In Dramatic Race Jenks Prevails!
In a race that saw several of the top contenders off track and playing in the marbles it was Steve Jenks perservere and take the race one win!
Under sunny skies Nick Palacio leads the pack to the green flag. Steve Jenks, 2018 champion, sits second. Chas Shaffer, in his first F2000 Championship Series event of the year is third. The flag flies, Palacio gets a nice run, Shaffer goes by Jenks. Championship leader, Brandon Dixon, is up to fourth. Bob Wright secures fifth, he’s ahead of points rival, Peter Gonzalez.
At the start of the third race lap, Palacio stretches a bit of a lead. He has seven tenths in hand. Jenks gets a run on Shaffer into turn one, he gets by. Dixon sits in fourth a second adrift of the battle for second. The top four are covered by just three seconds. Meanwhile, Gonzalez gets by Wright to the take the fifth spot.
At the front, Palacio and Jenks are running nearly identical times. They sit just four tenths of a second apart. Dixon gets a run on Shaffer into turn one. Dixon prevails, he’s now third. The two Van Diemens run a second ahead, but on pace Dixon hasn’t yet shown an advantage.
Fourteen laps remain, Jenks makes an error! He’s off on the exit of turn one. Palacio leads, Dixon is second. That doesn’t stick either, now Dixon is off. He’s fallen to seventh. Palacio has a four second lead on second place Chas Shaffer. Steve Jenks is back to third, Van Diemen race cars lock down the top three spots. Gonzalez is in fourth piloting the lone Radon, he’s closing on the top three. Wright sits fifth.
Twelves laps to circulate, Jenks gets by Shaffer to take over the second spot. Shaffer is dropping backwards into the hands of the surging Gonzalez. The gap is less than a second. Palacio still leads, he has two seconds over Jenks. Gonzalez continues to close on third place Shaffer, Wright is in fifth is running his best laps of the weekend. Dixon circulates in sixth.
With eight to go, Jenks starts to close the gap to the Palacio. It's under a second now. Gonzalez is making progress too, he’s within a second of Shaffer. Wright lurks about two seconds behind Gonzalez. To complete the lap Palacio runs his best lap of the race, it’s not enough though, Jenks gets a run on him and takes the lead into turn one. It’s Palacio’s turn to hunt.
Shaffer has begun to fend off the advances of Gonzalez, the gap is steady at one second. Wright however has found some pace, he’s catching Gonzalez. Similarly, Dixon is getting back on pace, he catches both Gonzalez and Wright. There are five laps left.
Jenks is safe out front, he’s put two seconds between him and Palacio. Shaffer is third, he’s got a second over Gonzalez, Wright is fifth, and Dixon closes in sixth. They come to the line, there are two laps left. Dixon is all over Wright now, the draft plays a part, sure enough Dixon moves into fifth. Dixon now sets his sights on Gonzalez.
The white flag flies, Jenks is comfortable in the lead. Palacio looking similar in second. The battle is for third. Shaffer is in the spot, Gonzalez is close behind, as is Dixon. Dixon has a look into one, he can’t do it!
As they complete the lap, the order stands. Jenks takes race one here at Summit Point. Palacio is second, and Shaffer on his return pro competition stands on the third step of the podium.