Virginia International Raceway- Day 1 Track Report
Virginia International Raceway- Day 1 Track Report

Schedule of Today’s Events (All Times Local)
Friday, April 27
7:30 am - F4 U.S. Registration Opens
8:00 am – F4 U.S. Crew Chief Meeting Starts
8:30 am- F4 U.S. Crew Chief Meeting Ends
8:30 am- F4 U.S. Tech and Scales Open
9:00 am- F4 U.S. Driver Meeting 1/Driver Development Starts
10:00 am- F4 U.S. Driver Meeting 1/Driver Development Ends
11:00 am- F4 U.S. Tech and Scales Close
12:10 pm - F4 U.S. Practice 1 Starts
12:40 pm- F4 U.S. Practice 1 Ends
12:40 pm- Lunch Starts
1:25 pm- Lunch Ends
1:30 pm- F4 U.S. Tech and Scales Open
1:30 pm- F4 U.S. Tire Marking at Series Trailer Starts
2:00 pm- F4 U.S. Driver Headshots Starts
4:00 pm- F4 U.S. Driver Headshots Ends
4:30 pm- F4 U.S. Tech and Scales Close
4:30 pm- F4 U.S. Tire Marking at Series Trailer Ends
5:00 pm- Registration Closes
5:15 pm- F4 U.S. Practice 2 Starts
5:45 pm- F4 U.S. Practice 2 Ends
Entry List
Car #: |
Driver: |
Hometown: |
Team: |
Engine: |
Sponsors: |
3 |
Aidan Yoder |
San Gabriel, CA |
Jay Howard Driver Development |
Honda |
Jay Howard Driver Development / CSU One Cure / Lucas Oil |
4 |
Teddy Wilson |
Holbeach, UK |
Jay Howard Driver Development |
Honda |
Jay Howard Driver Development / CSU One Cure / Lucas Oil |
5 |
Wyatt Brichacek |
Johnstown, CO |
Jay Howard Driver Development |
Honda |
Jay Howard Driver Development / CSU One Cure / Lucas Oil |
6 |
Christian Rasmussen |
Copenhagen, DK |
Jay Howard Driver Development |
Honda |
Jay Howard Driver Development / CSU One Cure / Lucas Oil |
7 |
Braden Eves |
Gahanna, OH |
Jay Howard Driver Development |
Honda |
|
8 |
Angela Durazo |
Los Angeles, CA |
Global Racing Group |
Honda |
Setpoint Medical |
9 |
Dakota Dickerson |
San Diego, CA |
DC Autosport w/Cape Motorsports |
Honda |
|
11 |
James Goughary |
Jupiter, FL |
Primus Racing |
Honda |
Primus Racing Parts |
12 |
James Raven |
Portsmouth, UK |
DEForce Racing |
Honda |
|
14 |
Dylan Tavella |
Massapequa, NY |
Miller Vinatieri Motorsports |
Honda |
Diversified Private Wealth Advisor |
15 |
Chandler Horton |
Zionsville, IN |
Alliance Racing |
Honda |
|
16 |
Kent Vaccaro |
Plattsburgh, NY |
Momentum Motorsports |
Honda |
Momentum Motorsports / Skip Barber Racing |
17 |
Vincent Khristov |
Delray Beach, FL |
Century Auto Racing |
Honda |
Counter Pressure Casting Machines |
19 |
Blake Upton |
Seattle, WA |
Global Racing Group |
Honda |
|
21 |
Jacob Loomis |
Corinth, TX |
Abel Motorsports |
Honda |
|
22 |
Jacob Abel |
Louisville, KY |
Abel Motorsports |
Honda |
|
24 |
Benjamin Pedersen |
Copenhagen, DK |
Global Racing Group |
Honda |
Dirtfish |
28 |
Will Edwards |
Greenwood, IN |
Alliance Racing |
Honda |
|
30 |
Arthur Leist |
Novo Hamburgo, BR |
Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport |
Honda |
CIMED |
31 |
Conrad Clark |
Taupo, NZ |
Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport |
Honda |
|
32 |
Jose Blanco-Chock |
San Juan, PR |
Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport |
Honda |
Art-Draft Authority, INC |
33 |
Joshua Car |
Sydney, AU |
Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport |
Honda |
Crosslink Powder Coating / LVP Powder & Paints |
34 |
Austin Kaszuba |
Burleson, TX |
Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport |
Honda |
LESA / SRT Equipment Rental / GUNK / Liquid Wrench |
35 |
Chris Archinaco |
Pittsburgh, PA |
Century Auto Racing |
Honda |
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh |
40 |
Jack William Miller |
Westfield, IN |
Miller Vinatieri Motorsports |
Honda |
Indy Dental Group / Blue Marble Ultra Premium Cocktails |
44 |
Ethan Billions |
Birmingham, AL |
Group-A Racing |
Honda |
Group-A Racing |
51 |
Oliver Clarke |
King’s Lynn, UK |
Team Benik |
Honda |
|
57 |
Justin Gordon |
Lake Worth, FL |
Primus Racing |
Honda |
Justin Gordon Racing |
61 |
John Paul Southern Jr |
Westlake, OH |
Southern Motorsports |
Honda |
Pittsburg International Race Complex |
66 |
Parker Locke |
San Antonio, TX |
Global Racing Group |
Honda |
|
77 |
Matthew Cowley |
Manchester, UK |
Century Auto Racing |
Honda |
The Shaw Mind Foundation |
88 |
Kaylen Frederick |
Potomac, MD |
K-Hill Motorsports |
Honda |
K-Hill Motorsports |
91 |
Eduardo Barrichello |
Sao Paulo, BR |
DC Autosport w/Cape Motorsports |
Honda |
|
93 |
Cameron O’Conner |
Jahannesburg, ZA |
Group-A Racing |
Honda |
Repro Supplies |
94 |
Jordan Dempsey |
Mullingar, IE |
Primus Racing |
Honda |
Digital Planet / Motorsport Ireland / Sport Ireland |
06 |
Jake French |
Royse City, TX |
Full Gas Motorsports |
Honda |
|
***
Teams started arriving at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia around 7:30 a.m. The temperature was 46 degrees. A light mist lingered after a heavy rainfall the evening before. Track conditions were also damp, but cleared up by the time the F4 U.S. competitors’ first practice session.
