Bryant Extends Lead On Rival At Mid-Ohio

LAKEVILLE, CT -- (INTERNET WIRE) -- 09/08/00 -- Chip Bryant padded his scant
lead over rival Akihira Okamoto at the Formula Dodge Eastern/Midwestern Regional
Race Series this past weekend at the Mid-Ohio Sports Course. The emotionally
charged race events were a combination of extreme highs and severe lows. On the
high side, Bryant was perfect winning both his races and setting the track
record on the second of his outings with a time of 1:39.709 sec. Okamoto proved
almost hisequal, winning once and taking second place in separate races. Okamoto
now trails Bryant by 11 points in the chase for the Championship through six of
the eight race weekends.

Okamoto started things off correctly by taking the win in Group 1, Race
1action. He overtook race leader Curt Andrews on lap 9 and held the
pointthereafter. Gareth Nixon took second place honors, Andrews finished inthird.

Bryant held serve in Group 2, Race 1, winning in flag-to-flag fashion ahead
of Damian Della Santina (2nd) and Chris Hewitt (3rd). This race featured a tight
battle for first through fourth positions before Bryant distanced himself midway
through the contest, perhaps sending a subtle message in the process.

Mikel Miller won the first of his four races in Group 3, Race 1, winningfrom
pole in front of Juan Manuel Polar (2nd) and Tim Traver (3rd). Polarhad an
outstanding drive, a textbook race, to take the second spot afterstarting from
16th on the grid.

In the fourth race of the day, Dan Kraus' win eclipsed another valiant effort
for second place. Paul Zube gained 13 positions to put pressure on Kraus but
couldn't best him and had to settle for the second spot. Andy Newell gained two
positions on his last lap to secure third place.

In Group 5, Race 1 racing, Mikel Miller won from pole but not before
withstanding heavy pressure from eventual second place finisher Gary Longo.
Toshinobu Shigemitsu claimed third place for the session.

The second day at the track started off with another opportunity for Akihira
Okamoto to cut into the Bryant's overall points lead. It didn'thappen. Raphael
Martin ran a brilliant race, winning Group 1, Race 2 afterstarting from ninth,
to deny Okamoto the maximum points. Martin also set a new track record to that
point with a time of 1:40.112 sec. Okamotofinished the race in second place,
Paul Arnold in third.

In Group 2, Race 2, Bryant, running his second race of the weekend, nabbedthe
win and bested the previously set course record by 0.4 sec. DamianDella Santina
and Tim Rose were the second and third place finishers, respectively.

Group 3, Race 2 featured Mikel Miller [again] winning his third time
out,taking the checkered flag five seconds ahead of Juan Manuel Polar
(2nd).Chris Willcox took third place honors as well as maximum points in
theMaster's Class category.

In Group 4, Race 2, Dan Kraus benefited from a mistake by Paul Zube
thatallowed him to pull away from the field and secure the win by over
fiveseconds. Zube, who had started from the second spot, committed no
otherfaults and successfully defended his turf to earn a second place
result.Andy Newell finished in third. Hirotoshi Takeuchi had an excellent
ride,progressing from 15th at the start to finish in sixth.

Mikel Miller won his last race convincingly to go four-for-four on the
weekend. Gary Longo, Brian Kleeman, David Weiringa and Chris Otis all fought for
the next-best results with the positions finally going to Longo(2nd) and Kleeman
(3rd).

In the Memorial, the day's final event, Chris Hewett took the win ahead
ofOkamoto (2nd) and Alex Kramer (3rd). Kramer drove nattily, darting from14th to
take the last spot on the podium. The race was shortened by tragedy when a
racer, Tim Todd, suffered a heart attack on lap 15. His car left the track
without any apparent guidance and ended up in a protectivebarrier. Todd was
immediately attended to by EMTs and track personnel butwas pronounced dead en
route to the hospital. The Skip Barber Organizationextends its condolences to
his family, friends and fellow-racers.

-Andrew Torres

 

www.skipbarber.com/news/2000/news284.html Barber Racing School The World's
Best Racing and Driving School

Certificates:

www.skipbarber.com/idx-gift.htm More Information:

www.skipbarber.com/idx-newInquiry.htm and Schedules:

www.skipbarber.com/idx-pricesched.htm Page: www.skipbarber.com