Local drivers takes racing series title in California
After winning the Sports Car Club of B.C. Formula Continental Championship in 2016, West Kelowna auto racer Mitch Egner set his sights south of the border to take on the 2017 PaciÀc F2000 series with a series 12 races over six weekends in California.
After a rough Àrst weekend, in which Egner lost two engines in two days and only managed one point from the whole weekend, he came back to win both races the following weekend.
A new aero package led to fourth- and second-place Ànishes in races Àve and six. He was second in both races the following weekend in races seven and eight.
Race weekend No. 5 was back at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. By that time, Egner and his team had done serious development with their vehicles and they were fastest in every session and won both races.
With the title on the line for the Ànal weekend, Egner Ànished second in both races and took home the overall crown.
Bigger things could be in the future for Egner. The Pacific F2000 Championship series is included in the Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200,000 Scholarship Shootout. The winner of the knockout style shootout will be provided with a $200,000 Mazda Scholarship to enter the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda in 2018 – the Àrst rung in the Mazda Road to Indy ladder sanctioned by IndyCar.