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| August 09, 2012 News |
| Ontario FF: Title Race Tightens After Entertaining CTMP Doubleheader |
 | | Jesse Lazare overcame the rain to score his first FF win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Photo: Russ Bond - Russ Bond Agency, Inc.) |
The battle for Toyo Tires F1600 Championship supremacy is tightening, following yet another highly entertaining doubleheader this past weekend (August 4-5) at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. Michael Adams re-asserted his title aspirations with the Round Seven win, while rookie Jesse Lazare was the man to beat in the wet in Round Eight. Paul Bollenbach proved unbeatable in the B class, sweeping the doubleheader.
After a month-long summer hiatus, the return of Ontario-based F1600 Championship action at the track formerly known as Mosport featured the largest field thus far in 2012, with a quality mix of A and B class cars. As expected, it didn't take long for the battles to heat up on-course, with qualifying for race one acting as pre-cursor to what was to come when Round Seven got underway. Adams, who was not in his normal racing steed, instead piloting the entry Dean Baker captured the 2010 title with, took the early advantage, just edging multiple series champion Shane Jantzi for the pole. Lazare and recent CanAm Cup winner Caitlin Johnston also made their presence felt in the session, posting the third and fourth fastest times.
Come race time, the duel between Adams and Jantzi continued. Never separated by more than a car length or two, the win was up for grabs until a late race full-course caution settled the affair in Adams affair. Behind the duo, Lazare and Johnston entertained onlookers by swapping the final podium position on more than one occasion. In the end, Johnston used her vast FF experience to hold off the Quebec Karting star. Steve Bamford completed the top-five, holding off the advances of rookie Jack Mitchell Jr.
Among the B class contingent (for older chassis), series leader Bollenbach continued his fine run of form, though not without a fight. Starting P1, he immediately relinquished the class lead to Keith Lobban, with Alex Urbinati hot pursuit. It initially appeared as though Bollenbach's win streak would come to end, but a pass for the lead just before the yellow flags ultimately gave Bollenbach another B class win. Lobban suffered a further setback, as behind the safety car he suddenly dropped back, promoting Urbinati to second and Jean-Guy Fournier to third at the line.
After weeks of blazing heat, the Toyo Tires F1600 Championship racers got a rare opportunity on day two at CTMP, with overcast skies and subsequent rain. Having earned a second consecutive pole on a dry track earlier in the day, Adams again led the field to green flag for the first rain race of the season, as well as the first race in the wet utilizing the new Toyo racing tire. Lazare, however, immediately became the driver to beat, vaulting into the lead and building a gap on the chasing pack of Adams, the fast advancing Mitchell Jr., Johnston, Bamford, and Jantzi. Never putting a wheel wrong, Lazare scored a convincing win ahead of his teammate Mitchell Jr., giving the Piper chassis its first one-two finish in Canada. Johnston, continuing her strong campaign, completed the top-three, leading Jantzi and Adams to the checkered flag.
Early on the B class fight for top honors proved quite exciting, with Bollenbach dueling with Lobban, Bruce Kitchen, Fournier, and former C class champion Mike Lee. While Bollenbach in the end completed the weekend sweep, the final two podium positions were not decided until the closing stages. Fournier ended up P2, ahead of Lee.
With his impressive win in less than ideal conditions, Lazare was named the MK Technologies Driver of the Weekend. He earns a $75 MK Technology certificate.
The fight for 2012 Toyo Tires F1600 Championship titles continues September 1-2, with the annual series trip to Calabogie Motorsports Park in eastern Ontario for Rounds Nine and Ten. The fight for the A class crown is a tight affair, with Johnston (626 pts), Adams (616 pts), and Mitchell Jr. (600 pts) leading the way. In the B class, Bollenbach holds a sizeable advantage (744-482) over Lobban.
Full Round Seven results
Full Round Eight results |
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