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In one form or another, there has been a professional Formula Atlantic series in North America since 1974.
In 2009, the International Motor Sports Association sanctioned the Cooper Tires Present The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda.
The series was also part of the Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development Ladder, which included the Star Mazda Championship,
Skip Barber series and Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup.
This modern-day series utilizes the Swift 016.a Formula Atlantic chassis. Swift Engineering introduced this model in 2006. The cars are powered by a 2.3-liter DOHC four-cylinder Mazda Cosworth MZR engine, which produces 300-horsepower. The transmission is a Swift/Hewland sequential shift with five forward speeds and a single reverse gear. Finally, Cooper tires are mounted on 15" X10" front and 15" X14" rear wheels. Many races were held in conjunction with the America Le Mans Series. The 2009 twelve-race championship kicks off in March at Sebring International Raceway as part of the 12-Hours of Sebring weekend. Teams then travel west to Miller Motorsports Park. The first of two double-header weekends is conducted at New Jersey Motorsports Park. The series remains in the Northeast with an event a Lime Rock Park. The second double-header is held at the Autobahn Country Club. In early August, round eight takes place at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The subsequent two events are north of the border at Canada's Trois-Rivieres and Mosport International Raceway. The penultimate round is during the Petit Le Mans weekend at Road Atlanta and the finale is held in mid-October at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Each contest is forty-five minutes long, and competitors get a Mulligan (all drivers will only count points from their eleven best finishes during the twelve-race season). Round nine of the 2009 Cooper Tires Presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda was conducted during the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres. Drivers would compete on the eleven-turn 1.53-mile temporary street circuit. |
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Eleven competitors charge to corner one at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres for round nine of the 2009 Cooper Tires Presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda. Leading the field is the pole-sitter, Simone de Silvestro, in the No. 78 Team Stargate Worlds Swift 016.a. Behind De Silvestro is the other front row starter, John Edwards, driving the No. 36 Nuclear Clean Air Energy sponsored Swift 016.a. |
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It was a perfect weekend for the points leader, Simona de Silvestro. De Silvestro started on the pole in the No. 78 Team Stargate Worlds Swift 016.a and went flag-to-flag for her fourth victory of the year. She also increased her championship lead by twenty-one markers. Also, de Silvestro set some new series records at round eight – winningest woman, most poles and laps led by a female. |
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Finishing 0.886-seconds behind the winner, Simona de Silvestro, was John Edwards. The Mazdaspeed scholarship winner drove the No. 36 Nuclear Clean Air Energy Swift 016.a from Newman Wachs Racing. Edwards qualified second and chased de Silvestro during the race. Despite a couple of caution periods, he was unable to attempt a pass. This was Edwards' sixth podium in nine starts, three of which were wins. |
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John Edwards teammate Jonathan Summerton earned the final position on the rostrum at Trois-Rivieres. Summerton piloted the No. 34 Nuclear Clean Air Energy Swift 016.a and qualified in the third position for round nine at Trois-Rivieres. He chased the two leaders but was unable to pass them. Like Edwards, he had six podium results in nine starts, but in his case, two were victories. |
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Series veteran Tonis Kasemets was in his fifth season of the Atlantic Championship. His best year was 2005, when he collected three victories and finished second in the standings. In 2009, Kasemets drove for Polestar Motor Racing, except for round two in Utah, where he joined Genoa Racing. His best result this season was a third at Autobahn. Kasemets qualified sixth at Trois-Rivieres and finished in the fifth position. |
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| POS | START | DRIVER | CAR | ENTRANT | LAPS | RETIREMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Simona De Silvestro | Swift 016.a | Team Stargate World | 50 | - |
| 2 | 2 | John Edwards | Swift 016.a | Newman Wachs Racing | 50 | - |
| 3 | 3 | Jonathan Summerton | Swift 016.a | Newman Wachs Racing | 50 | - |
| 4 | 6 | Tonis Kasemets | Swift 016.a | PoleStar Motor Racing | 50 | - |
| 5 | 4 | Markus Niemela | Swift 016.a | Newman Washs Racing | 50 | - |
| 6 | 8 | Frankie Muniz | Swift 016.a | Team Stargate World | 50 | - |
| 7 | 9 | James Winslow | Swift 016.a | Genoa Racing | 50 | - |
| 8 | 11 | Eric Jensen | Swift 016.a | Jensen MotorSport | 48 | - |
| 9 | 5 | Frederic Vervish | Swift 016.a | Genoa Racing | 38 | Mechanical |
| 10 | 10 | Max Lefevre | Swift 016.a | Condor Motorsports | 36 | Mechanical |
| 11 | 7 | Borja Garcia | Swift 016.a | Condor Motorsports | 35 | Mechanical |
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