Jeffrey Bartz Enters F1600 Championship

Plymouth, WI - Sixteen-year-old Jeffrey Bartz has big plans, and those start with the 2012 F1600 Formula F Championship Series, which he will contest with a Van Diemen/Honda. Bartz's interest in racing began at age five at a local kart track in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Since then he has won over 90 feature races and 11 karting championships.

Bartz at the Runoffs. Credit: F1600 Championship

A sophomore in high school, Bartz said the car is being prepared with help from the team at Wolf Motorsports. Plans are to go testing before the season opens in Virginia on April 12.

"My eventual goal is to make it in a sports car, Indy Car or a European formula series,"� he said.

"The biggest challenge for 2012 will be coming up with the funding to make the season possible. I am working on a title sponsorship right now, which should be done soon, and then I will finalize a couple of secondary sponsors to help me out with this season and hopefully the next. I ran a F1600 last year in the SCCA, so I have experience in the type of car, and I am confident we can run with the field."�

At 15, he is believed to be the youngest driver ever to race at the Runoffs having qualified seventh, in a car built seven years before he was born.

Unfortunately, the car developed an electrical problem during the race which forced Jeffrey out of competition.

He added: "However, as I reflect on the season, a win and track record at Brainerd in May, a fifth place finish in the rain at the June Sprints, along with a pole and second place finish at the Autobahn in July, I am pleased with my results for 2011."�

Bartz will have his work cut out for him in a deep F1600 field, including a recently added Mygale factory team run by Bryan Herta Autosport, numerous seasoned veterans, and a number of other aspiring drivers looking to make a name for themselves before moving to the F2000 Championship Series.

The 12-race, six-weekend 2012 season starts at VIRginia International Raceway, April 12-15.

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