Rob Bunker - Denver races

Rob Bunker continues to add to his race resumé, notching new tracks and
configurations in his first Formula BMW USA season. The Bridgewater, N.J.,
teen showed his characteristic charge in his street-racing debut in Denver
on Aug. 13 and 14, unfazed by the concrete walls of the 1.647-mile temporary
street circuit designed for the Champ Car World Series.

 

Bunker kept his No. 18 AIM Autosport Formula BMW FB2 car on track to qualify
12th and 13th for the two Denver races, avoiding the fate of five
competitors who hit the wall during the qualifying sessions. The second
session added rain to the mix, making conditions more difficult, but Bunker
was at home in the wet.

 

"It was surprisingly easy to navigate. I've always been a fairly good racer
in the rain, so it was second nature to come right out to those soaking-wet
walls," he said.

 

flying FB2

 

Starting further back than he wanted, Bunker decided to link up with his
teammate, series championship leader Kevin Lacroix, at the start of the
first race. Bunker gained four positions in two turns, then spun on a
concrete patch. He dropped to the back of the 20-car field, but raced back
to finish 14th.

 

Armed with more track knowledge, Bunker was ready for the second race, but
found himself again charging from behind after being spun by another car.
"The race on Sunday was pretty eventful," he reported. "I had a fairly good
start and was on my way up through the pack and got dive-bombed. The car
leaped up into the air, did a 360[-degree turn] and landed on all fours. I
kept going, but it pushed me all the way back to 16th."

 

He regained eight positions in the remaining minutes of the race and
finished eighth. Some of his championship rivals weren't as lucky.

 

"There were times when we definitely overstepped the boundaries, but I was
able to come out without hitting anything. Keeping the car intact is really
what it takes to win a season," he noted. "Although the results weren't that
fantastic, the performance we put into it was phenomenal. The cars around us
as far as points are concerned came back on flatbeds. So even though we
didn't gain any points, we'll still move up in the final standings for the
year."

 

next

 

Bunker's final two 2005 races will be held Sept. 29 and 30, during the Petit
Le Mans race week at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga. Meantime, he's heading
to the gym to increase his endurance capability – so he'll be ready for even
more power in 2006.