The 2011-2012 Skip Barber Racing School Winter Series Finale presented by Mazda came to an end this past month at Sebring International Raceway. Racers from around the world competed to see who would be the cream of the crop. With only two points separating the top two racers entering the finale, it was a great battle to the finish.
MAZDASPEED Motorsports Developmental Driver Danilo Estrela and 2010-2011 Winter Series Rookie of the Year Jake Eidson fought hard throughout the year, but at the end of an exciting season, Eidson came away victorious winning the coveted number one spot. Bryan Hixon and Grand Master Steve Randall also had an thrilling race weekend as both racers won one race a piece, but S.Randall prevailed taking the points lead for the MAZDASPEED Challenge. Top 10 will receive a fully funded ride in the 2012 Skip Barber Racing School Championship shootout for a chance to win a seat in the 2013 USF2000 series.
Group 1 Race 1 Skip Barber Presents the Mazda Winter Series, Formula Skip Barber
MAZDASPEED Developmental Driver Danilo Estrela led the field to the green flag. Early in lap 1, Jake Eidson overtakes the top spot, but Estrela is close behind. Estrela reclaims the lead going into lap 2 followed by Eidson, Nick Neri and Jack Mitchell Jr. Estrela and Edison are nose to tail. As the field goes into turn 1, Eidson regains the lead. Leonardo Jafet begins making up ground and challenges Mitchell Jr. for fourth. In lap 3, Jafet makes a pop and sticks it. Mitchell Jr. slides back to fifth. Eidson extends his lead from the pack. Mitchell Jr. makes a pop for third but can't make it stick. As racers enter lap 9, Estrela recovers the lead from Eidson. As the white flag drops, Mictchell Jr. continues the pressure on Jafet. He makes a pop and slides into third. Danilo Estrela takes the win followed by Eidson in second and Mitchell Jr. in third.
Group 1 Race 2 Skip Barber Presents the Mazda Winter Series, Formula Skip Barber
MAZDASPEED Developmental Driver Danilo Estrela begins the race on pole. Eidson is close behind the leader as the pack finishes lap 1. Estrela and Edison exchange the lead a few times, but Eidson slides in first as racers end lap 2. Estrela doesn't give up and is close behind. Estrela recovers the top spot at the end of lap 3. There's an intense battle for third between Nick Neri and Leonardo Jafet entering lap 4, but Jafet can't make the pop. Entering lap 7, Eidson maneuvers through each turn and manages to slide past Estrela into the top position. Due to a mechanical, Estrela doesn't finish the race. Edison takes the win followed by Nick Neri in second and Jack Mitchell Jr. in third.
Group 1 Skip Barber Presents the Mazda Winter Series, Formula Skip Barber
Starting Position in Parenthesis
Group 1 Race 1
Group 1 Race 2
1. (1) Danilo Estrela 1. (2) Jake Eidson
2. (3) Jake Eidson 2. (5) Nick Neri
3. (5) Jack Mitchell Jr. 3. (3) Jack Mitchell Jr.
4. (2) Leonardo Jafet 4. (6) Matt McMurry
5. (4) Nick Neri 5. (11) Doug Tuttle - GM
6. (8) Matt McMurry 6. (7) Greg Holloway
7. (10) Greg Holloway 7. (8) Gus Doppes - GM
8. (6) Gus Doppes - GM 8. (9) Nick Silva
9. (11) Nick Silva 9. (1) Danilo Estrela
10. (9) Chuck Whitlock - M 10. (4) Leonardo Jafet
11. (7) Doug Tuttle - GM 11. (10) Chuck Whitlock - M
Top Master: Gus Doppes
Pole Position: Danilo Estrela
Fastest Lap: Danilo Estrela (2:28.888 /89.463 mph)
Top Master: Doug Tuttle
Pole Position: Danilo Estrela
Fastest Lap: Jake Eidson (2:29.169 / 89.295 mph)
Group 2 Race 1 Skip Barber Presents the Mazda Winter Series, MAZDASPEED Challenge
Bryan Hixon led the pack to the green flag. Nelson Canache pressures Hixon for the lead early in Lap 1. Canache makes a pop for the top spot and makes it stick, but going into turn 5, Hixon reclaims the lead. As racers enter lap 2, the leaders are evenly spaced. Grand Master Steve Randall, who's currently in third, stays close behind the top two. As racers enter lap 4, Randall slides past Canache and claims the second position. Grand Master Maurizio Scala maneuvers through the pack and overtakes Dean Kretschmar for fourth place. Entering lap 7, Canache makes a pop for second and takes it from Randall. Hixon takes the win followed by Canache in second and Randall in third.
