2017 Virginia International Raceway - Formula Race Promotions

In their twelfth year, Formula Race Promotions is a company which manages and organizes a race series for Formula 1600, Formula 2000 and Formula Atlantic race cars.

The three race groups opened their 2017 season in late April at Virginia International Raceway. The second race weekend is the first of two visits to Mid-Ohio. The third event of the championship takes place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course which is followed by the second visit to Mid-Ohio. In late July, the teams compete at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex. The penultimate rounds take place at Summit Point and the series ends at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

Formula Race Promotion’s mantra is affordable – competitive – racing.

The opening rounds of the 2017 Formula Race Promotion’s championship took place during the Nissan Grand Prix of VIR weekend. The three classes would complete on Virginia International Raceway’s seventeen-turn 3.270-mile road course. Rounds one and two were conducted for the Formula 2000 and Formula Atlantic categories. The Formula 1600s would complete in three races.

The first lap of Sunday’s race for F2000 cars. Leading the fourteen starters through Virginia International Raceway’s turn two is second place starter, Matt McDonough driving a Zetec-powered Radon. Behind McDonough is the pole-sitter and round one winner, Nick Palacio driving a Van Diemen. Following these two is the Citation of the eventual winner, Brandon Dixon.

David Grant started on the Formula Atlantic pole in the season opener and appeared to have control of the contest until a late caution bunched the field. With four laps to go, the race restarted - while trying to hold off Peter Portante, he was passed by Keith Grant and finished second. The following David Grant repeated his performance – started first and was the runner-up.

In the season opener for Formula Atlantic cars, Peter Portante started last. Portante moved through the field and a late race caution allowed him to catch up to the leader, David Grant. He was unable to get by Grant and finished third. In race two, Portante qualified second and passed David Grant on the last lap to win by 0.053-seconds.

Qualifying seventh in the F1600 season opener was Zach Holden driving a Honda-powered Mygale prepared by K-Hill Motorsports. With three laps to go in race one, Holden caught the lead pack and finished second. An incident on the last lap of race two eliminated race leader, Jonathan Kotyk and allowed Holden to win. He scored a second victory in the weekend’s finale.

Nicolas Palacio qualified on the F2000 pole for the first race of the 2017 season. Palacio’s advantage was short lived as he was passed by Reece Everard. Everard led until the contest until the last lap when he encountered a mechanical issue - this allowed Palacio to take the victory. On Sunday, he started from the pole but retired mid-way through the race.

Driving the No. 40 Polestar Racing Group prepared Formula Atlantic Swift 016 was Keith Grant. Grant qualified second for the season opener but a late race caution allowed the 2015 Series Champion to move from third to first and score the victory. The following day, he started and finished third.

Team Pelfrey driver, Jonathan Kotyk started sixth in the first Formula 1600 race of the 2017 season. Kotyk moved through the field and won by a margin of 0.02-seconds. In the second contest, he started fourth in the No. 81 Mygale and was leading on the last lap when he made contact with a slower car – he finished ninth. In the weekend’s final race, Kotyk was second.

Dominating the Masters class in Formula 1600 was Joe Colasacco. Driving a Van Diemen, Colasacco won his category in each of the three races during the weekend. In race one, he qualified eighth and finished fourth overall. In the second race, he had another eighth place start and was fifth at the checkered flag. In the finale, Colasacco was fifth after being gridded third.

Brandon Dixon driving the No. 5 Zetec-powered Citation qualified eighth and retired after six laps in the season opener. On Sunday, Dixon fared much better. He started fifth but by mid-race was dueling for the race lead with the Radon of Matt McDonough. On the last lap, Dixon passed McDonough and won by a margin of 0.233-seconds.

The Formula 2000 podium for Sunday’s finale. In the center is the race winner, Brandon Dixon. To Dixon’s right is Kevin Kelly Racing’s Matt McDonough who was the early race leader and captured the runner-up position. Rounding out the rostrum and scoring his second, third-place finish of the weekend is Steven Jenks.

Copyright Notice:

All content (photographs and text) appearing on this website are the exclusive property of © www.zoompics.com and are protected under International copyright laws. The subject matter on this website may not be reproduced, copied, stored or manipulated.