KIMBALL SWEEPS WEST COAST ZETEC SEASON-OPENER
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KIMBALL SWEEPS WEST COAST ZETEC SEASON-OPENER
PHOENIX, ARIZ. (April 8, 2003) –Charlie Kimball, of Camarillo, Calif., won
Rounds One and Two of the 2003 Formula Ford 2000 Zetec West Championship at
Phoenix International Raceway. Finishing second in both rounds was Jonathan
Bomarito, of Monterey, Calif. Completing the top-three in Round One was
Westley Barber, of Saffron Walden, England. Lawson Aschenbach, of
Gaithersburg, Md., completed the top-three in Round Two. Jessie Houser, of
Phoenix, Ariz., won the American Continental Championship class in Round
One. Les Phillips, of Bakersfield, Calif., won the ACC class in Round Two.
Starting on the pole in race one, Bomarito maintained the lead at the green
flag. For the opening four laps, Bomarito, driving the No. 23 Valley
Financial PR1 Motorsports Van Diemen Ford, held off repeated challenges from
Kimball. On lap five, Kimball got a run on Bomarito, passing for the lead in
turn one. For the remainder of the race, Kimball, driving the No. 91
Rentvillas.com PR1 Motorsports Van Diemen Ford, extended his lead. At the
checkered flag, Kimball had captured his first career Zetec Championship win
by 7.741 seconds over Bomarito and Barber, in the No. 85 Sunoco Cape
Motorsports Van Diemen Ford. In the ACC class, Houser and Phillips engaged
in
a good battle for position, with Houser taking the lead for good on lap 11.
Houser becomes the first female to win any class in the Zetec Championship.
In race two, of the West Coast season-opening doubleheader, Kimball started
from the pole position and maintained the lead into turn one. Behind
Kimball, Bomarito and Barber battled for position on the opening. At the
conclusion of the lap, Barber was in second, but Bomarito quickly retook the
position on lap 2. For the next two laps the duo continued to fight for
position, as Kimball established a brief gap. On lap five, Barber retired,
allowing Bomarito to focus his attention on catching Kimball. For the
remainder of the race, Bomarito closed in on Kimball, but never challenged
for the lead. At the checkered flag, Kimball had completed a sweep of the
doubleheader, winning by 2.215 seconds over Bomarito and Aschenbach, driving
the No. 2 King Automotive/M&M Welding Cape Motorsports Van Diemen Ford. In
the ACC class, Phillips led flag-to-flag. For capturing both wins, Kimball
was awarded $10,000 in prize money.
Completing the top-five in race one was Aschenbach and Geoff Fickling, of
San Clemente, Calif., in the No. 3 P1 Racing Van Diemen Ford. In race two,
Chris Festa, of Atlanta, Ga., in the No. 19 Car Centric/Paul Tracy Karts PR1
Motorsports Van Diemen Ford and Fickling completed the top-five.
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PHOENIX, ARIZ. - Race results from Saturday's 30-lap, 45.3-mile race at
Phoenix International Raceway, with finishing position, starting position in
parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out.
1. (2), Charlie Kimball(R), Camarillo, Calif., WZ, Van Diemen Ford, 30.
2. (1), Johathan Bomarito(R), Monterey, Calif., WZ, Van Diemen Ford, 30.
3. (3), Westley Barber(R), Saffron Walden, England, WZ, Van Diemen Ford, 30.
4. (4), Lawson Aschenbach, Gaithersburg, Md., WZ, Van Dieman Ford, 30.
5. (5), Geoff Fickling(R), San Clemente, Calif., WZ, Van Diemen Ford, 30.
6. (6), Chris Festa(R), Atlanta, Ga., WZ, Van Diemen Ford, 30.
7. (7), Sean Kelly(R), Merced, Calif., WZ, Van Dieman Ford, 30.
8. (9), Peter Hastrup(R), Madera, Calif., WZ, Van Dieman Ford, 29.
9. (10), Scott Foutch(R), Lynnwood, Wash., WZ, Van Diemen Ford, 29.
10. (8), Ira Fierberg, Manhattan Beach, Calif., WZ, Van Diemen Ford, 29.
11. (13), Jessie Houser(R), Phoenix, Ariz., WA, Mygale, 28.
12. (12), Al Salvo(R), Arcadia, Calif., WZ, Van Diemen Ford, 26.
13. (11), Les Phillips(R), Bakersfield, Calif., WA, Van Dieman Ford, 9.
Time of race: 31 minutes, 11.235 seconds.
Average speed: 87.151 miles-per-hour
Margin of victory: 7.7410 seconds
Lap leaders: # 23 1- 4 Johathan Bomarito(R)
# 91 5- 31 Charlie Kimball(R)
Fastest race lap: Charlie Kimball(R), 0:58.538 (92.862 mph)
PHOENIX, ARIZ. - Race results from Saturday's 30-lap, 45.3-mile race at
Phoenix International Raceway, with finishing position, starting position in
parentheses, driver, hometown, car, laps and reason out.
1. (1), Charlie Kimball(R), Camarillo, Calif., WZVan Diemen Ford, 30.
2. (2), Johathan Bomarito(R), Monterey, Calif., WZVan Diemen Ford, 30.
3. (4), Lawson Aschenbach, Gaithersburg, Md., WZVan Dieman Ford, 30.
4. (6), Chris Festa(R), Atlanta, Ga., WZVan Diemen Ford, 30.
5. (5), Geoff Fickling(R), San Clemente, Calif., WZVan Diemen Ford, 30.
6. (7), Sean Kelly(R), Merced, Calif., WZVan Dieman Ford, 30.
7. (9), Peter Hastrup(R), Madera, Calif., WZVan Dieman Ford, 30.
8. (8), Ira Fierberg, Manhattan Beach, Calif., WZVan Diemen Ford, 29.
9. (10), Scott Foutch(R), Lynnwood, Wash., WZVan Diemen Ford, 29.
10. (11), Les Phillips(R), Bakersfield, Calif., WAVan Dieman Ford, 28.
11. (13), Jessie Houser, Phoenix, Ariz., WAMygale, 28.
12. (12), Al Salvo(R), Arcadia, Calif., WZVan Diemen Ford, 19, SPUN.
13. (3), Westley Barber(R), Saffron Walden, England, WZVan Diemen Ford, 5.
Time of race: 29 minutes, 29.758 seconds.
Average speed: 92.148 mph
Margin of victory: 2.2149 seconds
Lap leaders: Laps 1-30, #91 Charlie Kimball(R)
Fastest race lap: #91 Charlie Kimball(R), 0:58.494 (92.932 mph)
