5/31/2022
Elvis Rankin
ELVIS RANKIN SPLIT WINS IN FORMULA RACE SERIES SEASON OPENER AT LIME ROCK PARK!
This past weekend, the Skip Barber Formula Race Series kicked off the 2022 season at Lime Rock Park alongside SVRA and the TransAm Series. A mix of experienced and new drivers plus changing weather conditions made for an intense weekend of great racing action!
Rainstorms rolled into the hills of Lakeville, Connecticut, for the qualifying sessions on Saturday. 2022 Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Runner-Up, Elvis Rankin swept the day, claiming pole for Race 1 and Race 2. Joining Rankin on the front row for both races would be series veteran Dean Lambros. Mikkel Gade, 2022 Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series Champion, would drive his way to third for both qualifying sessions in his first time in rain conditions in the formula car.
Race day weather was perfect, allowing the drivers to experience the 1.53-mile road course in dry conditions. Experience shined through in the first race as Dean Lambros was able to pick up the first race win after working around polesitter Rankin early and defending last year’s Skip Barber Formula Race Series Champion Johnny Guindi and Runner-Up Jeshua Alianell. Rounding out the Top 5 in Race 1 was William Lambros, who unfortunately dropped from the front pack.
The new blood of the Skip Barber Formula Race Series was able to fight back in Race 2 as Rankin led the field to the green flag and, after a short battle with Dean Lambros, never looked back and led the rest of the race. At the checkered flag, Rankin had an over 8-second gap to the rest of the field. Bobby Krug was able to fight his way from the fifth-place position to the runner-up spot after carving his way around the Lambros duo and defending a hard-charging Alianell, who started from the rear due to an off-track penalty in qualifying. After starting the race from twelfth, Alianell took the final step of the podium but only missed out on second place by 0.019.
The return of the Masters class to the Skip Barber Formula Race Series saw outstanding racing from the 35-year-old and up drivers. Jimmy Dai swept the weekend, winning both feature races. Bob Perlmutter and Rocco Orlando switched spots on the podium as Perlmutter placed runner-up in Race 1 and Orlando finished runner-up in Race 2.
After the first round of the Skip Barber Formula Race Series, Rankin leads the overall points standings by 2 points over Dean Lambros. Alianell, Krug and Guindi round out the top 5. In the Masters class, Dai leads Perlmutter by 3 points.
Article Credit: Skip Barber Racing School
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