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01/20/10 - 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series Dates Announced
2011 “F2 PRIZE DRIVE” LURE SET TO FILL JIM RUSSELL SERIES GRID
- 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series title winner gets fully-funded F2 “seat”
- Future Driver Search winners Carlton and Ellis confirmed for 16-race series
- Team USA Scholarship winner Smrz returning to compete for European series attraction
The Jim Russell Racing Drivers School organization welcomes the new decade in terrific style by opening entries and confirming details for its 2010 Championship Series that sees the champion earn himself a fully funded drive in next year’s FIA Formula Two Championship.
The 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series features eight weekends comprising of two races staged on consecutive days between April-November utilizing a variety of configurations at the challenging Infineon Raceway (Sonoma, CA) – a venue which features Jim Russell Racing Drivers School’s multi-million dollar facility.
The FJR-50 single-seaters are 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.
Gary Carlton (Marysville, CA) and Alex Ellis (St Catharines, Ontario, Canada) are already confirmed on the grid having last month (22 Dec) been chosen as the winners of the inaugural Jim Russell Future Driver Search by Britain’s double Le Mans 24 Hour sportscar race winner, Allan McNish, and his fellow judges, while Brett Smrz (Coeur d' Alene, ID), winner of the Jim Russell series for the past two years, has been tempted back by the phenomenal prize on offer.
The outright JRCS champion will compete in the 2011 FIA Formula Two series, a European-based series launched last year and featuring a Williams F1 developed single-seater. Inaugural 2009 FIA Formula Two Champion Andy Soucek (Sp) was awarded a test with the Williams F1 team last month as his prize for winning the F2 title. Indeed the top-three F2 Championship finishers qualify for an FIA Superlicence and thus are eligible to compete in Formula One.
“The addition of the Formula Two award to our series champion firmly sets the Jim Russell Championship Series as the premier developmental formula car series that provides an excellent path to the upper echelons of motorsport at an amazingly modest cost,” said Chip Pankow, President of the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School.
“Our series has been designed to foster and identify talent with the emphasis on value for money. Our philosophy is that a career in motorsports should be as merit-based as possible, not purely a financial equation.”
The Jim Russell Racing Drivers School was formed in Britain over 50 years ago helping to put Emerson Fittipaldi, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Scott Speed, Danny Sullivan and Jacques Villeneuve on the road to success. More recently 2009 Indy Lights champion J. R. Hildebrand (Sausalito, CA), the 2002 Jim Russell “Arrive and Drive” Sprint Kart Series and 2004 JRCS Champion, successfully tested for the Force India Formula One team last month.
The School offers a complete driver training program courtesy of some of the finest coaches in the world while the cost for a “seat” in the 2010 JRCS is $129,000 – which could, should he or she win the title, lead to a fully funded F2 drive in 2011 that is costing over $440,000 this year.
McNish commented: “The 2010 JRCS will be an exciting competition. The standard of drivers at Jim Russell’s Future Driver Search event last month was extremely high and with ultimate winners Gary [Carlton] and Alex [Ellis] joining double JRCS champion Brett [Smrz], plus the other competitors, guarantees it’ll be a hard fought 16-race series.
“They’ll all be fighting for the title and the stunning prize of a fully paid F2 drive in 2011 that offers a clear plan for a driver and the prospect of knocking on the door of Formula One.
“The FJR-50 is essentially a F3 chassis with high downforce and 300bhp and is a perfect platform to develop a driver’s talent. With a ‘common’ chassis, each prepared to the same specification, allows for a driver’s skills to shine through.
“The championship offers great value for money giving every driver a development program, both in and out of the cockpit, plus a clear career direction through to the very top for today’s aspiring young drivers helping them on the road to becoming tomorrow’s champions.”
Ellis (age 18) commented: "My goal is to be fully prepared for the opening races enabling me to drive to my full potential and to capture the championship title and the prestigious FIA Formula Two ride.”
Carlton (age 23) added: “I’m fully aware this will be the first time I’ve ever raced this type of racing car. If I get a good amount of testing under my belt before the first race I’m confident I will have a good shot at winning the championship which is of course my aim.”
Meanwhile 2008 & ’09 JRCS champion Smrz (19 next month), who earned himself a Team USA Scholarship last season, remarked: “The F2 prize will allow a driver to compete in Europe – essential if you want to make a career as an open wheel racer. It’s a great opportunity for me and I am going to go after the championship with everything I've got.
