United States Formula Three Championship Explained
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
Points standings
One bonus point was also awarded to the driver completing the fastest lap during the race.
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
Date | Track |
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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 8 | TBA |
September 23 | TBA |
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
Rnd | Date | Track | Location | Pole position | Race winner | Winning team |
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1 | May 20 | Mosport Park | Bowmanville, Ontario | Luciano Gomide | Luciano Gomide | EuroInternational |
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2 | June 24 | Mosport Park | Bowmanville, Ontario | Luciano Gomide | Luciano Gomide | EuroInternational |
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3 | July 29 | Watkins Glen International | Watkins Glen, New York | Luciano Gomide | Luciano Gomide | EuroInternational |
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— | August 5 | Circuit Trois-Rivières | Trois-Rivières, Quebec | Race cancelled |
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4 | August 19 | Mosport Park | Bowmanville, Ontario | Luciano Gomide | Luciano Gomide | EuroInternational |
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— | September 1 | Circuit Ste-Croix | Sainte-Croix, Quebec | Race cancelled |
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— | September 2 |
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5 | September 1 | Mosport Park | Bowmanville, Ontario | John C. Antonio | Race abandoned |
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6 | September 2 | ? | Luciano Gomide | EuroInternational |
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— | September 16 | Pocono Raceway | Long Pond, Pennsylvania | Race cancelled due to the September 11 attacks |
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7 | September 22 | Circuit Mont-Tremblant | Mont-Tremblant, Quebec | Luciano Gomide | Luciano Gomide | EuroInternational |
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8 | September 23 | John C. Antonio | Luciano Gomide | EuroInternational |
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9 | October 21 | Watkins Glen International | Watkins Glen, New York | John C. Antonio | John C. Antonio | EuroInternational |
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— | October 27 | Sears Point Raceway | Sonoma, California | Race cancelled |
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— | October 28 |
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— | November 3 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | Las Vegas, Nevada | Race cancelled |
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— | November 4 |
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[13] | |
Points standings
Pos | Driver | Team | Chassis | MOS | MOS | WGL | MOS | MOS | MTB | WGL | Pts |
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1 | Luciano Gomide | EuroInternational | Dallara F399 | width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;" | 1 | width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;" | 1 | width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;" | 1 | width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;" | 1 | width=4% | NC | width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;" | 1 | width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;" | 1 | width=4% style="background:#FFFFBF;" | 1 | width=4% style="background:#CFCFFF;" | 8 | 70 |
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2 | John C. Antonio | EuroInternational | Dallara F399 | 2 | 2 | 2 | DNS | NC | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 46 |
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3 | Paul Dana | Bertils Racing Engines | Dallara F399 | | | | 2 | | | | | | 6 |
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4= | B. J. Zacharias | Olsson Engineering | Dallara F399 | | 3 | | | | | | | | 4 |
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4= | Jacek Mucha | Orion | Ralt F3/2000 | | | | | NC | 3 | | | | 4 |
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[14] | |
See also
Notes and References
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.