsh 79
3. Marc-Antoine Camirand 77
4. Billy Asaro 71
5. Ian Lacy 69
6. Tony Buffomante 65
7. James Hanson 60
8. James Eaton 53
9. Jeff Harrison 41
10. Daniel Muniz 39

USAC F2000 "OVAL CROWN" CHAMPIONSHIP POINT STANDINGS

1. Aaron Justus 64
2. Tony Buffomante 44
Marc-Antoine Camirand 44
4. Billy Asaro 40
5. Ian Lacy 33
6. Peter Walsh 24
Tom Wood 24
8. James Eaton 22
Jeff Harrison 22
10. Memo Rojas, Jr. 21

Text Provided By Dick Jordan

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.