2009 F2000 Championship Schedule

[Michael Rand]

F2000 Championship Series 2009 Tentative Schedule Announcement

We are pleased to announce the schedule for our fourth season of competition.
With seven [7] double race weekends beginning in early April and ending in mid-August the season has a little bit of everything, from established traditional tracks to new semi-permanant facilities to major spectator events and low profile quieter events at great tracks.

Maintaining the Series established format of an hour of track time per day and three [3] day weekends, with two [2] 25-30 minute practice sessions on Friday followed by a 25-30 minute qualifying session and a 30 minute race each day Saturday and Sunday [except Lime Rock when we race on Saturday and Monday of Memorial Day weekend] the season will feature several Thursday afternoon/twilight test opportunities for series competitors.

The Series is entering it's second year of a multi-year contract with Hoosier Racing Tires for supply and service of the spec slicks and rain tires and all parties are looking forward to a great year of racing.

The schedule begins in early April at the just refurbished and reopened Hutchinson Island Course across te Savannah River from downtown Savannah. The course was constructed and utilized once in 1997 for an Indy Lights race supported by the Barber Dodge, USFF2000 and North American Touring Car series.
F2000 will be partnering with Historic Sportscar Racing [HSR] for what is sure to be a great spectator event April 2-5, 2009.

Then the Series returns to Road America or some midwest springtime racing April 24-26 where we will again partner with National Auto Sports Association [NASA] as we did n 2008.

Next will be a return to one of the series home tracks, having raced there twice in 2006 and once in 2007, Lime Rock Park. Sadly missing from the 2008 schedule the track has been completely repaved and the Memorial Day weekend, May 22-25, is historically one of the bigger events at Lime Rock during any season.

Another repeat visit is next as we head north of the border to Ontario's great course, Mosport International Raceway. At this track promoted spectator event we will support the CASCAR Stockcar event.

Next, and only a few short hours south, will be everyone's favorite track, Watkins Glen International, in the Finger Lakes Region of Central New York.
Making this event truely special for the Series is the fact that we are supporting the Lindy Racing League [IRL] weekend, July 3-5.

Following the Glen we return to a track we have not raced at since our inaugural season [2006], Summit Point Raceway. On July 17-19 F2000 will be the feature races on a Bill Scott Formula Car Series all open wheel weekend.

Taking a month breather the Series finishes the 2009 campaign on August 14-16 at Md Ohio Sportscar Course in Lexington Ohio, again partnering with NASA.

Like any schedule published in the fall this is by definition tentative, but no major changes are anticipated.

April 2-5, Hutchinson Island Course, Savannah, GA, with HSR
April 24-26, Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI, with NASA
May 22-25, Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, CT with Grand Am, World Challenge and Historic Grand Prix
June 12-14, Mosport International raceway, Bowmanville, Ont, CA with CASCAR
July 3-5, Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, NY with IRL
July 17-19, Summit Point Raceway, Charles Town, W.VA., with Bill Scott Formula Car Series
August 14-16, Mid Ohio Sportscar Course, Lexington, OH with NASA

[Mike B]

Then the Series returns to Road America or some midwest springtime racing April 24-26 where we will again partner with National Auto Sports Association [NASA] as we did n 2008.

Does Hoosier make a snow tire?

[Michael Rand]

Greg Borland and the Arms Up guys promise beautiful Wisconsin spring weather.
I guess we'll see what passes for beautiful spring weather in April at Road America....
I spent any years based there for Skip, back in the early '80's, before global warming, and for sure it can be chilly, but in my memory the flurries moved through quickly.....

[Art Smith]

Mike-

any changes in engine rules??

Art
artesmith@earthlink.net

[Ron B.]

http://www.weather.com/outlook/homea...bottomnav_home

[DS63]

Mid Ohio

[Purple Frog]

Don, I don't understand your beef with M-O.

An historic track nestled in the Amish farm country of central Ohio it has held many great pro races over the years (Champ Car, etc.), it is a very technical track that is hard to ever master. Famous for the Keyhole, Madness, China Beach, Car Killer, the carosel, and a very challenging Turn 1, the track with the red guard rails was home to the SCCA Runoffs for many years. The surrounding area is very friendly to racers. It is one of the best spectator tracks in North America. Easy access with flights into Columbus or Akron.

Watching Anders Krohn charge up through the field after starting at the back this year was one of the memorable events of the 2007 season.

One of the favorite tracks of notable Apexspeed members such as DaveW, Mark Defer, John LaRue, and Steve Demeter. I put a totally destroyed 98 Tatuus in my trailer at M-O in 2005, and I still love the place.

[Brian Graham]

Looks great, sorry to see Road Atlanta go but looking forward to Hutchinson Island. Good work getting with IRL at the Glen. Have a concern with Lime Rock if we are testing on tuesday and are there through the next monday, would be quite expensive to house/pay crew and have two travel days at both ends as well. That is almost a run off budget for one event. Not an easy task to put a schedule together and I don't envy that job. Brian.

