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Formula BMW USA - Mosport - Round 13 - Race
Mon Sep 18 16:15:00 CEST 2006 Press Release
Reed Stevens (HBR Motorsport Team USA) did not let today's rain dampen his spirits and so kept his championship hopes alive with a win in Round 13 of the 2006 Formula BMW USA series.
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Benjamin Titz
BMW Group
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MOSPORT INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY - ROUND 13 - RACE
Stevens wins Round 13 to Tighten Points Battle Entering Final Round
Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada - September 2, 2006... Reed Stevens (HBR Motorsport
Team USA) did not let today's rain dampen his spirits and so kept his
championship hopes alive with a win in Round 13 of the 2006 Formula BMW USA
series. From the third starting position, the 21-year old Californian took the
lead on the fourth lap of the 15-lap contest around the 2.46-mile Mosport
International Raceway, finishing .166 seconds ahead of a charging Simona de
Silvestro (EuroInternational). Stevens fourth win of the season moves him to
third overall, only five points behind De Silvestro in second. Matt Lee (Team
Autotecnica) finished third, two seconds ahead of point leader Robert Wickens
(EuroInternational) in fourth. Lee set the fastest lap of the race on lap 15
(1:45.468) to establish the race record. John Zartarian (Gelles Racing) rounded
out the top-five finishers.
Only a win by Wickens today would have given him the title so it will come down
to tomorrow's Round 14 race to determine if Wickens, de Silvestro or Stevens
will be the 2006 Formula BMW USA champion.
Daniel Morad (AIM Autosport) finished sixth and increased his lead in Rookie
points. David Garza (EuroInternational) and Sebastian Saavedra (Gelles Racing),
his closest competitors in the Rookie title chase, finished 14th and ninth
respectively. The Rookie championship will also be decided in tomorrow's Round
14 race.
Because of the heavy rain the race began with a rolling start after the first
lap was run behind the pace car. While leading, Race Johnson (HBR Motorsport
Team USA) got loose going into the third lap giving the lead to Wickens who in
turn ran wide giving the lead to Stevens. Wickens managed to rejoin the race in
eighth place. The race's two caution periods slowed the race for only two laps
and the subsequent restarts allowed De Silvestro to charge into second. She
hounded Stevens for the remainder of the race, but ultimately had to settle for
her sixth podium finish of the season. The difficult conditions caused five
drivers to have accidents including Johnson, Maxime Pelletier (Gelles Racing),
Joel Jackson (Gelles Racing), Robert Thorne (Team Autotecnica) and Philip Major
(Atlantic Racing Team).
Steven Guerrero (HBR Motorsport Team USA) finished eighth and scored his first
top-10 of the season delivering his best result to-date.
The top-five finishing Rookie drivers were Morad (P6), Steven Guerrero (P8),
Sebastian Saavedra (P9), David Garza (P15) and Jordan Dick (P16).
The final race tomorrow will decide who will clinch the 2006 Formula BMW USA
championship. Wickens' lead decreased after today's race to ten points in front
of de Silvestro in second. Stevens' Round 13 win moves him up to third place in
the Overall points followed by Lee who now stands fourth. Stefano Coletti
(EuroInternational) who returned to the Formula BMW Germany championship rounds
out the top-five.
With Morad's fine finish today he remains in the lead of the Rookie
championship 13 points ahead of Saavedra who moved up and stands second. Only
one point behind is Garza in third. Pelletier and Jordan Dick (Team Apex Racing
USA) stand fourth and fifth respectively and round out the top-five.
"It was really a tough race," said an excited Stevens. "Car control, keeping a
good pace and building a gap to the rest of the field was very important. We
definitely benefited from the two cars going out in front of us, but this is
all part of racing. If you try too hard and you go off, you have nothing. You
have to stay on the track. So it was really a hard-earned win and I think it's
one of my best. Tomorrow we have to see if it is wet or dry. If it is wet then
I will obviously try to stay consistent and finish ahead of Robert. If it is
dry it will be completely flat out and really just within inches - a huge fight
for sure to win the race."
