TORONTO, ON (August 20, 2014) – The Toyo Tires F1600 Championship season is winding down and the points battle is heating up. This weekend the teams head to the beautiful Calabogie Motorsports Park, located just west of Ottawa, ON for the Motorsport Club of Ottawa’s Ted Powell Memorial event.
25 competitors from all over North America will take to the track in Rounds 9 and 10 of the Toyo Tires F1600 Championship.
The top spot has been held for the entire season by Eureka, MO’s Tristan DeGrand. His seven wins in eight races has him at 740 points to Brampton, ON’s Chase Pelletier at 606 points. Pelletier is on a roll lately, sweeping the Super Series finale in Trois Rivieres two weeks ago. The Britain West driver also proved you never hand the trophy over until the last lap has been run as he came into the weekend with a mathematical chance, needing two solid finishes and some bad luck to befall DeGrand. He got both and walked away the Champion.
There will likely be a big shakeup in the Top 10 this weekend as Craig Willis, Max Hanratty, Reid Arnold and Bruno Chapinotti look to make some gains, with Jeff Kingsley not attending as he is competing in the ASN Karting Nationals.
Hometown racer Zacharie Robichon is on the entry list and driving the brand new Piper out of the Brian Graham Racing shop so he will be looking for a great result. The team is using the event primarily as a test session for the new chassis but the BGR experience coupled with Robichon’s credentials they are expected to be at the front.
Bryson Schutte will make his Series debut this weekend and is in a championship caliber car with Exclusive Autosport, taking full advantage of the spot opened up by Kingsley’s absence.
The B Class may be the battle of the weekend as point’s leader Connor Wagland will come under pressure from a number of heavy hitters.
Stephen Adams makes his return to the Championship and is a proven winner. His Van Diemen went to victory circle in the hands of both he and Michael Gayowksi last season.
Andrew Mason will also make his first start of the season and is always very quick. He is joined by Graham Lobban who missed the Super Series rounds of the Championship but is back and will be a threat. He has three wins on the season to Wagland’s four.
David Graham has shown great form of late and sits fourth in the points just behind “Iron Man” Mike Lee in third.
The biggest threat to Wagland’s Championship aspirations come from Amy Castell of Waterloo, ON. Castell has shown great speed this season and had a major breakthrough during the Honda Indy Toronto weekend, grabbing her first series win. She trails Wagland by just 30 points coming into the Calabogie event.
Things get rolling early Friday with a full promoter’s test day. Saturday will feature a practice and qualifying session in the morning and Race 1 in the afternoon. Sunday qualifying is in the morning and Race 2 will be in the afternoon.
RACE: MCO Ted Powell Memorial
TRACK: Calabogie Motorsports Park, Calabogie, ON
DATE: August 23, 24, 2014
TWITTER: @ToyoTiresF1600
SERIES HASHTAG: #ToyoTiresF1600
SERIES CONTACT: Jason Sharpe, (416) 557-5451 or jasons@movemotorsports.com, Twitter: @jasonsharpe
NOTABLE FACTS
The Race: This is round 9 and 10 of the Toyo Tires F1600 Championship.
The Format: Both A and B Class cars race together, with an equalization package for the Honda and Ford motors.
Gaining Momentum: With a renewed enthusiasm and new marketing partners the Series is enjoying a large increase in grid size and exposure, averaging well over 20 cars per event.
The Toyo Tires F1600 Championship Series is the premiere open wheel series in Ontario, sanctioned by CASC Ontario Region and proudly supported by Toyo Tires, Honda HPD, Lubrico Warranty, Heather’s Heros, Cove Dentistry, Stäubli, Lincoln Electric, Braille Battery, Jongbloed Racing Wheels, Johnston Research and Performance, MK Technologies, Jones Brown Motorsport Insurance and Rod Ends Mechanical. The series is comprised of a six event, double-header format and competes at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the Honda Indy Toronto and Calabogie Motorsports Park.
From: Jason Sharpe/ Move Motorsports
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