United States Formula Three Championship Explained

U.S. Formula 3 Championship
Category:Formula Three
Inaugural:2000
Folded:2001
Constructors:Dallara, Ralt
Engines:Volkswagen
Tyres:Avon
Country/Region:United States, Canada
Champion Driver: Luciano Gomide
Champion Team: EuroInternational

The United States Formula Three Championship was a short-lived Formula Three championship contested in the United States and Canada. Sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America,[1] the series lasted for two seasons, 2000 and 2001. All teams used Volkswagen engines tuned by Bertils Racing Engines.[2]

The series was plagued by low car counts; no more than 6 cars contested races in the inaugural season. In 2001, fields were bolstered by Formula Ford, Formula Continental, and even Sports 2000 and historic Formula 5000 cars, as no race had more than 3 Formula Three cars on the grid. 14 of the series' 19 races were won by Brazilian driver Luciano Gomide. A 2002 season was planned with 13 races, including a doubleheader supporting the 2002 United States Grand Prix, but was ultimately cancelled.[3]

2000 season

The 2000 season was contested over 11 races at 6 race meetings. The schedule initially included two oval races at Indianapolis Raceway Park and Irwindale Speedway, but these were later cancelled.[4] [5] The round at San Diego was a joint race with the Mexican Formula Three Championship, although the Mexican series ran with older, slower machinery.[6] Stuart Crow won the championship by 5 points over Luciano Gomide. Gomide joined the series after the first 4 rounds, and won pole and the race at the final 7 events on the calendar.

Schedule and results

RndDateTrackLocationPole positionFastest race lapRace winnerWinning team
1June 24Hallett Motor Racing Circuit Hallett, Oklahoma Stuart Crow Stuart Crow Adam AndrettiDuesenberg Racing
2June 25 Adam Andretti Stuart Crow Stuart CrowDave McMillan Racing
3July 7Memphis Motorsports Park Millington, Tennessee Stuart Crow Stuart Crow Stuart CrowDave McMillan Racing
4July 8 Stuart Crow Stuart Crow Stuart CrowDave McMillan Racing
5August 19Circuit Ste-Croix Sainte-Croix, Quebec Luciano Gomide Luciano Gomide Luciano GomideEuroInternational
6August 20 Luciano Gomide Luciano Gomide Luciano GomideEuroInternational
7August 27Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen, New York Luciano Gomide Luciano Gomide Luciano GomideEuroInternational
September 22Indianapolis Raceway Park Clermont, IndianaRace cancelled
8October 14Sears Point Raceway Sonoma, California Luciano Gomide Luciano Gomide Luciano GomideEuroInternational
9October 15 Luciano Gomide Luciano Gomide Luciano GomideEuroInternational
October 28Irwindale Speedway Irwindale, CaliforniaRace cancelled
10November 4Streets of San Diego San Diego, California Luciano Gomide Luciano Gomide Luciano GomideEuroInternational
11November 5 Luciano Gomide Luciano Gomide Luciano GomideEuroInternational
[7]

Points standings

One bonus point was also awarded to the driver completing the fastest lap during the race.
PosDriverTeamChassisHALMEMSTCWGLSPTSDGPts
1 Stuart CrowDave McMillan RacingRalt F3/2000width=4% style="background:#DFFFDF;"5width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;"1width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;"1width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;"1width=4% style="background:#FFDF9F;"3width=4% style="background:#DFFFDF;"5width=4% style="background:#DFDFDF;"2width=4% style="background:#FFDF9F;"3width=4% style="background:#DFFFDF;"5width=4% style="background:#DFDFDF;"2width=4% style="background:#DFFFDF;"4152
2 Luciano GomideEuroInternationalDallara F3991111111147
3 Adam AndrettiDuesenberg RacingDallara F3991233433226DNS129
4 George FrazierEuroInternationalDallara F39934522245342122
5 Skip WeldWeldsportsDallara F39925445454DNS5399
6 Paul JenkinsPilette Speed TraditionDallara F39943DNS6438
7 Robert SkollenskogPilette Speed TraditionDallara F3992515
8 Marcelo GaffoglioPilette Speed TraditionDallara F3993DNS12
9 David RosenblumWeldsportsDallara F399666
[8]

2001 season

An initial 13-race calendar was announced for the 2001 season,[9] however after losing their financial backing,[10] the series was re-arranged to a 15-race schedule with the addition of more rounds in Canada.[11] With low car counts eminent, the series considered using Formula Super Vee cars as a "Class B",[12] but instead Formula Ford and Formula Continental cars filled out fields. No more than three Formula 3 cars participated in any race; five of the nine races were contested only by the EuroInternational teammates Luciano Gomide and John C. Antonio. Gomide won all but one race and took the championship title.

