Podium Delight For JDC Motorsports In USF2000 Doubleheader At NJMP

MILLVILLE, N.J. - JDC MotorSports drivers are becoming a fixture in the Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda post-race podium celebrations, with three more visits this past weekend (June 26-27) during Rounds Five and Six at New Jersey Motorsports Park. Mikhail Goikhberg extended his run of top-three finishes to four in official series competition with a third place result in race one of the doubleheader and a runner-up finish in race two. Raphael Abbate added a third place result in the second race, after finishing seventh in the weekend opener, while Martin Sala crossed the stripe in seventh and fourth in his return to series competition with the Minnesota-based squad.

Mikhail Goikhberg added two more podiums to JDC MotorSports USF2000 racing resume. Credit: Eric McCombs/US F2000 National Championship

Initially taking to the 2.17-mile Thunderbolt Raceway Circuit at the New Jersey Motorsports Park facility via two testing sessions and two practice runs on Thursday and Friday, the JDC trio worked on finding the right car setup for the hot humid conditions. It appeared they were on the right path at the conclusion of the four runs, with Abbate second quickest, Goikhberg third fastest and Sala fourth quickest on the timecharts.

Aware that a good qualifying run would be a key to success during the doubleheader, due in large part to the track layout making overtaking difficult, all three JDC racers wasted little time getting up to speed in the Saturday morning session. Abbate appeared to lead the JDC charge when the checkered flag waved, having turned the third fastest time. Unfortunately the Brazilian's No. 11 Avery Dennison/Alphacolor/Red Line Oil/JDC MotorSports was found to underweight in postqualifying inspection, sending him to rear of the field for race one of the doubleheader. Goikhberg as a result earned the inside row two starting position. With the sixth best time in the session, Sala secured a place on row three for the afternoon race.

Returning to their cockpits a short time later, Round Five proved to be a rather uneventful race for two of the three JDC drivers. Goikhberg, avoiding any early drama, ran the entire race in third place, briefly looking but not finding a way past the car in front. Sala likewise held station in his No. 19 Gulf/Aero Gal/Red Line Oil/JDC MotorSports entry, running in sixth place from start-tofinish. One of the few drivers able to make a pass for position, Abbate advanced from the rear of the field up to seventh place when the checkered flag flew to end the action.

With the grid for race two in the Garden state set by each driver's fastest time in the opening race, Goikhberg secured a front-row position with the second best time, ahead of Sala in sixth and Abbate in seventh.

Being broadcast live on HDNet, Round Six proved to be an entertaining affair, particularly for followers of the JDC MotorSports trio. Goikhberg, piloting the No. 10 Chetverg/Red Line Oil/JDC MotorSports entry, battled for the lead virtually the entire 20-lap affair. While unable to find a way past for the win, the Russian racer earned a fourth consecutive podium finish with a runner-up result, and posted the fastest race lap. Just as impressive were the charges by Abbate and Sala. On a track that is notoriously difficult to pass on, the duo worked their way forward as the race progressed, eventually finishing third and fourth respectively. It marked the second podium finish for Abbate in his inaugural season of North American racing, the best result thus far for Sala.

The JDC MotorSports crew and drivers now have a month-long break, before returning to action on July 31-August 1, with Rounds Seven and Eight of the Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda at the Autobahn Country Club in Illinois. Entering the doubleheader, JDC MotorSports is second in the team standings, while Goikhberg and Abbate remain third and fourth in the driver title fight.

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