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08/23/10 - 2010 Infineon: Sam Schmidt Motorsports Indy Lights Race Recap
SONOMA, Calif. - J.K. Vernay won the Carneros 100 at the Infineon Raceway on Sunday afternoon, giving him his fifth race victory of the 2010 Firestone Indy Lights season and a 71 point cushion in the season standings over second-place James Hinchcliffe with three races remaining.
Following Vernay home was Pippa Mann who finished in fifth, her career-best finish in Firestone Indy Lights. Starting from seventh, she slotted into eighth on the opening lap. She drove a consistent, mistake-free race, and took advantage of the mistakes of others to move forward through the field. Her left hand was proving to make things difficult for her, but she managed to grit through the pain and endure through the day to bring home a very satisfying result for her and the team.
It was a tough day for the young guns of Sam Schmidt Motorsports. Philip Major finished in 11th and newcomer Alex Ellis finished in 14th. Major had a spin about halfway through the race, and as he was trying to correct it, he collected Martin Plowman. Though Major was able to go on to finish the race, the track position he lost was too much to overcome and regain. It wasn't the finish he wanted, but it was still a finish. He's looking forward to getting back onto the ovals and finishing the season strong in the final three events.
Jim Russell's Future Driver Ellis ran impressively in his Firestone Indy Lights debut. Starting from ninth, he moved his way to seventh by Lap 11 of the 40 lap race and stayed there for the next 10 laps. He looked to be on pace to finish where he was running. However, unexpectedly, his car stopped running, and though he was able to get going again for a few laps, his car would eventually die for good. It was a disappointing end to a very strong debut for the 18-year old Canadian who hopes to get more opportunities provided to him such as this one courtesy of the Jim Russell Racing School and Sam Schmidt Motorsports.
The star of the show, however, was Vernay with his win. Starting from pole, he and the top-three took off from the rest of the field. He had Charlie Kimball and James Hinchcliffe chasing him throughout the race, but in the end, Vernay dominated by leading flag-to-flag. It was a welcome result for the Frenchman who had to agonize for the past couple of weeks over the performance he and the team had in Mid-Ohio. The victory gives Vernay a bit of vindication and a lot of confidence heading into the last three events of the 2010 calendar.
From here, it's a very quick turn around for the next event on the Firestone Indy Lights schedule. Sam Schmidt Motorsports will head straight to Illinois for the Chicagoland 100 at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois. Practice begins on Friday with the race taking place on Saturday at noon ET. Coverage will be available on indycar.com and firestoneindylights.com.
DRIVER NOTES & QUOTES
#7 LUCAS OIL/CJ Motorsport/Sam Schmidt Motorsports Driver J.K. Vernay
- Started first; finished first.
- Leaves Infineon Raceway in points lead with a 71 point lead over second-place.
- Won five races in rookie campaign (St. Pete, Barber Park, The Glen, Toronto, Infineon Raceway).
- Made 10th Firestone Indy Lights start.
- In 2009, competed in Formula 3, highlighted by two wins, and a track record at the Macau street circuit.
"Just a great weekend. After such a disappointing weekend at Mid-Ohio, I really wanted to win here. My family came for this race so it's beautiful for everybody. I'm really happy. We had a good car. I wanted to take care of my tires and wasn't really pushing. We did the fastest lap of the race at the end. You always worry when you have a Safety Car because you never know what will happen, but we won, and it's fantastic for the team."
#11 Sam Schmidt Motorsports Driver Pippa Mann
- Started seventh; finished fifth.
- Fifth-place result is her Firestone Indy Lights career best.
- Leaves Infineon 11th in points.
- In sophomore season of Firestone Indy Lights competition.
- Her first career pole this year was the first for any woman in any event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
- In 2009, had three top-10s with best finish of eighth (Homestead).
"I've had a lot of bad luck with Indy and then the broken hand. This is the potential we thought we had with our best finish so far. I flat-spotted the tires early on, but the Firestone Firehawks hung on. My hand was beaten up, so we sat out most of the morning's practice. The crew has been working really hard, so it was good to be able to give them a good finish. I'm really looking forward to build on this finish and carry on the momentum to the last three oval events of the season."
#49 Sam Schmidt Motorsports Driver Philip Major
- Started 10th; finished 11th.
- Leaves Infineon ninth in points.
- Career best of sixth was accomplished at three consecutive races (Indianapolis, Iowa, and Watkins Glen).
- Made 10th Firestone Indy Lights start.
- In 2009, made 12 starts in British Formula 3 with Carlin Motorsport with best finish of sixth at Spa.
"It's been a tough weekend. We had some small problems with the car, and we got bumped back because of the penalty in qualifying. I had a bit of a moment in the race that sent us to the back. We managed to salvage the race and get back to 11th. It's not bad, but it's not where we wanted to end up. We just need to regroup and look forward to the ovals we have coming up. We're going to focus on Chicago and get in a good mindset for these last few races."
