Untited States Formula 3 set to kick off

[KC]

The USF3 championship, designed to be a feeder series to F1 for racers from north America, has finally published their schedule.


Schedule...
June 24,25 Tulsa
July 8,9 Memphis
August 19,20 Quebec City
August 27 Watkins Glen
Sept. 22 Indianapolis
Oct.14,15 Phoenix
Oct.28 Irwindale (on the new paved oval circuit)
Nov.19 Aruba (still up in the air)

I am quite happy to see that the season will start up at Hallet Motor Circuit just outside of Tulsa. I plan on beign there to take photios and do a write up on the drivers and teams. If anyone else is close to one, check it out. You never know if you might catch a glimpse on someone poised to move up the competitive ladder.

[marcus]

how comparable is it to say Brittish F3 KC...do they use the latest chassis and the same engines as the brits do ???

I know here in Oz we have had F3 for a while now but it was called F2 until guys started bringing in new chassis and the old cars started having no chance...so now we too have adopted F3 and things are looking good over here for the class in fact last years champion and this years leader Paul stephenson has been offered a drive in some brittish races i believe and will also have a crack at Macau.
Am i right in saying that to qualify for Macau you have to finish in the top 5 in your respective F3 class in whatever country???
im not sure if this is true or not but am interested in this fact and if so does the USF3 offer this scheme to the drivers contesting it ???

[KC]

The chassis are to come from one of three approved makes... Dallara Automobili, Ralt Engineering, or Martini Automobili. This makes it very similar to the European series in chassis selection. The two liter engines are supplied by series sponsor Volkswagen and are leased from Total Motor Development and are serviced by Bertils Racing Engines. The series champion will get an invitation to the Macau Grand Prix, so it does lend the series some immediate respect. The champion will also be guaranteed sponsorship for the race so that there are no chances of a lack of finances blocking a driver from attending. According to the press releases, the USF3 will be run exactly as the European counterpart so that drivers will be ready to the rigors of moving to Europe into a more competitive series. The only concession will be that they will run at least one oval race so that drivers will be able to move laterally into Indy lights or the IRL or up to CART.

[Neil C]

Thanks for the info KC. Keep us informed on the development of this series. It's good to see there is already some side benefits to the USGP.

We need this support program in No. America if F1 is going to grow here.

[Crash Test]

So are they going to run on the ovals? Doesn't just about every other series do that already, and correct me if i'm wrong, but F1 don' race on too many ovals..

How will it go against Lites, Atlantics, Dodge Barber, IRL, Cart etc etc??

[KC]

I think that sponsors had a little to do with oval racing as well. To succeed in America as a racer, you have to be able to race on ovals. Every major series in the US races on ovals as well as other circuits. Personally I think that one of the series will most likely fail. It is a great shame but there just isn't enough support out there for all of them.