SELLERS CAPTURES FIRST WIN IN DOMINANT FASHION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SELLERS CAPTURES FIRST WIN IN DOMINANT FASHION SEBRING, FLA. (March 14, 2002) –Bryan Sellers, of Centerville, Ohio won Round One of the 2002 Formula Ford 2000 Zetec Championship season at Sebring International Raceway. Completing the top-three was Tonis Kasemets, of Mundelein, Ill. and Travis Irving, of Chino Hills, Calif. Doug Smith, of Plantation, Fla., won the American Continental Championship class. Following qualifying by all the other classes competing at the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring, Round One of the Zetec Championship got under way in the late afternoon. Starting from pole position, Sellers maintained his lead into turn one at the green flag. By the end of the first lap, Sellers, driving the No. 3 Yes Network/3 Dimensional Services/Arai Helmets/Sparco/Cape Motorsports Van Diemen Ford, had established a two second lead. Behind Sellers, Kasemets and Irving began a race long battle for second place. Kasemets, in the No. 9 MKINd/Flexovit/TMI RedLine Oil Van Diemen Ford, maintained second place until lap six, when Irving took the position. On the following lap, Kasemets re-passed Irving in the No. 85 Great Central Transport PR1 Motorsports Van Diemen Ford. For the remainder of the race, Kasemets held off Irving as Irving battled electrical problems. As the duo battled for position, Sellers built his lead by as much as a second a lap, setting the race’s fastest lap, 2:05.686 (105.978 mph). At the checkered flag, Sellers had led every lap en route to his first career Zetec Championship victory. “It’s great honor to win the season-opener,” said Sellers. “I was surprised by how I pulled away at the start. I figured Tonis [Kasemets] and Travis [Irving] must have had trouble and just concentrated on running clean laps. The Cape team has done great job, but I know tomorrow is a new race and anything can happen in racing.” “This is fantastic,” said Kasemets. “After last year, this is a great way to start a season. I’m looking forward to racing we these guys again tomorrow.” “The car was great at the start of the race,” said Irving. “As the race progressed I had power problems and Tonis was able to pull away.” “This is very special,” said Smith, whose grandfather was a co-founder of the 12 Hours of Sebring. “I hoped something like this would happen, and it means a lot to me given my family ties to this race.” Completing the top-five was Jefffey Jones, of Sarasota, Fla., who started fifth and Sean McIntosh, of Coquitlam, B.C., Can, who started seventh. SEBRING, FLA. – Race results for the 13-lap, 48.100-mile Round One race at Sebring International Raceway, with finishing position, starting position in parenthesis, driver, hometown, class, car, laps completed and reason out if any. 1. (1), Bryan Sellers, Centerville, Ohio, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 2. (3), Tonis Kasemets, Mundelein, Ill., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 3. (2), Travis Irving(R), Chino Hills, Calif., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 4. (5), Jeffrey Jones(R), Sarasota, Fla., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 5. (7), Sean McIntosh(R), Coquitlam, B.C., Can., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 6. (12), Mark Wilkins(R), Toronto. Ont., Can., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 7. (14), Ricardo Imery(R), Caracas, Venezuela, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 8. (8), Luis Schiavo(R), Caracas, Venezuela, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 9. (15), Andy Brumbaugh(R), Blythewood, S.C., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 10. (6), Bobby Wilson(R), Oconomowoc, Wis., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 11. (9), Scott Jenkins(R), Portland, Ore., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 12. (20), J.W. Urlin, London, Ont., Can., F2A, Mygale Ford, 13. 13. (4), Anthony Massari(R), Miami, Fla., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 14. (10), Matt McDonough(R), West Newbury, Mass., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 15. (22), Scott Rubenzer, Brookfield, Wis., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 16. (13), Edouard Aube(R), Montreal, Que., Can., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 17. (18), David Burkett, Corpus Christi, Texas, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 18. (17), Josh Schreiber(R), Lancaster, Pa., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 19. (23), Steve Thomson, Minnetonka, Minn., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 20. (16), Lawson Aschenbach(R), Gaithersburg, Md., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 21. (21), David Clarke(R), West Palm, Fla., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 13. 22. (25), Doug Smith, Plantation, Fla., ACC, Van Dieman Ford, 12. 23. (24), Michael Floyd, Houston, Texas, ACC, Van Diemen Ford, 12. 24. (11), Tom Dyer, San Rafael, Calif., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 11, CONT. 25. (19), Kim Campbell(R), Richmond, Texas, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 0, n.a. Time of race: 27 minutes, 23.949 seconds. Average speed: 105.331 miles-per-hour Margin of victory: 13.018 seconds Lap leaders: # 3 1- 13 Bryan Sellers Fastest race lap: Bryan Sellers, 2:05.686 (105.978 mph) Allan Craighead Director of Public Relations Formula Ford 2000 Zetec Championship 3608 Morris St. North St. Petersburg, Fla. 33713 727-522-7544 303-883-8521 Cell www.usf2000.com