Championship Chase Resumes at Auto Club Speedway

Buttonwillow, Calif. (June 6, 2013) – The Pacific Formula F2000/F1600 Championship heads to Fontana, California and Auto Club Speedway for its second triple event this weekend, June 7th, 8th and 9th , as the series nears the midway point. The competitors will take on the testing 2.880 mile road circuit inscribed within the two mile oval as the once again join the California Sports Car Club Double Rational weekend.

The series will again use the triple race format, which proved popular at the last event, for rounds 6, 7 and 8 with three 30-minute races with one race on Saturday and two on Sunday. There will be an afternoon practice session on Friday with qualifying for round 6 scheduled to begin at 8:00am Saturday morning and the race to follow at 12:30pm.

The series, for both F1600 and F2000 cars will provide fifteen races over six race weekends with competitors counting their top thirteen finishes toward the championship.

The Formula F1600 group will again feature the battle between the PR1 Motorsports pair of 2012 Mygale/Hondas of Colton Herta and Joey Bickers. Herta and Bickers staged three of the most scintillating races seen at the last event and should once again be at the head of the field.

Colton Herta, the son of Bryan Herta, the race-winning IndyCar driver and Indianapolis 500 winning team owner, driving the #98 PR1 Motorsports w/BHA Curb-Agajanian entry sponsored by DVSshoeCompany, CurbRecords, Mygale N.America, OMP, BellHelmets, PenskeShocks, Mygale/Honda has taken three victories and currently leads the championship. Herta began his racing career at age six in cart and has progressed through the Skip Barber Series before joining PR1 Motorsports this season.

Joey Bickers driving for PR1 Motorsports in their second Mygale/Honda claimed his first series win at Buttonwillow Raceway Park and looks forward to again challenging for victory.

Lynx Racing will again be running their two 2013 Spectrum/ Hondas for Andrew Evans and Alex Keyes. Lynx Racing returned to competition after nine years since last competing in the former Toyota Atlantic Series. Both Evans and Keyes have had successes during their karting days and are hoping their association with the successful Lynx team will further their careers.

Lynx Racing will also be supporting series newcomer Roy Steele in the #17 Piper/Honda replacing Alex Kirby who will return to his more familiar #81, Fast Forward Components, Piper DF5/Honda.

Dave Zurlinden will also be returning, having competed in the opening rounds at Thunderhill Raceway in his #31, Fast Forward, Pro Pack Systems, Piper/Honda.

The Swiss Motorsports entry this weekend will see the return of Mike Miserendino driving the #89, MBI, Swiss Motorsports Mygale SJ04/Honda after at successful weekend at Buttonwillow where he finished on the podium for the first time. Miserendino is a four time SCCA Spec Racer Ford National Champion having won the title consecutively from 2006 to 2009.

The F2000 grid will again be led by Dave Freitas Racing from Santa Fe Springs, CA. fielding entries for series veterans Peter West and Ira Fierberg with a third entry for Harin DeSilva. West will be in his familiar #99, Frank Monise Motors, Zombo.com, Kodenko Jeans, T.J. Martell Foundation Van Diemen while Fierberg will be in his familiar #27, DFR Van Diemen.

West coming off his best series performance with three podium finishes looks to improve on that and make the final step to the top of the podium.

Fierberg a past Expert Class champion is looking forward to this weekend at Fontana hoping to repeat last years’ success when he swept both races taking not only the victories but claiming pole and fastest lap honors.

DeSilva made his series debut at Fontana last year and will be driving the #6, DFR, Van Diemen.

Bob Negron, a former series Masters Class (drivers 51+) Champion will be in the #9, Terri Negron Web Design, fengshuimebaby.com, Van Diemen. Negron after sweeping the Thunderhill weekend taking the pole, win and fastest lap honors in both rounds 1 and 2 is looking to rebound from a less satisfactory Buttonwillow weekend.

Tom Hope, who claimed two of the three previous races at Buttonwillow and leads the championship will be hoping to continue his successes and will again be competing in the #18 H&M Racing, Dart, Carbir.

Jim Stewart, hopes to continue his string of consistent performances and strengthen his third place in the standings will again be competing in the #38, True Ventures, Van Diemen.

Defending Masters Class Champion Les Phillips hopes to put the disappointment of Buttonwillow behind him as he again competes in the #2, Swiss Implants, Porterfield Brakes Van Diemen.

Qualifying for round 6 begins at 8:00am with the race to follow at 12:30pm Saturday. Round 7 and 8 races are scheduled for 8:00am and 10:55am Sunday.

The single-seat, open-wheel F2000 cars are powered by 2-liter Ford Zetec engines and are capable of speeds in excess of 140 mph. All cars run on Hankook tires supplied by Sierra Tire. The F1600 cars will be powered by either the 1500cc Honda Fit engine or the venerable 1600cc Ford ‘Kent’ engine and will run on Hoosier tires.

Series sponsors include VP Racing fuels, Sierra Tire, Corsa Car Care, Porterfield Brakes, Wine Country Motorsports, Aerocraft Fiberglass & Design, and Buttonwillow Raceway.

The series can be followed at facebook.com/pacificformulafracing and twitter.com/PacificF2000.

For more details go to www.pacificf2000.com or contact Les Phillips at 661-764-5333, or by email, lesrace@aol.com.