Lawrence Loshak wins in a Fast and Furious Season Opener at COTA
Fremont Ca/Green Bay, WI (March 9, 2013) - JR Osborne took a race shortened victory on the track in the season opening East vs. West shootout event at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas presented by Hoosier Racing Tires, Sunoco Race Fuels, George Dean Racing Engines, Jongbloed Racing Wheels, Hyperco, LS Motorsports, and Geartronics.
With the weather heavily overcast, dark skies and the possibility of rain imminent the field of 19 Formula 1000 cars took the green flag.
With pole sitter Lawrence Loshak leading in the run up the hill into turn one things turned fast and furious quickly. JR Osborne made a move for the inside line, running wide in the process, forcing Loshak to do the same. This left the door open for Steve Ott to make a run on both of them even further inside with Ott and Loshak making contact. Somewhere in the middle of all this Glenn Cooper and Osborne also managed to touch wheels before the foursome continued on.
After the all the wheel banging was over and with the group headed back down the hill from turn one, it was Ott in the Astra leading, with Loshak in the JDR a few car lengths behind, Osborne in the Citation, Cooper in the Firman, and the rest of the field following close behind.
Ott's moment at the front would be short-lived however. As he approached turn 11 the right rear rod end on the Astra broke, ending his race. As Ott parked it, Loshak and Osborne continued to battle on, swapping the lead three times on lap two alone, with Osborne finally making a pass that stuck going through turn 20. Further back there were other drivers moving up and scraps developing as the pace quickened throughout the field.
It all came to end rather abruptly on lap 4 after a car from the CSR group crashed heavily into the wall at turn 11. After a couple of laps with the entire field of cars circulating behind the pace car the cars were bought into impound and race was called.
The following day during a post-race review the stewards penalized the cars of JR Osborne and Alex Mayer for passing under the yellow flag. Osborne was dropped 3 positions from first to fourth giving the victory to Loshak, and Mayer 2 positions from ninth to eleventh place.
2013 US Formula 1000 Championship
Race 1, Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas
March 9, 2013
Official Results:
1. Lawrence Loshak, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, JDR
2. Glenn Cooper, Roswell, Georgia, Firman
3. Jose Gerardo, El Paso, Texas, Stohr
4. JR Osborne, Greenwood Village, Colorado, Citation
5. Jake Latham, Broomfield, Colorado, Stohr
6. Lucian Pancea, Bellevue, Washington, Stohr
7. David Burkett, Corpus Christie, Texas, Firman
8. Jonathan Scarallo, Hauppauge, New York, Philadelphia DB-F1000
9. John LaBrie, Draper, Utah, Phoenix
10. Richard Franklin, Wilmington, North Carolina, Firman.
11. Alex Mayer, Harleysville, Pennsylvania, Elan
12. James Micheal, Fort Worth, Texas, Stohr
13. Rod Rice, Vancouver, Washington, BRD Stohr
14. Tim Pierce, Leland, North Carolina, Firman
15. Nicholas Ortiz, Miami, Florida, Firman
16. Anthony Autello, Providence, Rhode Island, Stohr
17. Terry Biner, Sandy, Utah, Firman
18. Denis Costin, Sammamish, Washington, Stohr
DNF Steve Ott, Houston, Texas, Astra
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