August 5, 2010
AMSF backs Daniel's USA racing campaign!
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Daniel Erickson's
American F2000 Championship Series campaign has received a late-season boost
from the Australian Motor Sport Foundation!
With insufficient funds to commit to the full 14-round series, Daniel has been contesting the national 'development' openwheel series on a round-by-round basis with leading USA team Primus/Quantum Racing.
The young Sydney driver skipped four rounds during May and June to conserve his resources, but now the AMSF has stepped in to assure Daniel's participation at the final two race meetings.
The first meeting is this weekend at Road America in Wisconsin, with the finale on September 4-5 at Mid Ohio.
AMSF General Manager Martin Stillman welcomed Daniel, who competed in British Formula Ford last year as a member of the AMSF International Rising Star squad, 'back to the fold'.
"We have been following Daniel's progress in the 2010 F2000 Championship Series with great interest," Mr Stillman said. "Despite never having raced at any of the three circuits he's been to so far, he's scored four pole positions (including one qualifying lap record), two second places, two race wins and two fastest race laps from the six rounds he has contested.
"He's the leading rookie driver despite missing four rounds, and has a good chance of placing in the top three in the final pointscore. That's no mean feat in a series that consistently fields around 30 cars at each round. However, recently it became apparent that Daniel would struggle financially to complete his ambitious USA racing program, so we've found the funds to guarantee his entry in the final rounds of the F2000 Championship Series."
Mr Stillman said that the AMSF was pleased to be able to assist its former International Rising Star once again.
"Daniel has always been a 'Rising Star' in every sense - not only behind the steering wheel, where he has demonstrated great natural ability as well as fierce determination to overcome whatever obstacles are in his path, but away from the racetrack as an ambassador for Australian motor sport. I am thrilled that the AMSF is in a position to assist Daniel at this crucial stage of his racing career, and look forward to his continued development and success."
Naturally, Daniel was very happy - and not a little relieved! - to hear the AMSF's good news.
"Martin Stillman's phone call, confirming that the AMSF had been able to raise additional funding, was the best news I've had all year!" an excited Daniel said from his USA base in Ohio. "Having tried without success to obtain corporate support to race in the USA this year, I appreciate how the global financial crisis is affecting motor sport sponsorship at all levels everywhere. I am very grateful for the AMSF's support, which will enable me to finish the F2000 Championship Series."
The funding boost would make a difference to his approach to his racing at Road America this weekend, Daniel continued. "This is a huge relief, because there has been constant uncertainty over whether I could continue racing in the USA. But now that I'll definitely be at Road America and Mid Ohio, I can concentrate on my driving and not worry about financial matters for the time being."
Mr Stillman added that the latest funding package was significant, in that it marked the first time that the AMSF had assisted an Australian driver who was racing in the USA.
"This initiative marks a geographic expansion of our driver assistance strategy," he said. "Previously we've focused on the UK, traditionally the favoured destination of aspiring Formula 1 champions. However, the unification of the two IndyCar championships, as well as the prospect of a USA Formula 1 Grand Prix from 2012, have spurred USA interest in 'formula car' racing.
"The openwheeler scene over there is a competitive and cost-effective alternative to Europe. Categories such as F2000, Formula Star Mazda, Indy Lights and IndyCars give talented Australian drivers the option of climbing the motor racing ladder all the way to Formula 1 via America.
"Another benefit for our young drivers is that race-by-race and end-of-series prizes are generally superior to what's on offer in Europe. Several USA 'development' series provide their champions with fully funded drives in next-level categories, whereas in Europe race and series winners often finish the year with little more than a full trophy cabinet."
BACKGROUND
Daniel Erickson's 2010 F2000 Championship Series campaign so far ...
Rounds 1 & 2 - Virginia International Raceway, April 9-10
Daniel made a sensational debut in the opening two rounds of the series. In his maiden 'wings and slicks' racing car event, on the unfamiliar 5.3km VIR circuit, he qualified on pole position for both rounds, setting a new lap record in the process.
In Round 1, Daniel lost places on the first lap after mis-timing his first ever race 'rolling' start, but recovered to finish a close second to Brazilian Victor Carbone. In Round 2, he held the lead from the start and then built a commanding lead until three laps from the chequered flag, when a loose spark plug lead dropped his Van Diemen racer to 10th place.
Rounds 3 & 4 - Road Atlanta (Georgia), May 7-8
Did not compete, due to lack of funds
Rounds 5 & 6 - Mosport International Raceway (Ontario, Canada), June 12-13
Did not compete, due to lack of funds
Rounds 7 & 8 - Watkins Glen International (New York State), July 3-4
After his enforced four-round absence, Daniel bounced back in the best possible way by winning both rounds. But both victories, on the historic 5.5km Watkins Glen circuit in upstate New York, were far from easy.
In Round 7, Daniel overtook pole sitter Chris Livengood at half-distance of the 14-lap, 77km race, then went on to win by 1.612 seconds. In Round 8, he started from pole position but had to battle Victor Carbone, by then the runaway series pointscore leader, from start to finish. Just 0.837 seconds separated the pair at the chequered flag.
Rounds 9 & 10 - Lime Rock Park (Connecticut), July 23-24
In an up-and-down race meeting, Daniel once again defied convention by qualifying his Primus/Quantum Racing Van Diemen on pole position for Round 9. This despite having only one half-hour practice session on a damp track to familiarise himself with the circuit before the rain-soaked qualifying session.
In the race, a sluggish start lost him several positions before the first corner, but again he recovered brilliantly to get within striking distance of the leader, 2007 series champion Cole Morgan. However, an unsuccessful last lap challenge to Morgan put Daniel down to 12th place at the finish.
Round 10 was an almost mirror-image of Round 9. Daniel started 14th following engine problems in qualifying, but charged through the top half of the field to finish second, less than 1.5 seconds behind Victor Carbone. Fastest laps in both races added four more points to his championship tally.
F2000 Championship Series Pointscore (after 10 of 14 rounds)
1. Victor Carbone (BR) 410
2. Cole Morgan (USA) 349
3. Phil Lombardi (USA) 286
4. Tim Minor (USA) 279
5. Keith McCrone (USA) 256
6. Daniel Erickson (AUS) 235 (contested six rounds only)
2. Australian Motor Sport Foundation
The Australian Motor Sport Foundation was established in 2001 by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport Ltd., the governing body of motor sport in Australia. The aim of the AMSF is to help talented young Australian drivers reach the pinnacle of motor sport, in particular the FIA Formula 1 World Championship or the FIA World Rally Championship.
Recently, the AMSF developed its inaugural strategic plan, and whilst the core goal continues to be about supporting young drivers, the Foundation has broadened its focus. No longer simply a means by which funds are handed out to drivers, the Foundation will become actively involved in the development and management of those elite drivers. The AMSF will also support a number of other important sporting and community initiatives.
The AMSF's Mission is to directly facilitate the progress of talented young Australians to the pinnacle of international competition. Its board comprises several extremely high profile and progressive directors.
The AMSF International Rising Star Program acknowledges the support from its partners including: the Australian Government via the Australian Sports Foundation (ASF), the AMSF Network Group, the Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS) and AMSF Patron Mark Webber.
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Australian Motor Sport Foundation
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