“The FJR-50 cars are brilliant and are very even – you ‘draw’ a different car to race on Saturday and Sunday. But it’s the same chassis, the same engine, and the same [Yokohama] tires for everyone – the only difference is the person behind the wheel.
“Infineon is one of the hardest tracks in North America but the series helpfully allows you to compare data with Chief Instructor Nico Rondet so you can learn what you are doing wrong in the car, and importantly, what you are doing right!
“The championship is organized extremely well – a driver arrives at the track, hops in the car and races, and then goes home. A nice and simple ‘arrive and drive’ system.”
Each race weekend begins with practice and qualifying sessions (both 30-minutes) with the first race lasting 25-minutes. The second day features a 30-minute practice session, two-lap qualification run prior to a 30-minute race. Points are awarded for the top-10 finishes with 12pts going to the winner.
2010 Jim Russell Championship Series (JRCS)
17-18 April: Rds 1/2.
8-9 May: Rds 3/4.
12-13 June: Rds 5/6.
10-11 July: Rds 7/8.
7-8 August: Rds 9/10.
11-12 Sep: Rds 11/12.
16-17 Oct: Rds 13/14.
12-13 Nov: Rds 15/16.
· Each double-header race weekend is preceded by a day’s official practice while the first of five official testing days begins on Friday (22 Jan).
12/22/09 - JIM RUSSELL’S FUTURE DRIVER SEARCH 2010 NEARS CLIMAX
· Six drivers in Final Day battle to secure dream “prize”
Six drivers go in to the fourth and final day of Future Driver Search 2010 program at the Infineon Raceway on Tuesday (22 Dec).
Two drivers will win fully-funded drives in the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series.
Almost 40 drivers began the Selection Process on Saturday (19 Dec) with 20 progressing in to today’s (MON) program. Judges selected the following to go forward in to Tuesday’s program after further on- and off-track evaluation today:
Bastien Graber (18), from Niddatal, GERMANY
James Kovacic (16), from Forresters Beach nr Gosford, AUSTRALIA
Felipe Polehtto [nee Poletto Bastos] (20), from Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL
Gary Carlton (23), from Marysville, California, USA
Alex Ellis (18), from St Catharines, Ontario, CANADA
Jeffrey Westphal (23), from San Carlos, California, USA
Multiple Australian kart champion James Kovacic won the opening 10-lap kart heat by 2.252secs over national karting champion Gary Carlton (USA). Yannick Mettler (CH), who has raced karts in Germany this year as well as testing a Formula BMW, comfortably took victory in the second heat, 17.533secs ahead of seasoned Rotax champion Greg Liefooghe (USA).
In the 18-lap Final Kovacic, who finished fifth in the 2009 Formula BMW Americas Championship, started from pole-position and despite dropping behind fellow front-row starter, Mettler, for the opening two laps, went on to record a comfortable 6.042secs victory on a drying, but still slippery track.
Felipe Polehtto (BRA), third in Heat 1, recovered from seventh place after a Turn 1 opening lap spin, to finish third. Nikola Radosavljevich (USA) (5th Heat 1, 4th Final), Carlton (5th Final) – also delayed in the opening lap skirmish – former Northern California ProKart Challenge champion Cody Hodgson (USA) (4th Heat 2, 6th Final) and Liefooghe (USA) (7th Final) had each featured in a hectic battle for third place for much of the race.
S3 stand-out Tyler Bennett (USA) and TaG Senior runner-up Gustavo Menezes (USA), who both received Jim Russell Scholarships in to the Future Driver Search for their performances at the SKUSA SuperNationals XIII in Las Vegas, finished sixth in their respective heats while Jeffrey Westphal (USA), a former Pacific F2000 Championship Series champion, was ninth in the Final (third in Heat 1).
Judges will ultimately select the best “all-rounder” on Tuesday evening while the second recipient of the 2010 JRCS “seat” will be the driver who sets the outright fastest lap time on Tuesday in a Jim Russell Racing Drivers School FJR-50.
11/24/09 - 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).
11/15/09 - 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. Smrz announced Saturday that he will return for another season in the 2010 Jim Russell Champion and has set his sights on the F2 prize package that will be awarded.
Congratulations Brett.
