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F2000 Begins Road Course Season with Return to Mosport Park

19 May 1999

FAIRFIELD, N.J.-For the first time in three years, the U.S. F2000 National Championship Presented by Speedvision returns to Canada and the famed Mosport Park International Raceway, May 21-23, for Rounds Four and Five of its 14-race season.

The Mosport Park weekend will feature two 20-lap, 49.18-mile races on the 10-turn, 2.459-mile circuit outside of Toronto. Both races will be broadcast on a tape-delayed basis, back-to-back on the Speedvision Network, beginning Saturday, June 19 at 4:00 p.m. (EDT).

The U.S. F2000 National Championship boasts the best up-and-coming talent in open-wheel racing today, and it's cut-throat competition has put it at the top of motor racing entertainment for North American race fans. A new association with the Speedvision Network also brings exciting, prime-time television broadcasts into 22 million homes across North America.

With the opening three oval races in the books, it's time for the road racers to shine. Leading the point standings, despite having never seen an oval prior to January, is English rookie Dan Wheldon. Driving the No. 5 Primus Racing Van Diemen, the 20-year-old Brit has one win (Lowe's Motor Speedway at Charlotte), two seconds and one pole in the three events to lead 1998 Rookie of the Year Marc-Antoine Camirand by 23 points, 83 to 60.

Round One (Phoenix) winner Camirand, of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, is set for his first professional race in his native country, and will no doubt be strong in the No. 96 Key Motorsport Van Diemen Ford on a circuit he and his Canadian-based team know well. Camirand won the 1997 Canadian F1600 Championship, which included three rounds at Mosport, resulting in three podium finishes. He looks to bounce back from a disappointing LMS doubleheader, which saw him finish out of the top-five in each race.

While Camirand and Wheldon are the pre-race favorites, look for serious challenges from LMS Race Two winner Aaron Justus (No. 24 Cape/Torco Racing Lubricants/MiR Van Diemen Ford), who jumped to fifth in points (45) with his win; Steve Rikert (No. 4 Richard Morgan Racing Van Diemen Ford), who has three top-10s and is third in points (48); and Bobby Oergel (No. 19 DSTP Motorsports/Quicksilver Mygale Ford), who has a pole this year (LMS) and sits fourth in points (46).

Other top drivers heading north of the border include T.J. Bell (No. 23 Eldorado/MiR/Feature Graphics Van Diemen Ford), Jonathan Bottoms (No. 3 Roppe/Team Great Northern Van Diemen Ford), Alejandro Garcia (No. 8 Indigo Racing/Dixie Numerics Van Diemen Ford), Rolando Quintanilla (No. 40 Tecate/Quaker State/Roquin Van Diemen Ford), Larry Oberto (No. 66 Oberto Beef Jerky/Lowrey's Big Beef Van Diemen Ford) and Calgary's Tom Wood (No. 99 Plains Energy/Round-Up Resource Service Tatuus Ford).

Joining Wheldon in this year's rookie class are Tommy Constantine (No. 16 Mexmil Tatuus Ford), Mark E. Dismore (No. 13 Monster.com Van Diemen Ford), son of IRL star Mark A. Dismore, Jeff Glenn (No. 72 Bank of the West Carbir Ford), Ian Lacy (No. 33 DSTP Motorsports/Quicksilver Mygale Ford), Costa Rican Daniel Muniz (No. 7 Havoline/Visa Aval Van Diemen Ford) and Frenchman Harold Primat (No. 77 Primland Resort Van Diemen Ford).

Editors Note: For hundreds of hot racing photos and racing art, be sure to visit The Racing ImageGalleries and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.