#77 JIM RUSSELL FUTURE DRIVER/Sam Schmidt Motorsports Driver Alex Ellis
- Started ninth; finished 14th.
- Debut Firestone Indy Lights race.
- Earned his seat after winning "Jim Russell Future Driver Award" along with "Race of Champions" crown.
- Since 2006, has raced in karts, Formula 1200, and Formula BMW.
"It was a good race for us. We ran in seventh for most of it. We ran into some mechanical problems. Exiting Turn 2, I shifted up to fourth gear, and the engine just kind of shut off. I think it was some sort of electrical problem. I'm not too sure what it was, but it was a mechanical issue that took us out. I was able to get going again, but eventually, it just died again. It's unfortunate because two of the drivers ahead of me crashed out, and I'm sure I would have had a top-five finish. It would have been nice to have. With only three days in the car, and really, just one day in it coming into this event, not being in the back and being able to challenge for a top-five makes me very happy. It's too bad I couldn't get that result. It would have looked nice, felt really good, and been a great way to cap off my debut. Things happen. I just have to hope that I get another opportunity with Sam Schmidt Motorsports and keep my partnership with the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School again. I really feel that with a little bit more time in the car, I can be a front-runner and contender for race wins. I felt awesome in the car. I love it. I'm just looking forward and hoping to get another opportunity. I'm just itching to get back out there."
Team Owner, Sam Schmidt
"A great weekend. As a team, we love coming out to Infineon Raceway as we always seem to do well here, and personally, it's one of the closer races for me. I'm thrilled with the way J.K. and Pippa performed today, and I just wish that Alex would have been able to finish that race. He was impressive the entire weekend, and we couldn't ask for anything more out of him. Philip had a bit of trouble there, but he was able to rebound and cross the checkered-flag. With just three events to go, we're heading to three tracks that we've historically been very competitive on, so I couldn't be more excited to get going and continue pursuing that championship and a few more race wins."
Sam Schmidt Motorsports on the Web
Follow Sam Schmidt Motorsports and its drivers on the web: www.samschmidtmotorsports.com - Sam Schmidt Motorsports Official Site
08/06/10 - CANADA’S ELLIS CLAIMS JIM RUSSELL “RACE OF CHAMPIONS” TITLE
- Jim Russell Future Driver Search winner claims magnificent one-off Firestone Indy Lights race prize
- Two victories in final races earns the young Canadian driver title by seven-points
Alex Ellis (St Catharines, Ontario, Canada) has won the Jim Russell “Race of Champions” title after winning the fifth and sixth rounds respectively at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA yesterday (August 6).
2010 Jim Russell Future Driver Ellis now looks ahead to making his Firestone Indy Lights début at the Infineon Raceway when he contests the Carneros 100 at Sonoma on August 22 – his spectacular prize for triumphing in the Jim Russell “shoot-out” races.
Ellis, who celebrates only his 19th birthday next month (September 25), claimed the Jim Russell “Race of Champions” title after recording four wins and two seconds in the six-race series which began in June.
"It was a perfect day,” reflected an elated Ellis. “I pulled out the perfect sweep taking pole and then winning both races.
"I am really excited about the prospect of the Indy Lights race. The series is huge and to be able to compete at that level so early in my career is amazing. I want to thank Jim Russell for providing this opportunity as without the Future Driver Search path I would not have been able to achieve this so soon.”
Ellis led the six-race competition from the first race in June and ultimately triumphed over fellow Future Driver Search winner Gary Carlton (Marysville, CA) by seven-points. Carlton, a two-time race winner and the only other driver to have won a race, had begun the final two races just two points behind Ellis.
A clean start in Race One saw Ellis take an early lead from pole-position closely pursued by fellow front row starter Nick Galante. By lap three Ellis had extended his lead setting fastest lap of the race with Galante still in his mirrors. On lap 10, Galante dropped a wheel off at the exit of Turn Six allowing Carlton to close the gap but Nick fended off his advances to the checker.
A very close start in Race Two saw Ellis, Galante and Carlton head into Turn 1 as one with Carlton snatching second from Galante around the outside of Turn Two which allowed Ellis to break away, the Canadian extending his lead to over three seconds by lap seven.
“At the Future Driver Search event last December, we saw that Alex had a speed, maturity and great adaptability to changing circumstances and he has gone on to develop these qualities over the season and his poles and wins have been confirmation of what we believed when we chose him,” said double 24 Hours of Le Mans race winner and three-time American Le Mans Series champion Allan McNish, of Scotland.
