A2Z Clinches 2012 SCCA Vintage F5000 Championship

This 1969 Gurney-Eagle Formula 5000 car won the F5000 Championship in 1969. This weekend at the Glenora Wine Cellars U.S. Vintage Grand Prix presented by Welliver it will be driven by Tony Adamowicz who also it in 1969. Image Credit: Watkins Glen  

A2Z Clinches 2012 SCCA Vintage F5000 Championship

A rain and crash shortened F5000 feature produced a win for Vintage F5000 driver Seb Coppola in class A, Jim Stengel in class B and a second overall F5000 championship for Tony “A2Z” Adamowicz and the Riverside International Automotive Museum (RIAM) 1969 Eagle Mk5 F5000 car, yesterday at the Glenora Wine Cellars U.S. Vintage Grand Prix event at the legendary Watkins Glen circuit.

The F5000 group started behind Indy Lights racers in staggered time as it wouldn’t be long before the powerful 5.0 liter Formula A cars would swallow the smaller cars on the 3.4 mile Upstate New York road course.

Image Credit: Watkins Glen

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Coppola made a great start and held the lead in his 1970 Lola T-192 as Adamowicz, who got caught up in a near miss in the bus stop chicane, made up time from his position at the back of the grid. The race was then full course yellow as one of the Indy Lights cars crashed heavily at the end of the front straight.

“The Eagle ran well, despite most of the race being under full course yellow. I couldn’t race or pass anyone,” complained Adamowicz.

According to RIAM crew chief, Bill Losee, “They threw a Green/White flag unexpectedly--which caught everyone off guard. Tony never really got a chance to really put the power down and race. Regardless, we are happy about the overall championship.”

Losee and RIAM Principal, Doug Magnon are now off to Goodwood in the UK for the famed revival with a Dan Gurney-built and raced 1966 Indy Eagle.

In the B Group, Jim Stengel, driving a 1973 McRae GM1 raced to the head of the pack early and coasted to an overall win.

Image Credit: Watkins Glen

Adamowicz, claimed the 2012 Vintage F5000 Championship for RIAM in the same Eagle Mk 5 Racing Car he drove to win the 1969 Championship and the 2011 Vintage F5000 championship.

Watkins Glen is one of North America’s premiere road racing facilities, dating back to 1955. “The Glen” hosted Formula One from 1961 until 1980 and SCCA Formula 5000 from 1972 to 1976.

The Historic Formula 5000 Association contests several races each year starring the cars--and sometimes drivers--who made the 1969-1976 American series one of SCCA’s most exciting series ever.
(ht: Riverside International Automotive Museum)


** Article first appeared as "A2Z Clinches 2012 SCCA Vintage F5000 Championship" at Technorati **