Two years after becoming the youngest driver in the history of the Star Mazda Championship, John Edwards scored his first career Atlantic victory and a $50,000 winner's paycheck in Friday's season opener at Sebring International Raceway.
Driving the No. 36 for Newman Wachs Racing, Edwards started second and charged into the lead on the race's standing start ahead of polesitter Jonathan Summerton. From there, he never looked back, cruising to a 4.731-second victory over rookie Frederic Vervisch.
Edwards' victory eclipsed a previous best result of second, which he achieved at Toronto in his rookie Atlantic season of 2007. Last year, Edwards competed in Star Mazda and took the series championship.
Vervisch was the first of two Genoa Racing drivers to finish on the podium, coming home with a second-place trophy from the first Atlantic race of the career. The Belgian had the best result for a driver making his series debut since Canadian Robert Wickens also finished second in his Atlantic debut in Las Vegas two years ago.
Summerton rounded out the podium with a third-place performance. He admitted having trouble on the race's standing start and enjoyed a good battle with his teammate before settling for third
Race results for Round 1 of The 2009 Atlantic Championship:
Arrival, (Start), Driver, Car, #, Team, Completed Laps, Reason out
1. (2) John Edwards, No. 36 Newman Wachs Racing, 19.
2. (3) Frederic Vervisch (R), No. 17 Genoa Racing, 19.
3. (1) Jonathan Summerton, No. 19 Genoa Racing, 19.
4. (4) Harald Schlegelmilch (R), No. 21 Conquest Racing, 19.
5. (8) Simona De Silvestro, No. 78 Team Stargate Worlds, 19.
6. (5) Borja Garcia (R), No. 6 Condor Motorsports, 19.
7. (11) Tonis Kasemets, No. 35 Polestar Motor Racing, 19.
8. (13) James Winslow (R), No. 12 Conquest Racing, 19.
9. (10) Matt Lee, No. 2 Jensen MotorSport, 1:54.955, 19.
10. (9) Frankie Muniz, No. 77 Team Stargate Worlds, 1:54.846,19.
...
19. (12) Max Lefevre (R), No. 7 Condor Motorsports, 0, did not start.
Series Points Leaders: 1. Edwards, 20; 2. Vervisch, 16; 3. Summerton, 15; 4. Schlegelmilch, 12; 5. De Silvestro, 10; 6. Garcia, 8; 7. Kasemets and Winslow, 7; 9. M. Lee, 5; 10. Muniz, 4.
Next Event: May 17; Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah.
Driving the No. 36 for Newman Wachs Racing, Edwards started second and charged into the lead on the race's standing start ahead of polesitter Jonathan Summerton. From there, he never looked back, cruising to a 4.731-second victory over rookie Frederic Vervisch.
Edwards' victory eclipsed a previous best result of second, which he achieved at Toronto in his rookie Atlantic season of 2007. Last year, Edwards competed in Star Mazda and took the series championship.
Vervisch was the first of two Genoa Racing drivers to finish on the podium, coming home with a second-place trophy from the first Atlantic race of the career. The Belgian had the best result for a driver making his series debut since Canadian Robert Wickens also finished second in his Atlantic debut in Las Vegas two years ago.
Summerton rounded out the podium with a third-place performance. He admitted having trouble on the race's standing start and enjoyed a good battle with his teammate before settling for third
Race results for Round 1 of The 2009 Atlantic Championship:
Arrival, (Start), Driver, Car, #, Team, Completed Laps, Reason out
1. (2) John Edwards, No. 36 Newman Wachs Racing, 19.
2. (3) Frederic Vervisch (R), No. 17 Genoa Racing, 19.
3. (1) Jonathan Summerton, No. 19 Genoa Racing, 19.
4. (4) Harald Schlegelmilch (R), No. 21 Conquest Racing, 19.
5. (8) Simona De Silvestro, No. 78 Team Stargate Worlds, 19.
6. (5) Borja Garcia (R), No. 6 Condor Motorsports, 19.
7. (11) Tonis Kasemets, No. 35 Polestar Motor Racing, 19.
8. (13) James Winslow (R), No. 12 Conquest Racing, 19.
9. (10) Matt Lee, No. 2 Jensen MotorSport, 1:54.955, 19.
10. (9) Frankie Muniz, No. 77 Team Stargate Worlds, 1:54.846,19.
...
19. (12) Max Lefevre (R), No. 7 Condor Motorsports, 0, did not start.
Series Points Leaders: 1. Edwards, 20; 2. Vervisch, 16; 3. Summerton, 15; 4. Schlegelmilch, 12; 5. De Silvestro, 10; 6. Garcia, 8; 7. Kasemets and Winslow, 7; 9. M. Lee, 5; 10. Muniz, 4.
Next Event: May 17; Miller Motorsports Park, Tooele, Utah.