“In motorsport, results are everything and producing top results under pressure is what makes a champion. Both Alex and Gary Carlton, the other Future Driver we selected and who pushed Alex hard for this fabulous prize, have proven both on and off track that we made the right decisions against very tough opposition. I am proud that we at Jim Russell are a key part in their careers.”
“We knew that Alex [Ellis] was fast and had excellent fundamental abilities when we chose him as our 2010 Future Driver winner and he has further impressed us this season with his maturity, consistency and racecraft,” commented Chip Pankow, President of the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School.
“We have been very pleased with our two Future Driver winners, both have shown the speed, consistency and intelligence necessary of a champion during our ROC events. They have battled against some of the best open wheel drivers with significant experience in the FJR-50 and have come out on top. I am confident that in both cases we made the right decision on our 2010 Future Drivers, the results have proven it.”
Each 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.
Ellis will contest the Firestone Indy Lights race with Sam Schmidt Motorsports, the all-time dominating team in the series which placed three drivers in the top-ten of last year’s championship. The team has scored 34 pole-positions and won 31 Indy Light races.
Jean Karl (J K) Vernay will be out next week to test with the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School in an FJR-50 at the Infineon Raceway. Vernay and Ellis will team-up and have full data sharing privileges at the test and during the race at Infineon on Sunday, August 22nd, 2010.
Ellis concluded: “I am eagerly looking forward to the test and then of course the race. I am ecstatic to be representing myself and the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School and I plan to do us both proud. My goal is to place in the top-10 but the top-5 would be even better."
Alex Ellis (St Catharines, Ontario, Canada) – Jim Russell 2010 Future Driver:
Race 5 Result: 1st. Race 6 Result: 1st. Championship position: 1st, 56-points.
(Race 1 Result: 1st. Race 2 Result: 2nd. Championship position (after 2 races): 1st, 18-points).
(Race 3 Result: 1st. Race 4 Result: 2nd. Championship position (after 4 races): 1st, 36-points).
Gary Carlton (Marysville, CA) - Jim Russell 2010 Future Driver:
Race 5 Result: 3rd. Race 6 Result: 2nd. Final Championship position: 2nd, 49-points.
(Race 1 Result: 4th. Race 2 Result: 1st. Championship position (after 2 races: 2nd, 16-points).
(Race 3 Result: 2nd. Race 4 Result: 1st. Championship position (after 4 races): 2nd, 34-points).
Nick Galante (Novato, CA) - 2009 JRCS Masters Champion:
Race 5 Result: 2nd. Race 6 Result: 3rd. Final Championship position: 3rd, 40-points.
(Race 1 Result: 5th. Race 2 Result: 4th. Championship position (after 2 races): 4th, 11-points).
(Race 3 Result: 3rd. Race 4 Result: 3rd. Championship position (after 4 races): 3rd, 25-points).
Greg Liefooghe (San Francisco, CA) - 2009 JRCS Runner Up:
Race 5 Result: 4th. Race 6 Result: 4th. Final Championship position: 4th, 33-points.
(Race 1 Result: 6th. Race 2 Result: 5th. Championship position (after 2 races): 6th, 9-points).
(Race 3 Result: 4th. Race 4 Result: 4th. Championship position (after 4 races): 4th, 21-points).
Brett Smrz (Coeur d' Alene, ID) - 2009 JRCS Outright Champion:
Race 5 Result: DNS. Race 6 Result: DNS. Final Championship position: 5th, 15-points).
(Race 1 Result: 2nd. Race 2 Result: 3rd. Championship position (after 2 races): (3rd, 15-points).
(Race 3 Result: Retired. Race 4 Result: DNS. Championship position (after 4 races): 5th, 15-points).
Aleksander Altberg (San Francisco, CA) - 2009 JRCS “Rookie of the Year”:
Race 5 Result: DNS. Race 6 Result: DNS. Final Championship position: 6th, 11-points.
(Race 1 Result: 3rd. Race 2 Result: 6th. Championship position (after 2 races): 5th, 11-points.
(Race 3 Result: DNS. Race 4 Result: DNS. Championship position (after 4 races): 6th, 11-points.
Visit www.jimrussellusa.com for more information.
Results:
Qualifying (for Races 5 & 6):
1. Alex Ellis 1:30.401
2. Nick Galante 1:30.682
3. Gary Carlton 1:30.714
4. Gregory Liefooghe 1:32.521
Race 5:
1. Alex Ellis
2. Nick Galante
3. Gary Carlton
4. Gregory Liefooghe
Fastest Lap: Alex Ellis, 1:30.922
Race 6:
1. Alex Ellis
2. Gary Carlton
3. Nick Galante
4. Gregory Liefooghe
Fastest Lap: Alex Ellis, 1:32.502
Jim Russell “Race of Champions” (final standings after 6 races):
1. Alex Ellis, 56-points
2. Gary Carlton, 49-points
3. Nick Galante, 40-points
4. Greg Liefhooge, 33-points
5. Brett Smrz, 15-points
6. Aleksander Altberg, 11-points
08/16/10 - SAM SCHMIDT MOTORSPORTS TEAMS WITH JIM RUSSELL RACING DRIVERS SCHOOL TO GIVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
INDIANAPOLIS -- Sam Schmidt Motorsports, in conjunction with the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School, have awarded up-and-coming driver Alex Ellis a one-race deal to run the Carneros 100 at the Infineon Raceway during the Firestone Indy Lights weekend of August 22nd.
