F1000 Pro Series - Miller Finale

[F1000proseries.com]

Driver's Championship Cup to be decide at Miller Finale

As The F1000 Pro Series sponsored by Goodyear Racing Tires, Williams Racing Developments, and George Dean Racing Engines with partner sponsors Hyperco, Jongbloed Racing Wheels, Elizabeth Jackson Artwork, and Geartronics North America enters it's final weekend of 2011 at Miller Motorsports Park on August 6, the battle for the Driver's Championship will be fought out between two drivers, Dave Palmer of Portland, Oregon and Canadian Nicholas Belling of Langley, B.C.

Palmer the current championship points leader with 60 points has a 13 point lead over second place Belling with 47 points going into the final two races of the season.

Points are awarded for first through 9th as follows: 12-9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Each driver accumulated points through the previous eight races in the following manner:

Palmer: 12+7+9+9+6+5+7+5 = 60
Belling: 1+9+12+0+9+6+1+9 = 47

Both drivers each have one win this year with Palmer taking his victory in the season opener at Thunderhill and Belling claiming victory at Buttonwillow in race 3. Both drivers also have one 2nd place finish as well, however Palmer with his two third place finishes would trump Belling in the case of any tie-breaker situation.

Stohr Cars with 81 points has currently clinched the Manufacturer's Cup Championship for 2011

With the Driver's Championship to be decided at Miller the racing for top honors should make for some intense racing. Both the Driver's Championship and the Manufacturer's Cup trophy will be awarded at Miller.

Other drivers taking part at Miller include Portland winner Larry Vollum and Taylor Archer who will be looking to make amends after dominating race 8 at Portland only to lose after some confusion when the white flag came out. Both Vollum and Archer will be driving highly modified Stohr F1000's.

Driver's expected to return to the series at Miller include Russ Werner in his Phoenix Race Works F1000 and Terry Biner in a 2010 Firman F1000. Both drivers are returning after having suffered accidents in earlier races. Another driver expected to return at Miller is Randy Mitchell driving his Van Dieman-Novak conversion car. Mitchell's last outing saw him take a third place podium at Thunderhill. Other drivers expected to attend include John LaBrie (Phoenix) and Mark Belling (Firman).

The weekend is expected to see one of the largest turnouts for any F1000 race. The race can be followed live on twitter at twitter:@F1000SeriesWest

For more information on The F1000 Pro Series go to the series website at:
http://f1000proseries.com

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[Thomas Copeland]

Sorry everyone that read the earlier posting, I messed up counting the points up from the manufacturer battle as the points for Portland haven't been added to the standings on the website yet. But I blame myself for losing track.

Stohr has won the Manufacturer's Championship for 2011. The Manufacturer's Cup Trophy will be awarded to Stohr at Miller.

Photos from Portland I hope will be posted soon. Some delay in getting them uploaded. Will let everyone know when they are on the website.

[F1000proseries.com]

There will be reserved paddock space made available for F1000 Pro Series competitors. Thanks to Dave Kizerian of the Utah SCCA for arranging this for us. I'll post a paddock map showing location at first opportunity (can't do it from iPhone sitting in JFK).

Also we are planning to have an dinner for all series competitors on Saturday evening. If results permit we will hand out the Championship Trophies at the dinner. If not then it will be immediately after the podium ceremony on Sunday.

[F1000proseries.com]

Here is amap with the location of the F1000 Paddock. See you all at Miller:

[drdestructo]

Day garages available also at $50/day.

Contact for that is Jason Wade, 435-277-8027

A couple of us are already in there. GP garages are $150/day I think.

Russ

[Nicholas Belling]

Its a long ways away from the west pit entrance..

At least so I have been told by a few locals who run there..

I think 4 spots left in the day garages.

So get in sooner than later

[JakeL]

Agreed that the GP garages are a bit of a hike from the entrance to the west track.

Day garages on the West side are what we want for this event, garages 1-10 face south and have space for you to back your trailer up to them if you're in-and-out of it constantly like I am. 11-20 face north.

-Jake

[Thomas Copeland]

Where are the day garages in relation to the reserved F100O paddock space? If they are far apart and everyone will be in garages then no point in keeping the reserved paddock space.

[JakeL]

Heya Cope -

If I'm reading the map right, the day garages are very far from the labeled F1000 paddock. It's a pretty healthy drive from the garages to the pre-grid. We use bikes to get around Miller - it's an enormous facility.