The 16-race 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series will be contested on a variety of configurations at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA (USA). The program includes driver coaching complimented by full data acquisition, media training and seminars on a variety of topics essential for today’s racing driver. Winner of next year’s Championship will be awarded a seat in the FIA Formula Two Championship, a launching pad to a career in motorsports.
10/16/09 - Jim Russell Championship Series to Award Formula Two Season to Series Champion
JIM RUSSELL FUTURE DRIVER SEARCH 2010 WINNERS COMPETE FOR 2011 FIA FORMULA TWO CHAMPIONSHIP “SEAT”
- Fully funded FIA Formula Two Championship drive in 2011 to winner of next year’s Jim Russell Championship Series
- Sportscar legend Allan McNish to award two early Christmas presents in the Jim Russell Future Driver Search 2010 Selection Process
- Cost-effective Future Driver Selection entry deadline is end of November
Two competitors selected in the Jim Russell Future Driver Search 2010 in December will find themselves battling for a fully funded prize drive in the 2011 FIA Formula Two Championship.
The F2 “seat” goes to the outright winner of the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series (JRCS) – a 16-race series which the two successful candidates from the Future Driver Search Selection process over 19-22 December will contest as their “prize”.
The European-based F2 series was launched this year and features a Williams F1 developed single-seater. The F2 champion is awarded a test with the Williams Formula One team while the top-three finishers in the FIA F2 Championship qualify for an FIA Superlicence and thus are eligible to compete in F1.
It effectively means that either of the two chosen Future Driver Search drivers could, should he or she ultimately win the 2010 JRCS, land the F2 “prize drive” for just US$7,995 – the registration fee for the Future Driver Search Selection initiative which reaches its entry deadline at the end of November.
“The addition of the Formula Two award to our series champion firmly sets the Jim Russell Championship Series as the premier developmental formula car series that provides an excellent path to the upper echelons of motorsport at an amazingly modest cost thereby putting the emphasis on talent, not budget” commented Chip Pankow, President of the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School.
“It’s possible that a driver could win two seasons of racing courtesy of our Future Driver Search. The first in our JRCS next year and then in F2 the following season – and perhaps a shot at a Formula One test with Williams F1 should that driver win the F2 title – all for an investment with us of US$7,995.”
The Future Driver Search program is an international initiative created this year to find the best young talent from the worlds of karting and “junior” formula car racing. It is designed to be a merit-based competition that rewards the two best young drivers with a fully-funded season of racing in the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series (JRCS).
Ex-Formula One driver and double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner, Allan McNish, the Chairman of the Judges and his fellow panel members will choose two drivers (19-22 Dec) on a variety of criteria both in and out of the car, at an intensive four-day selection process at the world famous Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California (USA) – a venue formerly known as Sears Point 40-miles north of San Francisco which features an impressive state-of-the-art 16,000 sq. ft. Jim Russell Racing Drivers School complex.
The emphasis in the selection process for the first of the two prize-drives is on the most “well-rounded” individual who shows the best potential to succeed in professional motorsports. The second prize will go to the driver setting the fastest lap in the Final.
“We’ll be looking at elements including speed, precision, car control, application of feedback, technical understanding of the vehicle, strategy, media awareness and also fitness for the one successful candidate,” confirmed McNish.
“But the second ‘seat' will simply be for the fastest driver in the Final. Sometimes, and I've seen it throughout my career, a driver may not be particularly polished in all areas because of never having the experience. They’re a rough diamond but have natural feel and they just drive – fast!
“The Future Driver Search initiative offers incredible value-for-money – especially with the F2 ‘seat’ on the horizon for the winner of the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series.”
All participants will be involved in kart practice, auto-cross, skid pad and practice laps in the Jim Russell FJR-50 single-seaters over the opening two days (19-20 Dec), The top-20 finalists are then invited to race karts and practice the cars (21 Dec) with the final six contesting three qualifying sessions in the FJR-50 on the fourth and concluding day (22 Dec).
The car used in the Future Driver Search program and JRCS is the FJR-50 single-seater based on the Formula Three championship winning Lola B06-30. Powered by a turbocharged two-liter Mitsubishi engine delivering 300bhp through a five-speed sequential gearbox, the Lola-built chassis is made from carbon-fiber and runs on Yokohama “slick” tires.
