2012 U.S. F2000 National Championship

The 2012 U.S. F2000 National Championship is a season of the U.S. F2000 National Championship, an open wheel auto racing series that is the first step in IndyCar's Road to Indy ladder. It is the third full season of the series since its revival in 2010. Rookie Australian/American driver Matthew Brabham, son of Geoff Brabham, captured the title over is Cape Motosports teammate, second-year American Spencer Pigot by seven points in the final pair of races at Virginia International Raceway. Even though Pigot won the final two races of the season, Brabham's lead was large enough and his finishes in the final two races were high enough to capture the championship. Brabham only won four races compared to Pigot's eight wins. However, Brabham only failed to finish in the top-10 once with a single DNF while Pigot finished outside the top-10 three times in what would ultimately decide the championship. The only other driver to capture a race win during the season was Belardi Auto Racing's Scott Anderson.

Norwegian Henrik Furuseth captured the National Class championship over American R. C. Enerson in the final race of the season when Enerson was involved in an incident in the first lap of the race after passing Furuseth. The crash dropped Enerson to third in points as Mark Eaton finished second in class in the race and edged out Enerson for second place in National Class by four points.

One notable driver to compete in the championship was Michael Johnson of Flint, Michigan who is a paraplegic, having lost use of his legs in a motorcycle racing accident.Patterson, Doug. USF2000 – Former Supermoto rider Michael Johnson Joins JDC MotorSports, Open Paddock, February 6, 2012, Retrieved 2012-09-15 Johnson finished 15th in points with a best finish of tenth at Road America.

Drivers and teams In line with U.S. F2000 regulations, National Class cars were ineligible to compete at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.

TeamDriver(s)StatusRound(s) Cape Motorsportsw/ Wayne Taylor Racing 2 Spencer PigotCape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing Completes Driver Line-Up with Pigot Signing , eFormulaCarNews, December 19, 2011, Retrieved 2011-12-21 All 3 Trent HindmanTrent Hindman to Drive for Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing in 2012 , US F2000, October 10, 2011, Retrieved 2011-10-29 All 13 Henrik FurusethStringfield, Ryan. , Junior Open Wheel Talent, February 21, 2012, Retrieved 2012-02-21All 83 Matthew BrabhamMatthew Brabham to Drive the No. 83 for Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing in 2012 , Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing, December 17, 2011, Retrieved 2011-12-17All Belardi Auto Racing 4 Roman LagudiBelardi Auto Racing Announce second USF2000 Driver , US F2000, November 8, 2011, Retrieved 2011-11-08All 9 Luca ForgeoisBelardi Auto Racing adds Forgeois to USF2000 lineup, IndyCar.com, November 5, 2011, Retrieved 2011-11-061–10 Wayne Boyd 11–14 11 Colin ThompsonNew Addition to Belardi Auto Racing Roster , Belardi Auto Racing, December 5, 2011, Retrieved 2011-12-05All 14 Scott AndersonSkip Barber National Champion Signs with Belardi Auto Racing, Belardi Auto Racing, December 8, 2011, Retrieved 2011-12-08All Pabst Racing Services 5 Dalton KellettDalton Kellett to Drive for Pabst Racing Services in 2012 , US F2000, December 24, 2011, Retrieved 2011-12-27 All 6 J. R. Smart 3–4, 6–145 18 Shannon McIntosh, eFormulaCarNews, February 16, 2012, Retrieved 2012-02-16 All Andretti Autosport 7 Thomas McGregorAll 8 Shelby BlackstockAll ZSports Midwest w/ Team E Racing 10 R. C. EnersonZSports Signs Enerson for National Class Title Effort in USF2000 Championship , US F2000, February 24, 2012, Retrieved 2012-02-24 1–4, 6–145 Robinson Motor Sports 12 Eric Filgueiras, eFormulaCarNews, January 20, 2012, Retrieved 2012-01-20 1–2 25 Joel Janco 3–14 92 Mark Eaton All 97 Paul AlspachAlspach Joins Robinson Motor Sports for Winterfest and National Championship Openers , eFormulacarNews, January 31, 2012, Retrieved 2012-01-31 1–2, 6–7 Genoa Racing/Primus Racing 13 Isaac Lyons 1–2 ArmsUp Motorsports 15 Luigi BiangardiLuigi Biangardi first to join Championship Winning F2000 Team ArmsUp Motorsports for 2012 USF2000 Season , U.S. F2000, January 11, 2012, Retrieved 2012-01-11All 16 James Dayson 8–14 59 Bobby Kelley 1–2 Afterburner Autosport 17 Timmy MegenbierAfterburner Autosport Adds Megenbier to Driver Line-Up , eFormulaCarNews, March 6, 2012, Retrieved 2012-03-06 1–5 Brian Tomasi 6–10 21 Heamin ChoiAfterburner Autosport Signs Choi for Inaugural Championship Campaign , eFormulaCarNews, March 5, 2012, Retrieved 2012-03-06 1–10 JDC Motorsports 19 Neil AlbericoAlberico Joins JDC MotorSports for Title Challenge , eFormulaCarNews, January 4, 2012, Retrieved 2012-01-04 All 38 Scott HargroveHargrove Joins JDC MotorSports for 2012 USF2000 National Championship , US F2000, October 27, 2011, Retrieved 2011-10-29 1–4, 8–14 54 Michael JohnsonDrivers, JDC Motorsports, Retrieved 2012-01-04 All 85 Chris Miller 1–7 Luca Forgeois 13–14 93 Zac SilverJDC MotorSports Signs Silver for 2012 USF2000 National Championship , US F2000, October 27, 2011, Retrieved 2011-10-29 1–4 JAY Motorsports 23 Jason WolfeAll 91 Patrick GallagherStringfield, Ryan. , Junior Open Wheel Talent, February 13, 2012, Retrieved 2012-02-13 All 65 Michael Geldart 1–2 98 Jim Libecco 1–7, 11–14 AcceleRace Motorsports 28 Ardie Greenamyer 1–2 Special Addition Racing 41 Wally Osinga 1–4 PRL Motorsports 48 Patryk Tararuj 11–12 Patrick Linn 1–10, 13–14 99 11–12 MDL Racing 56 Matthew Di LeoAll Alliance Autosport 71 Scott RettichScott Rettich Enters USF2000 Series , US F2000, February 24, 2012, Retrieved 2012-02-24 1–4, 6–7 One Formula Racing 77 Colette Davis 1–4 Cruzinc Racing 86 Eric Cruz All Icon Legend National Class