To provide Ellis the opportunity to run a Firestone Indy Lights car gives team owner, Sam Schmidt, great satisfaction.
He said, "Sam Schmidt Motorsports is honored to work with Chip Pankow and the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School to provide this series champion with a Firestone Indy Lights test and seat for the upcoming Carneros 100 event at Infineon Raceway."
Ellis was awarded a test day and the race weekend as his prize for winning the "Race of Champions" title, a run-off consisting of six races among six invited participants on different variations of the Infineon Raceway. Ellis earned the prize in a close battle by winning the final two events in the championship.
"Chip has a fantastic west coast series utilizing advanced Lola F3 cars providing an intense, economic, and valuable experience for up-and-coming drivers," Schmidt said.
The test for Ellis took place on August 11th at Putnam Park. He completed 200 miles flawlessly, and he was given the green light by the Firestone Indy Lights officials to receive a competition license and race during the August 22nd weekend.
"At Putnam Park, Alex proved the Jim Russell series and school was a great learning tool as he adapted quickly to the Firestone Indy Lights chassis and turned really impressive times," Schmidt said. "I'm quite positive that,
combined with a full day test and his knowledge already of Infineon Raceway, he will have a very good run during the upcoming race."
Schmidt hopes to see more programs like this to give potential up-and-coming talent a shot in the higher ranks of the American formula car ladder.
"As a series, Firestone Indy Lights needs to foster more relationships such as the Jim Russell scholarship program as this is a system for our future stars," Schmidt said.
For the 18-year old from St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, the whole experience has been a dream come true for Ellis. Having to win one run-off just to earn his spot in the Race of Champions run-off, he has shown that he's a fast learner, quick to adapt, and not afraid of the pressure. He's had fun every step of the way, and the taste he's had during his initial test is fueling his excitement to get behind the wheel for race weekend.
"It's all happened so fast, but just the way I'd like it to," Ellis said. "I'm really pleased with the professionalism of Sam Schmidt Motorsports, and I'm really enjoying the support from Jim Russell. The last few days have been a blur, but I have loved every second of it. I just can't wait to get on track again at Infineon."
The young driver's initial taste of the car was a joy for Ellis, who was surprised at how quickly he was able to adapt to the vehicle.
He said, "The test at Putnam Park went amazingly well. I was so pleased with how quickly I was able to get up to speed in the car. As odd as it sounds, I feel that the faster a car gets, the more power and grip that I have, I feel more at home and comfortable. I love the Firestone Indy Lights car as it is a truly fast vehicle. The transition wasn't that hard to make. Jim Russell's FJR-50 is a great car to prepare a driver for a high level of racing due to its high horsepower and relative lack of overall grip. This made the Indy Lights car feel more solid and a pleasure to drive."
Ellis has raced since the age of 14. He began by racing an F1-K arrive-and-drive style go-kart in 2006 and proved to be a quick learner. From then until the end of 2007, he raced in various karting divisions, including the SKUSA Florida Winter Tour and SRFKC Rotax Series where he had
five top-five finishes in six starts. In 2008, he competed in Formula 1200 and won five races along with 11 podiums in 15 races. He transitioned to the Formula BMW USA Americas Championship in 2009 where, despite not having any pre-season testing, earned three podiums, two fastest laps, and a pole position en route to third in the rookie standings and sixth in the overall standings. Later that year, he won one of two scholarships in the Jim
Russell Future Driver Search, allowing him to compete and eventually win the Jim Russell "Race of Champions" series. For more information on Ellis, visit www.alexellis.ca.
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. The school is the only racing school in the world to offer modern F3 racecars as their learning platform. 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 in Turn 1 of Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. For more information, visit www.jimrussellusa.com.
Sam Schmidt Motorsports has been the dominating force and all-time win leader of Firestone Indy Lights having won 36 races to date (including four Freedom 100 victories) and three driver championships. The 2010 Firestone Indy Lights season continues on August 21st when practice begins at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. Coverage of the event will be available on indycar.com and firestoneindylights.com. For more information on the team, visit www.samschmidtmotorsports.com.
For more information on Firestone Indy Lights, visit
www.firestoneindylights.com.