Last April I decided to write season previews for several North American junior formula series. Within those previews, I made a few championship picks which is always a challenge heading into a new year of racing. Fortunately, I picked a champion in every class (but, technically, I cheated — or at least, significantly, improved my odds of a solid pick — because I chose three potential champions for each respective series).
The current economy caused several drivers to prematurely end their 2010 seasons, altering the end-of-the-year points and making a year long prediction all the more difficult.
With the off-season in full swing, it’s always fun to look back at season previews and championship picks. Several of you also made picks in the comment section, so make sure to review your own selections while re-reading the original post.
If you missed the season previews in April, here’s a look back.
If you missed my end-of-the-season race reports highlighting each champion, I’ve linked to each below. Congrats to all the drivers who participated this season.
2010 North American Junior Formula Champions
(linked below are the championships covered on JOWT)
Indy Lights – J.K. Vernay
Star Mazda Championship- Conor Daly
USF2000 National Championship- Sage Karam
F2000 Championship Series- Victor Carbone
Skip Barber National- Spencer Pigot
In sad news, I was just informed that Michigan-native and junior formula icon Rob St. Clair passed away on Friday, Oct. 29. My sincere thoughts and condolences go out to Rob’s family, friends and the entire junior formula community. He will be missed.
EFCN has a bit more detail, here.
As always, feel free to leave comments or stories in the comment section. RIP Rob.
Ireland’s Patrick McKenna has won the Dunlop Motorsport Ireland Young Driver of the Year Award for the second-consecutive season. Five other talented drivers made the final-six, but McKenna was ultimately chosen due to his success in the 2010 USF2000 National Championship. The other nominees were: Niall Murray, Gary Thompson, Stephen Daly, Andy O’Brien and Kevin Sheane.
McKenna, 23, plans to compete in the 2011 Star Mazda Championship. His off-season testing is set to get underway this Friday, Oct. 29.
The end-of-the-year EFCN Driver Rankings were released this past weekend. Conor Daly retains the top spot with 10,360 points after claiming the 2010 Star Mazda Championship.
The biggest movers inside the top-20 were Indy Lights competitor Adrian Campos Jr. (up five spots) and Star Mazda competitor Joao Horto (up four spots).
USF2000 runner-up Patrick McKenna picked up the most positions of drivers inside the top-100 this month by jumping from 69th to 32nd. McKenna had a great season and really it’s surprising to not see him higher up the charts. The Irishman completed his rookie USF2000 season with two wins and eight podiums.
Fellow USF2000 competitor Javier Barrales picked up 17 spots this month, ending up 60th overall. Star Mazda driver Juan Piedrahita, who has really flown-under-the-radar, gained 15 positions, jumping from 88th to 73rd in October. Matthew Powers, who spent the 2010 season in USF2000, broke into the top-100, ranking 77th. Indy Lights competitor Brandon Wagner — who won at Homestead-Miami — picked up 11 spots to finish 89th after being ranked 100th last month.
David Tremayne wrote a piece in the September edition of Professional Motorsport World magazine about how overly-aggressive driving by Formula One drivers can negatively impact the driving-style of today’s junior formula pilots who emulate them. It’s an interesting read that brings up some good points. Read it here.
I won’t call out anyone, as Tremanyne does, but I can think of a few drivers who should give this piece a read. A little reminder (about safe driving and using your head) never hurt anyone.
Enjoy.
For those who haven’t already heard, the F2000 Championship Series plans to launch a F1600 Formula F Series in 2011. It’s tough to add another North American junior formula series in the current economy, but I feel a Pro F1600 Series was much needed in the United States for young driver development. I’m not alone.
“We have thought about [a F1600 Series] for literally years and the impetus was the partners we have onboard to help make it happen,” said Series’ Managing Director Michael Rand. “The success of the 40th Anniversary of Formula Ford opened many eyes to what a vibrant, enthusiastic, group FF is.”
For Rand and the rest of the F1600 Series’ staff, the plan is to host this series for more than just up-and-coming drivers. Their idea is to run a program similar to their F2000 Championship Series – which features both young guns and experienced veterans.
“The series can serve as a means unto itself or as a launching pad for F2000 and beyond,” Rand added. “It’s designed for kids out of karting — as a first step into cars — as well as experienced club racing FF guys looking for better competition.”
