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F2000: F2K, Y2K merge this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway

14 March 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

F2K and Y2K merge this weekend when the United States F2000 National Championship Series opens its campaign at the Phoenix (AZ) International Raceway in conjunction with the MCI WorldCom Indy 200 Indy Racing Northern Light Series event at the 1-mile paved oval.

Canadian Marc-Antoine Camirand of St. Leonard D'Aston, Quebec will return to defend his 1999 Phoenix race victory in his Key Motorsport Van Diemen Ford Quicksilver. Camirand finished second in the 1999 F2000 National standings and fifth in the USAC "Oval Crown" points and also scored a pair of road race victories in Canada last year.

Andy Lally of Northport, N.Y. and Aaron Justus of Crestline, Calif. are two more drivers who won 1999 F2000 races who are in the field for this weekend's events at PIR. Lally won on the oval at Charlotte, N.C. and the road course at Road Atlanta in 1999, while Justus scored his initial F2000 win at Road Atlanta last season.

Tyler McQuarrie of Walnut Creek, Calif., USAC's 1999 Russell "Triple Crown" driving champion, is also set to make his Formula 2000 debut at Phoenix. He will drive a Van Diemen Ford entered by Richard Morgan Racing.

Other entrants for the Phoenix opener are Arie Luyendyk, Jr. of Scottsdale, Ariz., the son of the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, and 1998 Formula Russell Champion Ian Lacy of North Las Vegas, Nev.

Formula 2000 practice is slated from 8-8:30 am Friday and 7:45-8:05 am Saturday. Qualifying is scheduled from 9:40-10:40 am Saturday and Sunday's 50-mile feature race begins at noon.

Text provided by USAC

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