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NA-F2000: Series Road America race one notes

F2000: Carbone Victorious at Road America Elkhart Lake, WI -- Championship points leader Victor Carbone snuck around Jonathan Scarallo on the start and then passed Daniel Erickson for the lead to go onto victory in the first ...

F2000: Carbone Victorious at Road America

Elkhart Lake, WI -- Championship points leader Victor Carbone snuck around Jonathan Scarallo on the start and then passed Daniel Erickson for the lead to go onto victory in the first F2000 race of the weekend at Road America. The Brazilian wasted no time in taking the top spot early in the race and then breaking the draft to take his sixth win of the season in round 11 at Road America over Daniel Erickson and Stevan McAleer.

Carbone extends his championship points lead to 92 points over Cole Morgan, who could only manage to finish 10th for K-Hill Motorsports. Carbone adds two more bonus points for the fast lap of the race and moves into a position where he can mathematically clinch the title tomorrow.

Carbone, driving for Alegra Motorsports, couldn't quite break into the fast times in practice and qualifying, as his Alegra crew tried different setups and aero packages. But the team apparently found the right recipe as once 17-year old Carbone got his #23 Van Diemen into the lead, it was a lights-out performance.

"The car felt great, I had a great start and then got by Scarallo", said Carbone, who stretched his lead to nearly four seconds over Erickson in the 12-lap race. "Daniel didn't make it easy but I got around him when he made a mistake in turn 14. The car was just amazing and we worked up the gap and broke the draft."

For Daniel Erickson, a new track record in qualifying put him on the pole, but the Australian rookie lost the lead to Carbone and never got it back. Erickson, driving for Primus Racing/Quantum Mechanics had to settle for second.

"It was a good clean race," Erickson commented. "We made a change with the aero before the race which didn't quite work out. Victor did a great job today."

Stevan McAleer, made it his second podium in five starts as the Scottish rookie came home third for the Race House team. McAleer said: "I'm delighted with third place. I was a bit optimistic on the start but managed to get up to fourth. I got around Scarallo when he broke and then just concentrated on getting the car home in one piece. They (Chris Livengood and Mikhhail Goikhberg) gave me a run for my money the end."

Goikhberg, driving for JDC MotorSports, crossed the line in fourth from a 10th place starting positions and got some valuable lessons on race craft in the draft.

"This series is definitely fun," Goikhberg said. "There was lots of dicing at the start and then the entire race. I'm happy with the way I moved up since we didn't have a radio and I managed to bend one of the steering arms on a curb."

Livengood came home fifth with a broken front wing. The rookie said: "It would have been better if Goikhberg hadn't hit me but the race was good and the car was really fast."

Keith McCrone followed in sixth as the top Masters Class driver. Then it was Fabio Orsolon, Phil Lombardi, Gerald Kraut and Cole Morgan rounding out the top ten.

Morgan, the 2007 title winner, loses important championship ground as Carbone can now mathematically seal the title tomorrow in round 12, even though it would take a nearly perfect day for Carbone and a disaster for Morgan.

"The car was good and really fast for the first few laps," explained Morgan. "I was able to move up and then the handling went, I think the right-rear camber bolts started loosening."

For Scarallo, who set fast time in practice yesterday and sat on the outside of the front-row for today's race, things did not go to plan. The young American got around Erickson shortly after Carbone and appeared to have his sights set on the Brazilian as he lowered the fast lap of the race, but moment's later fourth gear went, along with any changes for a decent result at the high-speed Road America circuit.

The CellMark Paper Hard Charger award went to Vaughn Horvath who improved seven positions to come home 15th.

F2000 action from Road America continues tomorrow, Sunday August 8, with a 10:55 am qualifying session and 4:15 pm race start. All times are GMT -6.

-source: f2000 championships

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