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06/15/10 - ELLIS SNATCHES EARLY ADVANTAGE IN JIM RUSSELL “RACE OF CHAMPIONS”
Left to right: Gary Carlton, Greg Liefooghe, Alex Ellis, Brett Smrz, Nick Galante and Aleks Altberg (photo courtesy of Pat Barrett)
Alex Ellis (St Catharines, Ontario, Canada) has snatched an early points lead in the Jim Russell “Race of Champions” shoot-out after placing first & second in the opening races at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma yesterday (June 12).
Ellis leads from fellow 2010 Future Driver Gary Carlton by two points after two of the scheduled six race invitational competition which runs June-August which sees the outright points winner claiming a seat in Round 9 of the Firestone Indy Lights at the Infineon Raceway.
Qualifying had been tight with the two Future Drivers filling the front row after 2008 & ’09 JRCS champion Brett Smrz made a slight mistake on his best lap and would occupy the inside of row two aiming to put his JRCS experience to good effect in the two twenty-five minute races.
Pole-setter Carlton led away Ellis at the green light of Race One with Smrz pressing the two “rookies” but the Canadian dived into the lead at Turn 2 with Carlton spinning down the field on the next lap allowing Smrz to close in Ellis.
Ellis maintained a 1.2secs advantage on Lap 10 while Carlton reduced a 18secs deficit and overtook Galante in Turn Seven on lap 11 before applying intense pressure to Altberg for third place.
In Race Two, pole-sitter Carlton and Ellis exchanged the lead on the opening lap, Gary taking the advantage when Alex lost time in Turn 9 while Liefooghe overtook Altberg for fifth position on lap four. Carlton extended his lead to 3.6secs by mid-distance before backing off while Smrz chased Ellis for second. Carlton took the checker 2.5secs ahead of Ellis who finished 1.4secs ahead of Smrz.
Brett Smrz (Coeur d' Alene, ID) - 2009 JRCS Outright Champion:
Race 1 Result: 2nd. Race 2 Result: 3rd. Championship position: 3rd, 15-points.
“I put the pressure on today but couldn't quite pull it out. I've knocked the rust off and Gary Carlton and Alex Ellis had better be looking out for me next month!"
Nick Galante (Novato, CA) - 2009 JRCS Masters Champion:
Race 1 Result: 5th. Race 2 Result: 4th. Championship position: 4th, 11-points.
"It's great to finally get in the car this season. The level of competition and the car are bar none and I am definitely planning on giving those guys a run in the next couple of races."
Greg Liefooghe (San Francisco, CA) - 2009 JRCS Runner Up:
Race 1 Result: 6th. Race 2 Result: 5th. Championship position: 6th, 9-points.
Aleksander Altberg (San Francisco, CA) - 2009 JRCS “Rookie of the Year”:
Race 1 Result: 3rd. Race 2 Result: 6th. Championship position: 5th, 11-points.
Gary Carlton (Marysville, CA) - Jim Russell 2010 Future Driver:
Race 1 Result: 4th. Race 2 Result: 1st. Championship position: 2nd, 16-points.
"These were my first ever proper races in single-seaters. I've never been behind someone or had real pressure before so I learned a lot from the first race. I took what I learned and applied it to the second race, it was a steep learning curve but I pulled out the win so I am happy about that. I am definitely looking forward to the next races in July."
Alex Ellis (St Catharines, Ontario, Canada) – Jim Russell 2010 Future Driver:
Race 1 Result: 1st. Race 2 Result: 2nd. Championship position: 1st, 18-points.
“It would have been nice to take both the wins today but I was really hot on my tires the entire first race. It left myself with not much for the second race, the front tires were just about done, and I had to be really aware of that. That made it a battle to keep Smrz behind me the whole race and that became my focus. I can now look forward to next month and hope to maintain my championship lead."
All drove identical FJR-50 single-seaters owned and prepared in house by the Jim Russell Championship Series ensuring equality and placing the emphasis of success on driver talent. The Lola-built Formula Three machines feature a carbon/kevlar fiber composite monocoque, a sequential five-speed gearbox and a two-liter, turbocharged Mitsubishi engine producing 300bhp.
The next two rounds are staged on July 9 with the concluding races on August 6 with the champion going forward to the Indy Lights Carneros 100 race at Sonoma on August 22.
Visit www.jimrussellusa.com for more information.
Results:
Qualifying (for Races 1 & 2);
1. Gary Carlton, 1.37.61
2. Alex Ellis, 1.37.98
3. Brett Smrz, 1.38.36
4. Nick Galante, 1.39.95
5. Gregory Liefooghe, 1.40.77
6. Aleksander Altberg, 1.41.07
Race 1:
1. Alex Ellis
2. Brett Smrz
3. Aleksander Altberg
4. Gary Carlton
5. Nick Galante
6. Gregory Liefooghe
Fastest Lap: Gary Carlton, 1:38.991
Race 2:
1. Gary Carlton
2. Alex Ellis
3. Brett Smrz
4. Nick Galante
5. Gregory Liefooghe
6. Aleksander Altberg
Fastest Lap: Gary Carlton, 1:39.638
Jim Russell “Race of Champions” (current standings):
1. Alex Ellis, 18-points
2. Gary Carlton, 16pts
3. Brett Smrz, 15pts
4. Nick Galante, 11pts
5. Aleksander Altberg, 11pts
6. Gregory Liefooghe, 9pts
04/21/10 - Announcing a new half day format for the Jim Russell Grand Prix Masters program
Experience the F3 based FJR-50 for under $1000
For those who simply want the thrill of driving a race car, the Jim Russell Grand Prix Masters program is it. Start with a driver’s meeting, then get fitted for your race car: driver safety gear, seat, belts and pedals. Next, it’s a cockpit procedures debrief before ignition on and out to the track. A professional driver will show you the racing line and reference points before beginning with a sequential gearbox shifting and braking exercise. Your day culminates in two lapping sessions around the 2.52-mile Infineon Raceway at progressively higher speeds.
