Willow Springs Results Round 4
For Immediate Release
De Silva Sweeps Weekend Takes Series Points Lead in Round 4
Rosamond, Calif. (February 21, 2016) – Timothy De Silva was victorious for the second consecutive race, sweeping the weekends points tally by taking pole and setting fastest race laps at Willow Springs International Raceway in round four of the Pacific Formula F2000/F1600 Championship presented by Primus Racing Parts. The race was run with Cal Club as part of the SCCA U.S. Majors Tour.
Sunday morning’s qualifying session began at 8:00am and was a brief 15 minute session during which the results might improve grid positions since under the Majors format starting spots are determined by fastest lap in either Saturday’s qualifying, race or Sunday’s qualifying. Some series drivers chose to use the session as a warm-up and fitted alternate sets of tires which would disallow any improvement in time since the series tire rule stipulates one set of tires per race weekend while others down the order sought to improve their times using their designated weekend set of tires and still others, confident of the time chose not to participate at all.
It was a chilly 44 degrees and clear, sunny and with very little breeze when the cars hit the track and of those eligible only James Hakewill; #88, Van Diemen RF03 and Alex Kirby; #81, LA Prep Inc., Fast Forward Components, Piper Race Cars, Piper DL7 managed to improve their previous times while Ira Fierberg; #27, Sparco, Injury Law, LDF Pro Fitness, The Yard, DFR Van Diemen RF05 was run into by a competitor in another class, one of the hazards of running in a multi-class field, damaging the right rear suspension, putting pressure on the team to effect repairs before the 10:30am scheduled start time.
At the green flag, Tom Hope; #10, Primus Racing Parts, Dart, H+M Racing Van Diemen RF03 got the jump and looked to take the lead as the cars headed to turn one and was able to hold Timothy De Silva, #3, TLP Racing, DRF Van Diemen and at the line it was Hope, De Silva, Hakewill, Scott Huffaker; #09, Van Diemen RF02, Robert Armington, #11, Firestone 805, Audioengine, Tomasi Motorsports Van Diemen RF00, Scott Vreeland; #51, Redhorse Constructors, Porter Racing, BV Training Van Diemen RF01, Fierberg, Connor Funk; #97, DFR Van Diemen RF03, Harin de Silva; #96, DFR Van Diemen RF06, Kirby, Nick Kodenko#31, Kodenko Automotive, Associated Tire, Kodenko Jeans, Van Diemen RF-05, and Peter West; #99, Racing Optics, Kodenko Jeans, Malibu Health, Frank Monise Motors, DFR Van Diemen RF05.
On lap two T. De Silva reclaimed the lead with Hope, Hakewill, Huffaker, Armington and Funk in close attendance followed by Fierberg, having lost a position to Funk, H. De Silva, Kirby Vreeland, West and Kodenko.
Lap three saw Hakewill pass Hope for second place and contact between West and Kirby with West out on the spot and Kirby continuing one more lap but found he was unable to continue. Meanwhile there were several incidents involving cars in other classes causing race control to call for a full-course caution which helped Vreeland who had become high centered at the outside edge of the track at turn three and was assisted and able to continue.
When the green flag again waved on lap eight the field was tightly bunched which meant the series drivers would have to deal with lapping slower traffic for the remainder of the race. De Silva duly led away at the restart but was now under threat from behind and on lap ten, as a result of traffic, Hakewill swept past De Silva to take the lead. Hakewill’s lead was short lived as on lap twelve De Silva retook the lead and was able to hold it to the end while stretching his advantage with each successive lap. For De Silva, he once again set the fastest lap of the race and with the points gained both Saturday and Sunday, now holds the lead in the standing.
Hakewill’s hold on second place was far from secure as his mirrors were full of the red Van Diemen of Tom Hope and on the final lap Hope managed to get by Hakewill for second and Hakewill had to settle for another third place finish. Hope and Hakewill are now second and third respectively in the standings.
Behind the top three the battle for fourth and fifth between Huffaker and Funk was just as intense with Funk taking fourth from Huffaker on lap 18 but the rookie was able to re-pass Funk on the penultimate lap to claim fourth position. Scott Huffaker said that the cars handling was good enough to enable him to make up ground in the corners but lacked a little straight line speed and felt as though he were a sitting duck on the straights which put him in a defensive mode throughout the race.
Connor Funk had another solid drive to finish in fifth place.
Ira Fierberg came home in sixth place, netting him another Master Class victory.
Robert Armington claimed seventh place followed by Nick Kodenko, Harin De Silva and Scott Vreeland with Alex Kirby and Peter West the only non-finishers.
The Series now move on to Buttonwillow Raceway Park April 29th to May 1st for rounds five and six.
This season the Pacific Formula F2000 Championship Series is included in the Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200k Scholarship Shootout in 2016.
The Mazda Road to Indy is the only driver development program of its type in the world offering a clear, scholarship-funded path to the Verizon IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500.
The Pacific F2000/F1600 series has a rich history and includes among its alumni drivers J.R. Hildebrand, 2011 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the year and Dane Cameron, Tudor Series Prototype and GTD winning driver along with Pro Mazda Presented by Cooper Tires driver Patricio O’Ward and Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda drivers Nikita Lastochkin and Yufeng Luo.
Sunday begins with a brief morning qualifying followed by racing at 2:35 p.m.
F2000 Qualifying: 1. Timothy de Silva (Van Diemen RF01), 1m18.054s; 2. Tom Hope, (Van Diemen RF03), 1m18.679s; 3. Scott Huffaker, (Van Diemen RF02), 1m18.931s; 4. James Hakewill, (Van Diemen RF03), 1m19.007s; 5. Connor Funk, (Van Diemen RF03), 1m19.301s; 6. Robert Armington, (Van Diemen RF00), 1m19.479s; 7. Scott Vreeland, (Van Diemen RF01), 1m19.814s; 8. Ira Fierberg, (Van Diemen RF05), 1m19.978s; 9. Peter West, (Van Diemen RF05), 1m20.326s; 10. Harin de Silva (Van Diemen RF06), 1m20.517s; 11. Nick Kodenko, (Van Diemen RF-05), 1m20.631s; 12. Alex Kirby, (Piper DL7), 1m20.710s. All cars run on Ford Zetec engines and Pirelli Tires.
F2000 Round 1 (20 laps): 1. T. De Silva, 2. Hope, +6.069s; 3. Hakewill, +6.235s; 4. Huffaker, +8.230s; 5. Funk, +8.301s; 6. Fierberg, +11.683s; 7. Armington, +17.070s; 8. Kodenko, +38.627s; 9. H. De Silva +1lap; 10. Vreeland, +1 lap; 11. Kirby, +16 laps; 12. West, +17 laps.
Fastest race lap: T. De Silva, 1m18.641s.
Master class winner (over 50): Fierberg.
Points: 1. T. De Silva, 104; 2. Hope, 97; 3. Hakewill, 93; 4. Huffaker, 76; 5. Funk, 69; 6. Armington, 63; 7. Fierberg, 54; 8. Kirby, 49; 9. H. De Silva, 47; 10. West, 39; 11. Vreeland, 33; 12. Kodenko, 24.
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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