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News Hildebrand, Newgarden Star at Brands Hatch
West Kingsdown, England -- Former Team USA Scholarship winners J.R. Hildebrand and Josef Newgarden have stunned the European regulars by posting some impressive results today at the extremely challenging Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit. Hildebrand has been among the fastest contenders all weekend while making his A1GP race debut for Team USA, while Newgarden secured two spectacular victories today on his debut in Formula Palmer Audi -- his first-ever European experience in a "slicks and wings" category. Hildebrand, 21, from Sausalito, Calif., has acted as the Friday test driver for Team USA during three A1GP races this season in Malaysia, New Zealand and South Africa, helping to set up the car for Andretti Green Racing's regular race driver, Marco Andretti. This weekend, with Andretti preferring to concentrate on the upcoming month of May at Indianapolis, Hildebrand has been given an opportunity to remain behind the wheel for the entire weekend. Despite has relative lack of experience in running on new tires, Hildebrand was among the top five in practice on Friday and posted the third fastest time in this morning's final practice session. Hildebrand, a front-runner and already a race winner this year in the Firestone Indy Lights Championship, recorded the fourth fastest time during qualifying for tomorrow's sprint race, and followed up with the 11th fastest time for Sunday's feature event. Newgarden, meanwhile, took the opportunity of a lengthy gap in the MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain schedule to make his FPA debut. Newgarden, 18, from Hendersonville, Tenn., qualified second and fourth, respectively, for today's opening two races, but quickly moved into the lead on both occasions and came away with two wins. Newgarden is aiming for a hat-track during the third and final race tomorrow. Please check out these two Web links for more details: Photo courtesy of Jeff Bloxham |
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