Sign up today for only $995. Click Register above or call 800.733.0345 to register today.
04/08/10 - F1 Veteran Takes the Reins in the Jim Russell Technical Center
The Jim Russell Racing Drivers School lays claim to the most advanced school and developmental championship racecar in the world; the FJR-50. The state-of-the-art car is current in every area of racing. The FJR-50 is capable of cornering at over 3g of force and accelerating to 60mph in an impressive 2.5 seconds. A vehicle with this type of potential typically is a rather intimidating proposition, but the FJR-50 has been carefully engineered to offer performance along with forgiving handling characteristics.
To assure that the school is managed to the highest standards of motorsports our Technical Center is overseen by Peter Wiedekehr, a veteran of Formula 1. Peter spent 15 years at Sauber F1 where his responsibilities ranged from car builds and preparations to coordinating the various engineering teams. The level of professionalism that Peter brings to Jim Russell ensures that our commitment to excellence is always kept top of mind.
Evidence of the Formula 1 influence can be seen throughout the FJR-50. Every system within the car has been scrutinized and optimized with efficiencies continually being discovered and implemented. This gives the school an amazingly refined platform to teach from and the level of preparation and performance leave it without a peer. The FJR-50 is the cornerstone of the curriculum that Jim Russell Racing Drivers School teaches. It is also what defines Jim Russell as the most modern and relevant racing school available.
“It has been quite a fantastic opportunity to work so closely with someone as experienced and knowledgeable as Peter. From a driver's point of view, you normally have just a few days to try to adapt your car to any given race track. Here we have had the opportunity to refine our car for the track for almost a year. This has allowed us to build just about the best car I have ever had the opportunity to drive and is what makes the FJR-50 such a great tool to teach racing drivers.” – Nico Rondet, Chief Instructor, Jim Russell Racing Drivers School.
The school’s defining purpose is to create world class drivers. To that end providing drivers entry level, advanced schools and one on one data training to secure their best chance of success in the future. Whether an enthusiast wanting to drive the very best available or the next potential Formula 1 superstar, all can benefit from an environment that aims for nothing less than excellence.
11/23/09 - Hildebrand Set to Drive Force India Formula One Car in Jerez Test Next Week
Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. (November 24, 2009) – For many auto racing aficionados, the FIA Formula One World Championship represents the pinnacle of the sport. Next week, reigning Firestone Indy Lights Champion and 2005 Team USA Scholarship winner J.R. Hildebrand will join that elite level when he drives a Mercedes-Benz-powered Force India VJM02 Formula One car in a test session December 1-3 at the Circuito de Jerez in southern Spain.
Hildebrand, 21, from Sausalito, Calif., will be joined in the rookies-only test by highly rated Scotsman Paul di Resta, whose cousin, Dario Franchitti, won the 2009 IndyCar Series Championship.
"I’m ecstatic about being given the chance to drive a Formula One car for the Force India F1 Team," says Hildebrand. "I know it will be a challenge but I’m ready to take it on, and look forward to getting as much as I can out of the whole experience. It’s an incredible way to cap off an already very special year and I’m very grateful for the opportunity."
Hildebrand’s test-drive follows an impressive showing in Force India’s F1 simulator in England last month.
"We are delighted to have Paul and J.R. join us for the young driver test," says Dr. Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal of Force India. "Both of their showings in the simulator were excellent and we had no hesitations in offering them some valuable testing. We will be looking at their performance on track very closely and should they perform well, as we are confident they will, we will look at a permanent role for one within the team in 2010, potentially as a test and reserve driver. As a young team we are looking for drivers who can grow with us. As we’ve always said, nationality isn't the primary selection criteria – it’s talent and dedication to the cause and we have seen enough to know that these two have both."
Hildebrand, who played varsity baseball while maintaining over a 4.0 GPA in high school – and deferred acceptance to MIT to pursue his racing career – had been introduced to Dr. Mallya several years ago. Earlier in the fall, Hildebrand was invited to try out the team’s F1 test simulator. At that stage he had no inkling the outing would lead to a full-blown F1 test.
"I thought I did quite well," he says. "I knew there was room to improve but I felt I accomplished my goal, which was to learn and improve throughout the day. It took a while for the team to analyze the data but when I got the call to say I was going to have a chance to drive the car I was ecstatic. It couldn’t have come at a better time."
In comparison to many drivers in the top echelon these days, Hildebrand started his racing career relatively late, at age 14. Since then he has won the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School Graduate Runoffs; the 2004 Russell Championship Series; Rookie of the Year honors in the 2005 Pacific F2000 Championship; the 2005 Team USA Scholarship; the 2006 Cooper Tires Formula Ford 2000 Championship (winning a record 12 out of 14 races); and the 2009 Firestone Indy Lights Championship (claiming a series-high four wins and six poles while driving for AFS-Andretti Green Racing).