Initial schedule

DateTrack
April 22 Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale, Arizona
May 20 Mosport Park, Bowmanville, Ontario
June 10 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio
June 30/July 1 Quebec City Street Course, Quebec City, Quebec
July 8TBA
September 23TBA
October 27/28 Laguna Seca Raceway, Monterey, California
November 3/4 Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada
November Streets of San Diego, San Diego, California

Schedule and results

RndDateTrackLocationPole positionRace winnerWinning team
1May 20Mosport Park Bowmanville, Ontario Luciano Gomide Luciano GomideEuroInternational
2June 24Mosport Park Bowmanville, Ontario Luciano Gomide Luciano GomideEuroInternational
3July 29Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen, New York Luciano Gomide Luciano GomideEuroInternational
August 5Circuit Trois-Rivières Trois-Rivières, QuebecRace cancelled
4August 19Mosport Park Bowmanville, Ontario Luciano Gomide Luciano GomideEuroInternational
September 1Circuit Ste-Croix Sainte-Croix, QuebecRace cancelled
September 2
5September 1Mosport Park Bowmanville, Ontario John C. AntonioRace abandoned
6September 2? Luciano GomideEuroInternational
September 16Pocono Raceway Long Pond, PennsylvaniaRace cancelled due to the September 11 attacks
7September 22Circuit Mont-Tremblant Mont-Tremblant, Quebec Luciano Gomide Luciano GomideEuroInternational
8September 23 John C. Antonio Luciano GomideEuroInternational
9October 21Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen, New York John C. Antonio John C. AntonioEuroInternational
October 27Sears Point Raceway Sonoma, CaliforniaRace cancelled
October 28
November 3Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, NevadaRace cancelled
November 4
[13]

Points standings

PosDriverTeamChassisMOSMOSWGLMOSMOSMTBWGLPts
1 Luciano GomideEuroInternationalDallara F399width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;"1width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;"1width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;"1width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;"1width=4%NCwidth=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;"1width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;"1width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;"1width=4% style="background:#CFCFFF;"870
2 John C. AntonioEuroInternationalDallara F399222DNSNC222146
3 Paul DanaBertils Racing EnginesDallara F39926
4= B. J. ZachariasOlsson EngineeringDallara F39934
4= Jacek MuchaOrionRalt F3/2000NC34
[14]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SCCA Pro Racing to sanction U.S. Formula Three. Press release. 24 June 2012. https://archive.today/20130129081931/http://www.motorsport.com/f3/news/scca-pro-racing-to-sanction-u-s-formula-three/?v=2&y=1999&s=1&i=20. 29 January 2013. 18 August 1999. live.
  2. Web site: Örnerdal. Stefan. Formula 3 2000 Championship Tables. Formula2.net. 11 June 2012. 11 August 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100617232111/http://www.formula2.net/F300_Tables.htm. 17 June 2010. live.
  3. Web site: 2002 USF3 tentative schedule. Press release. 24 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304204034/http://www.motorsport.com/f3/news/usf3-2002-usf3-tentative-schedule/?v=2&y=2001&s=1&i=3. 4 March 2016. 5 December 2001. live.
  4. Web site: US-F3 Schedule Announced. Press release. 24 June 2012. 10 December 1999. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304093637/http://www.motorsport.com/f3/news/usf3-us-f3-schedule-announced/?v=2&y=1999&s=1&i=1. 4 March 2016. live.
  5. Web site: Irwindale event cancelled. Press release. 24 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061134/http://www.motorsport.com/f3/news/usf3-irwindale-event-cancelled/?v=2&y=2000&s=1&i=25. 4 March 2016. 17 September 2000. live.
  6. Web site: Largest filed heads to San Diego GP. Press release. 24 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110714/http://www.motorsport.com/f3/news/usf3-largest-filed-heads-to-san-diego-gp/?v=2&y=2000&s=1&i=15. 4 March 2016. 31 October 2000. live.
  7. Web site: Zenger. Michael. Race Calendar: US Formula 3 - Season 2000. Speedsport Magazine. 11 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20110107153324/http://speedsport-magazine.com/motorsport/formula-level3/us-formula-3/2000/calendar.html. 7 January 2011. live.
  8. Web site: Zenger. Michael. Complete quali- and race-results: US Formula 3 - Season 2000. Speedsport Magazine. 11 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120929140009/http://www.speedsport-magazine.com/motorsport/formula-level3/us-formula-3/2000/results.html. 29 September 2012. live.
  9. Web site: US-F3 2001 race schedule. Press release. 24 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304195240/http://www.motorsport.com/f3/news/usf3-us-f3-2001-race-schedule/?v=2&y=2000&s=1&i=6. 4 March 2016. 4 December 2000. live.
  10. Web site: Series looses backing. 24 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070509/http://www.motorsport.com/f3/news/usf3-series-looses-backing/?v=2&y=2001&s=1&i=83. 4 March 2016. 8 February 2001. live.
  11. Web site: United States Formula Three 2001 schedule. Press release. 24 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304204050/http://www.motorsport.com/f3/news/usf3-united-states-formula-three-2001-schedule/?v=2&y=2001&s=1&i=64. 4 March 2016. 21 June 2001. live.
  12. Web site: USF3 to consider Super Vee as 'Group B'. 24 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305014240/http://www.motorsport.com/f3/news/usf3-usf3-to-consider-super-vee-as-group-b/?v=2&y=2001&s=1&i=87. 5 March 2016. 11 January 2001. live.
  13. Web site: Zenger. Michael. Race Calendar: US Formula 3 - Season 2001. Speedsport Magazine. 11 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120929012535/http://www.speedsport-magazine.com/motorsport/formula-level3/us-formula-3/2001/calendar.html. 29 September 2012. live.
  14. Web site: Zenger. Michael. Complete quali- and race-results: US Formula 3 - Season 2001. Speedsport Magazine. 11 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120314135607/http://www.speedsport-magazine.com/motorsport/formula-level3/us-formula-3/2001/results.html. 14 March 2012. live.