For Immediate Release
Hope Takes Command of Round 9, Closes Points Race
Buttonwillow, Calif. (September 5, 2015) – Round 9 of the Pacific Formula F2000 Championship Series presented by Primus Racing Parts and Pirelli Tires held at Buttonwillow Raceway Park on Saturday was won by Tom Hope, reducing the points gap to championship series points leader Peter West to 10 points.
Racing with the Vintage Auto Racing Association in its Oktoberfest event this weekend, and provided with their own stand alone run group, the series ran the 2.920 mile course in the counter clockwise direction for the first time in several years.
When qualifying began at 8:30 in the morning the weather was, clear, sunny and in the mid-seventies. Tom Hope, #18, H+M Racing, Dart Van Diemen lead the session by nearly 0.7 of a second clear of the field to take the pole position ahead of Peter West, #99, Racing Optics, Kodenko Jeans, Malibu Health, Frank Monise Motors, Dave Freitas Racing Van Diemen, Connor Funk, #97, Dave Freitas Racing Van Diemen, Ira Fierberg, #27, Sparco, LDF, Dave Freitas Racing Van Diemen, Nick Kodenko, #31, Kodenko Automotive, Associated Tire, Kodenko Jeans, Van Diemen, Dave Freitas, #96, Dave Freitas Racing Van Diemen and Thomas Browne, #2, Van Diemen.
The green flag fell on the field for the 1:20 pm start on time and when the close bunched field arrived at the first turn all made it through cleanly with the exception of Thomas Browne who was fortunate to have spun nearly 360 degrees and continue without further incident. Tom Hope who seized the lead from the start came around to lead the first lap closely pursued by Peter West, Connor Funk, Dave Freitas, Ira Fierberg, Nick Kodenko a small gap and Thomas Browne.
The order remained until lap 3 when Connor Funk spun off course dropping four positions to sixth place. He continued for one more lap before he retired with a broken gearbox side plate, possibly damaged as a result of the spin.
Lap 4 saw Peter West while pursuing Hope come over Phil Hill and lose the rear end of his car causing a huge spin from which he was able to recover and continue having dropped down to sixth place. From here he would begin a charge through the field that saw him make a last lap pass to reclaim the runner-up position at the checkered flag. This second place finish also gave West the Master Class (drivers 50 and up) victory and also minimize the loss of points to Hope.
Tom Hope meanwhile continued on serenely in the lead while all the drama was happening behind him. This was a nervous time for Hope, though he was comfortable leading the race, he had been in this position several times before only to have mechanical issues crop up near the end of the race resulting in retirement. However he was to have none of that on this day and would take the checkered flag over 28 seconds ahead the second place finisher. Hope also claimed the fastest race lap and the two bonus points that go along with it, that combined with the two bonus points for pole position meant that he claimed the maximum of 34 points for the round.
Ira Fierberg, having spent nearly two years away from the series, settled into race mode on lap three and began his move through the field that would take him up to second place where he stayed until lap ten when he lost fourth gear and crawled around to the pits to retire. During his charge he was closely pursued by Nick Kodenko and Peter West contending for third place which would later become second.
The Kodenko/West contest continued with Kodenko maintaining his slight advantage until the penultimate lap when heading into the Grapevine, West made his move seizing second from Kodenko. Kodenko was not done however and shadowed West until the main straight when he dove inside West at Sunset and the two went side by side around the corner as they headed off to the esses where West eased ahead and maintained his advantage to the checkered flag and a fine second place finish.
Kodenko, in only his third race this season, took a hard earned and well deserved third place equaling his best finish of the season also at Buttonwillow in May.
Fourth place went to Team Owner Dave Freitas who drove a steady consistent race in his first competitive outing in several years. Dave was substituting for Harin De Silva who was unable to compete this weekend.
Tommy Browne, in his first outing in the series and driving a new Van Diemen, claimed the fifth position, last of those running.
This was the first series event since the recent announcement of the series inclusion in the Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200k Scholarship Shootout in 2016. The shootout, now in its fourth year, will be expanded to include the champions of junior open-wheel and karting series both nationally and internationally. The winner of the knockout style shootout will be provided with a $200k Scholarship to enter the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda in 2017 – the first rung in the Mazda Road to Indy ladder sanctioned by INDYCAR.
Series action continues with qualifying Sunday morning with the race to be flagged off at 1:20pm.
F2000 Qualifying: 1. Tom Hope, (Van Diemen-P), 1m44.502s; 2. Peter West, (Van Diemen-P), 1m45.259s; 3. Connor Funk, (Van Diemen-P), 1m45.285s; 4. Ira Fierberg, (Van Diemen-P), 1m45.754s; 5. Nick Kodenko, (Van Diemen-P), 1m45.801s; 6. Dave Freitas, (Van Diemen-P), 1m46.461s; 7. Thomas Browne, (Van Diemen-P), 1m49.416s. Tires: A-Avon, C-Cooper, G-Goodyear, H-Hoosier, P-Pirelli.
F2000 Round 9 (15 laps): 1. Hope; 2. West, +28.206s; 3. Kodenko, +28.286s; 4. Freitas, +34.460s; 5. Browne, +1m32.380s; 6. Fierberg, +5 laps; 7. Funk, +11 laps.

Fastest race lap: Hope, 1m45.012s.
Master class winner (over 50): West.
Points: 1. West, 158; 2. Hope, 148; 3. Funk, 126; 4. T. de Silva, 68; 5. Kodenko, 66; 6. Armington, 51; 7. H de Silva, 41; 8. Kirby, 34; 9. Rozenboom, 20; 10. Freitas, 19; 11. Browne, 17; 12. Fierberg, 15.


The series can be followed at https://www.facebook.com/pacificf2000racing and https://www.twitter.com/PacificF2000.


For more details go to http://www.pacificf2000.com or contact Peter West at 310-363-9444, or by email, pacificf2000@hotmail.com.



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