2013 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

The USF2000 National Championship made its debut in 2010. The series serves as one of the rungs on Mazda's Road to Indy and is sanctioned by IndyCar. The program aims to provide a scholarship fund path to reach the IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500. The Road to Indy has attracted driving talent from all over the world. Last year's champion, Matthew Brabham, is participating in the season's Star Mazda Championship.

This year the program offers over $500,000 in prizes and awards, with the USF2000 champion receiving a scholarship valued at $375,000 to advance to the Star Mazda Championship.

Formula 2000 cars first appeared in North America during the mid-80s. The category was particularly popular in Canada, with series' sponsored by Export A and Canadian Tire. The early cars were powered by a four-cylinder, 2.0-liter overhead-camshaft Ford engine, which produces approximately 150-horsepower. Mounted to the engine is a Hewland Mk 9 gearbox with four forward speeds and one reverse. The single-seater chassis is a tubular spaceframe design fitted with an aluminum floor pan and fiberglass bodywork. The cars also use wings mounted at the front and rear. The whole package weighs just under 1,200-lbs.

Today's Formula 2000 cars conform to many of the same rules, but advances in technology and aerodynamics have allowed them to be faster.

The 2013 USF2000 series has two classes:

Championship Class: Teams in the division are limited to a Van Diemen chassis manufactured from 2001 to 2010. The cars in this category are powered by a Mazda MZR engine. The power plant is a four-cylinder, double-overhead camshaft, fuel-injected, two-liter motor which produces 170-horsepower. The Championship Class winner receives a scholarship package from Mazda to contest the 2014 Star Mazda Series.
National Class: Last year, cars 1998 and newer that conformed to Sports Car Club of America's Formula Continental rules were allowed to compete in the National Class. This season the Sports Car Club of America's Formula Enterprise (FE) car is eligible for the National category. The FE is a Van Diemen DP06 powered by a less powerful 2.3-liter Mazda MZR engine. The National Class winner receives a scholarship package to advance to the Championship Class for 2014.

The 2013 schedule consists of fourteen races held over seven race weekends on seven tracks – three street circuits, one oval, and three permanent road courses. The races supported the IZOD IndyCar Series and American Le Mans Series.

March 14-15 - Sebring International Raceway
March 23-24 - Streets of St. Petersburg
May 25 - Lucas Oil Raceway
July 13-14 - Streets of Toronto
August 3-4 - Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
September 7-8 - Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
October 5-6 - Reliant Park

The series-only triple-header event was held at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The track hosted rounds eight, nine and ten of the 2013 USF2000 National Championship. Drivers would compete in three races around the thirteen-turn 2.258-mile road course.

The start of round eight for the 2013 USF2000 National Championship, Saturday morning, at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and the leaders enter the 'Esses.' The pole-sitter, Neil Alberico, is driving the No. 2 Cape Motorsports Van Diemen DP02. Behind Alberico is the other front-row starter, Garrett Grist, in the No. 7 Andretti Autosport Van Diemen DP08. Next in line is the Van Diemens of Scott Hargrove and Jesse Lazare.

Neil Alberico failed to finish in three of the first four races this season. However, it seemed that his fortunes were changing. Alberico qualified on the pole for Saturday morning's race and avoided trouble to grab the win. In the afternoon, he went flag-to-flag for the victory. Sunday morning, Alberico started on the outside of the front row. Unfortunately, he was involved in a red flag incident on the opening lap and retired.

'All's well that ends well' certainly applied to Garrett Grist's weekend at Mid-Ohio. Grist opened the weekend by qualifying on the outside of the front row at Mid-Ohio. Unfortunately, the No. 7 Andretti Autosport Van Diemen DP08 broke on lap-6. Saturday afternoon, Grist was running second when he went off course and finished fifth. He would redeem himself on Sunday with a 3.391-second margin of victory.