Being a racing school first and foremost – an operation that was established by Jim Russell in Britain over 50 years ago and that put the likes of newly crowned Formula One World Champion Jenson Button, Emerson Fittipaldi, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Scott Speed, Danny Sullivan and Jacques Villeneuve on the road to success – the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School offers a complete driver training program courtesy of some of the finest coaches in the world. The cost for a “seat” in the 2010 JRCS is US$129,000.
09/16/09 - Allan McNish And Jim Russell Racing Drivers School Announce 2010 Future Driver Search
Sonoma, CA September 16, 2009 – Allan McNish and the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School join to announce the 2010 Future Driver Search. Allan McNish will lead the judging panel for the global driver search for young racing talent. The search will culminate in a competition held at Infineon Raceway on December 19 – 22, in which two drivers will each be awarded a full season in the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series. Applications and information packets are now available at www.jimrussellusa.com.
The Future Driver Search will set out to discover young drivers throughout the world who contain the raw talent and dedication needed to become a modern racing driver. Unlike other programs, the Future Driver Search will judge applicants across multiple disciplines, including karting and track time in the FJR-50. The judging panel, led by Allan McNish, will analyze the driving style and associated skill set of each driver. Drivers will be judged on speed, car control and mechanical knowledge. In addition, off-track attributes will be considered, including character, strategy, media interviews and physical/professional presentation.
“In my career, I was fortunate enough to have been given the guidance and opportunities to show and develop my potential, and today, I strongly feel that there are few things as important as the cultivation of the next generation of young talent,” said Allan McNish. “The Jim Russell programs offer drivers from around the world unrivalled assets, and the tools necessary to take the next step in their racing career.”
The announcement reinforces Emotive and McNish’s dedication to the development of driving skills within the racing community. The four-day competition begins December 19 through 22 at the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School state-of-the-art facility at Infineon Raceway, Sonoma CA. Once selected, the drivers will compete in the full 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series in the Lola FJR-50 Formula 3 based race car. With the Future Driver Search, Jim Russell continues to expand the talent pool for the Jim Russell Championship Series with international drivers.
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime for a young driver,” said Chip Pankow, president, Jim Russell Racing Drivers School. “The Future Driver Search provides aspiring drivers from around the world the opportunity to be evaluated by Allan McNish and a panel of industry experts, with the two-best drivers being awarded a full season in our 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series.”
For more information about the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series Future Driver Search, or to download the information packet and application, in the U.S., please call 1-877-229-9855; outside the U.S. dial 1-707-939-2755; or visit www.jimrussellusa.com.
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.
12/23/09 - ALEX ELLIS & GARY CARLTON LAND JIM RUSSELL’S FUTURE DRIVER SEARCH 2010 TOP PRIZES
Photo by N.Napierala
• Two drivers chosen for fully funded Jim Russell Championship Series “prize” drives
• Almost forty drivers from 10 countries involved in extensive four-day selection process at Racing School’s Infineon Raceway “home” in California
• Ex-Formula One & double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Allan McNish “chairs” judging panel for inaugural Future Driver Search program
Alex Ellis, from St Catharines, Ontario, CANADA and Gary Carlton, from Marysville, California, USA have today (22 Dec) been chosen from an international field as the winners of the Jim Russell Future Driver 2010 selection.
Ellis (18) and Carlton (23) each receives a fully-funded season in the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series (JRCS) plus coaching and testing opportunities.
Almost 40 drivers, representing 10 different countries and with an average age of 20 (the youngest being 14), participated in the four-day (19-22 Dec) selection process at the Infineon Raceway, Sonoma (CA) which features the impressive Jim Russell Racing Drivers School complex.
Twenty drivers were then selected to continue in to the final two-days with six progressing into the last day of Jim Russell’s new worldwide driver search program which was launched this year to find the best young talent from the worlds of karting and “junior” formula car racing.
Speed, precision and car control were evaluated when driving karts, Mitsubishi Evolution X sedans and the school’s purpose-built FJR-50 single-seater. They were appraised on their application of “feedback”, technical understanding of each of the vehicles while media awareness, racecraft and fitness were also observed and evaluated in the latter stages.
In addition to Ellis and Carlton, Germany’s Bastien Graber (18), James Kovacic (16), from Australia, Brazilian Felipe Polehtto (20) plus American Jeffrey Westphal (23) were involved in the final day, six-driver shoot-out today.
