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Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
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E-mail: LindaKMansfield@cs.com
 
 
 
 
Genoa Racing Finishes Second and Third
In Atlantic Season Opener Friday at Sebring
 
SEBRING, Fla., March 20 - Genoa Racing certainly got the 2009 season off to a 
great start, as both of its entries in Round 1 of the Cooper Tires Presents 
The Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda earned podium positions Friday at 
Sebring International Raceway.
 
Competing in his first Atlantic race ever, Frederic Vervisch of Kortrijk, 
Belgium finished second in the Indianapolis-based team's No. 17 car, 4.731 
seconds behind the winner, John Edwards. Polesitter and new track record holder 
Jonathan Summerton of Kissimmee, Fla. finished third in Genoa Racing's No. 19 
entry. 
 
Summerton had a problem with his car's clutch at the standing start and 
dropped from first to third by the end of lap one, right before a full-course 
yellow waved for a frightening accident involving the two drivers who finished 
first and second in the 2008 championship, Markus Niemela and Jonathan Bomarito.  
Niemela's car flipped onto a tire barrier, and the defending champion was 
transported to a local hospital for observation.  Series officials said he was 
expected to be released later Friday evening.  Bomarito was not hurt.
 
The yellow took about 18 minutes of the 45-minute contest. Summerton got 
around Vervisch on the restart on lap six to hold second place on lap seven, but 
Vervisch got back around his teammate on the next lap to regain second. The top 
three spots never changed again in the 19-lap contest.
 
Edwards had the fastest lap of the race with a 1:55.942.  Vervisch's best lap 
was lap 17, which he turned in 1:56.018.  Summerton's fastest lap was a 
1:56.119 turned one lap later.  Both of the Genoa cars were running faster than the 
leader in the waning moments of the race, but Edwards had too much of a lead 
for them to be able to overtake him.
 
The next Atlantic race is May 17 at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. 
 
Post-race quotes follow:
 
Frederic Vervisch: "The start was good, so we could take one position. Then, 
I was looking a little bit to John Edwards to see how his pace was. I had the 
feeling we could follow or catch up. There was a full-course yellow and on the 
restart I really focused on John and not on the ones behind me. There was a 
white car in my mirrors and it was Jonathan [Summerton], and I knew he would 
take me in the first corner, so we lost some time, because the rule is I cannot 
block so he passed. I saw I was faster and John was getting away, so I did the 
same move in the same spot and he didn't block me either. From then, John 
already had an advantage and I was just trying to catch up, but it was difficult. 
My goal was to finish, so second is good.  I'm happy. The car was very good. 
I'd like to thank the team for making this happen."
 
Jonathan Summerton: "We started out with a bit of a problem at the start. The 
clutch wasn't grabbing at all for me, so I basically short shifted up the 
gears and got to third and then it started grabbing. Then, I had to downshift 
back to second to get the acceleration. In the first corner we had lost three 
spots, so I was down to fourth, and was able to get one back by Turn 2. Then, I 
just started chasing the other two. Of course, we had that full-course yellow, 
and from there, I tried my best, but I just didn't have a car to follow behind 
anybody. We had a car for out front. But with the pole and the podium finish, 
it was a good way to start the year. I'd love to go for the championship, but 
it all comes down to dollar figures."
 
Thomas Knapp, team manager: "The race was decided at the start.  Jonathan had 
too much clutch slip.  But the times were very close for both drivers.  They 
both drove a good race.  They were very professional and didn't put the cars 
at risk. Now we'll take this and go on from here."