10/19/09 - LEDUC RETURNS TO WIN IN ROUND 13 OF THE JIM RUSSELL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES Will Hill Makes the Move of the Race
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009, Sonoma, CA – Nic LeDuc, of Novato, Ca., claimed pole position during qualifying and led every lap to win Round 13. Rookie Aleks Altberg, of Uppsala, Sweden, finished second place and Mike Hill of Gilroy, Ca., completed Saturday’s podium at the Jim Russell Championship Series at Infineon Raceway.
Heavy fog Saturday morning increased the anticipation of racers looking to gain an edge during early practice. In normal California fashion, the fog burned off by qualifying allowing racers to improve on their lap times.
In qualifying, LeDuc was able to claim the pole position in just four laps with a 1:30:690 seconds time. Altberg claimed the outside of row one. Visiting racer, Mike Hill, claimed the third starting position.
At the green flag, LeDuc charged up the hill to claim first. It wasn’t long before LeDuc had a sizable lead over Altberg. At one point, LeDuc checked his mirrors to find that Altberg had closed the gap by a half a second. LeDuc again put the power down and opened up the gap to finish the race nearly 3 seconds ahead.
“I was warming the tires during the pace lap to get a good run up the hill at the start,” said LeDuc, who came in hot along side the pace car before Turn 11 and the green. “Altberg showed that he wanted the spot, but I got the power down and gapped the lead. I checked my mirrors later only to find Altberg had closed the gap a bit. I was having none of that and laid the power down to win. It was fun.”
For Altberg, he, too, qualified in just four laps with a 1:31:172 second time. At the green, Altberg quickly fell in line behind LeDuc and maintained his sizable gap from third. Altberg attempted to charge after LeDuc, but wasn’t able to close the gap. Altberg was able to hold off M. Hill for the entire race to finish second and capture valuable Championship points.
Behind Altberg, Mike Hill was just 8/10s of a second behind Altberg during qualifying. He comfortably earned third place on the grid. When the field received the green flag, M. Hill pushed hard to close the gap with Altberg. Early in the race, M. Hill came within 7/100s of Altberg, but could not get around him. At the conclusion, M. Hill finished his first race in the FJR-50 in third place.
In the Master’s Championship, Will Hill, of Walnut Creek, CA, made the move of the race when he shot past Greg Liefooghe at the start/finish line on Lap 11 and earned his personal best lap. Hill finished second in Masters’ Class. Nick Galante finished first, his 11th win of the season and placed him just one point behind the Championship leader.
Top three Championship finishers from Round 13 with driver, hometown and fastest lap:
1. Nic LeDuc, Novato,CA, 1:31:696 sec.
2. Aleks Altberg, Uppsala, Sweden, 1:32:035 sec.
3. Mike Hill, Gilroy, CA. 1:32:397 sec.
Round 14 runs on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009 at Infineon Raceway.
09/13/09 - SMRZ COMES FROM SECOND TO WIN ROUND 12 OF THE JIM RUSSELL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Top Two Qualifiers Just .016 Seconds Apart, Just .063 Seconds Separates Second and Third Position
Brett Smrz, of Coeur d’ Alene, ID, worked hard to capture his second win of the weekend. Aleks Altberg, of Uppsala, Sweden, drove his heart out to claim a well-earned second place, and Gregory Liefooghe, of San Francisco, completed Sunday’s podium of the Jim Russell Championship Series at Infineon Raceway. Nick Galante, of Monterey, Ca., earned another podium finish in the Jim Russell Masters Class.
Wet weather conditions gave way to colder temperatures for the morning practice and qualifying sessions, thus improving laps times of today’s competitors. During qualifying, Smrz laid down a lap time of 1:31:845 seconds, Nick Galante ran a 1:31:861 and rookie Altberg captured the third spot on the grid with a 1:31:924 second qualifying lap.
At the start of the race, it was Galante that jumped into the lead early and maintained the lead ahead of Smrz. Smrz tried to get a good run on Galante in the early laps, but couldn’t put anything together. After being all over the back of Galante, Smrz finally was able to get around Galante in Turn 7. Once in the lead, Smrz controlled the race until the end. His largest gap was only 4.5 seconds.
The driver who worked the hardest was rookie Altberg. Starting from the second row in third spot, Altberg drove a well-calculated race. He quickly jumped ahead of Liefooghe for third at the start. From then on, he set his sites on Galante. That battle was to take nine laps when Altberg drove right up to the gear box of Galante. Through Turn 7, it looked like Altberg was going to get by, but at the exit, Galante was able to hold Altberg off. By Turn 11, Altberg came side-by-side with Galante and on the exit, took the second position. Altberg and Galante diced it out for the next several laps. With half the race in the history books, Galante mounted a late charge for second. In an aggressive move to the inside of Turn 7, Galante finally got his chance. The two racers were rib-to-rib coming out of Turn 7. This time, Galante came away with the lead. Altberg finished second in the Championship; third place overall.
Bringing up the third spot in the Championship was rookie Gregory Liefooghe. After Altberg got by him on the first lap, Liefooghe set his pace in line. Liefooghe struggled with the car for the remainder of the race and finished third. With his finish, Liefooghe maintains his second place position in the points standing in the Jim Russell Championship with only two race weekends remaining.
Top three finishers from Round 12 with driver, hometown, and fastest lap are:
1. Brett Smrz, Coeur d’ Alene, ID, 1:31:404 sec.
2. Aleks Altberg, Uppsala, Sweden, 1:31:749 sec.
3. Gregory Liefooghe, San Francisco, 1:32:422 sec.
Masters champion, Nick Galante, finished with the best lap time of 1:31:836 seconds and continues his point lead with 85 points.
