The F2000 Championship Series has recently confirmed a couple drivers for the 2011 season. Here’s an update…
First off, Venezuelan drivers Giancarlo Potolicchio and Robert La Rocca have signed with HP-Tech for the upcoming season. Both drivers plan to pilot new RFR Chassis.
I don’t have much background information on Potolicchio, but La Rocca has been competing in the Skip Barber Regional and National ranks. He won his first-ever race in the Skip Barber Southern Regional Series en route to fourth place in the year-end point standings. His best finish in the National class occurred in September ’09, where he finished fourth at Road Atlanta after starting off-pole.
The other update, recently released, is that American Tim Paul will return to the F2000 Championship Series for 2011 after running nine races in 2010. Paul, who has a background in sprint car racing, struggled in his formula car debut season but looks to build on his experiences for 2011. SMR – Paul’s team from 2010 – will partner with F2000 veterans GTP Motorsports for the upcoming season. Paul, an English major at Franklin Pierce University, will pilot a Van Diemen chassis.
Chris Livengood
(Photo: Janice Eakin/F2000 Championship)
Name: Chris Livengood
Hometown: Indiana, Pa.
Date of Birth: Nov. 18, 1985
Website: http://www.chrislivengood.net
Current Series:
F2000 Championship Series
Final Standings: 8th
Average Finish
(1st Half of Season): 12
Average Finish
(2nd Half of Season): 12.86
Previous Experience:
Started Karting: Age 8
Karting Experience: 17 years
Car Experience: 1-year F2000 Championship
Why he was chosen:
Some drivers have a difficult time making the transition from karts to cars. When Chris Livengood jumped into an F2000 car this spring, he knew he would have to learn the nuances of a Van Diemen — not to mention the requirement of learning new tracks — and change his driving style slightly from the one he had grown so accustomed to in the karting ranks. What he didn’t know, however, is how quickly and easily the transition would come.
Livengood secured a top-10 finish in his very first F2000 Championship outing under Pinto power at Virginia International Raceway. Later in the season, he switched to a Zetec powerplant. By the mid-way point of 2010, he locked down a runner-up finish at Watkins Glen. And then, to cap the season off, the 24-year-old won his first race during the final stop on the 2010 calendar. He suffered three DNFs during the second half of the year which significantly scarred his average finish. Without the bad luck, the numbers would be much different. Of the races he finished during the latter part of his freshman campaign, all were within the top-10, with three inside the top-five. Livengood ended his 2010 season by touring Mid-Ohio quicker than 23 other drivers. Watch for even more speed from the Pennsylvania native in 2011.
Related Reading: 2010 Unsung Hero Awards
Nathaniel Steele recently completed a two-car test with John Walko Racing at BeaveRun Motorsports Complex. The senior Communication and Marketing major at Cornell University sampled both a F2000 car and a Star Mazda machine.
His plans for the 2011 season are yet to be finalized, but he’s hoping to make the jump to the Star Mazda Championship.
The F2000 Championship Series released its 2011 schedule earlier today. The calendar features 14 races spread over seven weekends. The F1600 Formula F Championship Series will run alongside the F2000 Championship on five weekends.
2011 F2000 Championship Series Schedule
April 8-10 VIRginia International Raceway
May 6-7 Road Atlanta
June 3-5 Watkins Glen International
June 30-July 2 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
July 22-24 Mosport
September 16-17 Lime Rock Park
October 14-16 Watkins Glen International
The schedule looks pretty solid. Similar to the F1600 schedule, the F2000 Championship Series will double-up on its stops at Watkins Glen International. I never like to see two stops at the same venue during the same season, but “The Glen” is an exceptional track so I can’t complain too much. It would have been nice to see the Series return to Road America, but, as a whole, the 2011 calendar looks good. It offers drivers a decent amount of seat time and the opportunity to run in conjunction with some high-profile fender events. The current schedule is labeled tentative, so stay tuned for updates.
Ontario Formula Ford Championship driver Keenan Harris is scheduled to test a F2000 car with Brian Graham Racing at Mosport, Tuesday, Oct. 5. The 18-year-old Canadian hopes to compete full-time in the 2011 F2000 Championship Series.
The F2000 Championship wrapped up its 14-race 2010 season last weekend with a doubleheader at Mid-Ohio. Rookie Chris Livengood earned his first career win in Race 1, while Series Rookie of the Year Daniel Erickson drove to victory in Race 2.
The real story of the weekend was Brazilian Victor Carbone — the 2010 F2000 Championship title winner. The 17-year-old Alegra Motorsports driver qualified on pole for both rounds and finished both races inside the top-five to lock-down the drivers’ championship. He completed the season with six wins, six pole positions, eight podiums, and four fast laps to his name.