Schedule The race schedule was announced on January 11, 2012. Fourteen races were announced, all at venues that hosted the series in 2011.USF2000 Announces 2012 Schedule and Expansion to 14 Races , USF2000, January 11, 2012, Retrieved 2012-01-11 The final race weekend's location and date were announced on January 17, 2012.USF2000 Completes 2012 Schedule with the Addition of VIR , USF2000, January 17, 2012, Retrieved 2012-01-17 IconLegendOval/SpeedwayRoad courseStreet circuit Rd. DateRace name Track Location Supporting 1 March 15–16support event for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Sebring International Raceway Sebring, Florida ALMS 2 3 March 24–25USF2000 St. Petersburg Grand Prixpresented by Allied Building Products Streets of St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, Florida IndyCar Series 4 5 May 26Night Before the 500 Lucas Oil Raceway Clermont, Indiana USAC Midgets 6 August 4–5Mid-Ohio Grand Prix presented by Allied Building Products Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Lexington, Ohio IndyCar Series 7 8 August 17–18support event for the Road Race Showcase Road America Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin ALMS 9 10 11 September 1–2USF2000 Baltimore Grand Prix Presented by Allied Building Products Streets of Baltimore Baltimore, Maryland IndyCar Series 12 13 September 14–15USF2000 Grand Prix of Virginia Virginia International Raceway Danville, Virginia ALMS 14

Race results Rd.TrackPole positionFastest lapMost laps ledRace winner Driver Team 1 Sebring International Raceway Luigi Biangardi 2 Matthew Brabham Matthew Brabham Spencer Pigot Cape Motorsports with WTR 3 Streets of St. Petersburg Spencer Pigot Matthew Brabham Spencer Pigot Spencer Pigot Cape Motorsports with WTR 4 Matthew Brabham Matthew Brabham Spencer Pigot Spencer Pigot Cape Motorsports with WTR 5 Matthew Brabham Matthew Brabham Spencer Pigot Spencer Pigot Cape Motorsports with WTR 6 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Matthew Brabham Spencer Pigot Spencer Pigot Spencer Pigot Cape Motorsports with WTR 7 Spencer Pigot Roman Lagudi Scott Anderson Scott Anderson Belardi Auto Racing 8 Road America Scott Anderson Matthew Brabham Spencer Pigot Matthew Brabham Matthew Brabham Cape Motorsports with WTR 9 Matthew Brabham Scott Anderson Matthew Brabham Matthew Brabham Cape Motorsports with WTR 10 Scott Anderson Spencer Pigot Scott Anderson Scott Anderson Belardi Auto Racing 11 Streets of Baltimore Qualifying abandoned Matthew Brabham Spencer Pigot Spencer Pigot Cape Motorsports with WTR 12 Matthew Brabham Matthew Brabham Matthew Brabham Matthew Brabham Cape Motorsports with WTR 13 Virginia International Raceway Spencer Pigot Spencer Pigot Spencer Pigot Spencer Pigot Cape Motorsports with WTR 14 Spencer Pigot Spencer Pigot Spencer Pigot Spencer Pigot Cape Motorsports with WTR

