The 2011 season of the BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National presented by Mazda has drawn to a close and a new champion has emerged. Sophomore racer Scott Anderson earned his champion title in Race 1, Round 15 at Lime Rock Park. Not only will Anderson receive a scholarship for the full 2012 Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda, but he also will receive a test with Bryan Herta Autosport’s Firestone Indy Lights team. MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development driver Danilo Estrela earned his first Skip Barber National class win, sharing the top spot on the podium with Skip Barber Cup driver Gerardo Bonilla. Fellow MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development driver Trent Hindman won Rookie of the Year.
With the current season over, many of the rookie racers will participate in the Skip Barber Race Series Champion Shootout in November to compete for Scholarships for the upcoming Skip Barber Racing School winter and summer race seasons. Follow the action on twitter.com/skipbarbernatl.
Round 15MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development driver Trent Hindman started at the front of the pack in the California Scents Pole Position. Sebastian Ordonez made a mass in turn one of the second lap and took the lead resulting in Hindman and other MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development driver Danilo Estrela. Estrela became the third leader of the race in lap four, but would spend the next sixteen laps trading the lead position with Ordonez. Together the two worked together to slowly separate from the pack while still putting on a good show for the fans. Meanwhile, Skip Barber Cup driver Gerardo Bonilla passed Brandon Newey and Franco Aragones to work his way up to fifth from seventh position. Bonilla made several attempts to pass Hindman in fourth, but Hindman held his position until lap eight. Once Bonilla made the pass on Anderson in third, he started to separate from the pack and catch up on the leaders Ordonez and Estrela.
Hindman and Anderson skillfully worked together to ensure they kept Bonilla in their sights. As the laps wound down, Bonilla picked the young drivers off one by one, and took the lead from Estrela, who had lead the past nine laps, with just five laps to go. Running in fifth with two laps remaining, Hindman’s motor blew and the rookie was forced to retire early. Bonilla took the win, and Estrela finished in second overall, but first in the Skip Barber National class, making it his first win of the season. Ordonez finished in second and Anderson in third. Anderson’s third place finish earned him the 2011 BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National presented by Mazda Champion title.
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OFFICIAL Results for Round 15 of 16, Lime Rock Park Starting Position in parenthesis, Name, Age, HometownName, Age, Hometown 1. (7)Gerardo Bonilla, 36, Orlando, FL, Skip Barber Cup class2. (3) Danilo Estrela, 18, Goiania, Brazil3. (2) Sebastian Ordonez, 16, Deerfield Beach, FL4. (4) Scott Anderson, 22, Fort Collins, CO5. (6) Franco Aragones, 14, Cancun, Mexico 6. (5) Brandon Newey, 18, Carmel, IN7. (9) Peter Ludwig, Skip Barber Cup class8. (8) Shelby Blackstock, 21, Nashville, TN 9. (1) Trent Hindman, 16, Wayside, NJRace length: 26 laps of 1.54-mile road courseTime of race: 25:30.320Conditions: Sunny, dry and coldMargin of victory: 0.986 secondsLap leaders: Trent Hindman 1-2; Sebastian Ordonez 3-4; Danilo Estrela 5-7; Ordonez 8; Estrela 9; Ordonez 10; Estrela 11; Ordonez 12; Estrela 13-21; Bonilla 22-16Fastest Lap: Gerardo Bonilla (57.381 / 96.617 mph)California Scents Most Progressive: Danilo Estrela
Round 16California Scents Pole sitter Sebastian Ordonez led the field to green for the final race event of the season. Series Champion Scott Anderson had a strong start in fourth and passed Trent Hindman, Danilo Estrela and Ordonez to take the lead; a position that he held onto for the next 11 laps. As in the previous day’s race, Gerardo Bonilla continued to methodically work his way up through the pack to consistently stay in the top five. Ordonez stayed close to Anderson, and the two, with Hindman separated from the pack with Bonilla lurking in the distance. At the halfway point, Ordonez took the lead, skillfully battling with Anderson.
Some of the best racing in the session was in fifth and six with Brandon Newey and Franco Aragones fighting side by side for several laps with just a few laps to go. Scott Anderson took home his sixth win of the season with Trent Hindman and Sebastian Ordonez rounding out the podium. Suffering from a final lap off course excursion, Bonilla finished in fourth. Hindman, Ordonez and Bonilla were three wide at the finish line with only 0.054 separating second position from fourth position.
OFFICIAL Results for Round 16 of 16, Lime Rock Park S)tarting Position in parenthesis, Name, Age, HometownName, Age, Hometown1. (4)Scott Anderson, 22, Fort Collins, CO 2. (3) Trent Hindman, 16, Wayside, NJ 3. (1) Sebastian Ordonez, 16, Deerfield Beach, FL4. (8) Gerardo Bonilla, 36, Orlando, FL 5. (6) Brandon Newey, 18, Carmel, IN 6. (5) Franco Aragones, 14, Cancun, Mexico7. (2) Danilo Estrela, 18, Goiania, Brazil8. (7) Shelby Blackstock, 21, Nashville, TNRace length: 26 lapsTime of race: 25:25.893Conditions: Sunny, dry & coldMargin of victory: 0.881 secondsLap leaders: Scott Anderson 1-12; Sebastian Ordonez 13-14; Anderson 15-26Fastest Lap: Gerardo Bonilla 57.780/95.950 mph)California Scents Most Progressive: Scott Anderson
Parathyroid.com Most Cumulative Points Winners:1. Scott Anderson 2. Sebastian Ordonez 3. Danilo Estrela
Top 10 Championship Point Standings after 16 of 16 Rounds (With two worst finishes dropped)2011 BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National presented by Mazda1. 456pts Scott Anderson (4 Poles, 6 Wins, 12 Podiums)2. 434 Trent Hindman (6 Poles, 3 Wins, 9 Podiums)3. 427 Brandon Newey (1 Pole, 2 Wins, 10 Podiums) 4. 399 Sebastian Ordonez (5 Poles, 2 Win, 7 Podiums) 5. 372 Shelby Blackstock (2 Podiums)6. 371 Danilo Estrela (1 Win, 4 Podiums)7. 268 Franco Aragones (pictured right)8. 267 Thomas McGregor (2 Wins, 3 Podiums)9. 135 Devin Jones10. 92 Remo Ruscitti
Championship Point Standings after 16 of 16 Rounds2011 BFGoodrich/Skip Barber Cup 1. 172pts Peter Ludwig2. 105 Brian Cook3. 93 Gerardo Bonilla4. 64 Greg Strelzoff5. 30 Pat Daly