It certainly has potential to be both. According to a Series’ release, the plan is to “piggyback” five doubleheaders on F2000 Championship stops. While a detailed schedule is yet to be released, the plan is to run Virginia International Raceway, Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and Lime Rock Park with another venue to be announced at a later date. I’m hoping for a Road America stop. Or perhaps something even closer to home (Brainerd International Raceway).
Obviously race budgets are unknown at this time, but according to informed sources the F1600 budget is expected to be 60-70 percent of the current F2000 budget. For now, that’s just pure speculation.
Stay tuned for updates as the 2011 racing season approaches. For more information, visit http://www.F1600Series.com.
Fifteen-year-old Sage Karam has been nominated for Sports Illustrated’s Sports Kid of the Year. Show your support for Sage and open-wheel racing by voting for him here.
Karam won the 2010 USF2000 National Championship with nine race wins, 11 podiums and 11 pole positions.
The seventh-annual Robopong 200 — an endurance karting event that draws some of the biggest names in motorsports — is set to take place this weekend, Oct. 10, at New Castle Motorsports Park in Indiana.
eKartingNews.com put out their preview for the event yesterday, which includes an entry list. For those that missed the race in years past, check out some of the previous coverage.
(ed. note: You’ll have to scroll through the search results linked above, because the search picks up every article mentioning the term “Robopong.”)
My Picks:
Similar to years past, I’ve made a couple predictions on who will win the 2010 event. Feel free to add your own “picks” in the comment section.
Top-Five
- Martin Plowman & Alex Grandahl
- Mark Dismore Jr. & Dan Wheldon
- Michele Bumgarner & Robert Bujdoso
- Conor Daly & Graham Rahal
- Elliot Wheldon & Jason Moore
Dark Horse Pairing:
- Mason Madej & Bob Zirves
If you have the opportunity to attend this event, I strongly recommend you make the trip. If not, RaceFanRadio will be covering the event live for the fifth consecutive year.
Dylan Albiani was declared the overall winner of the inaugural Bondurant Driver Search. The 17-year-old California native was awarded a fully-funded ride in the 2011 Bondurant Championship Racing Series — which utilizes Formula Mazda race cars.
Ryan Winchester, 24, was awarded the runner-up prize which consists of a free race weekend in the Bondurant Championship. Winchester, a native of Mason City, Ia., spent 2010 in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Series. Austin Newmark, a young karter turned NASA driver, finished third in the Driver Search, winning a $1500 credit towards a race weekend in the BCRS.
The judging panel included: Jeremy Shaw, Lyn St. James, Darren Law, Larry Pond, and Neil Alberico (2010 Bondurant Champion).
The September edition of the EFCN Driver Rankings was released late last week. Conor Daly – 2010 Star Mazda Champion – retains the top spot. Late season rankings are a little more fun to look at as they begin to reflect this year’s crop of talent.
J.K. Vernay, currently ranked second, was one of the biggest movers inside the top-20, jumping 38 spots since August 15. Fellow Indy Lights competitor Dan Clarke made the largest jump inside the top-20 improving from 62nd to 16th. Stefan Wilson moved up 33 spots to 17th overall.
Australia’s Daniel Erickson (F2000 Championship) jumped from 60th to 15th, improving 45 spots over the month.
Indy Lights drivers Adrian Campos Jr. (up 35 spots) and Philip Major (up 32 spots) both landed inside the top-25 for the first time.
Other drivers who jumped twenty spots or more inside the top-100 include: Scott Rettich (Formula E, 89th-to-44th); Zach Veach (USF2000, 69th-to-24th); Miles Maroney (Pacific F2000, 70th-to-48th); Raphael Abbate (USF2000, 71st-to-51st); Paul Schneider (Formula E, 94th-to-57th); Brian Novak (Formula E, 95th-to-60th); Matt Schneider (Formula E, 116th-to-72nd); Jim Libecco (Formula E, 146th-to-80th); Bill Jordan (F2000 Championship, 110th-to-87th); Juan Piedrahita (Star Mazda, 112th-to-88th); Lee Rackley (Formula E, 119th-to-92nd); Brandon Wagner (Indy Lights, 132nd-to-100th).
I suppose I could have just listed the entire SCCA Pro FE field. A ton of their drivers made huge gains in EFCN’s ranking over the past month.