Round 13 runs on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009 at Infineon Raceway.
08/21/09 - Racers to Compete on Indycar Configuration
A field of 15 racers turned out today to qualify for the Jim Russell Championship Series race that will be held in support of the IndyCar Grand Prix of Sonoma scheduled for Sunday, Aug 23. An international field of racers qualified in the equally prepared fleet of Jim Russell FJR-50 racecars built specially by Lola Cars, Ltd.
The Jim Russell Championship Series racers will compete on the Indycar track configuration in advance of the Grand Prix of Sonoma.
Brett Smrz, of Coeur d’ Alene, ID, claimed the fastest time of 1:31:591 followed closely by Nicolas Rondet, Jim Russell Racing Drivers School Chief Driving Instructor, of Melle, France; and current points leader, Thomas Asseo, of Versailles, France.
To make Sunday’s race interesting, the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School inverted the grid positions of the top five competitors. Caleb Kenney, of Berkeley, Ca., ended up claiming pole position. Nick Galante, of Monterey, Ca., and current Masters Champion, earned the second spot on the outside row. Thomas Asseo and Nicolas Rondet will start on the second row while Smrz will start the race on the inside of row three in fifth position.
Top five qualifying times for Sunday’s race with driver, hometown and fastest lap time:
1. Brett Smrz, Coeur d’ Alene, ID, 1:31:591
2. Nicolas Rondet, Melle, France, 1:31:981
3. Thomas Asseo, Versaille, France, 1:32:245
4. Nick Galante, Monterey, Ca., 1:33:034
5. Caleb Kenney, Berkeley, Ca., 1:33:648
08/15/09 - SMRZ GOES FROM GREEN TO CHECKERED TO WIN ROUND NINE OF THE JIM RUSSELL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Race Runs on Indycar Configuration
Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009, Sonoma, CA – Brett Smrz, of Coeur d’ Alene, ID, races from green to checkered flag earning his third podium in just as many races. Aleks Altberg, of Uppsala, Sweden, and Thomas Asseo, of Versaille, France, completed Saturday’s podium of the Jim Russell Championship Series at Infineon Raceway.
Jim Russell Racing Drivers School provided an opportunity for its racers to experience the Indycar track configuration in advance of the Grand Prix of Sonoma. Continuing his dominating run in the FJR-50, Smrz was quick to grab the pole during morning qualifying. Smrz opted to lay down several quick laps early during the qualifying session and conserve his tires. When the green flag fell, Srmz was on a mission to earn the checkered flag. Srmz jumped ahead early and never looked back. While the battle raged for second place, Smrz drove a flawless and fast race to take the win.
Behind Srmz, Gregory Liefooghe, of San Francisco, was quick to fall in line with rookie Altberg close behind in third. By lap two, Altberg was ready to made a move to pass Liefooghe in Turn 9. Altberg attempted the pass again in Turn 11. This time, Altberg made it stick. Then came pressure from Asseo, who was in the fourth spot. Alterg was able to withstand pressure from Asseo for the remainder of the race and finish on the podium. It was Altberg’s best finish of the season.
Asseo collected a third-place finish and his third podium finish in just as many races. Asseo made his move on Liefooghe on lap 3 in Turn 2, taking the position away. The rest of his race was spent chasing Altberg. In the end, Asseo settled for the third spot.
In the Masters Class, Nick Galante, of Monterey, Ca., showed his experience in the FJR-50, by keeping Will Hill, of Walnut Creek, Ca., his closest competitor, behind him. Galante and Hill raced each other in an accordion fashion, but Hill was not able to close the gap to his benefit. Master Championship points leader, Galante finished first, Hill finished second. Visiting racer, Jayson Clunie, of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada, rounded out the podium in Masters Class.
Top three finishers in each class with driver, hometown, and laps completed:
1. Brett Smrz, Coeur d’ Alene, ID, 16
2. Aleks Altberg, Uppsala, Sweden, 16
3. Thomas Asseo, Versaille, France, 16
Top three finishers in Masters Class with driver, hometown and laps completed
1. Nick Galante, Monterey, Ca., 16
2. Will Hill, Walnut Creek, Ca., 16
3. Jayson Clunie, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada, 16
Round 10 runs on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009 at Infineon Raceway.
07/11/09 - EXPERIENCE PAYS AS RACERS COMPLETE IN ROUND SEVEN OF THE JIM RUSSELL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Smrz Returns to Dominate Round Seven
Laps Run on Original 2.5 Mile Configuration
Saturday, July 11, 2009, Sonoma, CA – Using the original 2.5-mile track configuration, racers prove experience pays in round seven of the Jim Russell Championship Series at
Infineon Raceway. Racers who previously ran in the Jim Russell Championship demonstrate what it takes to set fast lap times. Brett Smrz, 2008 Jim Russell Champion, returns to dominate every session.
Not letting its drivers become complacent, the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School opted to run the original 2.5-mile track configuration for Saturday’s race. Cooler temperatures during the morning qualifying showed that competitors were using one of two strategies. Either they were using all the time allotted to build their speed and develop their rhythm, or they opted to lay down several quick laps early in the session and conserve tires then and wait for the race.
During qualifying, Smrz knocks off two seconds from his best practice lap time to earn the pole position. Nic LeDuc, 2008 Jim Russell Championship Series runner-up, knocks off more than a second and half to earn outside pole. Nick Galante, the 2008 Jim Russell Masters Champion, is quick enough to earn inside second row and Thomas Asseo rounds out the second row.
