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USAC: Debeaumont hones skills in Russell' s TRC

4 April 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

USAC MCI WorldCom Western Midget Car Champion Marc DeBeaumont of Clayton, Calif. recently took advantage of the Russell Racing School's year-end offer to USAC's Western Racing Series Champions to experience rear-engine race driving and says he learned a lot.

DeBeaumont, who won races at Irwindale, Stockton, Hanford and Madera, Calif. on his was to the 1999 title, completed the 3-day "Techniques of Racing" course at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., home of the Russell Racing School, the official racing school of USAC.

"I'd never been on a road course before," he admitted. "It was a lot of fun and I got a lot of track time. The first day was the most important, because that's when I learned to shift! The cars were so much different than I'd been used to. They have a Mitsubishi motor and the best way to save yourself when you get into trouble is to put the pedal to the floor, which is usually the opposite in a Midget Car. I sure have a better appreciation of what rear-engine driving is all about now, thanks to the Russell instructors, who made my course extremely productive. I would highly recommend this course to any aspiring driver."

Tyler McQuarrie, USAC's 1999 Russell Triple Crown Champion, gave Marc a few laps around the track during the schooling and was a big help, along with instructors John Knoedler and Paul Spooner.

DeBeaumont is moving to the midwest this season to concentrate on running the MCI WorldCom USAC National Midget Car Series and will team with Clay Klepper of Caruthers, Calif. on the Robert Hartman team.

Text provided by Dick Jordan

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