September 3, 2010

 

Solid practice puts Daniel in contention at Mid-Ohio


With quick practice times whether the track was fast or 'green', Daniel Erickson has made a promising start to the final rounds of the F2000 Championship Series. Photo by Janice Eakin.

 

 

Two solid practice runs today have put Daniel Erickson well in contention for this weekend's final two F2000 Championship Series rounds at Mid-Ohio.

 

Daniel was unfussed to clock the second fastest lap in the afternoon session at the 3.9km (2.4 mile) Lexington circuit, just 0.331sec. off pacesetter Rob Nicholas. With the track surface washed clean by a short but heavy rain shower just before the half-hour session, the young Australian was content to do just three late-session laps in his Primus/ADSA Wright Racing Van Diemen.

 

"We fitted a set of new tyres, but with the track being 'green' I sat in the pitlane for most of the session," he said. "I went out at the end for a few laps just to make sure everything was okay for tomorrow.

 

"I probably could have gone quicker, but there's no point in using up new tyres when there isn't enough rubber on the track to set a really good time."

 

In the day's first practice session, before the rain, Daniel ran fifth with 1min. 24.854sec. as he and his race engineer Jon Baytos fine-tuned the car's suspension set-up. While some drivers were on new tyres, the Australian Motor Sport Foundation International Rising Star used well-worn rubber throughout the session.

 

Several minutes of track time were lost while an errant car was cleared from the circuit.

 

Daniel wasn't unduly concerned that his best lap of 1min. 24.854sec. was almost a second shy of session leader Chris Livengood's sub-record 1min. 23.998sec.

 

"Jon and I weren't worried about our times because of the tyre situation and a small problem with the clutch," he said. "The red flag didn't help, though."

 

Daniel's high ranking today followed a sensational performance in his first sighting of Mid-Ohio yesterday. In a three-hour twilight practice session he set the second fastest time behind F2000 veteran Rob Nicholas.

 

He was late getting onto the track after Jon Baytos ordered some setting changes to the car, which Daniel was driving for the first time (previously it had been driven in the F2000 Championship Series by Al Giubord Jnr). But he soon found the quick way around the unfamiliar circuit to finish the day only 0.316sec. off the circuit's all-time F2000 lap record.

 

"We were a little late starting, because Jon wanted to make a few changes to the basic set-up," he said. "First time out we were about a second off pace, then we made a few more changes and got within three tenths of Rob Nicholas's time. We used the same set of tyres all day, and just kept trying to improve the car."

 

With the 'phony war' over, Erickson was anticipating good results in the two final rounds on Saturday and Sunday.

 

"It's always hard to tell in practice who's quick and who isn't, because everyone's running different set-ups," he said. "About the only thing that's certain is that Chris Livengood has set the benchmark for qualifying.

 

"But my car feels good and we haven't had any dramas, so I'm looking forward to finishing the championship with two good races."

 

 

2010 F2000 CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - MID-OHIO (LEXINGTON, OHIO)

 

Thursday, September 2

 

TWILIGHT TEST SESSION

1. Rob Nicholas (USA)         1min. 24.075sec.

2. Daniel Erickson (AUS)    1min. 24.433sec.

3. Remy Audette (CAN)       1min. 25.265sec.

 

 

Friday, September 3

 

PRACTICE SESSION 1

1. Chris Livengood (USA)    1min. 23.998sec.

2. Rob Nicholas (USA)         1min. 24.146sec.

3. Victor Carbone (BRA)      1min. 24.392sec.

---------------------------------------------------------------

5. Daniel Erickson (AUS)     1min. 24.854sec.

 

 

PRACTICE SESSION 2

1. Rob Nicholas (USA)         1min. 24.146sec.

2. Daniel Erickson (AUS)     1min. 24.854sec.

3. Chris Livengood (USA)    1min. 24.392sec.

 

 

'CORRECTED'* POINTSCORE AFTER 12 OF 14 ROUNDS (aggregate totals in brackets)

1. Victor Carbone (BR)                     461(489)

2. Cole Morgan (USA)                      382 (404)

3. Daniel Erickson (AUS)                 322 (322) - contested eight rounds only

4. Phil Lombardi (USA)                    319 (340)

5. Keith McCrone (USA)                  298 (322)

6. Tim Minor (USA)                           279 (279)

7. Fabio Orsolon (BRA)                   257 (258)

8. Jonathon Scarallo (USA)             249 (249)

 

* After deducting each driver's two lowest-scoring rounds, according to F2000 Championship Series rules.

 

 

MID-OHIO TIMETABLE

 

Saturday, September 4

09:40-10:10 USA EDT / 23:40-00:10 Sunday, Australian EST - Round 13 qualifying

13:45 USA EDT / 03:45 Sunday, Australian EST - Round 13 race (19 laps)

 

Sunday, September 5

09:40-10:10 USA EDT / 23:40-00:10 Monday, Australian EST - Round 14 qualifying

13:45 USA EDT / 03:45 Monday, Australian EST - Round 14 race (19 laps)

 

Follow Daniel's progress 'live' during practice, qualifying and racing on Twitter.

 

The 3.9km (2.4-mile) Mid-Ohio Sports Car course in Lexington, Ohio, is the venue for this weekend's final two rounds

of the F2000 Championship Series.

 

 

MORE INFORMATION

Australian Motor Sport Foundation

Primus Racing Parts

F2000 Championship Series

 

 

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Jacobson Communications

Publicity - Websites - Publications - Event Management

 


The Team Erickson members' V8 Race Drive prize draw was held on October 29, 2011, and the winner is Mark Golding (ticket number 0175). Second prize goes to Mark Fogarty (ticket number 0510), and third prize goes to Scott Kennedy (ticket number 0257). Congratulations to the prize winners, and thank you to everyone who participated in this Team Erickson members' fundraiser!