The 2021 Championship kicked off from Carolina Motorsports Park with new partners, new drivers, and track records with cool weather in Kershaw, South Carolina.
With a brand new track to F1000 Pro Racing, multiple drivers took advantage of official pre-season testing on Wednesday prior to opening weekend. Rolling out in brand new cars for 2021 both Rhys Myers and Steve Hamilton took advantage to dial in their new JDR’s.
Steve Hamilton
Rhys Myers
Welcome to F1000 Pro Racing John Wilhelmi
THURSDAY MORNING BROUGHT OFFICIAL PRACTICE AND TESTING WITH 12 CARS HITTING THE TRACK TO KICK OFF THE 2021 SEASON. NEWCOMERS JOHN WILHELMI and Nathan Byrd TURNED THEIR FIRST LAPS IN F1000 PRO RACING, WITH NATHAN, FRESH OUT OF THE LUCAS OIL RACING SERIES,
COMMENTING “THESE ARE REALLY FAST.”
As with every race weekend, Friday night was the random drawing awards and dinner social for F1000. Normally held in hospitality, the series was lucky enough to avoid the dropping temperatures with an invite to move into the Momentum Motorsports warm and dry race shop.
Teams were treated to a great meal courtesy of Right Turn Promotions
complete with sauces provided by new series partner – Gumbas Sauces and Salsas.
And THEN IT WAS TIME TO GIVE AWAY CASH AND PRIZES THANKS TO SERIES PARTNERS! THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
Due to Easter weekend, the schedule was a bit different than normal,
and drivers rolled out for Round 1 Qualifying on Friday afternoon.
Setting the pace early, the defending champion Alex Mayer edged out Shane Prieto
for the MPT Industries Pole Position in round 1.
Round 1 Qualifying Results
| 1. | Alex Mayer | #77 | Technotecs | JDR Suzuki | 1:24.229 |
| 2. | Shane Prieto | #43 | Perspective Glass Co. | Firman Kawasaki | 1:25.828 |
| 3. | Reilly Harris | #12 | Mantac LLC | Van Diemen Suzuki | 1:27.514 |
| 4. | Tim Pierce | #81 | Waterfall Security Solutions | JDR Suzuki | 1:27.801 |
| 5. | Charles Livingston | #33 | BJF Motorsports | JDR Suzuki | 1:28.044 |
| 6. | Nathan Byrd – R | #39 | Arrive Drive Motorsports | JDR Suzuki | 1:28.542 |
| 7. | Doug Hertz | #13 | Sunrise Solar Solutions | Firman Kawasaki | 1:29.241 |
| 8. | Steve Hamilton | #93 | CSI Leasing / EPCusa.com | JDR Suzuki | 1:29.264 |
| 9. | Joel Haas – R | #94 | Parametric Solutions | Piper Kawasaki | 1:29.344 |
| 10. | Rhys Myers | #70 | 2 Veloce Racing | JDR Suzuki | 1:33.344 |
| 11. | Jason Slahor | #19 | Slahor Racing | Citation Kawasaki | no time |
| 12. | John Wilhelmi- R | #31 | Papa John’s Pizza | Firman Suzuki | no time |
With the compacted schedule of a no Sunday weekend, Round 1 was early on Saturday morning. Chilly temperatures proved to challenge teams and drivers – yet once again Mayer and Prieto set sail to battle it out for the top spot. Reilly Harris looked set to claim third, yet would retire late in the race with mechanical issues, opening the door for Tim pierce.
Climbing from 8th to 4th, Steve Hamilton would earn the Sunoco Hard Charger in a tie with Jason Slahor, coming from 11th to 7th. With mid pack battles between Hertz and Livingston – just out of the clutches of slahor.