Britain’s ex-F1 and double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner, Allan McNish, and his fellow panel members chose Ellis because he was considered the best “all-rounder” while Carlton effectively chose himself by setting the fastest lap time in the turbocharged two-liter FJR-50 on the final day.
“I was pleasantly surprised by the high standard of all of the drivers,” commented McNish. “Even the ones that didn’t progress through at the halfway stage were all of a good standard. It was a very closely fought competition not made any easier by the changeable weather conditions we experienced at times – but that’s motor racing.
Alex finished 5th 2006 Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship (F1K), 8th 2007 SKUSA SuperNationals (Rotax Senior), 15th 2007 BTK/Arrows Karts (Rotax Junior), 2nd 2008 F1200 Canada & “Rookie of the Year” (5 wins, 11 podiums, 15 races), 6th 2009 Formula BMW Americas (1 pole, 3 podiums, 2 fastest laps).
“Winning this means absolutely everything to me having dedicated my life, mine and my family’s money, in to succeeding in motorsport so you can understand I’m absolutely elated – it’s more than a dream coming true, it’s a massive turning point in my life.
“I know that I can excel in motorsport and am already looking forward to the opening races of the Jim Russell Championship Series. I learned more in the last four days than I have done from the past two years of racing. The Jim Russell instructors have a wealth of knowledge and are just great guys. It was non-stop action both on and off the track and superbly organized throughout at what is a mind-blowing facility.”
Allan on Alex: “For someone with such limited karting and racecar experience at a high level, he really impressed me. He bounced back from any problems and issues very quickly, and importantly, strongly. He has a positive personality. He suffered badly with the weather conditions but nevertheless performed outstandingly.”
Gary’s career to date is almost entirely in karts. He placed 2nd 2005 SKUSA SuperNationals (SuperPro), 2006 National Stars of Karting champion (ICC), 2007 National Stars of Karting champion (ICC), 2007 PRI All-Stars Karting Classic champion (Karters class), 2nd 2007 SKUSA SuperNationals (SuperPro) and All-Stars Karting Classic (Masters class), 3rd 2008 Stars of Karting (National & West ICC) and SKUSA SuperNationals (SuperPro). He had brief tests in a Formula Mazda in 2008 and an Indy Lights car this year.
“Winning this initiative will literally change my life. I know what I’ll be doing in 2010, I can focus and prepare fully for the months ahead which are certainly going to be exciting as well as challenging.
“I’ve had a great time over the past four days and have learned a great deal in terms of on and off the track. The Jim Russell organization has been incredible. They’ve somehow made it a lot of fun despite it being an intensive and informative program with the stresses that go with a driver shoot-out.”
Allan on Gary: “Considering the lack of time Gary has spent in a single-seater, especially one [the FJR-50] at such a high technical level, was very impressive. He didn’t make a single mistake throughout the event and was always running towards the front. In his ‘home’ habitat of karting, he was extremely quick and very good in traffic.”
Meanwhile karting’s S3 champion Tyler Bennett (Farmington, UT) and TaG senior runner-up Gustavo Menezes (Coto de Caza, CA), who were awarded Future Driver Search scholarships following last month’s Superkarts USA! SuperNationals, both made it through to the final 20 driver phase as did Cody Hodgson (Escalon, CA) who finished third in World Rotax championships recently.
Chip Pankow, President of the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School, who was also on the judging panel, reflected: “The Future Driver 2010 Selection has exceeded our expectations on a number of fronts while the quality of drivers that have taken part has been truly impressive.”
The 16-race 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series gets underway in April and features two, 30 minute races staged on consecutive days over eight weekends utilizing a variety of configurations at the world famous Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California.
The outright 2010 JRCS champion gets a fully-funded prize drive in the 2011 FIA Formula Two Championship. The European-based F2 series was launched this year and features a Williams F1 developed single-seater. The F2 champion is awarded a test with the Williams Formula One team while the top-three finishers in the FIA F2 Championship qualify for an FIA Superlicence and thus are eligible to compete in F1.
Pankow concluded: “We’re now looking forward to building the Future Driver Search winners’ progress next season when they will be fighting to win themselves a place on the 2011 FIA Formula 2 Championship grid.”
12/21/09 - JIM RUSSELL’S FUTURE DRIVER SEARCH 2010 REACHES HALFWAY STAGE
• Final 20 drivers bid for two fully funded 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series “seats”
Twenty drivers will spend the next two days trying to earn themselves one of two, fully-funded “seats” up for grabs in the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series as the inaugural Future Driver Search program reaches its climax.
