ASCHENBACH LEADS FLAG-TO-FLAG FOR FIRST WIN AT MILWAUKEE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ASCHENBACH LEADS FLAG-TO-FLAG FOR FIRST WIN AT MILWAUKEE WEST ALLIS, WIS. (May 31, 2002) –Lawson Aschenbach, of Gaithersburg, Md., won Round Six of the 2002 Formula Ford 2000 Zetec Championship at the Milwaukee Mile. Completing the top-three was Tonis Kasemets, of Mundelein, Ill. and JW Urlin, of London, Ont., Can. Race one of the doubleheader at the Milwaukee Mile was run late in the afternoon in hot conditions. At the green flag, Aschenbach held the lead into turn one ahead of Kasemets. The duo quickly established a fast pace and began to build a gap on No. 14 Jon Groom in third place. While the top-three ran unchallenged in the opening laps, a good battle ensued for fourth through six position. Just after lap 15, Kasemets, driving the No. 9 MK Ind/Flexovit/TMI/Red Line Oil Pabst Racing Services Van Diemen Ford, was forced to slow his challenge on Aschenbach, as he developed a blister on his front tire. While Kasemets was forced slow his pace, he had built a large enough lead to retain his third place position. On lap 30, Groom slowed on the back straightaway with a broken gearbox allowing Urlin to move into third place. Urlin, in the No. 19 Budget Rent-A-Car/Mygale Cars Mygale Ford, had moved up from his ninth-place starting position, using the draft and a superb handling car. At the checkered flag, Aschenbach, driving the No. 32 Forsythe/King Auto/M&M Welding PR1 Motorsports Van Diemen Ford, had led flag-to-flag, to capture his first win by 2.297 seconds. “It was a dream race,” said Aschenbach. “Everything has gone perfect thus far. The team real deserves the win after the amount of work they have put in. Hopefully tomorrow I can get the same result.” “The car was really good at the start,” said Kasemets. “I was staying with Lawson [Aschenbach] until I saw the blister. After that my main concern was keeping it off the wall. Luckily we had built a good lead and I was able to finish third.” “The car keeps getting better every race,” said Urlin, who captured his first podium last weekend at Indianapolis. “It took some time to figure out how best to use the draft and then it was just planning each pass ahead of time. It will be nice to start up front tomorrow.” Completing the top-five is Travis Irving, of Chino Hills, Calif., in the No. 85 Great Central Transport PR1 Motorsports Van Diemen Ford, who started fifth and Jeffrey Jones, of Sarasota, Fla., in the No. 2 JCI Jones Chemicals/Winchester Cape Motorsports Van Diemen Ford. WEST ALLIS, WIS. - Race results for the 50-lap, 51.60-mile Round Six race at the Milwaukee Mile, with finishing position, starting position in parenthesis, driver, hometown, class, car, laps completed and reason out if any. 1. (1), Lawson Aschenbach(R), Gaithersburg, Md., Van Diemen Ford, 50. 2. (2), Tonis Kasemets, Mundelein, Ill., Van Diemen Ford, 50. 3. (9), J.W. Urlin, London, Ont., Can., Mygale Ford, 50. 4. (8), Travis Irving(R), Chino Hills, Calif., Van Diemen Ford, 50. 5. (5), Jeffrey Jones(R), Sarasota, Fla., Van Diemen Ford, 50. 6. (4), Bryan Sellers, Centerville, Ohio, Van Diemen Ford, 50. 7. (7), Sean McIntosh(R), Coquitlam, B.C., Can., Van Diemen Ford, 50. 8. (11), Edouard Aube(R), Montreal, Que., Can., Van Diemen Ford, 50. 9. (6), Mark Wilkins(R), Toronto, Ont., Can., Van Diemen Ford, 50. 10. (12), Luis Schiavo(R), Caracas, Venezuela, Van Diemen Ford, 50. 11. (15), Andy Brumbaugh(R), Blythewood, S.C., Van Diemen Ford, 50. 12. (10), Tom Dyer, San Rafael, Calif., Van Diemen Ford, 49, CONTACT. 13. (14), Scott Rubenzer, Brookfield, Wis., Van Diemen Ford, 49. 14. (13), Anthony Massari(R), Miami, Fla., Van Diemen Ford, 40. 15. (3), Jon Groom, Boonton, N.J., Van Diemen Ford, 30, GEARBOX. 16. (16), Ricardo Imery(R), Caracas, Venezuela, Van Diemen Ford, 0, DNS. Time of race: 24 minutes, 04.504 seconds. Average speed: 128.597 miles-per-hour Margin of victory: 2.3970 seconds Lap leaders: # 32 1- 50 Lawson Aschenbach(R) Fastest race lap: Lawson Aschenbach(R), 0:28.307 (131.246 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