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USAC/SCCA: Camirand Annexes Phoenix F2000 Opener

30 March 1999

Canadian Marc-Antoine Camirand of Trois Rivieres, Quebec captured Sunday's opening round of the 1999 USAC/SCCA Formula 2000 Championship at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway. He led all 50 miles around PIR's 1-mile paved oval in his Key Motorsport Van Diemen Ford.

Camirand won the pole starting position in the 33-car field Saturday with a speed of 130.006 mph. He was trailed to the checkered flag on Sunday by England's Dan Wheldon, Steve Rikert of Rhineneck, N.Y., Larry Foyt of Houston, Tex. and Mark Dismore, Jr. of Greenfield, Ind. Foyt is the son of legendary 4-time Indianapolis 500 champion A.J. Foyt and Dismore is the son of Indy Racing League veteran Mark Dismore.

The victory was Camirand's first in F2000 competition, although he had two runner-up finishes and three poles last year when he earned "Rookie of the Year" honors. His average speed Sunday was a record 83.589 mph.

Ennis Bragg of Swainsboro, Ga. finished 17th in the 50-mile race, the best for a "B" category (older) car.

The USAC/SCCA Formula 2000 Championship series resumes April 30 and May 1 with events at the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C.

USAC/SCCA FORMULA 2000 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

1. Marc-Antoine Camirand 32
2. Daniel Wheldon 25
3. Steve Rikert 22
4. Larry Foyt 19
5. Mark Dismore, Jr. 17
6. Tom Wood 15
7. Aaron Justus 14
8. Rolando Quintanilla 13
9. Daniel Muniz 12
10. Jonathan Bottoms 11

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