Almost 40 drivers, representing 10 different countries, have participated in the four-day selection process at the Infineon Raceway, Sonoma (CA) since Saturday (19 Dec).
Britain’s double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner, Allan McNish, and his fellow judging panel members, have now chosen 20 drivers who progress after two-days of detailed evaluation. The line-up for day three is:
Bastien Graber (18), from Niddatal, GERMANY
James Kovacic (16), from Forresters Beach nr Gosford, AUSTRALIA
Brett van Blankers (22), New Westminster, British Columbia, CANADA
Xavier Coupal (19), Saint-Jean, Quebec, CANADA
Tyler Bennett (20), from Farmington, Utah, USA
Gregory Liefooghe (29), from San Francisco, California, USA
Yannick Mettler (20), from Kriens (Luzern), SWITZERLAND
Jordan Jadallah (17), from Hillsborough, California, USA
Mark Pombo (27), from Berkeley Lake, Georgia, USA
Jason Clunie (40), from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, CANADA
Gustavo Menezes (15), from Coto de Caza, California, USA
Justin Gald (18), from Fresno, California, USA
Felipe Polehtto [nee Poletto Bastos] (20), from Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL
Logan Downing (17), from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CANADA
Nikola Radosavljevich (18), from Los Gatos, California, USA
Gary Carlton (23), from Marysville, California, USA
Alex Ellis (18), from St Catharines, Ontario, CANADA
Javier Echeverria (22), from Mexico City, MEXICO
Cody Hodgson (18), from Escalon, California, USA
Jeffrey Westphal (23), from San Carlos, California, USA
Judges will ultimately chose the best “all-rounder” on Tuesday evening while the second recipient of the 2010 JRCS “seat” will be the driver who has set the outright fastest lap time in a Jim Russell Racing Drivers School FJR-50 single-seater on Tuesday – a day which will see just six drivers battling for this spectacular prize after Monday’s continuing selection process.
The two “prize” drives could be the launch pad to a full-time career in motor racing. The 2010 JRCS champion gets a fully-funded prize drive in the 2011 FIA Formula Two Championship.
11/23/09 - Tyler Bennett and Gustavo Menezes Awarded Jim Russell Future Driver Scholarship
Sonoma, CA November 23 – A successful weekend at the world’s largest kart race, SuperNationals XIII, has awarded two young drivers a chance at launching their careers in motorsports. Utah’s Tyler Bennett and Gustavo Menezes from southern California have each been awarded a scholarship to the 2010 Jim Russell Future Driver Selection.
Bennett, racing in the Stock Moto S3 category, was recently ranked number one by Ekartingnews.com and backing up that ranking with his weekend’s performance at the SuperNationals. A heat race win and two seconds put Bennett on the second row for the all-important start of the main event. A back and forth battle between the top seven drivers saw Bennett pushed back to 6th position after contact at the half way point. Showing maturity beyond his age, Bennett passed his way back to finish a very impressive second.
Equally impressive, was Gustavo Menezes pulling double duty competing in both TaG Senior and KF2. Like Bennett, Menezes qualified second in the ultra competitive TaG Senior field out pacing veteran drivers Dan Wheldon and Michael Valiante. Menezes showed very well in race form and appeared to be on route to the main event win before minor contact in the final corner moved him to second position.
“Both Gustavo and Tyler put in great performances at SuperNats – we saw great potential in these drivers and look forward to their competing against many talented drivers from around the world at the Future Driver 2010 Selection.” Chip Pankow, President, Jim Russell Racing Drivers School.
Bennett and Menezes will travel to the Sonoma, California for the four-day Future Driver Selection that will take place December 19-22. The Future Driver Selection will see drivers compete in karts, Mitsubishi Evolutions sedans and the school’s FJR-50. The two winners of the Future Driver Selection will be awarded full seasons of racing in the 2010 Jim Russell Championship series.
The Jim Russell Championship Series is a 16 Race season held in the school’s Lola built, formula three derived FJR-50 in which the 2010 champion will be awarded a seat in the 2011 FIA Formula Two Championship season. More information available at www.jimrussellusa.com
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.
Click here for a Race Entry Form
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.
09/13/09 - 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.