Team principal Brian Graham made a successful return to the cockpit this past weekend at the opening rounds of the newly announced series. Virginia International Raceway hosted the historic event and by all accounts it was very successful. With a top 5 qualifying effort for round one, hopes were high for a top 5 result but after getting shuffled out during the first sequence of corners and giving up several spots Brian had to fight his way back to finish 8th.
Still pleased with the result as it has been several years since his last F1600 event the plan was to improve on Sunday. Qualifying was wild for Sunday's event with tow trucks and service vehicles on and off the track and mud being carried on the circuit from cars returning to the racing surface after excursions it looked like the best laps were done and with a solid time already in the books Brian chose to sit on his time in pit lane. He paid the penalty as two drivers leaped past him on their last lap to bump him to 7th on the grid. Just 6/10 of a second separated 3rd to 11th place so the race was going to be intense.
As expected the racing was very close and when the checkered flag fell the BGR Team Grote entry had climbed to 5th with a solid run. "I am very pleased with my first weekend of racing in what seems like a decade! It has been fun running our young guns over the last several years but it was nice to be back in the car. I am certainly a little rusty still but it is coming back now. The series is very competitive and to be in the top 5 is a great result. Knowing all the folks from the F2000 side and how they run that series I knew what a great series this would be immediately. They do an outstanding job and it really just reminds me of what we have in the OFFC with the "only F1600" rules and how enjoyable that is. Sitting 5th in points, I am looking forward to Watkins Glen. My first visit to VIR was great and we hope to build on that performance."
BGR Team Grote is now preparing for the upcoming OFFC season and is also looking to continue it's involvement in the F1600 Championship Series. "We have shown that we can provide competitive cars for both series and have seats available in both Championships. Interested parties can contact the team for more info through the team website. www.briangrahamracing.com.
PHOTO: From F1600 Championship Series
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