Nico Jamin knew that racing in Toronto against the top Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda contenders would be a tough weekend. With that in mind, Jamin, who came to Canada with the championship lead after nine races, accomplished his goal: score two pole positions, secure a second-place finish in Race 1 on Saturday, and then win Round 11 on Sunday.
The first two practice sessions on Friday showed that Pabst Racing and Jamin's team, Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing, would be contenders for the two race victories to grab this weekend.
Driving the No 2 SYNOVA Eco Plastics, BRM Chronographes/All Road Academy Van Diemen Mazda, Jamin went all out on Saturday morning and captured the pole position on the 1.755 mile, 11-turn Exhibition Place street circuit. That was Jamin's seventh pole of the 2015 season. His impressive streak of pole positions continued, as the Frenchman took his fifth, consecutive qualifying pole of 2015. The Cape Motorsports' driver and championship leader turned in the only lap under the 1-minute and 11-second barrier, beating his nearest rival, Jake Eidson, to pole by nearly three-tenths of a second with a lap time of 1:10.765.
On Saturday afternoon, Jamin was dreaming of another win and his first on a temporary street course of the season. Unfortunately, despite a decent, double-file, rolling start, poleman Jamin lost the lead to rival Eidson on Lap 1. Jamin applied big pressure on Eidson to take the lead back during the first third of the race, but he had to give up towards the end, finishing second in Race 1.
The young 19-year-old driver from Rouen showed his disappointment, but inside himself, he said that he was already thinking of how to make amends for Race 2, scheduled the next morning. Jamin's second-place finish in the Allied Building Products Grand Prix of Toronto allowed him to maintain his edge in the point standings by a slim, nine-point advantage over Eidson, after Race 1.
The rain invited itself for Race 2 on Sunday. Thanks to his fast time during qualifying on Saturday, Jamin started on the pole again.
Motivated, Jamin took a good start and battled against the treacherous track during the first portion of the wet race.
Out front, Jamin led Eidson by two seconds, but Jamin, who was trying hard, hit the wall with his left-side tires at a relatively high speed. Jamin's suspension, however, seemed undamaged, and it had no effect on his pace. A few laps later, Parker Thompson hit the wall to bring out another caution. The cars cruised behind the safety car, before the officials decided to call the race, due to weather conditions.
Jamin led all 15 laps of the shortened race from pole and returned to victory lane after a two-race absence, winning the Sunday race on the very wet streets of Toronto.
Jamin scored his fifth victory of the season and increased his lead in the championship before the next rounds scheduled at Mid-Ohio on Aug. 1 and 2.
Mid-Ohio will be a crucial rendezvous for Jamin and his rivals, since three races are scheduled on the track that happens to be his favorite track in America.
Jamin is now returning to France, then next week, he will be in Viareggio, Tuscany, Italy, where, as a member of Nicolas Todt's All Road Academy, he will spend some very valuable time at Formula Medicine.
Formula Medicine is the leader in the development of highly specific and innovative programs for the psychological and physical preparation of drivers, as part of a medical and scientific research project, which began in motorsports more than 25 years ago.
Follow Nico Jamin all season on his website: www.racingforfrance.com, on Facebook at www.facebook/nicojamin.racing and on Twitter @Nico_Jamin.