Jenks Wins Keystone Speedfest Race 1
Wampum, PA – From pole, Steve Jenks controlled the race at the Keystone Speedfest to take the win in the first F2000 Championship Series event of the weekend, round nine of the 2018 season. The points leader, driving for Tumenas Motorsports, led flag-to-flag from pole, winning ahead of Tim Paul and Davis Durrett on a warm Saturday afternoon.
Jenks got the start he needed, fending off Paul and Durrett into turn one, and then managing the pace over 15 green flag laps to take the checkered flag in round nine of the season at the 2.8-mile Pittsburgh International Race Complex.
“This has always been my best track. We had our first podium and pole here. Not that racing ever owes you anything but I feel like I was owed one,” said Jenks, following his fourth win in nine races. “We had our first pole ever here last year; were leading the race, and had a bizarre mechanical issue when the radiator cap failed. If we were due it was for this track.”
Paul, driving the No. 6 R-Sport machine, matched his qualifying performance, finishing second, with gaps to Jenks in front and Durrett behind.
“We are going to try to win tomorrow. The start was good but the car went away and the tires starting going off on me. We just tried to hold onto it,” added Paul, who was the fastest man around Pittsburgh over two 30-minute practice sessions on Friday.
Durrett matched his best result of the season with his third podium performance of the year, driving for Indy Motorsport Group in the No. 10.
It was a well earned podium performance for the Indiana resident as he spent the first eight laps fighting Reece Everard for the position.
“I couldn’t get by Reece (Everard) on the straights, he was just too fast. But, he got a bad run out of turn one and I was able to get alongside him,” noted Durrett. “The car was getting better throughout the race.”
Trent Walko made nice gains for Arms Up Motorsports, slicing through the field from eighth on the grid to finish fourth, also enjoying a long battle with Everard.
Walko’s Arms Up teammate James Roe was moving through the field early as well before contact with another car ended his day in turn three.
Another encouraging run for title contender Simon Sikes was also interrupted when Sikes went off course in turn one on lap two, dropping through the order and coming home to finish in 11th.
Of note, Championship contender Brandon Dixon did not start the race following a high-speed crash in qualifying. The 2017 Champion suffered a complete brake failure entering turn 17 and had a heavy impact with the tire barrier. While Dixon walked away from the crash unscathed, it rendered his No. 5 beyond repair for the day.
Action continues from the Keystone Speedfest with evening F2000 qualifying, scheduled for 5:20 p.m. local time. The F2000 Series concludes its weekend with a Sunday morning race, scheduled for 15 laps with a green flag at 9:00 a.m.