Laguna Seca - April 2013 (Race 3)

Race 3
Jake Latham takes victory at Laguna Seca in last corner sprint to finish

Fremont Ca/Green Bay, WI (April 15, 2013) – Jake Latham took a victory over Larry Vollum in Race 3 of the US Formula 1000 West Championship presented by Hoosier Racing Tires, Sunoco Race Fuels, George Dean Racing Engines, Jongbloed Racing Wheels, Hyperco, LS Motorsports, and Geartronics after a final corner sprint to the checkered flag.

With breezy cool temperatures and sunny skies the field took the green flag for the morning race with pole sitter Vollum and Latham filling the front row. As the cars headed out of the turn 2 hairpin it was Vollum by a car length over Latham, followed by Jose Gerado, Lucian Pancea, John LaBrie, Denis Costin, and Rod Rice. 

After a quick full course yellow on lap 2 the cars were back racing the following lap with Vollum and Latham continuing their engagement at the front with Gerado just behind. Rice began to moving up through the field and soon found himself in fifth behind Pancea, but would soon slow and eventually retire with clutch issues. Both Rice and Vollum would complain of downshifting issues with their new Kawasaki engines.

Near the back LaBrie and Costin battled in a nose-to-tail dice similar to the Latham-Vollum one at the front. A few laps later that fight ended with LaBrie coasting through the back entrance to the paddock with a dead battery.  A lap or so later Gerado found himself sideways coming out of the corkscrew after dropping a wheel off track. The resulting off road excursion would end his day with a damaged front wing. Gerardo’s troubles managed to elevated Panacea into third.

Lathum continue to press Vollum throughout the remainder of the race in a tight duel with both switching positions a multiple times during the last laps. As the two entered the final corner before the checkered flag Latham swung out wide onto the marbles in a outside move that managed to slingshot him pass Vollum just as the two crossed the line to take the checkered flag.

Pending Final Results

US Formula 1000 Championship West, Race 3
Official Results

1. Jake Latham, Broomfield, Colorado, Stohr, Suzuki
2. Larry Vollum, Portland, Oregon, Stohr, Kawasaki
3. Lucian Pancea, Bellevue, Washington, Stohr, Suzuki
4. Denis Costin, Bellevue, Washington, Stohr, Suzuki
5. Jose Gerado, El Paso, Texas, Stohr, Suzuki
6. John laBrie, Draper, Utah, Phoenix Raceworks, Suzuki
7. Rod Rice, Vancouver, Washington, Stohr, Kawasaki

Race 3, Qualifying Times

1. Larry Vollum,Stohr, Kawasaki 1:25.438
2. Jake Latham, Stohr, Suzuki 1:25.438
3. Jose Gerardo, Stohr, Suzuki 1:27.271
4. Rod Rice, Stohr, Kawasaki 1:27.752
5. John LaBrie, Phoenix, Suzuki 1:28.060
6. Lucian Pancea, Stohr, Suzuki 1:28.432
7. Denis Costin,Stohr, Suzuki 1:28.266

 

Race 4
Lucian Pancea sets himself up for victory at Laguna Seca

Fremont Ca/Green Bay, WI (April 15, 2013) – A complete car setup change helped take Lucian Pancea to a dominating win over Larry Vollum in Race 4 of the US Formula 1000 West Championship presented by Hoosier Racing Tires, Sunoco Race Fuels, George Dean Racing Engines, Jongbloed Racing Wheels, Hyperco, LS Motorsports, and Geartronics.

The mid-afternoon race got started under clear, windy, and cool conditions. It was Larry Vollum on pole once again, with Jake Latham alongside, Pancea and Jose Gerardo comprising row two. Pancea having struggle earlier in race three had completely changed his car setup between races. As the green flag dropped Pancea shot past both Vollum and Latham and into the lead. At the end of the first lap Pancea had built up a slight lead over Vollum with Latham, Gerado, Rod Rice, John LaBrie and Denis Costin all following closely behind.

The race was interrupted briefly by a full course caution on lap 4 before going green the following lap with the race positions unchanged. The cars continued on with the positions static with none of the drivers able to get an advantage over any of the others with the exception of Rice who had already moved up one position from sixth to fifth. Pancea and Vollum began to draw out slightly from Latham, Gerado and Rice. LaBrie and Costin were locked once again in another duel, carried over from the previous race. It all ended badly when LaBrie’s engine let go as he entered the fast left-handed turn six, oiling the track surface and causing him to spin out across the track. When it was all over the driver luckily was okay but the car was badly damaged.

As the checkered flag came down it was Pancea taking the win with Vollum close behind. Latham rounded out the podium in third, with Gerado fourth, Rice in fifth, and Costin sixth.

US Formula 1000 Championship West, Race 4
Official Results

1. Lucian Pancea, Bellevue, Washington, Stohr, Suzuki
2. Larry Vollum, Portland, Oregon, Stohr, Kawasaki
3. Jake Latham, Broomfield, Colorado, Stohr, Suzuki
4. Jose Gerado, El Paso, Texas, Stohr, Suzuki
5. Rod Rice, Vancouver, Washington, Stohr, Kawasaki
6. Denis Costin, Bellevue, Washington, Stohr, Suzuki
7. John laBrie, Draper, Utah, Phoenix Raceworks, Suzuki

Race 4, Qualifying Times
1. Larry Vollum,Stohr, Kawasaki 1:24.719
2. Jake Latham, Stohr, Suzuki 1:4.838
3. Lucian Pancea, Stohr, Suzuki 1:25.410
4. Jose Gerardo, Stohr, Suzuki 1:25.638
5. Denis Costin,Stohr, Suzuki 1:27.081
6. Rod Rice, Stohr, Kawasaki 1:28.973
7. John LaBrie, Phoenix, Suzuki 1:29.765