2000: Round two General Roca preview

Buenos Aires, March 20th. - The circuit at General Roca will host the second round of the TC 2000 championship next weekend for this series now in its 24th year.

After a bright season opener three weeks ago at San Luis with two final and exciting laps, the category is ready to compete in one of its traditional tracks. This will be the twentieth edition of this race in a venue first visited back in October 1983, when the late Luis Di Palma won.

Over the years, the layout has had some modifications and improvements, either for participants or spectators and the place is a favorite one for fans. Casually, one of the historic moments of TC 2000 was Juan Maria Traverso's victory, who in 1988 crossed the chequered flag with his Renault Fuego on fire.

General Roca has 2,600 demanding metres and it always require great concentration from drivers, as well as a special set up ideal not to waste too much rubber, plus engines capable of giving good enough traction and better torque in slower corners.

After one race, Norberto Fontana leads the series with 20 points. The current champion will have to cope with a track in which his 35 kgs. balast could feel too notoriously put together with other 35 kgs. for his title holder condition.

Gabriel Ponce de Leon is second with 15 points. With Gabriel Furlan -third at San Luis- he was the author of a vibrating end of the event. Fourth is Walter Hernandez with 10 points and fifth Leandro Carducci with 8.

Among the main news, three more cars are coming to southern Argentina, making a car grid of 31 vehicles. Debutants will be Christian Ledesma (at the wheel of the second works Chevrolet Astra) and Eduardo Viglietti with a self-prepared Volkswagen Polo. Also coming back to the sport are Misiones native Crispin Beitia and almost-local driver Rodolfo Lorca, who will use the same Honda Civic taken to eighth at San Luis by Fabrizio Pezzini.

A special circumstance is the one faced by Salta's Nicolas Vuyovich. His father Pablo died after a road accident returning from San Luis in which he was also involved. Certainly, all the TC 2000 mourns this loss.

Home fans will gice support to a group of seven drivers of the region such as Javier Moreiro, Julian Crespo, Roberto Corletta and Rodolfo Lorca, plus Formula Renault entrants Patricio Signorile and Gustavo Marquez and Sebastian Marquez in the Megane Cup.

Santinelli tops the standings in FR, while Matias Rossi is first in Formula Super Renault and Gustavo Funes in the tin-top, one-make series.

On Saturday, TC 2000 will complete two practice sessions, with Qualifying taking place at 14.50. Sunday's heats will be held ay 10.00 and 10.30 with six laps each before the main race at 12.40 (50 laps).

Round 3 will also be raced in the Patagonia area, but in the Atlantic coast at Trelew (6th April).

There are new websites created by MSGroup for Formula Renault, Super Renault and Copa Megane: www.formulasargentinas.com.ar. In these divisions, drivers having Internet pages are Matias Rossi (2002 FSR champion, www.matiasrossi.com) and Carlos Okulovich Jr. (www.carlitosokulovich.com)

Round 2 of the 24th Argentinian TC 2000 Championship
March 21, 22 and 23, 2003
"Parque Ciudad de General Roca" Raceway, 1.615 miles, 2.600 meters

Time table (all times local, GMT+3):

- Friday, March 21
10.00-15.55 Free practice for Formula Renault, Formula Super Renault and Copa Megane
16.10 First qualifying Formula Renault

- Saturday, March 22
9.30-10.15 TC 2000 first practice
10.30-11.05 Second qualifying Formula Renault
11.20-11.30 First qualifying Formula Super Renault
12.15-13.00 TC 2000 second practice
13.15-13.25 Second qualifying Formula Super Renault
13.45 Copa Megane race, 24 laps
15.20 TC 2000 qualifying

- Sunday, March
9.00 Formula Super Renault race, 24 laps
10.00 TC 2000 first qualifying race, 6 laps
10.30 TC 2000 second qualifying race, 6 laps
11.45 Formula Renault race, 24 laps
12.45 TC 2000 race, 50 laps

-www.tc2000.com.ar