Championship standings

Championship Class Pos Driver SEB STP LOR MOH RAM BAL VIR Points 1 Matthew Brabham 1* 2* 2 2 2 3 25 1* 1* 3 2 1* 4 8 339 2 Spencer Pigot 3 1 1* 1* 1* 1* 23 16* 3 2 1 24 1* 1* 332 3 Scott Anderson 5 8 28 10 4 2 1* 3 2 1* 5 2 26 6 256 4 Matthew Di Leo 12 4 18 3 8 7 2 2 4 5 3 6 7 21 220 5 Trent Hindman 36 30 5 4 5 4 3 4 6 8 25 12 8 3 189 6 Roman Lagudi 2 3 3 5 3 5 16 7 9 28 7 27 173 7 Neil Alberico 9 5 17 34 16 19 6 5 5 6 13 5 2 5 170 8 Shelby Blackstock 7 32 6 8 18 6 5 21 8 4 21 8 6 7 153 9 Thomas McGregor 4 7 7 7 12 27 10 23 28 21 9 9 9 9 134 10 Luigi Biangardi 35 9 4 33 11 29 4 6 7 7 4 27 24 22 129 11 Scott Hargrove 11 11 30 32 8 13 9 6 3 5 4 128 12 Colin Thompson 8 10 31 13 14 8 28 9 10 20 12 4 10 10 103 13 Jason Wolfe 14 34 19 9 10 12 29 26 14 23 10 10 25 13 84 14 Dalton Kellett 10 19 33 14 20 9 7 10 16 22 26 21 11 26 78 15 Michael Johnson 18 27 13 25 17 13 24 11 29 10 14 26 12 11 72 16 Luca Forgeois 33 26 26 6 6 10 22 24 12 27 23 12 66 17 Heamin Choi 16 18 10 12 15 26 15 12 27 12 55 18 Shannon McIntosh 15 23 11 24 13 21 18 25 21 14 24 15 16 20 54 19 Timmy Megenbier 6 6 32 11 9 53 20 Chris Miller 26 15 8 26 19 11 13 22 11 25 52 21 Zac Silver 13 12 34 19 20 22 Isaac Lyons 31 35 2 Unregistered drivers ineligible for points Wayne Boyd 26 11 3 2 R. C. Enerson 7 Brian Tomasi 17 DNS 13 15 DNS J. R. Smart 21 Pos Driver SEB STP LOR MOH RAM BAL VIR Points Color Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green 4th & 5th place Light Blue 6th–10th place Dark Blue Finished(Outside Top 10) Purple Did not finish Red Did not qualify(DNQ) Brown Withdrawn(Wth) Black Disqualified(DSQ) White Did not start(DNS) Blank Did notparticipateIn-line notationChampionship Class onlyBoldPole position(1 point)ItalicsRan fastest race lap(1 point)*Led most race laps(1 point)Not awarded if more thanone driver leads most laps

National Class Pos Driver SEB STP MOH RAM BAL VIR Points 1 Henrik Furuseth 21 13 12 23 16 8 27 17 11 8 23 13 14 205 2 Mark Eaton 17 14 29 16 30 14 15 19 15 15 7 15 15 191 3 RC Enerson 29 17 9 15 14 11 14 18 13 11 28 14 25 187 4 Jim Libecco 28 22 20 20 20 9 22 13 18 16 98 5 Patrick Gallagher 22 33 15 17 18 26 17 20 24 27 14 95 6 Patrick Linn 23 31 21 22 23 17 DNS 23 17 17 16 17 19 95 7 J. R. Smart 22 21 24 20 28 22 16 16 17 19 17 85 8 Scott Rettich 19 16 14 18 15 27 79 9 Eric Cruz 32 25 25 28 25 21 18 24 18 19 18 20 24 56 10 Joel Janco 23 27 28 19 19 26 26 18 22 22 23 42 11 James Dayson 20 19 21 18 24 12 Ardie Greenamyer 16 30 11 Unregistered drivers ineligible for points Paul Alspach 30 21 22 12 James Dayson 20 25 19 Bobby Kelley 20 20 Patryk Tararuj 23 20 Michael Geldart 25 24 Collete Davis 24 29 27 31 Wally Osinga 27 DNS 24 29 Eric Filgueiras 34 28 Pos Driver SEB STP MOH RAM BAL VIR Points

Teams' PosTeamPoints 1 Cape Motorsports w/ Wayne Taylor Racing491 2 Belardi Auto Racing310 3 JDC Motorsports165 4 Andretti Autosport144 5 MDL Racing135 6 ArmsUp Motorsports77 7 Afterburner Autosport41 8 Pabst Racing Services40 9 JAY Motorsports40 10 ZSports Midwest26 11 PRL Motorsports14 12 Alliance Autosport6 13 AcceleRace Motorsports2

References

External links U.S. F2000 National Championship official website