From the Atlantic Championship and Team Stargate Worlds
Simona De Silvestro had a perfect weekend at Round 2 of the 2009 Atlantic Championship at Miller Motorsports Park.
The 20-year-old Swiss racer led both practice sessions on Friday, took her first career Atlantic pole position on Saturday and dominated Sunday's race to score the second victory of her Atlantic career.
This is the first time in professional open wheel motorsports a woman has won a race after leading every session and winning the pole.
De Silvestro sped into the lead as soon as the lights went out on the race's standing start and quickly checked out on the rest of the field, leading throughout the 50-minute, 31-lap race. She won by 11.7 seconds ahead of John Edwards.
Edwards, who won Round 1, quickly moved up from fourth on the starting grid to second on the opening lap. He spent the remainder of the race with Belgian rookie Frederic Vervisch filling his mirrors.
He was able to keep Vervisch behind him throughout the race to secure second place and keep the lead in the point standings, five points ahead of De Silvestro.
Scoring a career-best fourth place result was Frankie Muniz who started seventh and spent most of the race battling for fourth with Borja Garcia and defending series champion Markus Niemela. He capitalized on last-lap contact between Garcia and Niemela to take fourth.
Atlantic veteran Tonis Kasemets completed the top five. Following the race, series officials excluded Garcia from the final results when for blocking and avoidable contact in the incident with Niemela.
Next Race: New Jersey Motorsports Park - Saturday, June 13.
Simona De Silvestro had a perfect weekend at Round 2 of the 2009 Atlantic Championship at Miller Motorsports Park.
The 20-year-old Swiss racer led both practice sessions on Friday, took her first career Atlantic pole position on Saturday and dominated Sunday's race to score the second victory of her Atlantic career.
This is the first time in professional open wheel motorsports a woman has won a race after leading every session and winning the pole.
De Silvestro sped into the lead as soon as the lights went out on the race's standing start and quickly checked out on the rest of the field, leading throughout the 50-minute, 31-lap race. She won by 11.7 seconds ahead of John Edwards.
Edwards, who won Round 1, quickly moved up from fourth on the starting grid to second on the opening lap. He spent the remainder of the race with Belgian rookie Frederic Vervisch filling his mirrors.
He was able to keep Vervisch behind him throughout the race to secure second place and keep the lead in the point standings, five points ahead of De Silvestro.
Scoring a career-best fourth place result was Frankie Muniz who started seventh and spent most of the race battling for fourth with Borja Garcia and defending series champion Markus Niemela. He capitalized on last-lap contact between Garcia and Niemela to take fourth.
Atlantic veteran Tonis Kasemets completed the top five. Following the race, series officials excluded Garcia from the final results when for blocking and avoidable contact in the incident with Niemela.
Next Race: New Jersey Motorsports Park - Saturday, June 13.