He was JOWT’s 2009 F2000 Championship ‘Unsung Hero.’ Here’s what I wrote about him last fall at the conclusion of the 2009 season:
Carbone was persistent during his 2009 campaign and focused on improving every race. Another season of F2000 Championship competition would likely serve him well and I expect we will see a completely different driver behind the wheel if he decides to return.
He was, indeed, a very different driver behind-the-wheel in 2010. His average finish in 2009 was 14.45. In 2010, his average finishing position was 4.5 including a 27th – his only DNF of the year. If you take that race out of the equation, his average finish in 2010 was an astounding 2.77.
His plans for next season are still unknown. But one thing is certain, you can expect big things from this up-and-coming driver in 2011 and beyond.
[Continue Reading...]
- Jonathan Scarallo Scores Break-Through Win at Road America
(Photo: Janice Eakin/F2000 Championship)
Brazilian Victor Carbone won Round 11 at Road America with American Jonathan Scarallo claiming the top spot in Round 12 of the 2010 F2000 Championship. Australian Daniel Erickson finished runner-up in both events, bringing his podium total to six after completing eight events.
Round 11
Carbone took the lead early in Race 1 of the Road America doubleheader and never looked back, crossing the stripe 3.742 seconds ahead of Erickson. Scottish rookie Steven McAleer drove an impressive race to finish third. Mikhail Goikhberg and Chris Livengood rounded out the top-five, respectively. Both drivers put on a good show after contact early in the race.
Vaughn Horvath was awarded the “hard charger” award for improving the most positions during the race. He started 22nd and finished 15th.
Round 12
American Jonathan Scarallo had a break-through win on Sunday after qualifying on pole for Round 12. With two-laps remaining in the race, Scarallo edged Erickson and drove to a 1.890-second victory at the finish line. Masters competitor Keith McCrone finished third with Cole Morgan and Fabio Orsolon rounding out the top-five. The number of lead changes at the front of the pack illustrates just how much the draft can impact a race at Road America. By all reports, it was one of the best F2000 Championship races of the season.
Liberty Motorsports’ Brian Belardi earned hard charger honors by improving 10 positions. He finished 13th after starting last in 23rd.
Complete Results
- Victor Carbone Wins Round Ten at Lime Rock
(Photo: Janice Eakin / F2000 Championship)
Victor Carbone won Round 10 of the 2010 F2000 Championship yesterday at Lime Rock Park after starting from pole position. It was his fifth win of the season, but his first since June 13. Carbone faced his first DNF of the season earlier in the day during Round Nine. Daniel Erickson stole the show, however, driving from 14th on the grid to finish runner-up while setting the fastest lap of the race (50.475). The end-result marked Erickson’s fourth top-two finish in six starts. Phil Lombardi finished third with Fabio Orsolon and and Tim Minor rounding out the top-five, respectively.
The hard charger award went to Keith McCrone who drove to a 13th-place finish after starting back in 28th position. The F2000 Championship will resume August 6-8 at Road America.
Click here – for complete results from Round Ten.
- Cole Morgan Wins Second Race of 2010
(photo: Angelo Lisuzzo / F2000 Championship)
With everyone trying to find their braking points on a dry track, today’s F2000 Championship Race 1 was a bit wild. Competitors had one on-track practice session Friday and two qualifying sessions, all were wet. This morning’s race was the first opportunity, for many, to navigate their way around a dry Lime Rock Park racetrack.
Cole Morgan used his experience to work his way forward from fifth to win today’s first event. Australian Daniel Erickson, who started from pole position, appeared poised to take home runner-up honors until the last lap when he mysteriously disappeared off-track before coming home 12th. Steven McAleer ended up second after driving a nice race that saw him lead several laps. Masters driver Phil Lombardi rounded out the top-three for his third podium of the season.
Series newcomer Felix Serralles started the race 10th – his first race ever in a F2000 Championship car – before dropping back to 14th, and then climbing his way back through the field to finish sixth overall.
Chris Gumprecht put in the drive of the day to finish 14th after starting 27th, improving 13 positions in 25-laps.
Championship leader Victor Carbone was classified 27th after contact with Chris Livengood on lap-21. Livengood finished one lap down in 26th position.
Today’s second race is scheduled to take place at 5:15 p.m. EST. Following this weekend’s doubleheader at Lime Rock Park, drivers return to action August 6-8 at Road America.
Click Here – for complete results from Race 1 at LRP.
Skip Barber National driver and MazdaSPEED scholarship driver Felix Serralles will make his F2000 Championship debut this weekend with GTP Motorsports at Lime Rock Park. The 18-year-old race driver is coming off his first-career win in the Skip Barber National Championship last weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
GTP Motorsports will also enter Phil Lombardi, Paul Farmer, Tom Fatur, and Jim Hanrahan. I expect Serralles will be a nice addition to the squad and do quite well.
Update: Felix Serralles was the fourth quickest driver in this morning’s wet practice session at LRP. Qualifying for Race 1 is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