De Silvestro said, "I feel great to finish second. I was very close to Reed and
I could have won the race, but it is a good feeling to be on the podium
especially under these rainy weather conditions. I have always been fast in the
rain and I like to race when it rains. The start today was really confusing
because nobody told us before what we are going to do if we have a rolling or a
standing start. After the start going into the second lap I was able to keep my
position and have a good race. Tomorrow will be strange because Robert will
start first and I will start last, but I will try to do my best and we will see
what will happen."
Lee said, "The rain didn't bother me and I had a great race. I am happy that I
gained some valuable points today. The start was quite different today, but my
team did a great job telling me exactly what was going on. For tomorrow's race
I definitely have to think smart and stay on the track. I hope it will be a dry
race. I will fight for the championship. I hope to finish tomorrow in first or
second place and can ensure hopefully the second place in the championship
points. To win the title is out of reach now."
The Round 14 race is scheduled to start at 1:20 p.m. tomorrow.
Championship points after 13 of 14 races:
1. Robert Wickens (EuroInternational, 142), 2. Simona de Silvestro
(EuroInternational, 132), 3. Reed Stevens (HBR Motorsport Team USA, 127), 4.
Matt Lee (Team Autotecnica, 123), 5. Stefano Coletti (EuroInternational, 77),
6. Daniel Morad (AIM Autosport, 70), 7. John Zartarian (Gelles Racing, 66), 8.
David Garza (EuroInternational, 44), 9. Ryan Phinny (Hearn Motorsports, 43),
10. Sebastian Saavedra (Gelles Racing, 40), 11. Race Johnson (HBR Motorsport
Team USA, 37), 12. Tom Sutherland (Jensen Motorsport, 23), 12. Tobias Hegewald
(Atlantic Racing Team, 23), 13. Doug Boyer (AIM Autosport, 21), 14. Adrien
Herberts (Gelles Racing, 19), 15. Maxime Pelletier (Gelles Racing, 16), 16.
Ryan Campbell (Gelles Racing, 15), 17. Scott Schroeder (American Spirit Grand
Prix, 12), 18. Yannick Hofman (HBR Motorsport Team USA, 8), 19. Robert Thorne
(Team Autotecnica, 6), 20. Jordan Dick (Team Apex Racing USA, 5), 20. Philip
Major (Atlantic Racing Team, 5), 21. Marco Di Leo (Hearn Motorsports, 4), 22.
Steven Guerrero (HBR Motorsport Team USA, 3), 23. Alex Navejar (Jensen
Motorsport, 1), 24. Jules Duc (Hearn Motorsports, 0), 24. Marco Santos
(Haberfeld & Walker Racing, 0), 24. David Rangel (Haberfeld & Walker Racing,
0), 24. David Farias (Jensen Motorsport, 0), 24. Joel Jackson (Gelles Racing,
0), 24. Frankie Muniz (Jensen Motorsport, 0), 24. Maryeve Dufault (Hearn
Motorsports, 0)
Rookies: 1. Daniel Morad (175), 2. Sebastian Saavedra (162), 3. David Garza
(161), 4. Maxime Pelletier (148), 5. Jordan Dick (93), 6. Steven Guerrero (88),
7. Robert Thorne (87), 8. Joel Jackson (65)
Background:
Formula BMW is the world's leading entry-level championship in Formula racing.
In 2006 the series will be held in Germany, the UK, Asia and the USA. More than
80 up-and-coming drivers, some as young as 15-years old, will compete
worldwide. Racing five times in support of the Formula One World Championship,
Formula BMW offers a worldwide stage, training through a multifaceted Education
and Coaching Program and BMW's longstanding Junior scholarship for deserving
drivers.
The FB02 race car is propelled by a 140 bhp BMW engine, reaching speeds up to
140 mph. The design exceeds the FIA safety requirements for its class, with the
BMW Motorsport developed FORS (Formula Rescue Race Seat), and the mandatory
HANS (Head and Neck Support) safety system.
From November 24 to 26, 2006 the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo
Tormo will host the second Formula BMW World Final. Young racing drivers from
the four regional Formula BMW series will compete against each other with the
winner receiving a test drive with the BMW Sauber F1 Team.