“These Formula Fords burn clutches really quick. Just another cost, another thing for the kids to not have to deal with,” he said.
“They’ve got the standing starts over on the MA side and the state series races. So why not just do something different?
“I like the idea of a rolling start, it must makes more sense. It’s cheaper. It spreads the cars out when it’s done right, so it’s safe for Turn 1.”
The first race in the new AASA sanctioned series as part of the Hi-Tech Oils Super Series was a close contest between Kobi Williams and Joe Fawcett that ultimately went the way of the former. The rolling start worked well and only caught out Jack Johnson who spun at the back.
Fawcett was the fastest qualifier, but it was Williams that won the race for the lead. He was in front for several laps until Fawcett found a way past. Three laps later and before a safety car, Williams had retaken the lead and would hold it to the end.
For much of the race Lachlan Evennett chased in their wake and finished ahead of Mamie Rowe. Fraser Hie was next from Hunter Salvatore and Brad James. Will Lowing was fourth in the early stages but two off track excursions ensured he had to fight from the back to eighth ahead of Ethan Fitzgerald and Tabitha Ambrose.
The safety car was deployed when Kaleb Belak stopped on the back straight after he and Giuseppe Imbrogno went off in the rough infield at the sweeper.
In the second race Williams led the first lap before Fawcett passed him at Turn 1. For the next 15 laps they were inseparable. Then Fawcett overshot at Turn 11 which would hand victory to Williams.
Evennett went off in the sweeper on the first lap but was able rejoin at Turn 8. He maintained third until a miscue at Turn 1 allowed Rowe and Lowering to go ahead.
Rowe was a close second as Williams’ engine began to overheat while Fawcett finished fourth behind Lowering. Then followed Salvatore who held off Evennett, Imbrogno, Belak and Johnson.
Fitzgerald and James were a lap down after pitstops. Ambrose went off at Turn 9 with a stuck throttle and Hie stopped out Turn 10 with no fuel pressure.
“My idea with the series was just to give these learning drivers who are developing their skills, a chance to do that. So that’s like green flag laps, longer race formats, longer qualifying sessions, rolling starts,” Marcus Ambrose added.
“Everything we can try to do to mitigate safety cars and everything we can do to allow them to learn as much as possible whilst they’re on the track. So that’s kind of the premise behind it.”
Whilst not common place in Australia, the various junior formulas in the United States are conducted with rolling starts, and most endurance races featured around the world follow that format.
In Australia rolling starts for Formula Fords has been a feature in the Queensland Raceway Drivers Championships.