Round 1 Race Results
| 1. | Alex Mayer | #77 | Technotecs | JDR Suzuki | 1:23.774 |
| 2. | Shane Prieto | #43 | Perspective Glass Co. | Firman Kawasaki | 1:24.561 |
| 3. | Tim Pierce | #81 | Waterfall Security Solutions | JDR Suzuki | 1:27.292 |
| 4. | Steve Hamilton | #93 | CSI Leasing / EPCusa.com | JDR Suzuki | 1:27.716 |
| 5. | Charles Livingston | #33 | BJF Motorsports | JDR Suzuki | 1:30.728 |
| 6. | Doug Hertz | #13 | Sunrise Solar Solutions | Firman Kawasaki | 1:30.425 |
| 7. | Jason Slahor | #19 | Slahor Racing | Citation Kawasaki | 1:38.019 |
| 8. | Joel Haas – R | #94 | Parametric Solutions | Piper Kawasaki | 1:29.493 |
| 9. | Nathan Byrd – R | #39 | Arrive Drive Motorsports | JDR Suzuki | 1:29.758 |
| 10. | Reilly Harris | #12 | Mantac LLC | Van Diemen Suzuki | 1:25.575 |
| 11. | Rhys Myers | #70 | 2 Veloce Racing | JDR Suzuki | 1:39.564 |
| DNS | John Wilhelmi – R | #31 | Papa John’s Pizza | Firman Suzuki |
Alex Mayer –
Round 1 & Round 2 Scott Young Fastest Lap
Round 2 Qualifying Results
| 1. | Alex Mayer | #77 | Technotecs | JDR Suzuki | 1:22.818 |
| 2. | Shane Prieto | #43 | Perspective Glass Co. | Firman Kawasaki | 1:24.197 |
| 3. | Reilly Harris | #12 | Mantac LLC | Van Diemen Suzuki | 1:26.008 |
| 4. | Steve Hamilton | #93 | CSI Leasing / EPCusa.com | JDR Suzuki | 1:26.278 |
| 5. | Nathan Byrd – R | #39 | Arrive Drive Motorsports | JDR Suzuki | 1:27.101 |
| 6. | Tim Pierce | #81 | Waterfall Security Solutions | JDR Suzuki | 1:27.298 |
| 7. | Charles Livingston | #33 | BJF Motorsports | JDR Suzuki | 1:27.638 |
| 8. | Doug Hertz | #13 | Sunrise Solar Solutions | Firman Kawasaki | 1:27.834 |
| 9. | Jason Slahor | #19 | Slahor Racing | Citation Kawasaki | 1:37.108 |
| 10. | Rhys Myers | #70 | 2 Veloce Racing | JDR Suzuki | 1:37.214 |
| 11. | John Wilhelmi – R | #31 | Papa John’s Pizza | Firman Suzuki | no time |
| 12. | Joel Haas – R | #94 | Parametric Solutions | Piper Kawasaki | no time |
Once again in Round 2 Qualifying and Race it was Mayer and Prieto back and for the top spot, and once again Tim Pierce joined the podium, and earned the Sunoco Hard Charger coming from 6th.
Battling for 4th late in the race, newcomer Nathan Byrd and Steve Hamilton stayed locked for multiple laps, putting on a great show. In the end Byrd would take the spot from hamilton and take the lead in the rookie points.
Having issues in both Race 1 and 2, Reilly Harris set great qualifying runs lining up p3 both days, yet would retire from Race 1 and be forced to slow way down to recover for 6th in Round 2.
The 2020 Rookie of the Year – Rhys Myers took delivery of a new car at Carolina, switching from the Stohr to a JDR, and continued to develop throughout the weekend, dropping times every session.
Newcomer to F1000 Pro Racing John Wilhelmi enjoyed the laps he was able to get, but as he put it – “had shifter issues and just couldn’t make it go.” However John said they will work out the bugs and be ready for Mid-Ohio in just a few weeks.
Round 2 Race Results
| 1. | Alex Mayer | #77 | Technotecs | JDR Suzuki | 1:23.638 |
| 2. | Shane Prieto | #43 | Perspective Glass Co. | Firman Kawasaki | 1:24.515 |
| 3. | Tim Pierce | #81 | Waterfall Security Solutions | JDR Suzuki | 1:26.108 |
| 4. | Nathan Byrd – R | #39 | Arrive Drive Motorsports | JDR Suzuki | 1:26.196 |
| 5. | Steve Hamilton | #93 | CSI Leasing / EPCusa.com | JDR Suzuki | 1:26.330 |
| 6. | Reilly Harris | #12 | Mantac LLC | Van Diemen Suzuki | 1:25.507 |
| 7. | Jason Slahor | #19 | Slahor Racing | Citation Kawasaki | 1:30.794 |
| 8. | Rhys Myers | #70 | 2 Veloce Racing | JDR Suzuki | 1:32.505 |
| 9. | Charles Livingston | #33 | BJF Motorsports | JDR Suzuki | 1:26.689 |
| dnf | Doug Hertz | #13 | Sunrise Solar Solutions | Firman Kawasaki | 1:26.242 |
| dnf | Joel Haas – R | #94 | Parametric Solutions | Piper Kawasaki | 1:29.276 |
| dns | John Wilhelmi – R | #31 | Papa John’s Pizza | Firman Suzuki | no time |
Alex Mayer
Round 1 & 2 Winner
Scott Young Fastest Lap
New Track Record
Shane Prieto
Round 1 & 2 Runner-Up
Tim Pierce
3rd Place Round 1 & 2
Round 2 Sunoco Hard Charger