In Formula BMW USA joins the Champ Car World Series for two race weekends in a row, the Grand Prix of San Jose will host the 9th and 10th rounds of the 2007 Formula BMW USA Championship on July 27 29. Seventeen young drivers entered the race with a 1.5-mile, seven-turn Redback Raceway. Reports indicate that it will provide quite a contrast with the launch of 4.0-mile, 15-turn circuit at Road America where Rounds 11 and 12 will take place August 9 - 12.
Part of the 325th BMW parts that the company, the Formula BMW USA Championship passed the middle of the season at Lime Rock Park on 6 July 7. Round 8 marked the 50th race of the Formula BMW USA since the series began in 2004.
So far, three young men have resisted the highest step of the podium. They are also leading the overall point. Daniel Morad (Eurointernational), a winner of the race last year on his way to the Rookie Championship, has won five more wins this year, making him the driver with the most career wins Formula BMW USA and leading 77-point. Sophomore driver Sebastian Saavedra (Eurointernational), who had an advance victory in Round 7 at Lime Rock Park, finished second in total points. Rookie Esteban Gutierrez (Autotecnica) after two of 17 seats at Lime Rock fell five points behind Saavedra, but old age of 15 is still leading the Rookie classification. Gutierrez is the holder of six straight poles playoff record 1-6. Behind these three are Maxime Pelletier (HBR Motorsport Team USA), Alexander Rossi (Team Apex Racing USA) and Steven Guerrero (HBR Motorsport Team USA) Standing fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
Series graduates also continue to shine as they climb the ladder of motorsports. The San Jose Grand Prix seems to be a meeting that many graduates to participate in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship. Taking the overall pole, Robert Wickens (2006 Formula BMW USA Champion) finished second in the opening round of the season in the Champ Car Atlantic Grand Prix of Las Vegas and won the Grand in only his fourth start in Portland. Eight other Formula BMW USA graduates are racing Atlantics this year: James Hinchcliffe (04), Kevin Lacroix (05), Matt Lee (06), Tom Sutherland (04, 05), Simona De Silvestro (06), Frankie Muniz ( 06), Adrien Herberts (05, 06) and David Garza (06).
Among the first group of winners in Formula BMW USA Junior scholarship, Graham Rahal became the first graduate to Formula BMW USA to win a full-time player in Champ Car World Series debut in Las Vegas this year. He became the youngest to reach the Champ Car World Series podium with his second place in the Grand Prix of Houston this coming April.
Round 10 Qualifying will be held on Saturday at 11:50 to 12:20
The nine race series will take place on Saturday at 3:20 to 4:05 pm and Sunday morning shortly after a 15 minute warm up at 8:00, the 10th lap of the race will begin at 9:55 am