Atlantic Championship
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Category | Open wheeled |
|---|---|
| Country or region |  United States Canada |
| Inaugural season | 1974 |
| Drivers | 24 |
| Teams | 12 |
| Constructors | Swift Engineering |
| Engine suppliers | Mazda-Cosworth |
| Drivers' champion |  Markus Niemelä |
| Teams' champion | Brooks Associates |
| Official website | atlantic-championship.com |
 Current season |
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The Cooper Tires presents the Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda is a formula race car series with races throughout North America. It is often colloquially referred to as the Atlantic Championship, Champ Car Atlantics (after its former name), Toyota Atlantics (due to the series' previous history of using Toyota-powered engines), or just Atlantics or Formula Atlantic, although the latter two terms risk confusion with the Sports Car Club of America's amateur Formula Atlantics division. The series used to be sanctioned by the Champ Car World Series before that series ceased operations in 2008, with most of its races being support races for the Champ Car World Series. The revised schedule was released April 3, and the permanent IMSA sanction was announced June 23, 2008.
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[edit] Series information
The Atlantics series is often considered the top developmental open-wheel racing series in North America, also called a "ladder series." In 2005, a new factor was announced to solidify this reputation as the last series in which a driver will compete before moving to Champ Car, or the highest levels of sports car racing such as American Le Mans. A $2 million (US dollar) prize was announced for the winner of the 2006 racing season and future seasons, with the restriction that it can only be used towards the cost of racing in the Champ Car World Series.[1] Simon Pagenaud became champion in 2006 and claimed the first such prize, and he promptly moved to Champ Car in 2007 to race for Walker Racing.
The series champion for 2007, Raphael Matos, also won the $2 million prize towards a Champ Car ride. However, he elected not to accept it as he felt that without other sponsorship, he would be driving for a non-competitive team.[2] Matos instead accepted an offer from the Andretti Green Racing team in the developmental Firestone Indy Lights Series instead, where he was promised the chance to race in the Indy 500 and a future ride in the IndyCar Series.[3] 2007 runner-up, Franck Perera, who finished on the podium eight times during the season and won three races ultimately signed to race with Champ Car team Conquest Racing. When Champ Car was purchased by IndyCar prior to the 2008 season, Conquest joined IndyCar with Perera.
As of 2009, the series offers an unrestricted $1 million prize to the season champion, $500 thousand to the runner-up, and $250 thousand to the third place finisher on the season. These season rewards are part of total of $3 million in total prize money, which also features $50 thousand for each race win, and other bonuses such as a monetary pole position reward. [4]
[edit] Race equipment
Starting in 2006, the series has been run exclusively with Swift 016.a chassis powered by Mazda-Cosworth MZR 2300cc (2.3L) DOHC inline-4 engines producing 300 bhp. The cars are capable of speeds in excess of 175 mph.[5] The new formula has lowered the costs of running a full Atlantic season to around $500,000-$600,000. This reduction in costs, plus the addition of the aforementioned $2 million prize, had an immediate effect on increasing the number of competitors in the series (car count), which had dwindled over the previous few seasons. For example, the 2007 season featured 30 drivers.[6]
Although the series had been run on Yokohama tires since 1991, the Japanese company elected to end its relationship with the series after the 2006 series, at which point it was replaced by Cooper Tire who are also the current title sponsor for the series.
[edit] History
The history of Formula Atlantic begins with the SCCA Formula B class, created in 1965 for single-seat formula cars with engines not exceeding 1600cc in capacity. Prior to Formula Atlantic, professional Formula B races were held in the United States from 1965 to 1972, firstly with the SCCA's poorly-supported Formula A, then as part of the SCCA Formula Continental Championship in 1968 (when they were largely overshadowed by the V8-powered Formula 5000 cars) and then as an independent series from 1969 to 1972.
Formula Atlantic as a class evolved in the United Kingdom in 1971 from the US Formula B rules, with 1600cc production-based twin-cam engines (initially Lotus-Ford twin-cams but then Cosworth BDA and BDD, however other engines like Alfa Romeo were also eligible). Conceived by John Webb of Brands Hatch (who would later also develop the Sports 2000 class) as a category for national competitors with the performance near a Formula Two car but running costs at or below that of a contemporary Formula Three car. A single (Yellow Pages championship ran in 1971-2, with a rival BP backed series appearing in 1973. 1974 saw the BP series changing sponsor to John Player, and the Yellow Pages series becoming backed by John Webb's MCD organisation and Southern Organs; in practice most top drivers competed in both series and there were no date clashes. Only one series ran in 1975-6, in the final year taking the title 'Indylantic and adopting Indianapolis-style single-car qualifying. But the formula was under threat from Formula 3 and no series ran in 1977-78. The series returned in 1979 with backing (for one season only) from Hitachi and continued to 1983, with diminishing grids and few new cars appearing.
As a result of its similarity to Formula 2 and Formula 3 in terms of chassis regulations, Formula Atlantic typically used chassis closely related to these cars -- with performance somewhere in between the two -- so most of the manufacturers were familiar from those classes, particularly the likes of Brabham, Lotus, March, Chevron early on, with Ralt and then Reynard later. US manufacturer Swift came to displace the British imports and dominate in North America. Several smaller marques also appeared.
The first professional races run under Formula Atlantic rules in North America were conducted in 1974 by the CASC in Canada (now ASN Canada), drawing much attention and large fields due to its national CTV television coverage. IMSA in the United States took advantage of the large number of teams and organized their own series in 1976.
During these years, the series attracted guest drivers from Europe, including Formula One, particularly at the Trois-Rivières street race in Quebec, Canada. Guest drivers included James Hunt, Jean-Pierre Jarier, Riccardo Patrese, Patrick Depailler, Jacques Laffite, Didier Pironi and Vittorio Brambilla.