RC Enerson drove the No. 10 ZSports w/Team E Van Diemen DP08. Enerson qualified in the first position for race one at Mid-Ohio. He successfully navigated the treacherous cautions and was rewarded with a second-place finish, his first podium of 2013. In the afternoon, Enerson started tenth and was in fourth place at the checkered flag. On Sunday morning, he collected his second rostrum result with a third-place finish.

The driver of the No. 38 Cape Motorsports Van Diemen DP08 was Scott Hargrove. Hargrove started the weekend by qualifying third fastest. In the race, he moved past the leader, Neil Alberico. When Hargrove saw a hard-charging Danilo Estrela coming, he drove off course to avoid contact and finished seventeenth. In race two, Hargrove inherited a runner-up result. In the finale, he finished second and retained the points lead.

Another driver collecting his first series podium was Jason Wolfe, who finished third in Saturday's first contest. Wolfe qualified twelfth in the No. 23 Pabst Racing Services Van Diemen DP08 and stayed out of trouble. In the afternoon, he was gridded twelfth and finished in the ninth position. On Sunday, Wolfe started in the ninth spot. Unfortunately, he was in the opening lap accident, which eliminated eleven cars.

Rookie Peter Portante earned his podium result, a third place, in round five at Lucas Oil Raceway. Portante qualified eighth fastest for the first event at Mid-Ohio and was challenged by the wet conditions finishing in the eleventh spot. On Saturday afternoon, the driver of the No. 41 Belardi Auto Racing Van Diemen DP08 started eight and grabbed the final place on the rostrum. In the finale, Portante finished eighteenth.

The driver of the No. 71 Alliance Autosport Van Diemen DP06, Scott Rettich, joined the USF2000 series with Sports Car Club of America National titles in Spec Racer Ford and Formula Enterprises. To no one's surprise, Rettich had six National Class victories in as many starts. Despite Ryan Vella's and James Dayson's challenges, he would collect three more wins at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and lead the points chase.

POS	START	DRIVER	ENTRANT	CAR	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	1	Neil Alberico	Cape Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
2	6	RC Enerson	ZSports w/Team E	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
3	12	Jason Wolfe	Pabst Racing Services	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
4	14	Florian Latorre	JAY Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
5	17	Michael Epps	PRL Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
6	9	Dalton Kellett	Pabst Racing Services	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
7	13	Henrik Furuseth	PRL Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
8	11	Luca Forgeois	ZSports w/Team E	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
9	21	Wyatt Gooden	Afterburner Autosport	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
10	5	Jesse Lazare	Pabst Racing Services	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
11	8	Peter Portante	Belardi Auto Racing	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
12	15	Austin Cindric	Andretti Autosport	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
13	16	Daniel Burkett	Belardi Auto Racing	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
14	22	Stefan Rzadzinski	JDC MotorSports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
15	23	Timothy Paul	ArmsUp Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
16	7	Jeroen Slaghekke	Cape Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
17	3	Scott Hargrove	Cape Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
18	25	Arthur Oliveira	JDC MotorSports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
19	24	Michael Johnson	JDC MotorSports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
20	18	Clark Toppe	JDC MotorSports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
21	26	Scott Rettich	Alliance Autosport	Van Diemen DP06/Mazda MZR	13	-
22	27	James Dayson	ArmsUp Motorsports	Van Diemen DP06/Mazda MZR	13	-
23	19	Brandon Newey	Afterburner Autosport	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	12	-
24	20	Matt McMurry	Belardi Auto Racing	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	12	-
25	4	Danilo Estrela	Belardi Auto Racing	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	11	Did Not Finish
26	28	Ryan Verra	Alliance Autosport	Van Diemen DP06/Mazda MZR	11	-
27	2	Garett Grist	Andretti Autosport	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	6	Did Not Finish
28	10	Felipe Donato	ArmsUp Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	0	Did Not Finish

