FORMULA 1600 SUPER SERIES HEADS TO GRAND PRIX F1 MONTREAL
Event Draws 38 Competitors From Across North America
MONTREAL, QC (June 2, 2015) – The Formula 1600 Super Series between the Quebec based Toyo Tires Formula Tour 1600 and the Ontario based Toyo Tires F1600 Championship heads to beautiful Montreal as part of the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada this weekend.
Rounds 3 and 4 of the Super Series championship will see 38 competitors from across North America taking part in the event, the crown jewel on the Super Series calendar and supported by Oki, Toyo Tires and Eneos.
Courtice, Ontario’s Michael Adams, the 2012 Ontario Series champion, comes into Montreal leading the points standings with 200 after a perfect Super Series opening weekend at the Victoria Day Speedfest in May. Adams swept both poles and nabbed two wins on his return to the series after a two-year hiatus in his family-owned Van Diemen Ford.
“I am coming into Montreal with an open mind toward the event,” said Adams, an engineering student at Conestoga College. “I have only been there once so I will spend the weekend learning and chasing the track, as it will change drastically as more rubber gets put down. I am focusing on winning the Super Series championship so I don’t want to get too caught up in the fact that it is an F1 weekend and have someone else ruin my race. My plan is to come out of this event and head right into the Shannonville rounds with the points lead because we have a lot of confidence in our program at that track.”
Reid Arnold, of Keswick, Ontario sits 2nd in points with a total of 176, within striking distance of Adams and showing great pace in the opening rounds. The sophomore driver has moved over to the Brian Graham Racing stable this season with his Piper Honda.
Hot on Arnold’s tail and a local favourite is Michel Bonnet, of St. Bruno, QC. The veteran driver is always a threat to win and was in contention for victories in this round and the Grand Prix Trois-Rivieres last season. He comes to Montreal with 148 points in a Vector Ford out of the LM La Scuderia shop.
JP Jodoin, of Blainville, Quebec, has made the move to the Mygale chassis out of the Britain West shop and is enjoying immediate success. He grabbed his first podium at the opening round of the Super Series in dramatic style and followed that up with his first win in the Formula Tour a few weeks later. He currently sits 4th in points with 142.
There are a lot of very fast competitors entered this weekend that could factor into the outcome. Mikhail Goikhberg is back racing F1600’s after winning the Prototype Lights championship and competing in both the Daytona and Sebring rounds of the Tudor Series. He spent the opening round getting to grips with the unfamiliar Toyo tire and will be very fast in his Piper Honda. He will be joined at Brian Graham Racing in a one-off by Ottawa, Ontario’s Zacharie Robichon. He’s made a very successful jump to the F2000 Canada Championship, collecting a win and a 2nd in his first two outings. Young rookie Ben Hurst will also be with the team.
The popular Didier Schraenen is always quick and has momentum on his side after a solid outing in Mt. Tremblant 2 weeks ago. Olivier Bedard makes a comeback to the championship after very competitive outings in both the Super Series and Formula Tour last season.
Quebec racing fans will be cheering very loudly for the return of the Villeneuve name to local racing. Jacques Villeneuve, Sr., uncle to former F1 World Champion and Indy 500 Champion Jacques and brother to the late Gilles makes his return behind the wheel in a car entered by LM La Scuderia.
Three cars have been entered by Exclusive Autosport, led by the ultra-fast Jesse Lazare of Montreal, Quebec. Lazare has many F1600 wins under his belt and is currently leading the Porsche GT3 Cup points in the US. He is joined by Lorraine, Quebec’s Patrick Dussault who is currently competing in the British Formula Ford Championship and Max Mallinen of Liberty Lake, Washington. All will be in Spectrum Hondas.
Other notables to keep your eye on are Duncan Murdoch who had a solid run at this race last year and former Ontario “B” Class Champion Craig Willis, making his debut at the event.
No less than 9 competitors are up from the USA and as far away as Arizona.
The cars will take to the track on Friday for a 30-minute qualifying session at 3:50pm. Saturday Race 1 will go green at 2:30pm for 30 minutes and Race 2 will be Sunday at 9:00am, also for 30 minutes.
RACE: Formula1600 Super Series, Rounds 3 & 4
TRACK: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, Quebec
DATE: June 5,6,7 2015
TWITTER: @ToyoTiresF1600
SERIES HASHTAG: #F1600SuperSeries #ToyoTiresF1600 #FormulaTour
SERIES CONTACT: Jason Sharpe, (416) 557-5451 jasons@movemotorsports.com, Twitter: @jasonsharpe
or Marcel Lafontaine, (819) 350-9750 marcel@siteformulatour1600.com
If photographs are required please contact Jason Sharpe (416) 557-5451 or jasons@movemotorsports.com
NOTABLE FACTS
The Race: This is the 3rd and 4th of 8 rounds of the 2015 Formula 1600 Super Series.
The Format: The F1600 Super Series brings together Canada’s best racers for four double-header events – the Victoria Day Speedfest at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the F1 Grand Prix du Canada at Circuit Gilles Villenenuve, the Bay of Quinte Grand Prix at Shannonville Motorsport Park and the GP3R on the streets of Trois-Rivieres.
Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=21111.msg113550#msg113550
