Rob Sabato wins at Sebring
03-18-2011 | 11:03 PM
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Rob Sabato wins at Sebring
For those of you who know Rob from 6th Gear, he has won from pole today at Sebring. Congrats Rob!
Downs, Sabato take Round 2 Victories
March 18th, 2011
Share SEBRING, Fl (March 18, 2011) – It was a case of the last man standing, as Lucas Downs took the Lites 1 win after spins by two successive leaders, and Rob Sabato played it carefully to take the Lites 2 victory in Round 2 of the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship, part of the 59th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
One by one, Downs, starting third, watched the adventures of the competitors in front of him. First, young Tristan Nunez spun off in turn 7, then Jonathan Gore, who had stormed up from his fourth place starting spot, passed pole sitter Daniel Goldburg, only to spin off in turn 17. Goldburg came to grief in the tires in turn 4 on the last lap, as Downs played the patient game and took the win ahead of teammate Jon Brownson (#34 Eurosport Racing/Little Mountain Development). Gore, driving the #14 Comprent Motorsports Élan DP02, recovered to finish third, with the drive of the day coming from Antonio Downs, earning fourth position from a last place start after problems on lap one yesterday put him in the back of today’s field.
Lucas Downs (FriedrichPhoto)
“I just tried to stay with those guys,” said Downs, behind the wheel of the #79 Eurosport Racing/Members Mark Chicken Breast entry. “I followed Goldburg as closely as I could – I was faster in some places, but he’s a really good driver and I couldn’t make the pass. He went off on the last lap and that opened the door for me. I’d like to think it was a great drive, but I had a lot of help.
“I’m really proud to be a part of this team and to see my brother come from last to finish fourth, and to see Jon go from ninth to second. It’s really a family – my Dad helps me do this and my wife lets me!”
The race was a bit less adventurous for the Lites 2 drivers, as Rob Sabato, driving the #22 6th Gear Racing West WR1000, won from the pole position, keeping veterans Lee Alexander (#23 Factory 48 Motorsports/APE Raceparts) and Jim Garrett (#42 West Racing/Speed Promo) behind him.
Rob Sabato (FriedrichPhoto)
“I’m happy to finish!” said Sabato. “It was all good – I was worried about Lee and Jim back there, so I just wanted to get a clean start, keep behind the L1 cars in front of me and them behind!”
The Prototype Lites mission is two-fold: present an opportunity for semi-professional race car drivers to compete in a world-class environment while also providing an avenue for drivers to move up the ladder into the LMPC or LMP classes in the American Le Mans Series Presented by Tequila Patrón. The series is divided into two classes: Lites 1, featuring the Élan DP02 chassis, powered by a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder Mazda MP2 engine; and Lites 2, utilizing the West WX10 and WR1000 chassis, with either a Kawasaki ZX10R or a Suzuki GSXR motor.
Downs, Sabato take Round 2 Victories
March 18th, 2011
Share SEBRING, Fl (March 18, 2011) – It was a case of the last man standing, as Lucas Downs took the Lites 1 win after spins by two successive leaders, and Rob Sabato played it carefully to take the Lites 2 victory in Round 2 of the Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship, part of the 59th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
One by one, Downs, starting third, watched the adventures of the competitors in front of him. First, young Tristan Nunez spun off in turn 7, then Jonathan Gore, who had stormed up from his fourth place starting spot, passed pole sitter Daniel Goldburg, only to spin off in turn 17. Goldburg came to grief in the tires in turn 4 on the last lap, as Downs played the patient game and took the win ahead of teammate Jon Brownson (#34 Eurosport Racing/Little Mountain Development). Gore, driving the #14 Comprent Motorsports Élan DP02, recovered to finish third, with the drive of the day coming from Antonio Downs, earning fourth position from a last place start after problems on lap one yesterday put him in the back of today’s field.
Lucas Downs (FriedrichPhoto)
“I just tried to stay with those guys,” said Downs, behind the wheel of the #79 Eurosport Racing/Members Mark Chicken Breast entry. “I followed Goldburg as closely as I could – I was faster in some places, but he’s a really good driver and I couldn’t make the pass. He went off on the last lap and that opened the door for me. I’d like to think it was a great drive, but I had a lot of help.
“I’m really proud to be a part of this team and to see my brother come from last to finish fourth, and to see Jon go from ninth to second. It’s really a family – my Dad helps me do this and my wife lets me!”
The race was a bit less adventurous for the Lites 2 drivers, as Rob Sabato, driving the #22 6th Gear Racing West WR1000, won from the pole position, keeping veterans Lee Alexander (#23 Factory 48 Motorsports/APE Raceparts) and Jim Garrett (#42 West Racing/Speed Promo) behind him.
Rob Sabato (FriedrichPhoto)
“I’m happy to finish!” said Sabato. “It was all good – I was worried about Lee and Jim back there, so I just wanted to get a clean start, keep behind the L1 cars in front of me and them behind!”
The Prototype Lites mission is two-fold: present an opportunity for semi-professional race car drivers to compete in a world-class environment while also providing an avenue for drivers to move up the ladder into the LMPC or LMP classes in the American Le Mans Series Presented by Tequila Patrón. The series is divided into two classes: Lites 1, featuring the Élan DP02 chassis, powered by a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder Mazda MP2 engine; and Lites 2, utilizing the West WX10 and WR1000 chassis, with either a Kawasaki ZX10R or a Suzuki GSXR motor.
