Interstate Tires sponsors F2000 driver Mitchell Cunningham
12 / 06 / 2008
The Interstate distributor of New Zealand is sponsoring the F2000 Championship driver Mitchell Cunningham.
New Zealand racing driver Mitchell Cunningham has enjoyed another productive weekend at the latest round of
the 2008 US Pacific F2000 Championship at Infineon Raceway in northern California.
The 21-year-old kart and single-seater car racer from Auckland finished fourth in the first race and fifth
in the second, earning himself the Wine Country Motorsports Outstanding Performance Award for the best performance
by a newcomer to the demanding 4.032 km northern California circuit. In the two months since the last round of the
2008 Pacific F2000 Championship Cunningham had time to return home to celebrate his 21st birthday and stay race fit
by competing at the 40th annual Blossom kart meeting in the Hawke's Bay.That fitness came in handy round the long,
undulating Infineon layout though Cunningham says that he could have done with another couple of days testing at the circuit.
"It was good to win the (Most Outstanding Performance) Award, because it acknowledges that it was my first time there,
but - you know - Infineon, I think, is just one of those tracks that rewards the guys who race there all the time.
We went quicker every time we went out at the start of the weekend, but I don't think I quite got on top of the set up
you need there on the car which meant we were working the front tyres a bit too hard." Despite that two lightening quick
starts saw the young New Zealand driver make up four places off the start to get as high as third place in the first race
before slipping back to fourth as he struggled for grip, then move up to fourth place from sixth - before he again started
losing grip and slipped back a place - in the second. A desperate last lap, last corner dive also saw Arizona driver
Chris Spreitzer pass Cunningham in the second race, but the young Kiwi was able to get the place back - literally -
at the flag, crossing the finishing line half a nosecone in front. The meeting was dominated by 18-year-old Patrick Barrett,
who claimed event and series victory with pole position in both qualifying sessions and runaway victories in the two races.
Cunningham has now returned to the Indianapolis base he shares with older brother Wade to prepare for the final round of the
2008 Pacific F2000Championship to be held over the October 13-14 weekend at Las Vegas.
The 2008 US Pacific F2000 Championship presented by Infineon Raceway California USA.
Qualifying 1
1. Patrick Barrett 1m32.325
2. Thomas Merrill 1m32.905
3. Jeff Westphal 1m33.375
4. Philip Metzger 1m33.808
5. James Hakewill 1m34.370
6. Chris Spreitzer 1m34.382
7. Mitchell Cunningham 1m34.462
Photos
