Danilo Estrela (58) battles Jack Mitchell, Jr. (75) during Round 5 at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Photo by Kelly Brouillet | Skip Barber)
Danilo Estrela didn’t open the 2012 Skip Barber Winter Series season the way he had hoped.
Far from it.
Uncharacteristic mistakes during early rounds put the young Brazilian behind in the championship . This past weekend, however, he proved the early miscues were indeed uncharacteristic and earned two wins at Homestead-Miami Speedway for a clean sweep of Rounds 5 and 6.
In Round 5 Nicholas Latifi set the fastest qualifying lap with a 1:33.206. Estrela started second and Jack Mitchell Jr. lined up third. Following an early battle with Mitchell Jr., Estrela escaped the competition for his first win of the season.
Jake Eidson finished runner-up with rookie points leader Nick Neri in third. Neri was later relegated to fifth following a 20-second post-race penalty for avoidable contact with Mitchell. Series’ newcomer Leonardo Jafet filled the final podium spot.
With restored confidence following the Round 5 win, Estrela dominated the weekend’s second race after starting from pole position. At the checkered, he led Mitchell by eight seconds. But, Mitchell put on a clinic of his own by driving from 15to to 2nd during the race. Additionally, he clocked a 1:33.693 for the fastest lap. Mitchell’s weekend also included this.
Jafet capped off a solid weekend by finishing third for his second straight podium. Neri was forced to retire while battling near the front on Lap 3 when his rear wing came off. In the end, he was classified 19th.
Thanks to a second-place and a fourth-place finish, Eidson took over the points lead with 174 points. Neri trails by 11 and Mitchell Jr. is 14 points back.
The Skip Barber Winter Series returns to action February 18-19 at Sebring International Raceway for Rounds 7-8 of the championship.
Jump onboard for a ride with Jack Mitchell Jr. in the Skip Barber Winter Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Take special notice of Mitchell’s threshold braking at the 54 second mark of the video where he advances from sixth to first in the final corner. Enjoy.
Petri Suvanto showcased his raw speed during the Chris Griffis Memorial Road to Indy test with Team Pelfrey at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last October.
It was officially announced this morning that Petri Suvanto will join Team Pelfrey for the 2012 Star Mazda Championship, completing the team’s already-potent roster.
Suvanto, who won the 2011 USF2000 National Championship in dominating fashion with five wins, will join Gustavo Menezes and Jack Hawksworth in the three-car Pelfrey camp.
The 19-year-old driver is currently at home in Finland where he is completing his mandatory military National Service, but is looking forward to a return to North America and auto racing.
“Moving up to Star Mazda isn’t going to be easy, but I’m welcoming the challenge with open arms,” Suvanto said in a team release. ”The theme of the year is learning, and the more I learn the better the results are going to be. Things have changed a lot over the last 12 months. Last year at this time I was wondering whether I would be able to ever race again, but from the moment I learned about the Mazda Road to Indy, I knew what I wanted. It worked out pretty well. 2011 changed my life and I’m very thankful to all the people who were part of it, especially everyone at Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing [his USF2000 team]. Now it’s time to start a new chapter full of new challenges. I’m already counting the days until the first race.”
Suvanto makes the jump to Star Mazda as a reward for winning the 2011 USF2000 National Championship, thanks to funding provided by the Mazda Road to Indy scholarship ladder. Last fall, he showcased his adaptability by touring the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course with speeds capable of producing a top lap time (within the top-3 both days), during the Chris Griffis Memorial Road to Indy test.
Suvanto is an excellent signing for Team Pelfrey and the combination could, indeed, produce a championship season.
Brandon Reed will join Team Stange for several Star Mazda Championship races in 2012, joining teammate Lázaro Selegar.
While a full schedule is in the works, Reed has committed to drive Barber Motorsports Park, St. Petersburg, and the Night Before the 500 in Indianapolis. Reed’s past experience includes karting, Skip Barber, Bridgestone F2000, and SCCA Formula 500 racing. According to his website, Reed also tested an IndyCar in 2007 at Houston for Colorado Indy.
