F2000 National Championship Presented by Speedvision Mosport Weekend Facts
19 May 1999
MAY 21-23, 1999What: The U.S. F2000 National Championship Presented by Speedvision runs Rounds Four and Five of its 10th season here in support of the BFGoodrich Tires Trans-Am Series. F2000 competition at Mosport Park dates back to 1992, and this weekend marks the sixth and seventh races (first since 1996) at the famed circuit. The U.S. F2000 National Championship is a 14-race championship and includes the eight-race American Continental Championship, which has its debut this weeeknd. This weekend's races will be the 131st and 132nd races in U.S. F2000 history.
Television: Both races this weekend will be televised on a back-to-back, tape-delayed basis on the Speedvision Network. Both feature hour-long broadcasts beginning Saturday, June 19 at 4:00 p.m. (ET).
Race Length: Both races will be 20-lap, 49.18-mile contests.
Circuit Records:
Qualifying: 1:21.265, 108.932 mph, Jason Bright, 1996
Race Lap: 1:22.802, 106.910 mph, Chris Fahan, 1994
Winner's Speed: 105.861 mph, Chris Fahan, 1994
Narrowest Margin of Victory: 0.172-second, Christian Vandal over Mike
Borkowski, 1994
Widest Margin of Victory: 4.953 seconds, Tom Schweitz over Jose
Cordova,
1992
Margin of Victory Last Race: 1.704 seconds, Jason Bright over Steve
Knapp,
1996
Past Race Winners:
1992, Thomas Schweitz, 105.210 mph
1993, Chris Simmons, 23.382 mph (*- race included 50-minute red flag
period)
1994, Chris Fahan, 105.860 mph
1994, Christian Vandal, 105.289 mph
1996, Jason Bright, 90.250 mph
Past Pole Winners:
1992, Tomas Schweitz, 106.691 mph
1993, Daniel Faucetta, 87.084 mph
1994, Beaux Barfield, 106.788 mph
1994, Christian Vandal, 106.697 mph
1996, Jason Bright, 108.932 mph
1999 Race Recaps:
Round One, PHOENIX, Ariz. (March 28, 1999)-Canadian Marc-Antoine Camirand took his first-career F2000 victory at the 50-lap, 50.0-mile 1999 opener at the Phoenix International Raceway oval. Camirand earned his third career pole and led flag-to-flag for a 4.345-second win over English rookie Dan Wheldon. Steve Rikert finished third. Camirand got the jump on the field as the green came out, with Wheldon working around second-qualifier Rolando Quintanilla in a daring pass on the outside of turn one. Quintanilla would eventually finish eighth after a spin, but set the race's fastest lap (130.046 mph, a record). Second-generation drivers Larry Foyt and Mark Dismore completed the top-five. Tom Wood was sixth after starting fifth followed by Aaron Justus, who started 32nd after a practice accident eliminated him from qualifying.
Round Two, Concord, N.C. (April 30, 1999)-Despite cold and windy conditions, English rookie sensation Dan Wheldon took his first-ever U.S. F2000 National Championship Presented by Speedvision and Road to Indy Oval Crown win in the caution filled 30-lap, 48.0-mile first of two races at the Lowe's Motor Speedway at Charlotte. Ian Lacy and Andy Lally completed the top-three. Wheldon, who started from the pole in the No. 5 Primus Racing Van Diemen Ford, averaged 69.546 mph in the race slowed by six cautions for 19 laps to beat Ian Lacy under caution by 1.078 seconds. After losing the lead to Lally, who in turn lost the lead to Lacy with three laps to go, Wheldon took the lead in the turn one chicane just prior to the final caution period with two laps to go. Lacy finished second-his career best--in the Mygale after starting sixth. His pass for the lead on lap 28 came in a daring move in turn three, which saw him put all four wheels on the apron. Lally nearly didn't make the race after a qualifying crash damaged his car severely only two hours before the start. With the help of several other crews, Lally was able to fix and roll his Bowman into his second qualifying position with time to spare. This was Lally's second podium at LMS, after finishing second in a race here last year. Lacy's teammate, Bobby Oergel finished fourth, followed by T.J. Bell. John Groom won the "B" class.
Round Three, Concord, N.C. (May, 1999)-Aaron Justus captured his first-career U.S. F2000 race win in thrilling fashion at the Lowe's Motor Speedway at Charlotte. Dan Wheldon was second and T.J. Bell third. Justus, who started seventh in his Van Diemen, swapped the lead several times with five other drivers during the event, and took the lead for good on lap 29 of the 30-lap, 48.0-mile contest. Justus averaged 102.690 mph en route to a 0.738-second victory over Dan Wheldon, who won the first race of the weekend on Friday. The race was slowed by two cautions for eight laps. There were no major incidents. This is Justus' first win in nine career starts, topping his previous career-best finish of third. Wheldon started second and led the most laps (15) in his Van Diemen. With his third podium finish in the first three races, Wheldon retains his point standings lead, 83 to 60 over Marc-Antoine Camirand. Bell started and finished third, for his best race ever in his Van Diemen. Bell led for the first time in his career (twice for two laps) and set the race's fastest lap of 129.633 mph. Polesitter Oergel finished fourth in a photo-finish with Bell, followed by Jonathan Bottoms. Justus, Wheldon, Oergel, Bell, Bottoms and Andy Lally, who broke early, all led. Ennis Bragg won the "B" Class for older cars.
Last Time at Mosport Park: BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO, CAN. (May 19, 1996)-Australian Jason Bright took his second victory of the season and the points lead in Round Five of the U.S. FF2000 National Championship over Steve Knapp. Bright, who sat on the pole in record-setting fashion, 1.091 seconds clear over the remainder of the 38-car field but handed the lead to Knapp and Bruno Bianchi at the start. The trio battled until Bright gained the lead on lap 12 of the 20-lap, 48.18-mile contest, beating Knapp by 1.704 seconds. Canadian Andrew Bordin passed Bianchi to take third, followed by Bianchi and Mark Noske. Seventeen-year-old Matthew Sielsky set the race's fastest lap.
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