POS	START	DRIVER	CAR	ENTRANT	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	1	Neil Alberico	Cape Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
2	3	Scott Hargrove	Cape Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
3	8	Peter Portante	Belardi Auto Racing	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
4	10	RC Enerson	ZSports w/Team E	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
5	2	Garett Grist	Andretti Autosport	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
6	13	Henrik Furuseth	PRL Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
7	15	Florian Latorre	JAY Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
8	5	Jeroen Slaghekke	Cape Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
9	12	Jason Wolfe	Pabst Racing Services	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
10	9	Jesse Lazare	Pabst Racing Services	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
11	7	Dalton Kellett	Pabst Racing Services	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
12	14	Michael Epps	PRL Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
13	19	Stefan Rzadzinski	JDC MotorSports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
14	17	Wyatt Gooden	Afterburner Autosport	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
15	16	Austin Cindric	Andretti Autosport	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
16	20	Brandon Newey	Afterburner Autosport	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
17	21	Michael Johnson	JDC MotorSports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
18	6	Felipe Donato	ArmsUp Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
19	18	Matt McMurry	Belardi Auto Racing	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
20	25	Arthur Oliveira	JDC MotorSports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
21	24	Daniel Burkett	Belardi Auto Racing	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
22	23	Clark Toppe	JDC MotorSports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	20	-
23	26	Scott Rettich	Alliance Autosport	Van Diemen DP06/Mazda MZR	20	-
24	28	Ryan Verra	Alliance Autosport	Van Diemen DP06/Mazda MZR	19	-
25	27	James Dayson	ArmsUp Motorsports	Van Diemen DP06/Mazda MZR	19	-
26	22	Timothy Paul	ArmsUp Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	19	-
27	4	Danilo Estrela	Belardi Auto Racing	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	16	Did Not Finish
28	11	Luca Forgeois	ZSports w/Team E	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	3	Did Not Finish

POS	START	DRIVER	CAR	ENTRANT	LAPS	RETIREMENTS
1	1	Garett Grist	Andretti Autosport	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
2	3	Scott Hargrove	Cape Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
3	4	RC Enerson	ZSports w/Team E	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
4	6	Henrik Furuseth	PRL Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
5	8	Felipe Donato	ArmsUp Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
6	14	Brandon Newey	Afterburner Autosport	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
7	15	Michael Epps	PRL Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
8	19	Wyatt Gooden	Afterburner Autosport	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
9	16	Austin Cindric	Andretti Autosport	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
10	17	Matt McMurry	Belardi Auto Racing	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
11	20	Stefan Rzadzinski	JDC MotorSports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
12	22	Clark Toppe	JDC MotorSports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
13	24	Arthur Oliveira	JDC MotorSports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
14	25	Luca Forgeois	ZSports w/Team E	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	13	-
15	26	Scott Rettich	Alliance Autosport	Van Diemen DP06/Mazda MZR	13	-
16	27	James Dayson	ArmsUp Motorsports	Van Diemen DP06/Mazda MZR	12	-
17	28	Ryan Verra	Alliance Autosport	Van Diemen DP06/Mazda MZR	12	-
18	5	Peter Portante	Belardi Auto Racing	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	0	Accident
19	7	Jeroen Slaghekke	Cape Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	0	Accident
20	9	Jason Wolfe	Pabst Racing Services	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	0	Accident
21	10	Jesse Lazare	Pabst Racing Services	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	0	Accident
22	11	Florian Latorre	JAY Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	0	Accident
23	12	Danilo Estrela	Belardi Auto Racing	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	0	Accident
24	13	Dalton Kellett	Pabst Racing Services	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	0	Accident
25	18	Daniel Burkett	Belardi Auto Racing	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	0	Accident
26	21	Michael Johnson	JDC MotorSports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	0	Accident
27	23	Timothy Paul	ArmsUp Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	0	Accident
28	2	Neil Alberico	Cape Motorsports	Van Diemen DP08/Mazda MZR	0	Accident

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