Group 2 Race 2 Skip Barber Presents the Mazda Winter Series, MAZDASPEED Challenge
Bryan Hixon begins the race on pole. Grand Master Nelson Canache makes a pop for the top spot early in lap 1 and makes it stick. Hixon isn't giving up and waits to make his move. Grand Master Maurizio Scala overtakes Steve Randall for third early in lap 1, but Randall has Scala in his sights and regains the third position in lap 2. Going into lap 4, Canache extends his lead from the pack. Scala and Randall are nose to tail. Both racers are battling hard for a podium finish. Scala regains the third spot going into lap 6. Hixon falls back due to a mechanical allowing Randall and Scala to slide into second and third respectfully. Canache takes the win followed by Steve Randall in second and Maurizio Scala in third.
Group 2 Skip Barber Presents the Mazda Winter Series, MAZDASPEED Challenge
Starting Position in Parenthesis
Group 2 Race 1 Group 2 Race 2
1. (1) Bryan Hixon 1. (2) Nelson Canache
2. (2) Nelson Canache 2. (3) Steve Randall -GM
3. (3) Steve Randall - GM 3. (4) Maurizio Scala - GM
4. (4) Maurizio Scala - GM 4. (10) Jim Davis - GM
5. (6) Dean Kretschmar 5. (1) Bryan Hixon
6. (8) Javier Ripoll 6. (6) Javier Ripoll
7. (9) Felix Borodaty - GM 7. (8) Greg Holloway
8. (7) Greg Holloway 8. (7) Felix Borodaty - GM
9. (10) Maru Canizales 9. (5) Dean Kretschmar
10. (5) Jim Davis - GM
Top Master: Steve Randall
Pole Position: Bryan Hixon
Fastest Lap: Nelson Canche (2:40.977 / 82.745 mph)
Top Master: Steve Randall
Pole Position: Bryan Hixon
Fastest Lap: Bryan Hixon (2:41.178 / 82.642 mph)
Group 3 Race 1 Skip Barber Presents the Mazda Winter Series, Formula Skip Barber
Tristan DeGrand begins the race on pole followed by Peter Portante in second and Paul Fiske in third. As the pack completes lap 1, DeGrand has a huge lead from the field. Andrew Longe has a fantastic start and jumps from fifth to second entering lap 2. Going into lap 2, DeGrand leads the pack followed by Longe in second and Andrew Hobbs in third. Ryan Garcia, who started in ninth, is also moving up the pack and jumps to third going into lap 3. DeGrand continues lengthening his lead and has a considerable gap from the pack. Garcia begins challenging Longe for second. Garcia makes a pop and overtakes Longe. Paul Fisk eyes the third spot and regains third entering lap 8. DeGrand takes the win followed by Garcia in second and Fisk in third.
