Nathan's F2000 Championship Series campaign to resume this weekend
 testing-1 - Nathan Morcom & Jon Baytos [Kniffin 2596; cropped; enhanced; 760x700].jpg)
Nathan and Primus Racing boss Jon Baytos were focused on gettting the handling right at Road Atlanta, but the car was down on top speed too.
Photo by Doug Kniffin.
Nathan Morcom is scheduled to jet out of Sydney today (Monday, May 30) to return to the USA for the resumption of the F2000 Championship Series at Watkins Glen next weekend. Driving a Rondo Van Diemen for Ohio-based Primus Racing, he’s looking for top-three results in the two rounds at the former US Formula 1 Grand Prix venue in upstate New York.
The 19 year-old Sydneysider's campaign in the USA’s most competitive ‘junior development’ openwheel racing series began with a sensational debut victory and a fifth placing in the opening rounds at Virginia International Raceway in early-April. But a driving error and car problems in the following rounds at Road Atlanta a month later yielded only a fifth placing and a non-finish.
“I need a strong weekend at Watkins Glen to make up for Road Atlanta,” Nathan said. “I didn’t make the most of qualifying for the first race, but we were so focused on trying get the handling right that we didn’t notice that the car was down on top speed. It was only after the throttle cable broke on the first lap of the second race that we saw the cable had stretched. The throttle wasn't opening fully, so I didn't have full power.
“Fortunately I can drop my worst four races for the final pointscore, but I can’t afford any more weekends like at Road Atlanta!”
With four of 14 rounds of the F2000 Championship Series completed, Nathan is third in the Rookie standings and fifth outright (see pointscore, below).
2011 F2000 CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES, ROUNDS 5 & 6
Watkins Glen International 'Grand Prix' circuit (5.472km/3.4 miles) – New York, USA
TIMETABLE (provisional)
THURSDAY, JUNE 2
09:15-09:45 USA Eastern Daylight Saving Time (23:15-23:45 Thursday, Australian Eastern Standard Time) – practice session
13:30-14:00 USA Eastern Daylight Saving Time (01:30-02:00 Friday, Australian Eastern Standard Time) – practice session
FRIDAY, JUNE 3
09:15-09:45 USA Eastern Daylight Saving Time (23:15-23:45 Friday, Australian Eastern Standard Time) – practice session
15:30-16:00 USA Eastern Daylight Saving Time (05:30-06:00 Saturday, Australian Eastern Standard Time) – practice session
SATURDAY, JUNE 4
08:50-09:20 USA Eastern Daylight Saving Time (22:50-23:20 Saturday, Australian Eastern Standard Time) – Round 5 qualifying
11:00-11:45 USA Eastern Daylight Saving Time (01:00-01:45 Sunday, Australian Eastern Standard Time) – Round 5 race
SUNDAY, JUNE 5
09:00-09:30 USA Eastern Daylight Saving Time (23:00-23:30 Sunday, Australian Eastern Standard Time) – Round 6 qualifying
11:30-12:00 USA Eastern Daylight Saving Time (01:30-02:00 Monday, Australian Eastern Standard Time) – Round 6 race
Follow Nathan's progress 'live' during practice, qualifying and racing on the F2000 Championship Series Twitter page!
POINTSCORE AFTER 4 OF 14 ROUNDS
1. Remy Audette (CAN) 165
2. Kyle Connery* (USA) 15
3. Robert La Rocca* (VEN) 136
4. Tim Minor (USA) 128
5. Nathan Morcom* (AUS) 107
* Rookie
MORE INFORMATION
F2000 Championship Series website
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