Eric Filgueiras has worked out a deal to drive for Robinson Motor Sports in the 2012 USF2000 National Championship, competing in the National Class aboard the No. 12 Formula Enterprise machine.
For now, the contract is only for the season-opener at Sebring International Raceway.
The announcement comes one day before Filgueiras turns 18 years-old. Happy Birthday, Eric.
This should be a pretty good combination. Filgueiras has been very impressive in karts and further developed his skill in Formula 500 competition.
In addition, he’s had a pretty active F2000 testing schedule this off-season. Last fall, the Florida native participated in the Mazda Road to Indy Scouting Combine. RMS is a two-time National Champion in the SCCA Formula Enterprises class.
Last week, AutoRacing1.com published a story on up-and-coming driver Nick Neri, written by Keith Ori. Neri is currently leading the Skip Barber Winter Series rookie points.
It’s a good read. Check it out, here. If the link won’t work, you can read the full story on AR1, here. Enjoy.
The newly announced Team Stange has locked down a driver for the 2012 Star Mazda Championship.
According to a release sent out earlier this week, Brazilian driver Lázaro Selegar, 17, will join the squad this season. Selegar’s previous experience includes karting and testing a Formula 3 machine in South America.
Trent Hindman signed with Cliff Dempsey Racing for the 2012 Formula Renault BARC Championship, according to a release sent out this morning.
The New Jersey native plans to run all but one Renault race this season due to a scheduling conflict with his USF2000 National Championship campaign.
Said Hindman, “While the gaps in the USF2000 schedule are going to allow me to get to most of the Formula Renault races, unfortunately I’m going to miss Donington the weekend of August 17-18. When BARC updated the schedule it was moved from the end of June to the same weekend as the USF2000 triple header at Road America. USF2000 is my priority so I will be stateside that weekend.”
Running both USF2000 and the Formula Renault BARC Championship will certainly be good for Hindman’s experience, but it will also present a set of unique challenges associated with travel. Competing in multiple championships is nothing new for the 16-year-old, though. Hindman started 2011 in the USF2000 Winterfest and later focused on the Ontario Formula Ford Championship and Skip Barber National Championship. Then, last fall, he traveled to Europe (where he first worked with Cliff Dempsey) as a recipient of the Team USA Scholarship to compete in the Formula Ford Festival and Walter Hayes Trophy.
It will be fun to watch his progress in both series this year and see how he adjusts to the cars. The Formula Renault BARC Championship gets underway on April 7-8 at Snetterton.
Dean Stoneman, 21, will be traveling to North America on Monday to test an Indy Lights machine at Las Vegas, according to a report by Autosport.com’s Sam Tremayne.
Stoneman has also been testing a Formula Renault 3.5 machine while evaluating options for next season. For those who don’t know, the talented Briton recently beat testicular cancer. After 12 months away from racing, he’s looking to make a full-time return to the sport he loves.
Prior to his diagnosis, Stoneman won the 2010 FIA Formula Two Championship with six wins and 13 podiums. Last month, he tested a World Series by Renault car with ISR at Aragon. It will be nice to see him return to the cockpit. Regardless of the route he chooses for 2012, he will undoubtedly add tremendous depth to the field.
On Monday, the Indy Lights winter testing ban will be lifted and I should have more information on who’s testing with whom. Stay tuned for updates.
The USF2000 National Championship today released its 14-race 2012 schedule.
While the number of races is higher in 2012, the championship will be run over seven weekends; a nice move by officials to reduce travel expenses for both teams and drivers. Factoring in the Winterfest, drivers will have the opportunity to compete in 20 USF2000 races in 2012.
A special thank you to everyone for their support. Donations will be used as a travel fund to provide more live coverage of karting and junior formula events. Every little bit helps.
