RACE: National Runoffs: F1000 class preview

F1000 RUNOFFS FIELD IS DEEP
F1000 National Championship entry list contains four national champions

ELKHART LAKE, WIS. (September 21, 2010) - The 2010 F1000 National Championship presented by George Dean Racing Engines and Taylor Race Engines continues to attract high profile drivers within the Sports Car Club of America and it all culminates this week at Road America, with the National Championship Runoffs. As it has been all season, the field is ultra-competitive and stacked with accomplished drivers, including four past national champions with a total of 12 championships among them.

At the top of the list sits Niki Coello (Firman) who has four national championships and is the reigning Formula Continental champion. He is a favorite to win any race that he enters and this year is no different, having won every race at Road America so far this year.

Also with four national championships, Tom Schwietz (Citation) knows how to win and, although he hasn't won in F1000 yet, he has a car and driver combination that can get it done on Saturday. To prove it, he grabbed the provisional pole after the first round of qualifying.

Although he "only" has three national championships under his belt, J.R. Osborne (Stohr) has won four races on the West coast where the fields have been big and competitive. He didn't fare well at the June Sprints this year due to an off-track excursion but showed enough speed to be a factor in the Championship. He's experimenting with a new BMW engine that could make or break his race.

Glenn Cooper (Firman) is the reigning F1000 National Champion and has won at Road America several times in the past. He struggled earlier this year with the transition to his new car but has it sorted out and should be on the podium.

This will be the sixth trip to the Runoffs for Brandon Dixon (Citation). He's never podiumed there but this could be his year. He currently leads the F1000 National Championship points standings and has been the only driver to match the speed of Coello at Road America.

David Burkett (Stohr) is one of four drivers that are mathematically able to win the 2010 F1000 Championship series (Coello, Cooper, and Dixon being the other three). He has won every race he contested this year but this will be his first race in such a large field.

Bill McLaughlin Jr. (Firman) has shown some decent speed this season, winning at Road Atlanta and standing on the 2nd step of the podium at the June Sprints this year. He could duplicate that effort or possibly move up to the top step

There are five additional drivers that will take the green flag on Saturday but none of them are field fillers. Each one has the potential to be near the front at the end of the race, making this year's F1000 Championship race one to watch.

-source: f1000