New car gamble doesn't pay off in F2000 finale
 race part 2 - Morcom [Valet 5716; 1020x680].jpg)
Engine problems with Primus Racing's brand new Rondo RFR in practice put paid to Nathan Morcom's chances at Watkins Glen. Photo by Dennis Valet.
The old saying “a change is as good as a holiday” didn’t ring true for Nathan Morcom in the last two F2000 Championship Series rounds at Watkins Glen.
He changed to Primus Racing’s brand new RFR chassis for the series finale after a string of mechanical mishaps with the team's 2006 Van Diemen in earlier rounds. It was touch and go whether the car would be ready for Watkins Glen, but it turned up in the paddock for Friday’s two practice sessions.
The new car gamble didn’t pay off, though. An engine problem during Friday's first practice session put the Rondo-sponsored RFR out of action until just before the first race on Saturday afternoon. Consequently Nathan missed the morning qualifying session, leaving him last starter in a mammoth 38-car field.
“After so many dramas with the Van Diemen, we decided to switch to the RFR,” Nathan said. “We made it to the race meeting, but the engine overheated in the first practice session. When the head was taken off, Sandy Shamlain from Quicksilver Engines decided it needed machining. It took a while to find a workshop nearby that was open, so by the time the head was fixed and the car was back together, the first race had nearly started.”
QUALIFYING RESULTS
1. Remy Audette (CAN) Van Diemen 1min. 53.278sec.
2. Kyle Connery (USA) Van Diemen 1min. 53.393sec.
3. Tim Minor (USA) Van Diemen 1min. 53.969sec.
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– Nathan Morcom (AUS) RFR No time
 paddock - disassembled Primus RFR [Valet 5104 730x650].jpg)
Nathan looks on as the Primus crew works frantically to get his car back together in time for the first race. Photo by Dennis Valet.
ROUND 13
The other 37 cars were already on the warm-up lap by the time Nathan drove onto the majestic New York State circuit. He caught them up, but it all came to nought when the race was red-flagged after a car crashed into the pitlane guardrail during the rolling start.
With the barrier unable to be repaired quickly, the race was postponed until Sunday morning. From his last row starting position, Nathan improved 13 places in the unsorted car over the 12-lap distance.
“The car wasn’t handling properly because there was no chance to set it up in practice or qualifying,” he said. “The engine didn’t feel strong either.”
RESULTS – 12 LAPS (66km/40.8 miles)
1. Kyle Connery (USA) Van Diemen 26min. 35.785sec.
2. Tim Minor (USA) Van Diemen 26min. 36.478sec.
3. Remy Audette (CAN) Van Diemen 26min. 37.524sec.
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25. Nathan Morcom (AUS) RFR 27min. 36.471sec.
ROUND 14
Having finished well back in the first race, Nathan started the final round from where he left off. He progressed steadily up the race order until a four-car melee on lap eight forced him to spin to avoid making it five. In the process the RFR’s engine stalled and wouldn’t restart, leaving him stranded and out of the race.
“There wasn’t much I could do, because the car was still unsorted and the engine was still down on power,” Nathan said. “I made up a few places, and then someone lost it going into the lefthander in the ‘boot’ section of the track.
“Three other cars spun, so I had the choice of running into them or going off the track. I would have been okay if the engine hadn’t stalled, but it wouldn’t fire so that was it.”
As a result, Nathan finished seventh in the F2000 Championship Series pointscore. He was the fourth-placed rookie. The series was won by Canadian Remy Audette, driving a Van Diemen.
Although Nathan’s results were well below his expectations at the beginning of the season, he was determined to turn things around quickly next year.
“Obviously it’s been a disappointing series, apart from winning the first race,” he said. “But you can’t do anything about things that are outside your control. The positives are that I’ve learned about racing in the USA, which is different in a lot of ways from Australia. And I’ve driven on some of the country’s best road circuits, which is good experience for the future.
“I’ve already put 2011 behind me – now I’m focusing on 2012.”
RESULTS – 11 LAPS (60.5km/37.4 miles)
1. Kyle Connery (USA) Van Diemen 29min. 30.221sec.
2. Tim Minor (USA) Van Diemen 29min. 31.250sec.
3. Remy Audette (CAN) Van Diemen 29min. 32.520sec.
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– Nathan Morcom (AUS) RFR DNF (8 laps)
FINAL POINTSCORE (BEST 12 RESULTS FROM 14 ROUNDS)
1. Remy Audette (CAN) 543
2. Chris Livengood (USA) 427
3. Kyle Connery* (USA) 409
4. Tim Minor (USA) 381
5. Robert La Rocca* (VEN) 335
7. Angel Benitez (VEN) 247
8. Nathan Morcom* (AUS) 246 – contested 12 rounds only
* rookie
WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL (5.5KM/3.4 MILES) – WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK
GALLERY
