2023 Formula Car Challenge

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The 2023 Formula Car Challenge presented by Goodyear was the 19th season of the Formula Car Challenge. It was a multi-event motor racing championship for single-seater open wheel formula racing cars held across the American west coast. The series was sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America.

Contents

Christian Okpysh took the title in the main Formula Mazda class, while Tao Takaoka and Joe Briggs were victorious in the Formula Speed and Pro Formula Mazda categories, respectively.

Drivers

Drivers competed in three classes, Formula Mazda, Formula Speed and Pro Formula Mazda. [1]

No.DriverCarRounds
Formula Mazda entries
7 Flag of the United States.svg Woody Yerxa2001 Mazda Formula 3–4, 7–8, 11–14
12 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Marcus Brodie1997 Mazda Formula Mazda 9–10
20 Flag of the United States.svg Ben Booker Formula Mazda Star Formula Mazda 1–2, 7–8, 13–14
28 Flag of the United States.svg Stew Tabak1993 Mazda Formula 7–14
29 Flag of the United States.svg Christian Okpysh1997 Mazda Formula Mazda 3–6, 9–14
63 Flag of Denmark.svg Lars Jensen1997 Star Formula Mazda 3–14
67 Flag of the United States.svg Bill Weaver1997 Star Mazda Formula Mazda 7–14
75 Flag of the United States.svg C.J. Ray1998 Mazda Star Formula 3–14
77 Flag of the United States.svg Derry O'Donovan1996 Formula Mazda FM3–4, 7–14
78 Flag of the United States.svg Brad Drew1997 Mazda Formula 3–4, 7–14
88 Flag of the United States.svg Randy Sturgeon1997 Mazda Star Formula Mazda 5–6, 9–10
91 Flag of the United States.svg Ritchie Hollingsworth1995 Mazda Formula Mazda 7–8, 13–14
92 Flag of the United States.svg Rick Bostrom1988 Mazda Formula 13–14
120 Flag of the United States.svg John Ertel1994 Mazda Formula Star 11–12
Formula Speed entries
27 Flag of the United States.svg Tao Takaoka2015 Formula Speed F S 2.03–4, 7–14
46 Flag of the United States.svg Frank Russell2012 Formula Speed 2.09–14
51 Flag of the United States.svg Scott Vreeland1986 Ralt RT-5 3–4
Pro Formula Mazda entries
0 Flag of the United States.svg Edd Ozard2004 Mazda Pro Mazda1–2, 9–10
9 Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs2004 Mazda Pro Formula Mazda 1–4, 9–12
10 Flag of the United States.svg Vincent TjelmelandPro Formula Mazda9–10
37 Flag of the United States.svg Nevin Spieker2019 Mazda Pro Formula3–4, 9–10
41 Flag of the United States.svg Robert MerrittPro Formula Mazda9–10
42 Flag of the United States.svg Gregory PerrinStar Mazda9–12
51 Flag of the United States.svg Scott Vreeland1986 Ralt RT-5 13–14
123 Flag of the United States.svg JD StuartPro Formula Mazda9–10
Sources: [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

Race calendar

The 2023 schedule was announced on 1 December 2022. [9] All races were held in California. The series returned to Buttonwillow Raceway Park after not competing there in 2022.

RoundCircuitDateSupport billMap of circuit locations
1 Flag of the United States.svg Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma 25 February Formula Pro USA Winter Series
San Francisco Region SCCA Series
226 February
3 Flag of the United States.svg Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows 15 April Formula Pro USA Western Championship
San Francisco Region SCCA Series
416 April
5 Flag of the United States.svg Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Buttonwillow 29 April Formula Pro USA Western Championship
California Sports Car Club
630 April
7 Flag of the United States.svg Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows 3 June Formula Pro USA Western Championship
San Francisco Region SCCA Series
84 June
9 Flag of the United States.svg WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey 29 JulySan Francisco Region SCCA Series
Pacific F2000 Championship
1030 July
11 Flag of the United States.svg Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma 2 September Formula Pro USA Western Championship
San Francisco Region SCCA Series
123 September
13 Flag of the United States.svg Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows 28 OctoberSan Francisco Region SCCA Series
Pacific Northwest Spec Miata Tour
1429 October