In 1977, the SCCA sanctioned the US events and in 1978 the CASC and SCCA series merged, and conducted the series jointly until 1983, when it ran as the Formula Mondial North American Cup; Michael Andretti won the championship. The series could not sustain the success of earlier seasons and was cancelled for 1984.
In its place a "Pacific" series was conducted exclusively on the US West Coast in 1985. This rebirth expanded to an East Coast "Atlantic" series the following year and the two ran concurrently through 1990. From 1990 to 2005, the series was sponsored by Toyota and the cars were powered by Toyota's 1600cc 4A-GE engines available in kit form from Toyota Racing Development. With the support of Toyota, the two US series were reunited into a single North American championship and have remained so to this date.
The same rules were adopted as Formula Pacific (not to be confused with the US Formula Atlantic Pacific Championship) and races were run in Australia, and New Zealand, where Formula Pacific became the top class of racing. Later the rules where changed to only allow Cosworth BD engines and the series was called Formula Mondial. For a few years the prestigious Macau Grand Prix was run to Formula Pacific rules before becoming a Formula Three race. South Africa also adopted Formula Atlantic rules, but later mandated that the cars were fitted with Mazda Wankel engines.
In recognition of the global acceptance of the formula it was briefly renamed 'Formula Mondial' in 1983, but its peak of international popularity was some years past.
Former drivers in the series include legends such as Gilles Villeneuve, Jacques Villeneuve, Bobby Rahal and Michael Andretti, and many current and former IRL and Champ Car drivers including Jimmy Vasser, Paul Tracy, Calvin Fish, A. J. Allmendinger, Ryan Hunter-Reay,Scott Harrington, Robbie Buhl, Andrew Ranger, Ronnie Bremer, Danica Patrick, Alex Tagliani, Patrick Carpentier, Buddy Rice, Dan Wheldon, Sam Hornish, Jr., Raphael Matos and Roger Yasukawa.
The latest in a long line of television celebrities to enter this series - starting with Dick Smothers at the very first race in 1968[7] - was Frankie Muniz of the Fox Network comedy "Malcolm in the Middle", making his debut in 2007. Sharing the dream of many American open wheel racers, Muniz stated his intention to use Champ Car Atlantics as a direct path to racing in the Champ Car World Series.[8]
[edit] Women in the Atlantic Championship
A few women have chosen to participate in Atlantic racing under the Toyota Atlantic or Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda banner.
As mentioned in the list of former drivers, Danica Patrick was an Atlantic competitor in 2003 and 2004. She was the first woman to score a pole position in the series, and the first woman to finish on the podium. She also led the 2004 season briefly before finishing third overall in season results, but did not notch a win in two years of Atlantic competition.
Katherine Legge also competed in Atlantic for a season. In 2005, she became the first woman in history to win a professional open wheel race in North America, at Long Beach, CA. She then amassed two more wins in the same season, and finished third overall in season results.
Simona De Silvestro is a current Atlantic Championship contender who was leading the 2009 Atlantic Championship season as of June, 2009. In three years in the series, she has equalled Katherine Legge's career mark of three wins, with one in 2008 and two in 2009.
[edit] Series ownership and sponsor commitments
On October 31st, 2008, an official announcement was made that the Atlantic Championship series had been purchased by Ben Johnston, an Atlanta area businessman and one-time Atlantic racer.[9] At the same time, Mazda and Cooper Tires also announced a continuing commitment to the series.[10] Then, in 2009, Mazda recommitted its support to the Atlantic Championship by extending an engine contract that covers the series through the year 2011.[11]
[edit] Television and other video
Atlantic Championship races have previously been shown on multiple networks, including SPEED. For 2009, a new high definition television package was announced on HDNet, which features live coverage of certain events, and replays of others.[12]
Web video of events has also historically been available on the series website, and the series also has its own official YouTube channel under the username "AtlanticRacingSeries."
[edit] Specifications
- Engine Displacement: Cosworth Built Mazda 2.3L (140in³) MZR DOHC I-4
- Gearbox: Swift 5 Speed Sequential Manual Transmission (must have reverse)
- Weight: 643.1 kg (1,415 lbs.), with driver
- Power Output: 224 kw (300 hp)
- Fuel: VP Racing Fuels 108 Octane Leaded Gasoline, no refuelling
- Fuel Delivery: Fuel injection
- Aspiration: Naturally aspirated
- Length: 449.8 cm (177.1in)
- Width: 195.58 cm (77in)
- Wheelbase: 277.6 cm (109.3in)
- Steering: Manual, Rack and pinion
- Chassis: Swift 016.a
- Electronics / ECU: Cosworth Electronics Data: Pi Research Sigma / ECU - Pectel SQ6 / Wiring - Performance Wiring Solutions wiring
- Brakes: Performance Friction Brakes
- Tires: Cooper Atlantic Championship racing slicks and rain tires
- Wheels: BBS
[edit] Atlantic Championship Series Champions
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Champ Car > News Friday, September 16, 2005
- ^ Indycar: Matos may race 500., motorsport news, results, features, teams, drivers, updates
- ^ Looking forward :: Indy Racing League Indy Pro Series
- ^ http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=318038&FS=atlantic
- ^ Champ Car Atlantic News
- ^ Champ Car Atlantic Drivers
- ^ OldRacingCars.com | US Formula 5000 | Continental Divide 26 May 1968
- ^ Frankie Muniz Racing - April 2007
- ^ http://www.crash.net/motorsport/indycar/news/171247-0/content.html
- ^ http://www.f1sa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8387&Itemid=219
- ^ http://www.whowon.com/sResults.asp?SanctionID=1289&StoryID=270251
- ^ http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2009/06/05/464552.html