Group 3 Race 2 Skip Barber Presents the Mazda Winter Series, Formula Skip Barber
Ryan Garcia leads the pack to the green flag. Peter Portante makes his way through the pack and overtakes the top spot from Garcia in lap 1. Paul Fisk is also eyeing the top spot and takes it from Portante in lap 2. Longe makes a pop and Portante slides into third and Longe claims the second spot. Tristan DeGrand, who started the race in the back, has managed to pull to second as racers enter lap 4. Leonardo Jafet moves up to fourth from tenth entering lap 5. DeGrand makes a move for the top spot and makes it stick. Gardia spins going into turn 15, but continues. Andrew Hobbs is close behind. As racers enter turn 15, Hobbs makes a pop for the lead. Andrew Hobbs takes the win followed by Leonardo Jafet in second and Tristan DeGrand in third.
Group 3 Skip Barber Presents the Mazda Winter Series, Formula Skip Barber
Starting Position in Parenthesis
Group 3 Race 1 Group 3 Race 2
1. (1) Tristan DeGrand 1. (10) Andrew Hobbs
2. (13) Ryan Garcia 2. (13) Lonardo Jafet
3. (2) Paul Fisk - M 3. (14) Tristan DeGrand
4. (4) Andrew Longe 4. (6) Lance Dewitt
5. (3) Peter Portante 5. (5) Greg Holloway
6. (6) Greg Holloway 6. (1) Ryan Garcia
7. (8) Lance Dewitt 7. (2) Paul Fisk - M
8. (11) Yukinobu Nakayama - M 8. (4) Peter Portante
9. (12) Stephen Mayer- GM 9. (7) Yukinobu Nakayama -M
10. (7) Gus Doppes - GM 10. (3) Andrew Longe
11. (5) Andrew Hobbs 11. (12) Ryan Verra
12. (10) Mathieu Savard 12. (11) Mathieu Savard
13. (9) Ryan Verra 13. (8) Stephen Mayer - GM
Top Master: Paul Fisk
Pole Position: Tristan DeGrand
Fastest Lap: Tristan DeGrand (2:31.206/ 88.092 mph)
Top Master: Paul Fisk
Pole Position: Ryan Garcia
Fastest Lap: Leonardo Jafet (2:31.250 / 88.066 mph)
2011-2012 Top 10 Skip Barber Presents the Mazda Winter Series
Formula Skip Barber
Championship Point Standings (two worst finishes dropped)
1. 323 pts Jake Eidson
2. 311 Danilo Estrela
3. 307 Nick Neri - R
4. 300 Jack Mitchell Jr.
5. 268 Leonardo Jafet - R
6. 251 Greg Strelzoff - M
7. 247 Dr. Mike Edwards - GM
8. 234 Jose Montiel
9. 217 Doug Tuttle - GM
10. 217 Greg Holloway
2011-2012 Top 10 Skip Barber Presents the Mazda Winter Series
MAZDASPEED Challenge
Championship Point Standings (two worst finishes dropped)
1. 329 Steve Randall - GM
2. 308 Brayn Hixon
3. 299 Nelson Canache - R
4. 279 Maurizio Scala - GM
5. 227 Greg Holloway
6. 131 Maru Canizales - R
7. 111 David Knight - GM
8. 109 Rod Randall - GM
9. 107 Brad Randall
10. 102 Dean Kretschmar - R
2011-2012 Top 5 Skip Barber Presents the Mazda Winter Series
Formula Skip Barber - MASTERS Point Standings (two worst finishes dropped)
1. 235 Dr. Mike Edwards - GM
2. 232 Greg Strelzoff - M
3. 201 Gus Doppes - GM
4. 198Chuck Whitlock - M
5. 197 Doug Tuttle - GM
2011-2012 Top 5 Skip Barber Presents the Mazda Winter Series
MAZDASPEED Challenge - MASTERS Point Standings (two worst finishes dropped)
1. 302 Steve Randall - GM
2. 253 Maurizio Scala - GM
3. 151 Craig Hanriot - GM
4. 111 David Knight - GM
5. 109 Rod Randall - GM
2011-2012 Skip Barber presents the
Mazda Winter Series / MAZDASPEED Challenge Winter Remaining Schedule
Rounds 11 & 12, April 13-14: Sebring International Raceway, FL