Race results

RoundCircuitPole positionFastest lapFormula Mazda winnerFormula Speed winnerPro Formula Mazda winner
1 Flag of the United States.svg Sonoma Raceway Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Edd Ozard Flag of the United States.svg Ben Bookerno entries Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs
2 Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Ben Booker‡ Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs
3 Flag of the United States.svg Thunderhill Raceway Park Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Christian Okpysh Flag of the United States.svg Tao Takaoka Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs
4 Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Brad Drew Flag of the United States.svg Tao Takaoka Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs
5 Flag of the United States.svg Buttonwillow Raceway Park Flag of the United States.svg Christian Okpysh Flag of the United States.svg Christian Okpysh Flag of the United States.svg Christian Okpyshno entriesno entries
6 Flag of the United States.svg C.J. Ray Flag of the United States.svg C.J. Ray Flag of the United States.svg Christian Okpysh
7 Flag of the United States.svg Thunderhill Raceway Park Flag of the United States.svg Tao Takaoka Flag of the United States.svg Brad Drew Flag of the United States.svg Bill Weaver Flag of the United States.svg Tao Takaoka
8 Flag of the United States.svg Derry O'Donovan Flag of the United States.svg C.J. Ray Flag of the United States.svg C.J. Ray Flag of the United States.svg Tao Takaoka
9 Flag of the United States.svg WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Bill Weaver Flag of the United States.svg Tao Takaoka Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs
10 Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Bill Weaver Flag of the United States.svg Frank Russell Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs
11 Flag of the United States.svg Sonoma Raceway Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Christian Okpysh Flag of the United States.svg Tao Takaoka Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs
12 Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Bill Weaver Flag of the United States.svg Tao Takaoka Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs
13 Flag of the United States.svg Thunderhill Raceway Park Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Bill Weaver Flag of the United States.svg Tao Takaoka Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs
14 Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs Flag of the United States.svg Brad Drew Flag of the United States.svg Tao Takaoka Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs

‡ - event or race did not award any points as it did not meet all FCC rules

Championship standings

Scoring system

Formula Mazda

Points were awarded to the top twenty drivers in each class taking the green flag. [10]

Position 1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th  7th  8th  9th  10th  11th  12th  13th  14th  15th  16th  17th  18th  19th  20th 
Points2925222019181716151413121110987654

Pro Formula Mazda and Formula Speed

As the Formula Speed and Pro Formula Mazda classes ran alongside the San Francisco Region SCCA's regional FX and FA3 classes respectively, they used their points system. [11]

Position 1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th  7th  8th  9th  10th  11th  12th  13th  14th  15th  16th  17th  18th  19th  20th 
Points2521181716151413121110987654321

Each driver's four worst results were dropped.

Drivers' standings

PosDriver SON1 THU1 BUT THU2 LAG SON2 THU3 Pts
R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10R11R12R13R14
Formula Mazda Standings
1 Flag of the United States.svg Christian Okpysh1211231324255
2 Flag of the United States.svg Brad Drew2124322231247
3 Flag of the United States.svg C.J. Ray352231(7)43(9)72226
4 Flag of the United States.svg Bill Weaver19118113198
5 Flag of Denmark.svg Lars Jensen443466555(8)5DNS194
6 Flag of the United States.svg Derry O'Donovan564247DNS548174
7 Flag of the United States.svg Woody Yerxa63536696150
8 Flag of the United States.svg Stew Tabak75664465149
9 Flag of the United States.svg Ben Booker11‡98101088
10 Flag of the United States.svg Ritchie Hollingsworth878766
11 Flag of the United States.svg Randy Sturgeon4342
12 Flag of the United States.svg John Ertel7734
13 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Marcus Brodie8832
14 Flag of the United States.svg Rick Bostrom11928
Formula Speed Standings
1 Flag of the United States.svg Tao Takaoka1111121111246
2 Flag of the United States.svg Frank Russell21RetDNS2288
Flag of the United States.svg Scott VreelandDNSDNS
Pro Formula Mazda Standings
1 Flag of the United States.svg Joe Briggs1111111111250
2 Flag of the United States.svg Gregory Perrin322281
3 Flag of the United States.svg Nevin Spieker2DNS2360
4 Flag of the United States.svg Scott Vreeland2242
=5 Flag of the United States.svg Vincent Tjelmeland5433
=5 Flag of the United States.svg Robert Merritt4533
6 Flag of the United States.svg Edd Ozard2DNSRetDNS21
Flag of the United States.svg JD StuartRetDNS
PosDriverR1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10R11R12R13R14Pts
SON1 THU1 BUT THU2 LAG SON2 THU3

‡ - event or race did not award any points as it did not meet all FCC rules

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References

  1. "Formula Car Challenge | Formula Car Challenge - Based at Sonoma Raceway, California 95476 - Since 2005" . Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  2. "SFR Championship Regional 1 & 2 - Attendees". MotorsportReg.com. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  3. "SFR Championship Regional 5 & 6 - Attendees". MotorsportReg.com. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  4. "Cal Club Championship Divisional and Track Event - Attendees". MotorsportReg.com. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  5. "SFR Championship Regional 7 & 8 - Attendees". MotorsportReg.com. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
  6. "Results for Group 1/2~FA,FA3,FM,EM1,P1,P2,ASR,FX,FE2 - Race 2 on RaceHero". RaceHero. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
  7. "Results for Group 1~FA,FA2,FA3,FM,FX,F4 - Race 2~Official on RaceHero". RaceHero. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
  8. "SFR Championship Regional 15, 16, & 17 - Attendees". MotorsportReg.com. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  9. Newsroom, F. C. C. "2023 Formula Car Challenge Presented by Goodyear Schedules Announced | Formula Car Challenge" . Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  10. "Competitor Page | Formula Car Challenge" . Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  11. "2023 SFR Road Racing Supplementary Regulations" (PDF). February 6, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2023.

Official Website: Formula Car Challenge