[Camadella]

Looks great, sorry to see Road Atlanta go but looking forward to Hutchinson Island. Good work getting with IRL at the Glen. Have a concern with Lime Rock if we are testing on tuesday and are there through the next monday, would be quite expensive to house/pay crew and have two travel days at both ends as well. That is almost a run off budget for one event. Not an easy task to put a schedule together and I don't envy that job. Brian.

I agree - and the area around Lime Rock is probably the most expensive of any place that we stay.

Fortunately, Mike Rand lives in very nearby Sharon, CT just a few miles from the track, and to ensure race entries he has offered to put up all of the teams and crews at his house for any length of time that is necessary.

[Ivinsea]

I am sorry to see NJ is not on the schedule.

A lot of guys complained about rocks and dust in the run-off areas, but I expect that will be fixed for 2009 by raking and grass.

[Bob Wright]

Setting a schedule is the most difficult thing Mike does. It is a set of dominos where each change affects almost every other event of the season. NJMP was on the short list, but the date that fit was in conflict with the Runoffs at RA. We had to make a decision between Hutchinson Island, VIR and Road Atlanta (not easy) but then Road Atlanta interfered with Lime Rock, etc You get the picture.

No schedule can be perfect when you are at the mercy of other Series, track promotors, and a relatively short time window. We took into account many things putting this together; on track time, total weekend schedule, travel, etc.

Brian- I believe there is no test day scheduled for the Tuesday before LRP (Grand AM has specific testing rules so the track used their limited open muffler Tuesdays on other dates).

[HazelNut]

I am sorry to see NJ is not on the schedule.

A lot of guys complained about rocks and dust in the run-off areas, but I expect that will be fixed for 2009 by raking and grass.

the rocks and grass were only part of the problem. I though the track itself kinda sucked too. In fact Finelli flew down for the test day, ran, hated the track, and then decided not to run the race and flew home.

[HazelNut]

back to our scheduled programming, good job on the schedule mike!

[Dave Hopple]

Does Hoosier make a snow tire?

Yeah, I seem to remember slushy white runoff areas at a early Elkhart May National back in 91-92 ish..

But what the hell, we're from Minny where it's always COLD


Nice Job on the schedule Mike (and Bob) , I hope Savannah stays on the schedule.-Dave

[Lotus7]

Brian- I believe there is no test day scheduled for the Tuesday before LRP (Grand AM has specific testing rules so the track used their limited open muffler Tuesdays on other dates).

Don't the no-testing rules preclude tuesday anyway, unless the series says its one of "our" days?

[DS63]

Hey Frog, Hows the weather? Not a beef with M-O, just reflecting on the series recent past there. Hopefully thats all behind us now. Just hate to think that there might be alot of time spent fixing cars at our season finale. I'm already looking forward to April...

[Bumpdraft]

I agree - and the area around Lime Rock is probably the most expensive of any place that we stay.

Fortunately, Mike Rand lives in very nearby Sharon, CT just a few miles from the track, and to ensure race entries he has offered to put up all of the teams and crews at his house for any length of time that is necessary.

Hey Mike, I promise I'll bring the gas powered blender. That'll keep the nut that lives next door up all night!

Bumpdraft

[Tim FF19]

Hey Frog, Hows the weather? Not a beef with M-O, just reflecting on the series recent past there. Hopefully thats all behind us now. Just hate to think that there might be alot of time spent fixing cars at our season finale. I'm already looking forward to April...

Crashes have more to do with the drivers than the venue...

[Alan R Guibord]

Hey Mike, I promise I'll bring the gas powered blender. That'll keep the nut that lives next door up all night!


Make sure that you bring the stuff that goes in it as well

[Beartrax]

Make sure that you bring the stuff that goes in it as well

Gasoline?

[Alan R Guibord]

That's not exactly what I had in mind. The Captain knows best!!!!!!!

[HazelNut]

That's not exactly what I had in mind. The Captain knows best!!!!!!!

tommy could totally put down a few shots of race gas.........

[Bumpdraft]

Alcohol is for drinking.
Gasoline is for washing parts (and running blenders),
And nitro is for racing!

And The Captain knows which is which. That's why I let him run the blender.........and besides that gives me 2 hands to hold both of my drinks!

[Barry Haynie]

Will the Summit Point race be on the big track or Shenandoah?

Barry

[Michael Rand]

Definately Summit Point, we don't think Shenandoah is right for the F2000 series.
Jens tells me the track has been repaved very recently.
Several people have said there was substantial deterioration to the surface during 2008 but that should have been repaired, though I have not spoken to anyone who has first hand knowledge since the repaving.

[Jeff Owens]

The 12 hour destroyed the track after the 1st repave. Then the repairs took a while due to equipment and material challenges. As of Laborday, it was status quo. I am sure they will address it.