Rookies, Aleks Altberg and Greg Liefooghe ease up during qualifying to conserve tires and their energy, saving both for the race.
At the green flag, the formation of the cars is picture perfect. Smrz leads out of Turn 2 but is surprised by LeDuc who takes the lead on the first lap at Turn 6. Asseo capitalizes on Galante’s stumble in Turn 7 to get the third spot. Further back in the field, rookie Altberg makes a bold move going around Masters Class competitor Will Hill and rookie Greg Liefooghe. As the race progressed and the field spread out, Smrz started his attack on LeDuc. By lap five, he was able to gain the top spot from LeDuc in a good pass at Turn 7. Smrz continued to extend his lead and looked like he was walking away from LeDuc.
Half way through the race, it appeared every competitor had backed off by a second or more. The resulting gaps in the field reinvigorated those racers who still had something left to pursue their leaders. As the race leader, Smrz found that he could ease up as LeDuc wasn’t able to fill Smrz’s mirrors. Galante was first to try to close the gap with LeDuc, but ran wide and couldn’t put a lap together to get the job done. Meanwhile, it was Asseo who locked on to LeDuc and began the pursuit. Further back, Rookie Altberg dropped Liefooghe like a hot potato and gained two positions while Hill had an off road excursion at Turn 4. By Lap 11, Asseo took advantage of LeDuc wide run through Turn 7 and dove underneath LeDuc for third spot.
At the finish, Smrz finished first, Asseo gains two spots to finish second, and Galante finishes third overall, first in Masters Class. LeDuc earns third place points for the
Championship.
Round eight runs on Sunday, July 12, 2009 here at Infineon Raceway.
06/13/09 - PLENTY OF FIRSTS DOMINATES ROUND FIVE OF THE JIM RUSSELL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Rookie Wins First Race of Season
Pit Crew Executes its First Pit Stop of Season
Saturday, JUNE 13, 2009, Sonoma, CA – Round five of the Jim Russell Championship Series delivers plenty of firsts at Infineon Raceway. Visiting racer, Igor Sushko, earned pole
position in his first race in FJR-50, rookie Greg Liefooghe earns his first overall win, and pit crew executes its first pit stop of the season.
In his first time in the FJR-50, veteran racer, Igor Sushko, a top-ten competitor in Formula Challenge Japan, posted the quickest lap during qualifying to position him on the pole for the race. Just a little over three tenths of a second behind Sushko’s pace was rookie contender Greg Liefooghe, who earned the outside position on the front row for the first time this season. Masters Class points leader, Nick Galante earned the inside spot on row
two sharing it with Aleks Altberg, another Jim Russell rookie.
At the green flag, Liefooghe bolted from his outside position to lead the field up the hill into Turn 2. Sushko fell back to second while Altberg followed Liefooghe for third place and went up the hill side-by-side with Galante, who relinquished the third spot by the second corner.
As the early laps began to string the racers apart, it was Sushko who makes the first mistake at Turn 9, missing the chicane. Sushko added another straight line through the
same turn, which ended up costing him a 7/10th of a second. Altberg was next in line for mistakes and took his car off track on Lap 6. Altberg pitted and the pit crew executed its first pit stop of the season and sent Altberg back out on a new set of Yokohama tires. Had Altberg been patient, he wouldn’t have suffered a second spin on cold tires, which cost him two spots in the race. Altberg’s demise left a battle for third between Galante and Thomas
Asseo. As the two racers heated up their battle, it was Asseo, admittedly needing more time to learn the new evolution of the FJR-50, who couldn’t put a pace fast enough to catch Galante and settled for fourth overall but third in this race.
At the checkered flag, it was Liefooghe, Sushko and Asseo in the championship race, as Galante take the win in Masters Class joined on the podium by visiting racer Will Hill.
Round six runs on Sunday, June 14, 2009 here at Infineon Raceway.
05/22/10 - JIM RUSSELL “RACE OF CHAMPIONS” OFFERS INDY LIGHTS RACE PRIZE
- Six-race, six driver “shoot-out” at Infineon Raceway
The organizers of the Jim Russell Championship Series are revising the format of this year‟s competition. The Jim Russell “Race of Champions” replaces the proposed 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series.
A six-race invitational competition during June-August will now run with the outright points winner claiming a seat in Round 9 of the Firestone Indy Lights at the Infineon Raceway.
“The Jim Russell organization was adamant that we would continue with a meaningful program and one that followed our original goals albeit in a different guise,” commented Chip Pankow, President of the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School.
The Jim Russell “Race of Champions” is certain to feature fierce racing amongst six of the most talented young single-seater drivers in North America. The outright champion, Masters champion, Rookie of the Year and overall runner-up from the 2009 Jim Russell Championship Series along with the 2010 Future Driver winners:
Brett Smrz (Coeur d' Alene, ID) 2009 Outright Champion
Nick Galante (Novato, CA) 2009 Masters Champion
Greg Liefooghe (San Francisco, CA) 2009 Runner Up
Aleksander Altberg (San Francisco, CA) 2009 Rookie of the Year
Gary Carlton (Marysville, CA) 2010 Future Driver
Alex Ellis (St Catharines, Ontario, Canada) 2010 Future Driver
The sextet will drive identical FJR-50 single-seaters owned and prepared in house by the Jim Russell Championship Series ensuring equality and placing the emphasis of success on driver talent. The Lola-built Formula Three machines feature a carbon/kevlar fiber composite monocoque, a sequential five-speed gearbox and a two-liter, turbocharged Mitsubishi engine producing 300bhp.
