MOTORSPORT: Aussie stars in US F2000 debut

Scott Andrews arrived fashionably late for his racing debut in America, but the 22-year-old Victorian cannot blame Qantas for landing him Stateside six months after the start of Cooper Tires United States Formula 2000 Championship.

Debuting at Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca in California for rounds 11 and 12 of the 14-round national series should have been a non-event, but Andrews -- driving a car he’d never driven before and on a circuit he’d never seen before -- was immediately and sensationally quick.

He delivered the quickest lap time during the second practice session and again proved his talents during the third practice, posting a time seven hundredths behind series points leader Canadian Scott Hargrove.

Andrews’ smooth and controlled driving style suits the hilly 3.6km  Laguna Seca circuit.

“It is a cross between Bathurst and Phillip Island,” said Andrews. “You need to keep your corner speed up as you do at Phillip Island and there’s a lot of elevation change like Bathurst.”

John Church admitted to not having much reason to smile this season. The owner of the JDC Motorsport Team based in Minnesota had filed through a few drivers until introduced to Andrews by James Davison, a fellow Aussie driving for Dale Coyne in the IndyCar series.

A big grin had now taken residence on Church’s face.

“I like Australian drivers; they never give up and they drive hard,” he said after Andrews’ impressive showing during the day’s practice sessions.

“We have a good car, but this series is more about the driver than the car. It’s 90 per cent driver and 10 per cent car.”

Matthew Brabham, son of Geoff and grandson of Jack, won the US F2000 championship last year, so Aussies have a solid reputation in the US. And now that the big Aussie dollar buys more than the groceries, Andrews realised the real value in building a career in the US.

Midday qualifying Saturday didn’t go well for Andrews, who spun on the out-lap. He eventually qualified 10th quickest for round 11 and climbed to sixth during the 16-lap race.

The learning curve climbs quickly at this level and Andrews admits his lack of experience in a winged chassis resulted in a few strategic mistakes. Still, an impressive result for the new gun.

He started round 12 from 11th on the grid and battled with a handful of other cars to hold ninth at the finish.

So where from here? Andrews will travel to Houston, Texas with the JDC Motorsport Team hoping to raise the funds to race the final rounds of the 2013 US F2000 Championship.

For a bloke with pocket loads of talent, the real challenge is finding the required pocket change.

Image supplied by Andrews Motorsport