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NA-F2000: Asaro sweeps doubleheader at Watkins Glen
With two wins, Billy Asaro added 30 points to his US Formula 2000 campaign on the weekend to take a commanding lead in the National Championship. Racing at Watkins Glen in New York, the nineteen-year-old Markham, Ontario, resident was nothing short ...
Edited: Jan 2, 2010, 4:21 PM
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With two wins, Billy Asaro added 30 points to his US Formula 2000 campaign on the weekend to take a commanding lead in the National Championship. Racing at Watkins Glen in New York, the nineteen-year-old Markham, Ontario, resident was nothing short of spectacular as he scored the double on the 5.4km (3.4 mile) road course set in the Finger Lakes.
Asaro's success came against incredible odds as Friday's qualifying sessions did not go as well as hoped. He qualified seventh for Saturday's race and a lowly fifteenth for Sunday's contest.
"We just had some bad luck in qualifying," Billy commented. "That kind of thing happens sometimes and you have to make the best of it."
As it turned out, he couldn't have made any better of it.
On Saturday, he neatly worked his way to second place and held station behind leader Mike Anderson. Then, on lap twelve, Asaro swept into the lead. Shortly afterwards, Anderson dropped out of the race with motor trouble and the win was sealed for Asaro.
"I didn't expect to be able to challenge Anderson," Billy said. "That was a bit of a surprise for me. It's too bad his engine broke, but I have to admit I was happy when he disappeared from my mirrors."
On Sunday, Billy took a conservative approach seeking only a top-ten finish and a few championship points, but after carefully picking his way through the midfield, he sat fourth before the half-way point of the sixteen-lap race. Then, a full-course caution slowed the field and on the restart, he quickly made his way to second before taking his Key Motorsport/Belleville Rodair car into the lead on lap nine. Another caution two laps later gave second placed Mike Anderson an opportunity to try regain the lead on the restart, but Billy quickly reestablished his advantage and sped on to victory. En route to the win, he set the fastest lap of the race at 1m 52.694s at an average of 173.78 km/h (108.61 mph).
"All I wanted to do was stay in the race, move up a little and collect some points," Billy said after a jubilant victory celebration. "The Key Motorsport team is fantastic. We all worked together and that's why we won two races this weekend. I just cant thank these guys enough."
After five rounds, Billy is firmly atop the championship standings with 117 points. Memo Rojas of Mexico is second with 88.
The next race on the schedule is at Indianapolis Raceway Park on May 26.
-MJ
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