Toppe poised tâo add to top-five start of 2014 campaign in Alabama
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – The chase for Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda glory resumes for JDC MotorSports this coming weekend (April 26-27), with the second event on the series calendar at Barber Motorsports Park. With American up-and-comer Clark Toppe behind the wheel, the multiple junior formula championship-winning squad from Minnesota is poised to build on a top-five 2014 debut outing, and previous success in Alabama.
Ask any racer, and they will tell you track experience/knowledge is a huge advantage when striving for race wins. Going into the second event in the USF2000 Championship title fight, JDC MotorSports' Toppe will benefit from that. The Woodlands, Texas native took part in both the pre-season Chris Griffis Memorial Mazda Road to Indy Test and the Winterfest tripleheader at the 2.38-mile picturesque road course earlier this year, capturing top-10 finishes in all three rounds.
Success by the No. 97 Toppe Motorsports/Red Line Oil/HR-Sportswear pilot, however, will not just be based on these performances. The 16 year-old Toppe indicated his indications for the 2014 campaign with a Winterfest win, and followed that up with a strong top-five finish in the USF2000 Championship season-opening event in St. Petersburg. Given the expertise the skilled JDC crew brings to every event, combined with the continued advancement of Toppe's skills, the stage is set for a run at top honors in Alabama.
"I feel very prepared for Barber, because of the extensive testing and racing we have done there," stated Toppe. "The JDC team and I found a good setup there in the last Winterfest race, so I know I will have a good car. Hopefully we can bring back good results for the team and myself."
The on-track action for JDC MotorSports' Toppe at Barber Motorsports Park gets underway on Thursday (April 24) with a promoter's test day. The quest for Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda race wins officially commences one day later with the lone practice and qualifying runs. Race one is slated for 9:05 am local time on Saturday (April 25), followed by race two at 1 pm local time. Live timing and audio will be available at www.usf2000.com/results/live-timing.
About JDC MotorSports:
Involved in formula car racing since its inception in 1994, JDC MotorSports has established itself as one of the leading junior open-wheel teams in North America. Initially making its mark in the F2000 class of club racing competition, JDC MotorSports was soon a team worth watching in the pro ranks. Competing in the Formula Ford 2000 Zetec Championship, the team not only won races, but also helped develop multiple young drivers. In 2005, JDC MotorSports expanded its efforts, entering the Star Mazda Championship. Quickly becoming one of the top teams in the series, JDC captured both the driver and team titles in 2007, as well as Rookie of the Year honors, with Dane Cameron scoring a series-high three wins. In 2008, JDC MotorSports was the runner-up in the Star Mazda Championship and finished fourth in its inaugural season of F2000 Championship Series competition. The Minnesota-based team won the Star Mazda Championship title with Rookie of the Year Adam Christodoulou, and the F2000 Championship Series title with Chris Miller in 2009. The following year, JDC continued its winning ways, earning the Rookie of the Year award in the Star Mazda Championship with Connor De Phillippi, and scoring a non-points win in the USF2000 National Championship. In 2011, the Minneapolis-based squad captured its third Star Mazda Championship title with Tristan Vautier, scored a win in the USF2000 National Championship, and made its Prototype Lites Championship debut, earning five podium finishes. JDC MotorSports added to its Star Mazda Championship win tally, USF2000 Championship podium total, and finished as the Prototype Lites Championship runner-up in 2012. Last year, the squad continued its run of Pro Mazda and USF2000 podium finishes, and was third in the Prototype Lites title fight.