Barrett Claims Fourth Consecutive Win in Pacific F2000

For Immediate Release

 

Barrett Claims Fourth Consecutive Win in Pacific F2000 Championship
Presented By Hankook Tire

 

First Place and Second Place Finishes Extend Series Lead for Young
Driver

WAYNE, NJ (July 31, 2007) - Held in conjunction with the NASCAR West
Grand National event weekend, the 2007 Pacific F2000 Championship
featured 17-year-old Patrick Barrett claiming his fourth consecutive win
of the season.  The round seven win and second place finish in round
eight added to his already impressive lead in the twelve-race series.
Both rounds took place on July 6 and 7 at the new Miller Motorsports
Park near Salt Lake City, Utah.  

 

In round seven, the Los Osos, Calif. native led every lap to finish
3.722 seconds ahead of Team GFRO driver Chuck Hulse and PR1 teammate
Thomas Merrill.  Barrett claimed maximum points with the win in his #3
Jim Russell Racing School/Alpinestars PR1 Motorsports Van Diemen.  After
beginning the second lap with a six-second lead, Barrett and the other
drivers were restarted due to a full course yellow flag.  Once again
Barrett built a substantial lead only to see it go away for another
double yellow flag incident and a second restart.  

 

"The restarts really kept me on my toes, and Hulse put up a good fight
on the first restart.  My team was also having radio communication
problems in round seven," said Barrett.  "Despite these obstacles, I'm
very happy with how everything turned out." 

 

Round eight was a seesaw battle for the pole between Barrett and PR1
teammate Merrill.  The two went at it hard early in the session, trading
the top spot three times.  Merrill and Barrett maintained the top two
positions throughout the race and finished with Merrill claiming his
first Pacific F2000 win.  Barrett finished 4.5 seconds behind first and
Team GFRO driver Phillip Metzger rounded out the podium in third.

 

"Tom just had the better car today," Barrett explained.  "I pushed 100
percent for the first half of the race, but when he kept pulling a way I
focused on maintaining my gap over Phil." 

 

Barrett saw his points lead almost double to 75 over second place, now
occupied by his PR1 teammate Merrill, (who leap frogged from fourth to
second in the championship standings).  Friday's win was Barrett's 25th
formula car victory and came almost two years to the week of his first
win at Circuit Mont Tremblant in Quebec. 

 

The next stop for the Pacific F2000 Championship Series, presented by
Hankook Tires, will be at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. on
September 22 and 23.  For the latest information, visit
www.PacificF2000.com <http://www.pacificf2000.com/>  for more news on
this exciting series.

     

About Hankook Tire America Corp.

Headquartered in Wayne, N.J., Hankook Tire America Corp. is a
technology-focused, market-driven company that supports motorsports
enthusiasts and racers at all levels. Hankook is known and respected
around the world for its superior competition tires that outlast the
toughest opposition. Hankook remains at the forefront of performance
tire development to achieve cutting-edge results. As Hankook expands its
motorsports activities, the focus will remain on technology that will
keep Hankook-equipped vehicles in the winners circle. Hankook is one of
the largest tire manufacturers in the world, manufacturing a wide range
of tires for almost any vehicle. For more information please visit
Hankook Tires on the web at www.hankooktireusa.com
<http://www.hankooktireusa.com/> .

 

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Hankook Tire America Corp Media Contacts: 

Bill Bainbridge                                                   Kim
Milman                                          Lucy Capurro

Director Brand Communication      Account Director
Account Executive

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