2010 Jim Russell seat up for grabs

Twenty drivers will spend the next two days trying to earn themselves one of two, fully-funded “seats" up for grabs in the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series as the inaugural Future Driver Search program reaches its climax.

Almost 40 drivers, representing 10 different countries, have participated in the four-day selection process at the Infineon Raceway, Sonoma (CA) since Saturday (19 Dec).

Britain’s double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner, Allan McNish, and his fellow judging panel members, have now chosen 20 drivers who progress after two-days of detailed evaluation – today’s (SUN) phases taking place in changeable weather conditions.

The final two-day line-up is:

1. Bastien Graber (18), from Niddatal, GERMANY
2. James Kovacic (16), from Forresters Beach nr Gosford, AUSTRALIA
3. Brett van Blankers (22), New Westminster, British Columbia, CANADA
4. Xavier Coupal (19), Saint-Jean, Quebec, CANADA
5. Tyler Bennett (20), from Farmington, Utah, USA
6. Gregory Liefooghe (29), from San Francisco, California, USA
7. Yannick Mettler (20), from Kriens (Luzern), SWITZERLAND
8. Jordan Jadallah (17), from Hillsborough, California, USA
9. Mark Pombo (27), from Berkeley Lake, Georgia, USA
10. Jayson Clunie (40), from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, CANADA
11. Gustavo Menezes (15), from Coto de Caza, California, USA
12. Justin Gald (18), from Fresno, California, USA
13. Felipe Polehtto [nee Poletto Bastos] (20), from Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL
14. Logan Downing (17), from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CANADA
15. Nikola Radosavljevich (18), from Los Gatos, California, USA
16. Gary Carlton (23), from Marysville, California, USA
17. Alex Ellis (18), from St Catharines, Ontario, CANADA
18. Javier Echeverria (22), from Mexico City, MEXICO
19. Cody Hodgson (18), from Escalon, California, USA
20. Jeffrey Westphal (23), from San Carlos, California, USA

Judges will ultimately chose the best “all-rounder" on Tuesday evening while the second recipient of the 2010 JRCS “seat" will be the driver who has set the outright fastest lap time in a Jim Russell Racing Drivers School FJR-50 single-seater on Tuesday – a day which will see just six drivers battling for this spectacular prize after Monday’s continuing selection process.

The two “prize" drives could be the launch pad to a full-time career in motor racing. The 2010 JRCS champion gets a fully-funded prize drive in the 2011 FIA Formula Two Championship.