Two 25-minute races will be staged on June 11, July 9 and August 6 with the outright points scorer winning himself an Indy Lights test day and entry in the Carneros 100 at Sonoma on August 22.
Pankow added: “The Race of Champions winner will benefit from making the step up from a Formula Three car to the bigger, more powerful Indy Lights machine and will have the bonus of knowing the Infineon Raceway very well. Meanwhile the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School remains committed to the development of driving talent with an expanded 2010 tuition schedule.”
04/20/10 - Lancer Evolution Challenge
Mitsubishi Motors North America and the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School will be collaborating on an exciting new contest, Lancer Evolution Challenge that aims to put its winner behind the wheel of a Lancer Evolution sedan.
Beginning now and running through November, the top performer from each session of the Jim Russell Lancer Evolution Experience program will be invited back in December for a final competition. In December, this Lancer Evolution Challenge will allow these top performers to practice their driving, advance their lessons, and test their skills to see how they measure up. The Lancer Evolution Challenge will crown a champion with the grand prize being a fully-paid, year-long loan of a Lancer Evolution MR or other Mitsubishi Motors North America vehicle of choice. The second place Challenge contestant will be awarded a Jim Russell Three Day School of Racing in which they will learn the fundamentals of racing an open wheel racecar in the awesome Formula Three based FJR-50. The third place winner will receive a Jim Russell Karting package to include a Techniques of Karting and an Advanced Karting program.
About Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for all manufacturing, finance, sales, marketing, research and development operations for Mitsubishi Motors in the United States. MMNA sells coupes, convertibles, sedans, sport utility vehicles, and light trucks through a network of approximately 400 dealers. For more information, contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at (888) 560-6672 or visit media.mitsubishicars.com.
About Jim Russell Racing Drivers School:
The Jim Russell Racing Drivers School offers a complete driver training program that includes instruction from some of the finest coaches in the world, technical instruction from industry leaders, and educational seminars on being a complete racing driver. With the addition of Mitsubishi Motors, Jim Russell has increased its breadth and depth of programs available to consumers to experience an automobile for themselves, experience the product differentiation for themselves and help build brand loyalty. Jim Russell Racing Drivers School is located Turn 1 of Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA. For more information visit www.jimrussellusa.com
04/07/10 - Jim Russell Highway Survival Moves to a Full Day Format
Jim Russell Racing Drivers School has long been known for its commitment to creating safer roads for all and we’ve been conducting and promoting a Highway Survival course amongst both young and experienced drivers for years. Jim Russell has also been involved in numerous community outreach programs and teen education organizations. This year that effort includes a partnership with Caltrans to create a statewide “Slow for the Cone Zone” campaign. This campaign educates young drivers on the importance of road safety with an emphasis on work zone precautions. Jim Russell also participated in a full day Sobriety Challenge event in association with the California Highway Patrol and Infineon Raceway to highlight the dangers of driving under the influence.
In our continued effort to support driver safety and improve our course offerings, Jim Russell has created a new full day curriculum for both our Teen and Adult Highway Survival programs. This full day format will allow for extra seat time, which is invaluable to mastering the concepts and techniques taught in the course.
The Jim Russell Highway Survival programs were created with the sole purpose of training people to be better drivers. The program focuses on a common sense approach to driving with safety, efficiency and the realities of the road being kept top of mind. The teen program helps to identify the gaps in knowledge and technique that all new drivers possess. The adult program concentrates on refreshing and retraining peoples’ perceptions of proper driving practices. In these programs one can expect to participate in a range of exercises including, seating and steering techniques, skid pad, crash avoidance and braking drills. Both courses focus on the in car portion allowing for ample time to put into practice the philosophies taught in the classroom and on the tarmac.
For more information or to book a course, click the register tab or call 800.733.0345.
11/14/09 - Smrz captures 2009 Jim Russell Championship Series Title
Image courtesy of Reite Photo
After a hard fought battle in 2009, Brett Smrz returned to claim the Jim Russell Championship Series for the second season. In the final race weekend of the series, the point spread was so tight that the championship was still up to any of the top three competitors for the taking, in the end, it was Smrz that took it by two points over Aleksander Altberg and Gregory Liefooghe. This title caps off a fantastic year for Smrz after his trip to Europe last month, as an elected member of the 2009 Team USA.
Congratulations Brett.
09/25/09 - De Phillippi, Smrz Selected for 20th Annual Team USA Scholarships
Braselton, Ga. (September 25, 2009) – Connor De Phillippi, from San Clemente, Calif., and Brett Smrz, from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, have been named today as the latest recipients of prestigious Team USA Scholarships. The two teenagers will follow in the footsteps of an array of accomplished American drivers who have earned these awards since Jimmy Vasser became the first Team USA Scholarship winner in 1990.
De Phillippi (pronounced “DEE Phi-LEE-pi) and Smrz (“Smerz”) will have an opportunity to fly their nation’s colors in two world-renowned events in England later this month – the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch and the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone. (Team USA Scholarship drivers swept both events in 2008, with Josef Newgarden becoming the first American ever to win the Formula Ford Festival and Conor Daly becoming the youngest ever winner of the Walter Hayes Trophy.)
“I am thrilled to be representing the United States and the Team USA Scholarship,” said 16-year-old De Phillippi, who has taken a commanding lead in this year’s BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda, winning seven of 10 races held thus far. “It is my first big shot to prove myself on the European circuit. I look forward to meeting many new people in the racing community and hopefully posting some excellent results.”
