KASEMETS COMPLETES SWEEP AT ROAD AMERICA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KASEMETS COMPLETES SWEEP AT ROAD AMERICA
ELKHART LAKE, WIS. (July 8, 2001)–Tonis Kasemets, of Mundelein, Ill., won
Round Ten of the U.S. F2000 National Championship Presented by Speedvision
at Road America. Jason LaPoint, of Woodburn, Ore. and Piero Rodarte, of
Mexico City, Mexico, completed the top-three. Scott Rubenzer, of Brookfield,
Wis., won the ACC class.
Eight hours after race one, race two of the Road America doubleheader was
run. Starting on pole, Kasemets was looking to repeat the win he scored
earlier in the day. As the field came to the start/finish the start was
waved off. Immediately Billy Asaro suffered contact and crashed into the
concrete wall, ending his day. Following one lap under caution, to remove
Asaro’s car, the green was given. Kasemets, driving the No. 6
MKInd/Flexovit/Pabst Racing Services Van Diemen Ford, held the lead into
turn one, but relinquished it later in the lap to LaPoint. The duo ran
one-two for the following six laps, extending their lead on third place by
up to one second each lap. On lap eight, Kasemets capitalized on a brief
mistake by LaPoint in the carousel to take the lead. For the remainder of
the race Kasemets ran uncontested en route to a 1.212 seconds margin of
victory. The doubleheader sweep gives Kasemets three wins in the last four
races.
“This is unbelievable,” said Kasemets. “You dream about these things when
you go to sleep, but to have it happen is hard to put into words. The team
has put everything into this win and deserves a lot of the credit.”
After the initial start was waved off, LaPoint used the second start to take
the lead in the back half of the course. Driving fast laps, LaPoint looked
to be in control until lap seven, when his car became slightly loose in the
carousel. Driving the No. 89 Infinity Motorsport/Regency Aviation/TrackMagic
Van Diemen Ford, LaPoint was unable to hold the lead. For the remainder of
the race LaPoint stayed right behind Kasemets, but was never able to
challenge for the lead. The podium finish moves LaPoint to within 23 points
of championship leader, Asaro.
“I just didn’t have anything for him [Kasemets] at the end,” said LaPoint.
“After I saw Billy [Asaro] was out I knew I could score a lot of points. I
think the team is on a roll and we still have a shot at the championship.”
Driving the No. 55 Telmex/Sico Van Diemen Ford, Rodarte managed to avoid
the incident on the initial attempted start, which occurred right in front
of him. Rodarte maintained his fourth place starting position for the
opening laps of the race before challenging Mike Potekhen for third. Rodarte
repeatedly looked for a way past, but was unable to do so until the last
lap. On the last lap, Rodarte made the pass just prior to the finish to
capture his second podium of the year.
“The start was crazy,” said Rodarte. “The car felt good, and I knew I could
pass Mike [Potekhen] so I just waited for the right place to pass late in
the race.”
Driving on his local track, Rubenzer swept the ACC class in the
doubleheader. Unlike race one, Rubenzer, driving the No. 11 Storage Battery
Systems/Trojan Battery Co. Carbir Ford, was able to run uncontested the
entire race. The two wins move Rubenzer into the points lead with 145
points.
“I can’t complain about two wins,” said Rubenzer. “The car felt pretty
good, and I set a pace that was comfortable. To come away with championship
lead at my home track is great.”
Completing the top-five was Potekhen, of Phoenix, Ariz. and Peter Gray, of
Aberdeen, Scotland. Doug Bell, of St. Albans, England was awarded the Pi
Research Hard Charger award after starting last, for mechanical problems,
and finishing sixth. Mark Dismore, of Greenfield, Ind., was awarded the
Truechoice Drive of the Day for his strong drive to eighth place, while
Alexander Figge, of Aspen, Colo., was awarded the Taylor Engineering “Shark”
award, after he moved up 11 positions in the race.
ELKHART LAKE, WIS. – Race results for the 12 lap, 48.00-mile Round Ten race
at Road America, with finishing position, starting position in parenthesis,
driver, hometown, class, car, laps completed and reason out if any.
1. (1), Tonis Kasemets(R), Mundelein, Ill., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 12.
2. (2), Jason LaPoint(R), Woodburn, Ore., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 12.
3. (5), Piero Rodarte, Mexico City, Mexico, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 12.
4. (6), Mike Potekhen(R), Phoenix, Ariz., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 12.
5. (4), Peter Gray(R), Aberdeen, Scotland, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 12.
6. (9), Doug Bell(R), St. Albans, England, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 12.
7. (7), Memo Rojas, Mexico City, Mexico, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 12.
8. (15), Mark Dismore, Indianapolis, Ind., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 12.
9. (16), Scott Rubenzer, Brookfield, Wis., ACC, Carbir Ford, 12.
10. (8), Jeff Harrison, Grapevine, Texas, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 12.
11. (22), Alexander Figge(R), Aspen, Colo., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 12.
12. (10), Tom Dyer(R), San Rafael, Calif., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 12.
13. (17), Billy Hagar(R), Tuttle, Okla., ACC, Van Diemen Ford, 12.
14. (11), Arie Luyendyk Jr., Den Bosch, Holland, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 12.
15. (19), Jeff Otto(R), Hartford, Wis., ACC, Vam Diemen Ford, 12.
16. (20), Ira Fierberg, Hermosa Beach, Calif., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 12.
17. (18), Carl Russo, Ft. Collins, Colo., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 12.
18. (12), Tommy Constantine, Athens, Greece, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 11, OFF.
19. (21), Ken Reinders, Brookfield, Wis., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 11.
20. (13), Kasey Kahne(R), Enumclaw, Wash., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 5, OVRHTD.
21. (14), Paul Dana(R), Indianapolis, Ind., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 1, OFF.
22. (3), Billy Asaro, Markham, Ont. Can., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 0, CONTACT.
23. (), Arnold Brinkman, Quito, Ecuador, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 0, DNS.
24. (23), Dustin Hodges(R), St. Charles, Mo., ACC, Van Diemen Ford, 0, DNS.
Time of race: 27 minutes, 34.653 seconds.
Average speed: 104.432 miles-per-hour
Margin of victory: 1.1209 seconds
Lap leaders: # 6 1- 1 Tonis Kasemets(R)
# 89 2- 7 Jason LaPoint(R)
# 6 8- 12 Tonis Kasemets(R)
Fastest race lap: Tonis Kasemets(R), 2:15.714 (106.105 mph)
Allan Craighead
Director of Public Relations
U.S. F2000 National Championship
P.O Box 11024
87 Fairfield Rd.
Fairfield, NJ 07004
(973) 575-2626
(303) 883-8521 Cell
www.usf2000.com
