Formula Car Challenge - Sonoma - September 2016

Sting Ray Robb who finished a close second in the Formula Speed class.

Supporting the GoPro Grand Prix for Indy Cars at Sonoma was The Formula Car Challenge presented by Goodyear.  It is a series with three classes of Mazda powered open wheel single seaters racing together.  The newest class is for 2016 Gen2 Formula Speed cars built by Fast Forward Components with 200hp 2 litre Mazda MXR engines.  The second class is for the Pro Formula Mazda cars, built by Star Race Cars, which have been racing since 2004 with 250 hp Mazda RX8 rotary engines.  Finally, there are the Formula Mazda cars, originally used by the Jim Russell Racing School and now maintained by Moses Smith Racing, that have raced since 1984 with their 180hp Mazda RX7 rotary engines.   Thus, there is quite a gap in age and performance between some of these cars.   There is a championship and a separate podium for each class and it is meant as a stepping stone before drivers go pro racing.  At Sonoma they managed to gather a field of 27 cars for this round of the National Championship Triple Crown.   For these largely amateur drivers to be driving on the same track on the same weekend as the Indy Cars must be something special.

The cars begin to line up in the paddock for the beginning of qualifying.

Bruno Carneiro in his Pro FM car.  He was the Pro FM points leader prior to this race.

Robin Shute and his Pro FM car.  He was to take a good second place in the race.

Steve Baumhoff in another Pro FM car.

Jonathan Sugianto and a Formula Speed car.  He was to finish third in class on Sunday

I caught the Saturday qualifying and race and pictures from it can be seen below:

The start of Saturday's Formula Car Challenge race, which was from a rolling start.  Here the cars enter Turn 1.

Joseph Burton-Harris dominated the race and the Pro FM class.  He was to win both Saturday and Sunday races.

Carter Williams won the Formula Speed class.

Bill Weaver won the Formula Mazda class.

Carter Williams after winning his class.

The Pro FM podium with Daniel Swanbeck, Joseph Burton-Harris and Robin Shute.

Tao Takaoka in a Formula Speed car leads a Formula Mazda car through turn 2.  Tao came third in the Formula Speed class.

Close battle between the Formula Mazda cars of William Sturgeon and Derry o'Donovan as they enter Turn 6 The Carousel.

Between turn 5 and 6.

Derry O'Donovan in a Formula Mazda.

Ricardo Arruda enters turn 2 in his Formula Mazda.

Wade Leathers in a Formula Mazda.

Adam Powell leads another Formula Mazda car through turn 2.

Jim Mali in a Pro FM car exits turn 2.

David Hollander in a Pro FM leads the similar car of Greg Perrin.

Dutch Schultz in his Formula Mazda at Turn 2.

Another Formula Mazda car at speed through turn 2.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.