NA-F2000: Mosport Race One Results

CAMIRAND WINS F2000 AT MOSPORT, INTO POINTS LEAD

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada -- Marc-Antoine Camirand, of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Can., took his second U.S. F2000 National Championship Presented by Speedvision race win of 1999 and took the championship point lead in his native country at the Victoria Day Trans-Am Weekend at Mosport International Raceway. Polesitter Aaron Justus, of Vista, Calif., finished second, followed by Bobby Oergel, of Fresno, Calif., in third.

Camirnad came back from a practice crash in his No. 96 Key Motorsport/Player's Van Diemen Ford to qualify second to Justus for the race, the first of two on the Canadian holiday weekend, and took the lead on lap two when England's Dan Wheldon, who led the championship prior to Mosport, slid off the course in turn five. Camirand went on to hold off Justus by 0.426-second in the 20-lap, 49.18-mile contest to average a caution-free 106.130 mph -- the fastest F2000 race in Mosport history.

"I have to thank all of the crew for getting the car back together and running well," said Camirnad, 19, who won the 1998 Rookie of the Year title. "This is really my home track and I wanted to leave the weekend with a win and the championship lead. We will now focus on winning tomorrow's race as well and leaving with the point lead."

Camriand now leads Wheldon, who was crashed while running fourth with two laps remaining, by seven points (91 to 84). Aaron Justus moved into third, with 71 points, after taking his first-career pole and finishing second. Driving the No. 24 Cape/Torco Racing Lubricants/MiR Van Diemen Ford, Justus fell back nearly three seconds behind Camriand before mounting a late-race charge.

"The traffic was hurting me, but then it helped near the end when Marc had to slow for a spinning car," said Justus. "I take complete responsibility for not winning the race though. Dan (Wheldon) made a good move on me at the start which slowed me coming out of two and allowed Marc (Camirand) through as well. This is a tough track, and even though we had the pole for today, there's still more to be had."

Oergel, who started seventh, moved up to fourth at the start in the No. 19 DSTP Motorsports/Quicksilver Mygale Ford, and took advantage of a Wheldon's off-course excursion on lap two to move to third. From there, he fended off Wheldon and attacked Justus until the final laps, when Wheldon spun and Justus pulled away.

"I had a really anxious moment a couple laps from the end, when we got behind a slow car in the last corner," said Oergel. "I had to make a fast turn and lost touch with Aaron (Justus). We're happy with the podium."

Second-generation driver Mark Dismore, of Greenfield, Ind., finished fourth, followed by Steve Rikert, of Rhinebeck, N.Y.

George Forgeois, of New York, N.Y., won the American Continental Class for older chassis.

Following Justus, fourth in points, is Oergel, with 68, and Rikert, with 65.

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, Canada -- Results from the 20-lap, 49.18-mile U.S. F2000 National Championship Presented by Speedvision Round Four Race at Mosport International Raceway, part of the Victoria Day Trans-Am Weekend with position, starting position in parenthesis, driver, hometown, class, car, laps complete and reason out, if any.

1. (2), Marc-Antoine Camirand, Trois-Rivieres, Que., Can., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 20.

2. (1), Aaron Justus, Vista, Calif., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 20.

3. (7), Bobby Oergel, Fresno, Calif., F2A, Mygale Ford, 20.

4. (4), Mark Dismore (R), Greenfield, Ind., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 20.

5. (5), Steve Rikert, Rhinebeck, N.Y., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 20.

6. (6), Rolando Quintanilla, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 20.

7. (12), Ian Lacy (R), Sonoma, Calif., F2A, Mygale Ford, 20.

8. (11), Jonathan Bottoms, Buffalo, N.Y., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 20.

9. (14), T.J. Bell, Sparks, Nev., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 20.

10. (8), Bryce Miller (R), Bernardsville, N.J., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 20.

11. (9), Daniel Muniz (R), San Jose, Costa Rica, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 20.

12. (13), Harold Primat (R), New York, N.Y., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 20.

13. (22), Alejandro Garcia, Venezuela, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 20.

14. (10), Jacek Mucha, Laval, Quebec, Can., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 20.

15. (15), Jeff Glenn (R), Oakland, Calif., F2A, Carbir Ford, 20.

16. (18), Galen Puccini (R), Simi Valley, Calif., F2A, Carbir Ford, 20.

17. (19), Larry Oberto, Seattle, Wash., F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 20.

18. (20), Georges Forgeois (R), New York, N.Y., ACC, Van Diemen Ford, 20.

19. (21), Mike Durand, Wayland, Mass., ACC, Van Diemen Ford, 20.

20. (25), Arnold Brinkmann (R), Quito, Ecuador, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 19.

21. (24), Brett Harrison (R), Everett, Wash., ACC, Van Diemen Ford, 19.

22. (26), Tom Sporney (R), Parker, Colo., F2A, Tatuus Ford, 19.

23. (28), Chas Shaffer (R), Catlett, Va., ACC, Van Diemen Ford, 19.

24. (3), Dan Wheldon (R), England, F2A, Van Diemen Ford, 18, SPUN.

25. (27), Jon Groom, Boonton, N.J., ACC, Van Diemen Ford, 16, SPUN.

26. (23), Greg Schings (R), Lexington, Ky., ACC, Citation Ford, 13, MECH.

27. (16), Tommy Constantine (R), Scottsdale, Ariz., F2A, Tatuus Ford, 12, SPUN.

28. (29), Bob Wright, Old Chatham, N.Y., ACC, Van Diemen Ford, 11, ENG.

29. (17), Guy Cosmo, South Selauket, N.Y., ACC, Van Diemen Ford, 6, SPUN.

Time of race: 27 minutes, 48.206 seconds.

Average race speed: 106.130 miles-per-hour

Margin of victory: 0.426-second

Fastest race lap: No. 19 Bobby Oergel, 1:22.445 (107.373 mph)

Fastest qualifier: No. 24 Aaron Justus, 1:21.293 (108.890 mph)

Lap leaders: Lap 1, No. 5 Dan Wheldon; laps 2-20, No. 96 Marc-Antoine Camirand.

Cautions: 0 for 0 laps.