Round thirteen en Pig?e report

Norberto Fontana (Toyota Corolla / TTA) won the thirteenth round of the T.C. 2000 disputed at the circuit of Pigüe. The podium was completed by Nelson García (Ford Escort / Berta Motorsport) and Juan Manuel Silva (Honda Civic / HRA).

Fontana arrived at Pigüe 14 points behind his teammate Omar Martínez (Toyota Corolla / TTA) and he knew one thing: he must win if he wanted to win the championship in the last competition. Fontana must win and he did it.

Norberto led the race from the beginning to the chequered flag. The ex- driver of Sauber in Formula 1 took advantage from the pole position get after win in the second series of Sunday. He made a great start followed by Gabriel Furlán (Mitsubishi Lancer / GF Motorsport) and García with the Ford. Furlán was the only driver that followed the Toyota at least in the firsts laps, because when Fontana decided to accelerate it was impossible for the Mitsubishi number 11.

This was the fourth victory for Fontana in the season and the sixth in twenty-five races in T.C. 2000 since he joined the category in 2001.

After the race the winner said: ¨The victory in the series was really important, I made a good start and I kept Gabriel (Furlán) behind me. The key of this result was that I took care the tyres during the race. I would like to thank that team for the great car and I go to the last race in Mar del Plata very confident in our possibilities¨.

A fantastic result completed Nelson García. ¨El Chiqui¨ took the pole position on Saturday and he won his series on Sunday after the polemical "jump start¨ penalty for Daniel Cingolani (Honda Civic / Pro Racing). In spite of his great work, the ex-Mitsubishi driver couldn`t with the supremacy of the Toyota during the final race. ¨I`m very happy with this result. The race was very exciting for me, this second place is very important for me and the team¨ secured García when he left the podium.

The third finisher in this hard race was J.M. Silva who completed a weekend from less to more and took and important result in the fight for the championship. The champion of `99 qualified fifth on Saturday. He advanced and finished second in the series behind García. For the final race he started fourth and he took the third place when Furlán left the competition with a problem in the accelerator. Silva had the pression of the out going champion Gabriel Ponce de León (Ford Focus / Berta Motorsport) during the 44 laps of race. ¨I would like to congratulate Fontana and García for the work done today and also to the team HRA who worked in a fantastic way which let me to arrive to the last race with chances of win the championship¨ said Silva in the press conference.

For the first time this season, Omar Martínez didn`t finished the race. The driver ¨number two¨ of Toyota said during the week that ¨I didn`t do to much for be leading the tournament, I don`t deserve this position because Norberto won three races and had the bad luck of that his car stopped in some races, and I only led half lap during the year and I took one victory¨. Well, the champion of 1998 seemed to do everything to make ¨justice¨. Martínez came to this thirteenth race 14 points ahead Fontana, he was far away of the top during all the race and he couldn`t finish the competition due to a friction with the driver Crispín Beitía (Ford Escort / Berta Motorsport) a lap before the end when he was ninth.

Now the category will travel to Mar del Plata next December 15th. and all the eyes will be in the fight between Fontana (110 points), Martínez (104) and Silva (101).