***
During the drivers’ meeting, competitors reviewed important track information including safe-haven locations, towing instructions, safety concerns and flags. The Code 40 flag will be implemented for the 2018 season. Similar to the yellow flag, the Code 40 flag signifies a safety vehicle on course with an extrication in progress, however, unlike the yellow, competitors are not allowed to close gaps and are limited to 40 miles per hour.
***
The first practice session began at 12:10 p.m. and lasted 30 minutes. Thirty-two of the 36 F4 U.S. competitors tested. Shortly after the session started, flaggers threw the new purple Code 40 flag for competitors to practice. Two separate off-track incidents occurred during the session, causing the purple flag to emerge. Some teams used the opportunity to make adjustments to their cars, and others used the time to complete their required two-standing start practices. Christian Rasmussen of Copenhagen, Denmark, finished the session with the fastest lap (1:53.762) with Jay Howard Driver Development teammate Teddy Wilson of Hobeach, England, finishing just .175 seconds The top four drivers were less than a half a second behind Rasmussen.
- 6 Christian Rasmussen 1:53.762 Copenhagen DNK JHDD
- 4 Teddy Wilson 1:53.937 Holbeach GBR JHDD
- 12 James Raven 1:53.963 Portsmouth GBR DEForce Racing
- 24 Benjamin Pedersen 1:54.158 Copenhagen DNK Global Racing Group
- 9 Dakota Dickerson 1:54.425 San Diego Calif. DC Autosports w/ Cape Motorsport
- 21 Jacob Loomis 1:54.444 Corinth Texas Abel Motorsports
- 77 Matthew Cowley 1:54.457 Manchester GBR Century Auto Racing
- 57 Justin Gordon 1:54.476 Lake Worth Fla. Primus Racing
- 34 Austin Kazuba 1:54.778 Burleson Texas Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport
- Wyatt Brichacek 1:54.786 Johnstown Colo. JHDD
***
12:10 p.m. Competitors and staff broke for lunch
***
2-4 p.m. Competitors gathered for season portraits and media interviews
***
The second F4 U.S. testing session started after lunch at 1:05 p.m. Thirty-four participated in the session, however, Braden Eves of Gahanna, Ohio, experienced transponder issues and didn’t record time. Several off-track excursions, minimized track-time for the F4 U.S. drivers. Wilson’s pace carried over from the first practice, capturing fast lap and beating the fastest practice lap record from last season by nearly two seconds.
- 4 Teddy Wilson 1:53.806 Holbeach GBR JHDD
- 9 Dakota Dickerson 1:54.092 0.286 San Diego Calif. DC Autosports w/ Cape Motors
- 12 James Raven 1:54.427 0.621 Portsmouth GBR DEForce Racing
- 94 Jordan Dempsey 1:54.521 715 Mullingar IRL Primus Racing
- 24 Benjamin Pedersen 1:54.711 905 Copenhagen DNK Global Racing Group
- 21 Jacob Loomis 1:54.882 076 Corinth Texas Abel Motorsports
- 5 Wyatt Brichacek 1:54.917 111 Johnstown Colo. JHDD
- 93 Cameron O'Conner 1:54.976 170 Johannesburg ZAF Group-A Racing
- 22 Jacob Abel 1:55.015 209 Louisville Ky. Abel Motorsports
- 57 Justin Gordon 1:55.105 299 Lake Worth Fla. Primus Racing
***
Quotes from Practice
Teddy Wilson, Jay Howard Driver Development- The track is nothing like I’ve ever drove before. The elevation changes throughout made it extremely enjoyable but also very challenging. The pace that the team had today has been extremely promising and I am looking forward to getting my first qualifying session in cars.
Jacob Abel, Abel Motorsports- Overall the day was very successful. We learned a lot both in set up and driving. In the off-season, we tested and added new personnel to the team which has made us even stronger. This is the first full season that I will have a teammate. The feedback Jacob and I give to one another has been a big help in developing for the season. To say that I’m excited for the rest of the weekend and the 2018 season would be an understatement.
Jacob Loomis, Abel Motorsports- The start of the weekend has been very successful. The team worked hard to get us up to speed very quickly. Our pace is strong and I’m excited for the weekend. Big thanks to Optima Anesthesia and Abel Motorsports for this mega opportunity.