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F2000: Road to Indy Oval Crown Finale set for PPIR

26 August 1999

FAIRFIELD, N.J. --The U.S. F2000 National ChampionshipPresented by Speedvision wraps up its Road to Indy Oval Crownchampionship-within-a-championship at the Indy 200 weekend at Pikes PeakInternational Raceway, August 28.

English rookie Dan Wheldon (No. 5 Jayhard/Primus Racing Van Diemen Ford)looks to secure his first major racing championship in the five-race Road toIndy Oval Crown, part of the 14-race U.S. F2000 National Championship. Toclinsh the title, Wheldon needs to finish 16th or better in the 50-lap,50.0-mile race, Saturdays feature event on the Pep Boys Indy Racing LeagueWeekend. The race will be broadcast on a tape-delayed basis on theSpeedvision Network Sunday, September 19 at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Jointly sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing and the United States Auto Club, U.S.F2000 National Championship boasts the best up-and-coming talent inopen-wheel racing today, and it's cut-throat competition has put it at thetop of motor racing entertainment for North American race fans. A newassociation with the Speedvision Network also brings exciting, prime-timetelevision broadcasts into 22 million homes across North America.

Within the National Championship, the U.S. F2000 drivers compete for theIRL-sponsored Road to Indy Oval Crown, which is made up of the series fiveoval races in 1999. Wheldon has one win (Lowes Motor Speedway) and threeseconds in the four races this season for 108 points28 better than AtlantaMotor Speedway winner Steve Rikert (No. 4 Richard Morgan Racing Van DiemenFord), who is the only other driver capable of taking the title.

Third in points is National Championship point leader Marc-Antoine Camirand(No. 96 Key Motorsport Van Diemen Ford), who has three wins on the season(Phoenix, Mosport and Trois-Rivieres) and has only finished outside of thetop-10 once in 11 races. The Canadian, who was the 1998 Rookie of the Year,holds a 233-221 point advantage over Wheldon in the overall championship.Rikert is third in the National Championship run, with 185 points.

Tied with Camirand for third in the Oval Crown and fourth in the NationalChampionship is Bobby Oergel (No. 19 DSTP Motorsports Mygale Ford). Afterearly-season string of success, Oergel has finished no better than eighth inthe last four races, and looks to get back on the podium.

Other drivers currently in the top-10 looking to jump to the top of thepodium include T.J. Bell (No. 23 El Dorado/MiR/Bell Helmets/Cape Van DiemenFord), Daniel Muniz (No. 7 Texaco-Havoline/Visa Aval Van Diemen Ford), MarkDismore (No. 13 Monster.com Van Diemen Ford), Jonathan Bottoms (No. 3Roppe/Team Great Northern Van Diemen Ford) and Rolando Quintanilla (No. 40Tecate/Quaker State/Transportes Quintanilla Van Diemen Ford).

Other drivers looking for strong runs at the PPIR oval include Mid-Ohio CARTWeekend race-winner Jeff Wright (No. 24 Jetboy/Casabella/Cape Van DiemenFord), Road Atlanta winner Andy Lally (No. 72 Tyrolean Auto Sports CarbirFord) and 1998 title runner-up Ryan Hampton in a one-off appearance in theNo. 88 Pymp Syndicate/American Instruments Tatuus Ford.

Returning to F2000 competition for the first time since their spectacularAtlanta Motor Speedway accident July 17 are Michael Curtiss, Larry Foyt andLarry Oberto.

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