Garage availability may be an issue though - not sure there's room for all the F1K's in the garages at this point, sounds like they were going fast. There are only 20 garage spots, and they're split among everybody, so hard to say who is in them. Chris and I have spots, FWIW. (DSR)

-Jake

[F1000proseries.com]

11 entries representing 7 different manufacturers:

1. Mark Beling, Firman
2. Larry Vollum, Stohr
3. Nicholas Belling, Firman
4. Russ Werner, Phoenix
5. Terry Biner, Firman
6. Taylor Archer, BRD (Stohr)
7. John LaBrie, Phoenix
8. Randy Mitchell, VD Novak
9. Christopher Ash, Speads
10. Gary Hickman Edge
11. Dave Palmer, Stohr

Note: The F1000 Pro Series now recognizes BRD as a separate manufacturer. This brings the total manuafacturers involved in the F1000 Pro Series up to 11.

[JohnPaul]

Note: The F1000 Pro Series now recognizes BRD as a separate manufacturer. This brings the total manuafacturers involved in the F1000 Pro Series up to 11.

?????

[Mike Devins]

Note: The F1000 Pro Series now recognizes BRD as a separate manufacturer. This brings the total manuafacturers involved in the F1000 Pro Series up to 11.

I am with John Paul on this - isn't the BRD simply body mods to a Stohr chassis. I mean no disrespect but if you follow that logic I manufacture on of the fastest Formula Atlantics in the country, I also manufacture some awesome CSR's.

[carcher]

As the Owner/Entrant of the BRD Stohr, I think that calling our efforts a different manufacturer would not be appropriate. The underpinnings are Stohr, however the body is the great work that Jesse Brittsan (BRD) has provided.

[Thomas Copeland]

We are actually still reviewing it. If we consider it a separate manufacturer it will be along the lines of the VD Novak. In other words there has to be cconsiderable mods done to the chassis and bodywork. Will announce at Miller.

[JohnPaul]

[FONT=Verdana]I just want to say that I didn't mean any disrespect to BRD. The work they did looks absolutely awesome. I know firsthand how difficult it is to design new bodywork and don't want to take anything away from their hard work and great design. I just thought it was a little odd to consider it a totally different manufacture. As far as the Nova conversion it is a slightly different situation since the car started life in a completely different class and has major subframe/chassis modifications, but even in that case it's still a Van Diemen. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]Again, great work from BRD (actually like it better than the factory design)[/FONT]

[Mike B]

We are actually still reviewing it. If we consider it a separate manufacturer it will be along the lines of the VD Novak. In other words there has to be cconsiderable mods done to the chassis and bodywork. Will announce at Miller.

Why does it matter?

[Thomas Copeland]

Don't shoot the messenger (especially since it's me) may have just gotten a bit too far ahead of myself. I think what we are looking at is something like calling it BRD Stohr. My understanding is the car while still a Stohr is heavily modified. So it would be a hybrid like the VD Novak car. Just to clarify. But I think we were really saving the announcement until Miller and it was pending a review of the work done by BRD. Anyway Sorry my bad I'll try not to do that again.

Mike, not sure it does matter, that's why we 're reviewing it.

[Rick Kean]

Thomas,

My immediate reaction (that you consider the BRD bodied Stohr to be another F1000 Manufacturer entry) to this announcement was negative.

Even when your Series includes BRD-kitted Storhs (plural) you still have modified Stohrs, not additional Manufacturers.

While taking nothing away from the efforts of the Archers and J.Britsan & Co, this promotion debases the efforts of all the Primary F1000 Manufacturers represented by your other Series Participants.

Please reconsider,

Rick

[Thomas Copeland]

As a manufacturer rep myself for Ralph Firman I fully understand the efforts put forth by manufacturers. On the other hand without the efforts of people like Novak there might not have even been an F1000 class to begin with. This class didn't start with standalone manufacturers. Novak has been listed as a manufacturer in our series for 2 years now and no one has objected. He's not the original manufacturer and that's why his cars are listed as VD Novak. BRD has modified an existing chassis just like Novak did and has put together a very competitive car. I think both deserve recognition of their efforts. It wouldn't be listed as an original manufactured car but similar along the lines of VD Novak. That is, if we decide to do it.

[Saracen]

Simple solution, what do the homologation papers call out as the manufacturer.

[Northwind]

That is simple. Makes perfect sense.

[Mike B]

Usually, when I enter a race, I tell the organization what kind of car I have. They don't tell me what I'm driving.

BRD has modified an existing chassis just like Novak did and has put together a very competitive car.

I was unaware that BRD had made changes to the chassis, I thought it was a bodywork change. My apologies to Jesse and the Archers.

[ASRF1000]

11 FB's for Miller. Great job Thomas! This should get the avg FB count up in SCCA.

You all have a great weekend!!!

