AMSF & CAMS Rising Stars successful weekend includes podium, lap record and Best Presented
August 05, 2011
Round three of the 2011 Australian Formula Ford Championship at
Eastern Creek saw the AMSF and CAMS Rising Stars coming of age with their Minda
Motorsport Mygales showing consistent car speed all weekend resulting in podium
finishes, a new lap record, and 3 Minda Formula Fords in the top 5 for the
weekend.
Starting the weekend with two 20 minute practice sessions, the four
strong Minda Motorsport team were straight on the pace in Practice 1 and on a
mission to prove their place on the podiums of Formula Ford. Le Brocq and
Harrison immediately positioned their Penrite Mygales in the fastest three,
with national debutant Collins on the pace early and the experienced Williamson
making it 4 Minda cars in the top 6.
Practice 2 saw slower times across the field, but Harrison went on
to set the fastest time of the session, with fellow CAMS Rising Star Le Brocq
less than half a second behind. Williamson was right on Le Brocq, while AMSF
Rookie Rising Star Collins held in the top ten fastest going into qualifying.
A wet Saturday morning for the qualifying session so no surprise
with times dropping to almost 20 seconds slower than practice the day previous
as the Eastern Creek circuit offered minimal grip and a true challenge for the
young racers. Le Brocq had pace and secured a front row start from P2 0.4
seconds off pole sitter Waters, Harrison locked in behind in fourth with new
team mate Williamson in fifth, but it was a challenging session for Collins
seeing him start his first national race from 17th.
Race 1 saw Le Brocq follow Waters
from the front row, pushing through the nine laps on a now dry circuit, again
showing pace and posting a new lap record of 1:35.3251, but he was unable to
find a way past Waters on a circuit where passing is a premium. Harrison had the #12 CAMS Rising Star machine on pace,
also posting times faster than the old lap record, and with his growing
experience evident, passed Jacobsen to secure third. Collins had a great start
and with assertive driving carved his way through the field, moving up six
places by mid race only to drop back to 17th.
At the start of Race 2 early on Sunday morning, an
unsteady start from Le Brocq saw Foster gain position, but on the following lap
it was Le Brocq back past and on the hunt for Waters. Harrison was battling
with latest garage mate Williamson from the green flag, Williamson winning out
to go top three as Harrison held on in fourth to secure three of the top four places
for the Minda Motorsport prepared machines. Collins took on battles of his own
further in the field, with Hart and Ramerman, creating the opportunity at his
home track to move to 15th in the nine lap dash.
Race 3, the final race of the
weekend and again it was the CAMS Rising Stars machine of Le Brocq from P2,
with Williamson and Harrison locking out row two. In a disappointing end to an
impressive weekend for new lap record holder Le Brocq, a broken fuel pump saw
him drop to tenth by the close of lap one, and to 14th before
retiring from the race but the award for Best Presented Car from the Winton
Round capped off a positive weekend. Harrison made his way past Williamson to
secure third by lap four, holding on to leaders Foster and Waters but unable to
catch the duo, still going on to end the weekend with a top three result.
Collins was on a charge in his Go Markets backed Mygale gaining four places on
lap two before challenging on and making a final lap pass on Heimgartner to
secure his first top ten finish in his first national round.
Jack Le Brocq #49
“We had a good start to the weekend and it was great to get the lap
record in practice. We found a good setup for the wet qualifying so didn’t lost
ground and were able to carry the form through the conditions and on to the
races.
“Race 1 I held second start to finish, but race 2 ended up with the
final lap sprint to the line and a mistake at turn two trying on the inside of
Waters lost me some ground but second was still good and I have confidence in
myself and the car.
“It’s disappointing to not have been able to challenge for the win
in the final race but we’ve got some good points so I’m looking for to
Queensland Raceway.”
Trent Harrison #12
“Qualifying was challenging in the wet as I hadn’t raced here in the
wet before but we experimented with the car and had good speed. “Our times
weren’t far off record in the first race, but I didn’t get a good start so that
put me on the back foot but I made an aggressive move on Jacobsen at turn nine
to get into third.
“Race 2 was a real battle as we had pace but it was really hard to
pass and I know we could’ve been further up the front, but we were faster than
the leaders in the last race, just couldn’t catch them with the tyres going off
towards the end.
“A good weekend and I’ve jumped three spots in the points to be top
four and we know there’s more in me and the car going forward.”
Jon Collins #54
“It was great to be out there with the national guys and take on the
real challenge.
“We started the weekend looking to learn more and gain development
in my driving and I think we’ve achieved that as well as taking a top ten in
the final race of my first national event so that’s a big positive in the steps
ahead.”
Bruin Beasley, Team Manager
“Jon (Collins) did well for his first national event. A bit messy in
the first sessions but made good progress and a top ten is always good on debut
in this field.
“The cars all have pace and a race win isn’t too far away. “We
haven’t made any dramatic changes to the cars since the season started which
shows the improvements in the drivers.
“Two podiums in two weekends and it’s looking promising for the
team, with a high morale, evidence of growing experience and we can look
forward to Queensland.”
At the close of round three of the Australian Formula Ford
Championship, CAMS Rising Stars Le Brocq and Harrison sit fourth and sixth in
the standings, with Harrison on 73 and Le Brocq ten points adrift, while AMSF
Rookie Rising Star Collins has taken his first national point to rank 19th.
The AMSF Rookie Rising Star and CAMS Rising Stars are proudly
supported by CAMS, the Australian Sports Commission, Minda Motorsport, Penrite,
Go Markets, OAMPS, Relux Slabs, Revolution Racegear and Mark Webber.