“Winning the Team USA Scholarship feels amazing,” added Smrz, 18, who secured one Skip Barber victory in addition to posting some impressive results in the Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup. Smrz also leads the Jim Russell Championship Series. “Words can’t even describe how excited I am about this opportunity to race for America in a different atmosphere. I expect to learn a lot from the experience, both on and off the track, which will help lead to my success as a professional racing driver. Hopefully Connor and I can share a couple of wins like Josef and Conor did last year! I want to thank the entire Team USA Scholarship crew for this opportunity.”
De Phillippi and Smrz were chosen from an accomplished list of candidates including VW Jetta TDI Cup series leader Timmy Megenbier, 18, from Melrose Park, Ill.; fellow VW Jetta TDI Cup graduate Liam Kenney, 17, from Sterling, Va.; F2000 Championship Series winner Chris Miller, 20, from Edina, Minn.; F2000 Championship Series Rookie of the Year Ben Searcy, 18, from Tuscaloosa, Ala.; and Skip Barber National race winner Court Vernon, 18, from Key Biscayne, Fla.
After considering the candidates’ racing resumes and other off-track skills, a smaller group was invited to demonstrate their prowess on Cruden America’s high-tech, full-motion, F1-style simulator located in Laguna Niguel, Calif.
“It’s always difficult to tell youngsters they haven’t won a scholarship, but I hope they were able to gain satisfaction from being nominated,” said Team USA Scholarship founder Jeremy Shaw. “Given the caliber of drivers who have won scholarships in the past, I think that is a worthy achievement in itself. I’m sure each of them has a bright future.”
The Team USA Scholarship is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Robo-Pong, Highcroft Racing, American Honda, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Dyson Racing, Metalore, The Gorsline Company, Integrated Performance Technology, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, OnCars.com, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Manifest Group and an array of past Scholarship winners including Jimmy Vasser, Bryan Herta, A.J. Allmendinger, Buddy Rice, Andy Lally, Paul Edwards and Memo Gidley.
09/12/09 - SMRZ CLAIMS WIN IN ROUND 11 OF THE JIM RUSSELL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Rookie Altberg Claims First Pole of Season
Wet Weather Required Tire Change for Practice
Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, Sonoma, CA – Brett Smrz, of Coeur d’ Alene, ID, started from the outside of first row to win round 11 and claims his fourth podium in just as many races. Aleks Altberg, of Uppsala, Sweden, earned his first pole position of his rookie season and Gregory Liefooghe, of San Francisco, completed Saturday’s podium of the Jim Russell Championship Series at Infineon Raceway.
Wet weather conditions Saturday morning required the Jim Russell crew to change tires for practice laps. As the weather improved later in the morning, racing slicks were again mounted on the FJR-50 race cars.
During qualifying, Smrz opted to lay down several quick laps early and conserve his tires. Smrz retired for the session thinking he had claimed pole, but ended up on the outside of row one. From the outside of the first row, Smrz fell in line early to maintain second place while he sized up Altberg during the first two laps. On laps 1 and 2, Smrz tried to pass by going wide at the exit of Turn 6. He was successful on his second attempt and started to increase his lead over Altberg. By Lap 8, Smrz set his fastest lap of the race. During the last half of the race, Smrz kept an even pace to claim the victory.
Today’s surprise was rookie Altberg’s performance that earned him his first pole position of the season. While every one was turning fast laps during qualifying, Altberg decided to wait until the last half of the session to lay down his fastest laps. Altberg was running on a track that had been dried by previous qualifiers. Altberg qualified with a 1:31:890 second lap, just a half a second ahead of Smrz’s earlier qualifying lap. At the start of Round 11, Altberg was able to hold off Srmz for only two laps before relinquishing the top spot. During the last half of the race, it was Altberg who closed the gap with Srmz to 1.5 seconds. In fact, Altberg set his fastest lap on Lap 14, and was nearly 2 seconds quicker than the leader. After charging hard to close that gap, Altberg finished in second place and his second podium finish of his rookie season.
Behind Altberg, Gregory Liefooghe was quick to fall in line for third place. As the battle for the lead developed, Liefooghe took a different approach. Not pushing too hard, while managing his tires, Liefooghe maintained a comfortable third-place position. At the conclusion, Liefooghe still maintains second place in the Jim Russell Championship and is favored to win the Rookie of the Year.
Top three finishers from Round 11 with driver, hometown, and fastest lap:
1. Brett Smrz, Coeur d’ Alene, ID, 1:30:725 sec.
2. Aleks Altberg, Uppsala, Sweden, 1:31:861 sec.
3. Gregory Liefooghe, San Francisco, 1:33.629 sec.
Round 12 runs on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009 at Infineon Raceway.
08/16/09 - SMRZ CAPTURES WIN AFTER EARLY BATTLE FOR THE LEAD IN ROUND 10 OF THE JIM RUSSELL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Racers Used Indycar Configuration
Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009, Sonoma, CA – Brett Smrz, of Coeur d’ Alene, ID, captures second win of the weekend. Gregory Liefooghe, of San Francisco, and Thomas Asseo, of Versaille, France, completed Sunday’s podium of the Jim Russell Championship Series at Infineon Raceway.
Jim Russell Racing Drivers School used the Indycar track configuration in advance of the Grand Prix of Sonoma.
