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27th
May 2002
CROFT
PODIUM FINISH ELEVATES MICHAEL TO SECOND
Michael
elevated himself to second in the British F3 Championship
standings on Sunday (27th May) when he finished third
in the ninth round of the F1 feeder series at Croft.
The
22-year-old claimed his fifth podium finish this season
when he made a sensational start from eighth on the
grid. Mastering the extreme wet conditions at the North
Yorkshire circuit, the Irishman passed five cars in
the drag to the first corner to emerge third behind
front row starters Australian James Courtney and American
Richard Antinucci.
Michael
excelled in the wet to claim another podium finish
The
tricky conditions saw the Safety car deployed twice
during the 20 lap encounter but the order remained unchanged
throughout with Michael finishing third ahead of the
two Fortec Renaults of Finland's Heikki Kovalainen and
Brazil's Fabio Carbone to claim 12 championship points
and climb from fourth to second in the standings.
Race
2 at Croft, Round 10 of the series, was delayed after
a shower of biblical proportions and then cancelled
after an oil trail on the circuit left it too dangerous
for racing. The race is set to be rescheduled for later
in the season.
This
weekend (June 1/2/3) the championship returns to Silverstone
for rounds 11 & 12 of the prestigious 26 race series.
His fifth straight weekend in action, the Ibstock Brick/Clonakilty
Black Pudding backed ace will be aiming to go one better
than last time out at the British Grand Prix venue when
he claimed a second in the Championship class.
Round
9, Race Result - Croft (20 laps)
1.James COURTNEY (AUS) - Dallara F302 Honda - 35:24.332
2.Richard ANTINUCCI (USA) - Dallara F302 Honda - 35:36.804
3.Michael KEOHANE (IRL) - Dallara
F302 Honda - 35:48.011
4.Heikki KOVALAINEN (FIN) - Dallara F302 Renault - 35:54.581
5.Fabio CARBONE (BRA) - Dallara F302 Renault - 35:56.597
6.Rob AUSTIN (GBR) - Dallara F302 Opel - 36:04.571
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