Media Release - For
Immediate Release, July 21
RESURGENT ALAJAJIAN EYEING CONTINUED
F3 FIGHT BACK AT ‘THE CREEK’
The Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship
for the CAMS Gold Star heads to Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway
this weekend, with Protecnica Racing’s Chris Alajajian looking
to continue his championship fight back.
The Sydney-based teenager has been one of the form
drivers to date in 2005, holding a share of the championship lead
earlier in the year, before a tough run at Phillip Island in May saw
him drop to third place in the race for the prestigious CAMS Gold
Star.
Eager to bounce back, Protecnica Racing - a team with which Alajajian
had already enjoyed successful association with, through a championship
win in the 2004 Australian Production Car Championship, and race success
in the Australian Performance Car Championship - was enlisted to prepare
Chris’ Renault-Sodemo powered Dallara F304.
It was the first time the Sydney based team had ever campaigned in
the open wheel class, with previous experience consisting primarily
of production-based Subaru’s. After a conservative start to
the weekend, Alajajian stormed home on race day to record a second
and third place finish in the races.
“We needed it,” said Alajajian of the podium finishes
in the Sunshine State. “We came back well in Queensland. (Aaron)
Caratti had it the whole weekend, but we went to the round with no
testing and were very fast in both the races.
"It was amazing how a team who had never dealt with an F3 car
before could end the weekend in second outright, so that was a great
effort by all the Protecnica team."
With a solid race weekend and some information now under their belt
with the car, Alajajian is looking forward to further improvement
and recording some more good results on a weekend which will host
the category’s 100th race.
“It’s like trial and error,” he said. “Unlike
some of the other teams, we didn’t have a chance to do any testing
prior to the round at Queensland Raceway, to do some of that trial
and error work before the weekend started, so the race weekend Queensland
was like a big test day for us.
“We will be looking to improve on the results from here on in.
We will look at getting into the testing side of it, because it’s
a new team and testing new things, so hopefully we’ll continue
to improve and score some results as we learn.”
In 2004, the 3.93 km circuit was the scene of Chris’ first Formula
3 start. While it was a less than ideal weekend, he recorded solid
finishes of seventh and eighth in the two races.
"Last year, I didn’t have a good time at Eastern Creek,
because of my starts in the races,” Alajajian admits. “I
stalled in both races, so it really put me off for the rest of the
race.
“This year, I’m going in with a confident mind that I
won’t do anything stupid off the start so we can get a positive
ending result.”
Eastern Creek Raceway is Chris’ home track in the 2005 Kumho
Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship for the CAMS Gold Star. He
enters the weekend, round five of eight, in 3rd place in the championship,
43 points behind championship leader Aaron Caratti.
The weekend kicks off with practice tomorrow, Friday, before qualifying
on Saturday. On Sunday, Alajajian will be among the field that lines
up for a pair of 13 lap races.
Entry to the Australian Motor Racing Series at Eastern Creek Raceway
is free on Saturday, with Sunday tickets just $15, and $10 for concession.
Protecnica Racing thanks the ongoing support of Jack Hillermans Smash,
Elf Oil, Scuderia Veloce Motors, Nudie, Workflow Systems, Bilstein,
Moody Kiddell & Partners, Heasman Steering, Disc Brakes Australia,
Hawk Performance, Monza Mens Boutique, H & R Springs and APT Signs.
For more about Chris Alajajian,
check out www.TheChris.com.au
