FONTANA, Calif. – The Formula Car Challenge season finale took place this past weekend at Auto Club Speedway. The double-header races counted toward both the West Coast Championship and the Triple Crown National Championship. The races were spectacular and featured some really close battles right up until the checkered flag.
Bill Weaver won both Formula Mazda class races over the weekend, while Stew Tabak and Brad Drew fought hard for the second spot in both races. It was a photo finish on both days with Tabak securing second on both occasions. 2016 Triple Crown champion Robin Shute revisited the series for this event and took both wins in the Pro FM class. All weekend there were an incredible amount of lead changes and battles in the FormulaSPEED class, with Colin Mullan winning Round 13 and Carter Williams taking the win in Round 14.
After the final race on Sunday the teams celebrated the season in one of the corporate suites at Auto Club Speedway.
“We have to thank all of the competitors who participated this season,” said Series official Ben Hettema. “We had 30 unique racers participate in our events this season, and that made for some very exciting racing. Of course it also couldn't have been as successful without the help of our marketing partners Mazda, Goodyear, Molecule, Star Race Cars, Red Line Oil, GoPro, Wine Country Motorsports, SCCA, and NASA.”
2017 FCC presented by Goodyear West Coast Regional Champions:
Pro Formula Mazda: Jim Mali
Formula Mazda: Bill Weaver
FormulaSPEED: Carter Williams
2017 FCC presented by Goodyear Triple Crown National Champions:
Pro Formula Mazda: Jim Mali
Formula Mazda: Bill Weaver
FormulaSPEED: Carter Williams
By winning the FormulaSPEED championship Carter Williams becomes a semi-finalist in the Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200k Scholarship Shootout.
“Our series and drivers really appreciate that Mazda recognizes the FCC presented by Goodyear as being worthy of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Driver ladder programs,” stated Series Official Mark Milazzo. “We also really appreciate the amount of investment that Mazda makes into the sport we all love.”
At every Formula Car Challenge event series partners provide additional awards to the competitors. Select drivers were awarded complimentary Goodyear Racing tires. Pole sitters were each presented with The Molecule Pole Award. The Molecule Pole Award is given to the fastest qualifier in each class. The award includes a selection of Molecule suit care products.
The series heads back to Southern California next for the 2018 FCC Winter Series opening weekend on the Auto Club Speedway road course January 13-14. The 2018 regular season schedule is currently being finalized and will be posted in an upcoming newsletter later this month.