Starting from pole in his second race of the weekend, Smrz was caught off guard by Liefooghe up the hill into Turn 2 and slipped to second. Demonstrating patience for the next few laps, Smrz began his attack on Liefooghe. By lap 4, Smrz dove inside in Turn 7 to grab the lead. Smrz drove a flawless race to win round 10 and earn valuable points toward the Championship.
The battle for the lead started with Liefooghe jumping ahead of Smrz up the hill before Turn 2 to gain the top spot. By lap 4, Liefooghe went wide at the entrance to Turn 7 and Smrz dove underneath to take the spot away. With no early pressure from Asseo, Liefooghe set a comfortable rhythm and gained valuable points toward Rookie of the Year.
Asseo, who started on the inside second row, quickly launched ahead of Nick Galante, of Monterey, Ca., but was by himself in the early laps as the leaders pulled away. In several attempts to catch Liefooghe, Asseo wasn’t able to put anything together. At the conclusion, Asseo finished third. Asseo now has finished on the podium in seven races to dominate the Championship points standings.
The battle in the Masters Class took center stage during Sunday’s race as two returning competitors and a visiting competitor donned helmets and gloves. Will Hill, of Walnut
Creek, was quick to get by Nick Galante, of Monterey, Ca., early in the race. Hill grabbed a position from Galante at the start and the chase was on. Galante not satisfied with finishing second in the Masters Class put together several aggressive laps in pursuit of Hill. By lap 11, Galante got by Hill and set his sites on Aleks Altberg, of Uppsala, Sweden, but was unable to catch him in the few laps that remained. Visiting racer, Jason Clunie, of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada, put together some of his best laps of the weekend. Master Championship points leader, Galante finished first, Hill finished second. Jayson
Clunie, rounded out the podium in Masters Class and earned his second podium in two races.
Top three finishers in each class with driver, hometown, and laps completed:
1. Brett Smrz, Coeur d’ Alene, ID, 19
2. Gregory Liefooghe, San Francisco,19
3. Thomas Asseo, Versaille, France, 19
Top three finishers in Masters Class with driver, hometown and laps completed
1. Nick Galante, Monterey, Ca., 19
2. Will Hill, San Francisco, 19
3. Jayson Clunie, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada, 19
At the end of five weekends of racing, the points standings for the Jim Russell Championship are as follows:
Thomas Asseo 75
Gregory Liefooghe 61
Brett Srmz 62
Nic LeDuc 58
Aleks Altberg 55
Master Class points standings:
Nick Galante 75
Will Hill 33
Jim Russell will host an exhibition race during the Grand Prix of Sonoma on Sunday, August 23, 2009 here.
07/12/09 - SMRZ DOMINATES IN ROUND EIGHT OF THE JIM RUSSELL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Smrz Returns to Dominate Round Eight with 20-sec Advantage Battle for Second Becomes Highlight or Race
Sunday, July 12, 2009, Sonoma, CA – Following a successful podium finish during round seven of the Jim Russell Championship Series, Brett Smrz returns Sunday to dominate practice, qualifying and the 30-minute race. While Smrz drives away, the battle for second spot highlights the race.
A clean start begins race eight and immediately Smrz jumps ahead of the pack never to look back. Continuing his Saturday domination, Smrz extends margin to 20-seconds during part of the race. Thomas Asseo looking to capture second place, fills Nick Galante’s mirrors and continues putting the pressure during the entire race. In an aggressive start, Nic LeDuc catches Will Hill on Lap 1 at Turn 11 while Liefooghe fills LeDuc’s mirrors early.
Racers in the field feel the pressure from other drivers as the laps click down. Driving hard, Asseo pressures Galante each and every lap. Further back, Hill drops two tires off at Turn 2 and looses the spot to LeDuc on Lap 4. By Lap 5, Asseo, still on the hunt for Galante, is only 7/10ths of a second behind Galante while Smrz leads by 11 seconds.
Asseo cannot capitalize on Galante’s spirited over-driving, but continues to taunt Galante in Turn 11 and Turn 2 at each lap. Pit stops by Hill on Lap 4 and Liefooghe on Lap 6 put them both a lap down with Liefooghe coming out ahead. Hill will eventually catch Liefooghe and pass him at Turn 10. By the end of the race, Smrz had a comfortable 20-second lead over second place of Galante.
At the finish, Smrz takes the second win of the weekend, Asseo finishes second and Liefooghe finishes third in the Championship class. Master Class Champion, Galante takes first in class and earns second overall. Hill finishes second in Masters Class.
The next Jim Russell Championship race is Saturday, Aug 15, 2009 here at Infineon Raceway.
06/14/09 - ROOKIE SWEEPS WEEKEND WITH TWO WINS AT THE JIM RUSSELL CHAMPIONSHIP
Asseo earns his first pole position. For the second time this weekend, rookie Greg Liefooghe earns outside front row.
in qualifying to earn second position on the front row. Igor Sushko, a racing driver in Formula Challenge Japan, wasn’t as quick as Saturday, but ended up inside of the second
row, next to Nick Galante, Masters Class points leader.
05/10/09 - MISTAKES HIGHLIGHT ROUND FOUR RACE OF THE JIM RUSSELL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SEASON
LeDuc Goes from Green to Checker to Win
Rookie Earns First Podium Finish
from green flag to checkered to win and extend his margin in the points standings and the fourth race sees a new finisher on the podium.
After earning pole position during qualifying, Nic LeDuc, 2008 Jim Russell Championship Series competitor, took the green flag and never looked back. Nick Galante, 2008 Jim