MANUFACTURERS: A winning weekend for Reynard
18 April 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Reynard recorded victories in Champ Cars, Formula Nippon and Sport Cars this weekend, confirming the company's position as the leading manufacturer of production racing cars.
In the second round of the 2000 FedEx Championship Series, Paul Tracy driving the Team Green Honda Reynard 2KI Champ Car, fought his way through from 17th position on the grid to take the chequered flag in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach with Helio Castro-Neves, driving Marlboro Team Penske's Honda Reynard 2KI finishing second. Nine of the top ten finishers were driving Reynard 2KI Champ Cars ensuring Reynard stay out in front in the Constructors Championship points.
In Japan,the 2000 Formula Nippon Championship moved to Motegi for Sunday's race, the second round of this Japanese Championship. Reynard 2KL Nippon cars dominate the Series this year, with all but two teams choosing the Reynard chassis. Reynard cars took the top eight places after a close race, with Toranosuke Takagi, PIAA Nakajima team, holding off a strong challenge from Michael Krumm, 5Zigen, to take his second win this year.
Riley & Scott, the illustrious sports car manufacturer owned by Reynard, also recorded a victory this weekend, with the new R & M race team and drivers Mauro Baldi and Gary Formato competing in the Sports Racing World Cup event at Monza, taking the SR1 win in the second round of the Championship with their Judd powered R & S MK III.
Mark Smithson, Managing Director, Reynard Motorsport, commented on the weekend, "It's great to see our cars performing so well on the track. There's strong competition amongst the constructors in all these Series, so we're pleased to be keeping ourselves ahead of our rivals. Of course, our job doesn't finish when we deliver the cars. In Champ Cars, for example, we'll be working with our customers on developments for the various tracks that the Series visits. At the next race in Rio de Janeiro, the Reynard teams can run with a 'Rio aero kit', a number of parts especially designed for this unique tri-oval."
Mark Smithson celebrated another win this weekend, taking victory at Monza in the Sports Racing Lights class of the Sports Racing World Cup with team mate Peter Owen, in a Pilbeam MP84 Nissan.
Text provided by Alison Hill
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