Pacific Formula F2000 round 2

Luo Leads Dave Freitas Racing Podium Sweep in Round Two

Buttonwillow, Calif. (January 18, 2015) – The second round of the Pacific Formula F1600/F2000 Championship was held on the 2.88 mile infield road course at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California and Yufeng Luo led a podium sweep for Dave Freitas Racing a longtime series participant.



This was the second non-points two-race weekend run with Cal Club as part of the SCCA U.S. Majors Tour as Luo hopes to establish himself as one of the contenders for the championship.



This weekend the series drivers were competing within run groups made up of several different classes due to a revised series format designed to allow drivers to compete in the series and SCCA sanctioned events simultaneously. This weekend using the 2.88 mile infield road circuit, the Formula 2000 group ran in FC and was grouped with FA, FM and the sports racer groups P1 and P2 as they negotiated the 20 turn course.



A fifteen minute warm-up session was held in the morning followed the race scheduled to roll off at 10:50. The starting positions were determined by the fastest recorded lap of either of the first two qualifying sessions or Saturday’s race which put Yufeng Luo on the pole in his #13, DFR Van Diemen based on his Saturday qualifying time. Luo was followed by Peter West; #99, Racing Optics, Ken Partch, Frank Monise Motors, DFR Van Diemen and Tom Hope; #10, H+M Racing Van Diemen with Harin DeSilva; #96, DFR Van Diemen and Robert Armington; #11 Cypress Lane Racing, Hoosier Tires, Premium Power Systems, Inc. Van Diemen rounding out the field.



Armington was again first away and led the field as they headed to turn three when he got to the braking zone he was caught out by the early braking of a Formula Atlantic car ahead and ran up the rear of the car taking off the rear wing and damaging his front wing and nose section not to mention the fact that he was lodged atop of the Formula Atlantic and carried down to turn four where he was finally dislodged and retired on the spot. In the ensuing mayhem the field scattered in all directions seeking refuge on any unused portion of racing surface and by the end of the first lap it was Tom Hope leading from Harin DeSilva, then a gap to Peter West and Yufeng Luo.



The race then settled down after the first lap incident and it was Hope beginning to stretch out a lead on DeSilva a gap to the fast charging West and Luo.



Luo moved past West on lap 4 and as the duo continued their charge up through the field, they soon caught DeSilva with Luo moving ahead on lap 8 and West following six laps later on lap 14. While all this was going on Hope was cruising serenely in the lead which at one point was nearly fifteen seconds ahead.



Tom Hope’s hopes were crushed as while on the final lap after having taken the one lap to go signal and completely without warning a lower rear suspension arm mounting pulled out of the side of the gearbox casing and Hope was left stranded almost within sight of the checkered flag and for the second race mechanical reliability struck it’s fatal blow. Fortunately for Hope this was a non-points race and did not hurt his championship hopes and his flawless drive was a signal the he is a force to be reckoned with for the title.



Tom Hopes misfortune was atonement for Yufeng Luo after yesterday’s incident with teammate DeSilva. He now led a sweep of the podium for Dave Freitas Racing leading home Peter West in second place and Harin DeSilva in third place. For West it was his second Master Class trophy of the weekend while DeSilva claimed his first Expert Class win.



Round three and four will be held at Thunderhill Raceway Park on April 11 and 12.



F2000 Qualifying: 1. Yufeng Luo, (Van Diemen-A), 1m40.435s; 2. Peter West, (Van Diemen-A), 1m40.643s; 3. Tom Hope, (Van Diemen-A), 1m41.761s; 4. Harin DeSilva, (Van Diemen-A), 1m41.945s; 5. Robert Armington, (Van Diemen-H), 1m42.226s. Tires: A-Avon, C-Cooper, GGoodyear, H-Hoosier.



F2000 Round 2 (18 laps): 1. Luo; 2. West; 3. DeSilva; 4. Hope, +1 lap; 5. Armington, +18 laps.



Fastest race lap: West, 1m40.473s.

Expert class winner (over 35): DeSilva.

Master class winner (over 50): West.

Points: No points awarded, non-championship event.



The series can be followed at http://ift.tt/1kHupu2 and http://ift.tt/1kHupu4.



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