[urbanimports02]

holy cow! been working like a dog on the new updates to the car, and had no idea this was going on until craig showed up to load this morning and told me to check it out. thank you for all the kind words and recognition of our hard work. the car is in fact a stohr, however heavily modified. the body is all new except the nose and shock cover, and now, new front wing bits, and soon a whole new rear wing assembly. the suspension is modified with new front rocker geometry and soon the rears will be done to match what we did in the front. mechanical paddle shift system is a BRD completely custom system from finger tips to shift lever as well. while we have worked very hard and look forward to taylors efforts behind the wheel, I in NO way intend to become a manufacture! I do this for the fun and engineering challenge of making a car go faster. i make money manufacturing dry sump systems, and spend it building cars! I am interested and willing to make aero or mechanical mods to any chassis out there, its all for fun for me. If you wish to call it a BRD/Stohr, i am fine with that, but feel it is a Stohr in terms of manufacture(they are who we call when we need parts) wish i could be there at miller, but the dry sump business is a little backed up so i have to stay and work through the weekend. good luck to everyone down at miller, but mostly good luck to Taylor!!!

[Thomas Copeland]

The reason why it matters is because the F1000 Pro Series has a manufacturers championship. If a car has been modified to make it an F1000 as in the case of the Novak, or has been modified by at least 50% over what it was originally then it needs to be shown as such when we award points in our manufacturers championship. What the SCCA does in regards to car identification is a separate issue. Right now from what I've seen and heard only one car could be depicted as a Stohr-BRD and that is the car of Rod Rice. Neither the Vollum
Or the Archer car has at least 50% BRD components.

[Northwind]

Define components that count toward the 50% or greater category (body work, suspension, electronics, . I doubt the BRD meets the qualifications if it is based on all of the cars combined components. You are painting yourself into a corner with this comment. If you do not define what makes or separates a manufacturer clearly you are going to have a growing issue on your hand. Especially if there is money involved.

[Thomas Copeland]

At the end of the day there will be clearly defined original manufacturers and after market manufacturers when everything is finally considered. Eventually it may not even take 50% of the car to make the determination that the car qualifies as an aftermarket hybrid. If a performance addition clearly puts that car superior to the original spec as offered as stock by a manufacturer that might be all it takes. We haven't made a determination as of yet. But we do have a manufacturers championship and to be fair to those that don't have heavily modified hybrids in the series we need to make a distinction. But nothing had been offically decided yet, only being considered. Whatever is decided it will be after much consideration and done in the fairest means possible for all involved.

[VehDyn]

Kinda like Saleen or the Can Am Mcleagle?

[Northwind]

I like that you are trying to reward and distinguish people for thinking outside the box.

[Thomas Copeland]

Driver's in attendence at Friday's test day included:

Dave Palmer, Stohr
Larry Vollum, Stohr
Taylor Archer, Stohr
Chris Ash, Speads Rilltech
John LaBrie, Phoenix
Russ Werner, Phoenix
Randy Mitchell, VD-Novak
Terry Biner, Firman
Nicholas Belling, Firman
Mark Belling, Firman

[Mike B]

Where's Hickman?

[F1000proseries.com]

Race 9 Qualifying:

1. Russ Werner. 1:22.267
2. Nicholas Belling 1:23.661
3. Taylor Archer 1:23.715
4. Larry Vollum 1:24.005
5. Randy Mitchell 1:25.141
6. Terry Biner 1:26.385
7. Dave Palmer 1:26.645
8. John LaBrie 1:27.643
9. Chris Ash 1:27.702
10. Mark Belling 1:32.008

[F1000proseries.com]

Top Finishers at Miller:

1. Werner
2. Archer
3. Vollum
4. Mitchell
5. N Belling

Full race report later

[Mike B]

Only 5 cars?

[SStadel]

6th Biner
7th Ash
8th Palmer
9th LaBrie
10th M Belling

[Mike B]

Thanks, Steve! How did you and Brian French do?

[glenn cooper]

like winnin' @ your home track, eh R Dubya?

[Thomas Copeland]

I posted the top 5 finishers via iphone right as the checkered flag dropped and didn't have the remaining positions with certainity so was planning on posting the full results after I got the official results sheet. However, I had to do post race interviews for the race report, set up the podium ceremony and few other things, etc. and just got a bit behind. Working on the race report now so hope to post that later this evening.

The championship will come down to the final race of the year. Dave Palmer leads by 10 points over Nicholas Belling. Belling will need to win and have Palmer finish 8th or lower to take the championship.

[Wright D]

Congratulations Russ! Love to see that Phoenix fly!

[drdestructo]

Yup. Home track advantage and a car on rails. Nice combo meal. More please!