April 5, 2010
Daniel to test USA waters at F2000 series opener
With 30+ grids at road courses like Watkins Glen and Virginia International Raceway (pictured), the F2000 Championship Series is booming!
Photo courtesy of F2000 Championship Series (Janice Eakin).
Daniel Erickson is making a flying visit to the USA to contest next weekend's opening rounds of the F2000 Championship Series at Virginia International Raceway.
F2000 is a development of the FF1600 openwheel formula in which the young Sydney driver has competed for the past three years. The cars use the same tubular steel 'spaceframe' chassis as FF1600, but with a more powerful 2.0 litre engine, front and rear aerofoils, and wider 'slick' tyres.
Over the years F2000 has been a stepping-stone for many motor racing champions, including Ayrton Senna, Johnny Herbert, Eddie Irvine (Formula 1), Jimmy Vasser, Dan Wheldon, Sam Hornish Jr, Buddy Rice (IndyCars), Jason Bright and David Besnard (V8 Supercars). The formula is currently strongest in the USA, with two national series: the F2000 Championship Series and the USF2000 National Championship.
Daniel's drive in the 'development' openwheeler series came about after a last-minute deal was brokered with prominent American racing identity Jon Baytos.
After competing at VIR, he will attend the IndyCar round at Long Beach the following weekend to speak to teams in the Indy Lights 'feeder' series. The trip will give him a first-hand view of the US racing scene, something that was impossible during his Formula Star Mazda test in Houston, Texas, last December.
"This visit is an opportunity for me to test the waters in America now that the racing season is underway, which I couldn't do when I was there during the off-season," he said. "Although I had hoped to do the US Star Mazda championship this year, the F2000 Championship is still a very competitive 'development' series with more than 30 drivers entered at Virginia.
"I don't know how I'll go in a car that I've never driven before, on a circuit I've never driven, but a top 10 result would be great."
The opening two rounds of the 2010 F2000 Championship Series will be 30-minute races on the 5.3km Virginia International Raceway road course.
BACKGROUND
Daniel Erickson has all the hallmarks of a future motor racing champion. He showed exceptional promise as a teenager in karting, winning the 2002 Victorian and Queensland Junior Championships, the 2003 NSW Super 8 Junior Championship, the 2004 NSW Premier Kart Cup, and the 2006 NSW Clubman and Leopard Pro Kart Series.
In 2007 Daniel began his car racing career in Formula Ford 1600, the world's premier 'entry level' openwheel category for the past 40 years. The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) immediately recognised his potential by selecting him into the NSW and then national 'Rising Star' squads in 2007-08.
'Rookie of the Year' performances in the 2007 NSW Formula Ford Championship and the 2008 Australian Formula Ford Championship prompted CAMS' overseas driver development arm, the Australian Motor Sport Foundation (AMSF), to elevate Daniel to 'International Rising Star' status for 2009. He justified the AMSF's faith by placing an excellent fifth overall - and highest-placed driver in his debut season - in the British Formula Ford Championship, the category's toughest national series.
Before returning to Australia in December, Daniel had a sensational test of Formula Star Mazda openwheeler with leading team Mundill at MSR Houston Raceway. In his first drive of a 'slicks and wings' car, he lapped the unfamiliar circuit less than two tenths of a second outside Mundill's fastest recorded time for a current-spec Formula Star Mazda car.
A promising off-season production touring car appearance in the Bathurst 12-Hour race in February - Daniel outqualified his two experienced co-drivers on his 'tin top' debut in his first race meeting on the daunting Mount Panorama circuit - was stymied when one of his co-drivers crashed out during the opening laps.
Prospective commercial partners or private sponsors should contact Bill Erickson
VIR TIMETABLE
Thursday, April 8
Testing (untimed) - 2 x 30-minute sessions
Friday. April 9
Practice (timed) - 2 x 30-minute sessions
Saturday, April 10
ROUND 1
Qualifying
10:00-10:25 USA EDT / 00:00-00:25 Sunday, Australian EST
Race
15:30-16:00 USA EDT / 05:30-06:00 Sunday, Australian EST
Sunday, April 11
ROUND 2
Qualifying
12:15-12:45 USA EDT / 02:15-02:45 Monday, Australian EST
Race
15:30-16:00 USA EDT / 05:30-06:00 Monday, Australian EST
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