Photo: Gavin Baker Photography
Bruno Ribeiro seized the Formula Regional Americas points lead after taking his first two wins at Mid-Ohio last weekend.
Toney Driver Development’s Brady Golan started the event on top, setting a 1m18.909s to lead Kiwi Motorsport’s Ribeiro by 0.167 seconds in practice.
Ribeiro moved ahead in qualifying, pipping team-mate Nicolas Ambiado to pole by 0.087s after posting a 1m18.638s laptime. Golan was 0.175s off pole in third, and Crosslink Competition’s Titus Sherlock trailed by 0.238s in fourth.
Race one was a lights-to-flag success for Ribeiro. He managed a small gap at first, then grew it to 1.6s in the race’s second half. Sherlock, who had overtaken Golan on lap one, began filling Ambiado’s mirrors with two laps to go and then on the last lap Ambiado attacked Ribeiro and finished just 0.2s behind.
Golan kept Kiwi’s Jett Bowling and Nicolas Stati behind until lap 12, when Bowling made a move under braking into turn four. Stati did the same on lap 15, having failed to get through at The Keyhole, and once ahead they both could show their true pace. Bowling cut his gap to the leader down from nine seconds to 3.3s by the finish, with Stati a further 4.3s back and Golan another 9.2s behind.
Setting the fastest lap put Ribeiro on pole for race two, but lost the lead to Ambiado straight away. They were side-by-side again until a caution was called as they reached turn four due to Crosslink’s Hayden Bowlsbey being stuck on the grid.
Racing resumed on lap three, and Ribeiro had to defend from sherlock. That helped Ambiado build a gap, but Ribeiro drew him back in. On lap 14 he tried moves at turns two and four, then they made contact on lap 15.
Ribeiro hassled Ambiado again on the last lap but came 0.247s short of victory.
Sherlock was dropped early on, and had Bowling and Stati were pressuring him by mid-race. Stati eventually lost pace after so long spent in Bowling’s aerowash, and Bowling finally made his move on Sherlock at The Keyhole on the penultimate lap.
Ribeiro’s suprerior pace meant he started on pole for race three too, but he was late to react to the start. Amabiado led into turn one, and Ribeiro tried going past on the outside at turn four as Sherlock attempted the same on Bowling for third.
While Ribeiro tucked back in, Sherlock flew off the the road but did not lose any places. Ribeiro looked to the inside of turn four on lap two, had another go on lap nine then got it done on lap 12.
Their battling initially helped Bowling close in, as he had managed his pace after Sherlock and Stati retired with car issues behind.
Ambiado struggled for pace later on, and Bowling got closer to him again. A wobble exiting turn one on the final lap cost Ambiado second, with Ribeiro 4.3s up the road.
Pre-event it was announced that Bowling has joined the Brabham Group to be managed and mentored by its owner, Le Mans 24 Hours winner David Brabham. Bowling was signed as a Chip Ganassi Racing junior driver too earlier this year.
Results round-up
Race 1 (23 laps)
1 Bruno Ribeiro Kiwi Motorsport 30m44.599s
2 Nicolas Ambiado Kiwi Motorsport +0.201s
3 Titus Sherlock Crosslink Competition +0.779s
4 Jett Bowling Kiwi Motorsport +3.304s
5 Nicolas Stati Kiwi Motorsport +7.635s
6 Brady Golan Toney Driver Development +16.802s
7 Hayden Bowlsbey Crosslink Competition +37.874s
8 James Lawley Atlantic Racing Team +38.475s
9 Connor Roberts Atlantic w/ Team Roberts +39.208s
10 Jake Pollack Crosslink Competition +44.269s
Pole: Ribeiro, 1m18.638s
Fastest lap: Ribeiro, 1m19.137s
Race 2 (21 laps)
1 Ambiado 30m00.284s
2 Ribeiro +0.247s
3 Bowling +2.971s
4 Sherlock +7.506s
5 Stati +11.677s
6 Roberts +17.824s
7 Lawley +20.669s
8 Golan +21.580s
9 Pollack +34.379s
10 Barrett Wolfe Crosslink Competition +46.094s
FL: Ribeiro, 1m19.135s
Race 3 (22 laps)
1 Ribeiro 29m36.351s
2 Bowling +4.365s
3 Ambiado +5.160s
4 Golan +29.455s
5 Roberts +29.835s
6 Lawley +36.061s
7 Bowlsbey +37.158s
8 Pollack +37.548s
9 Wolfe +1m03.878s
10 Kevin Janzen Kiwi Motorsport +1 lap
FL: Ribeiro, 1m19.974s
Championship standings
1 Ribeiro 166 2 Ambiado 163 3 Bowling 136 4 Sherlock 126 5 Golan 96 6 Stati 82 7 Roberts 48.5 8 Lawley 41.5 9 Daniel Quimby 40 10 Alex Benavitz 29