Daniel Erickson has broken through for his first American race wins in the weekend’s two rounds of the F2000 Championship Series.Erickson bounced back after a four-round absence caused by lack of funds needed to contest the highly competitive national ‘development’ championship.
Driving a Van Diemen for Quantum Mechanics/Primus Racing, the cash-strapped Sydneysider won Round 7 on Saturday and then backed up for another win in today’s Round 8.
But both victories, on the historic Watkins Glen circuit in upstate New York, were far from easy.
In Round 7, Erickson overtook pole sitter Chris Livengood at half-distance of the 14-lap, 77km race, then went on to win by 1.612 seconds.
In Round 8 he withstood enormous pressure from Brazilian Victor Carbone, the series pointscore leader, from start to finish.
Just 0.837 seconds separated the pair at the chequered flag.
“I got a great start and was able to hold off Victor in the early laps, but my car’s handling started to go away midway through the race and he caught me,” Erickson said after Sunday’s win.
“On the last couple of laps we were side-by-side down the back straight, and I had to use the inside line into the chicane to defend my position.
“But my car was great through the Inner Loop section, so I was able to hold him off.”
The latest results have vaulted Erickson from a lowly equal-13th to sixth in the F2000 Championship pointscore.
Despite missing half of the eight series rounds held so far, he still has a realistic chance of finishing in the top three – or possibly higher.
Drivers are allowed to drop their worst two round results, and he is averaging only 1.5 points per round fewer than runaway leader Carbone.
Erickson’s Watkins Glen double came in only his second race meeting driving an F2000 ‘wings and slicks’ racing car.
Previously he’d raced karts as a teenager, and then Formula Ford racing cars in Australian and Britain.
It was also his first experience at ‘The Glen’, which hosted the US Formula 1 Grand Prix from 1961-80.
“I’ve been rapt with the car and the Quantum Mechanics team all weekend – they did a great job,” Erickson said.
“I have to thank everyone who’s supported me from my first kart races; this weekend showed that I can win under pressure.”
Erickson’s next scheduled races will be in three weeks’ time at the F2000 Championship rounds at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut.
However, his participation in the championship is still a round-by-round proposition as he and his family battle to raise the necessary finance to enable him to continue racing.
RESULTS
F2000 Championship Series
Round 8 (14 laps, 76.6km) – Sunday July 4, 2010
1. Daniel Erickson (AUS) 26m 39.402s
2. Victor Carbone (BR) 26m 40.239s
3. Cole Morgan (USA) 26m 46.882s
Round 7 (14 laps, 76.6km) – Saturday July 3, 2010
1. Daniel Erickson (AUS) 26m 38.552s
2. Chris Livengood (USA) 26m 40.164
3. Tim Minor (USA) 26m 47.942s
POINTSCORE (AFTER 8 OF 14 ROUNDS)
1. Victor Carbone (BR) 356
2. Cole Morgan (USA) 276
3. Tim Minor (USA) 220
6. Daniel Erickson (AUS) 172 – contested four rounds only
