Franzoni extends championship lead with Pro Mazda win at Watkins Glen

Victor Franzoni (Juncos Racing) extended his slender lead over Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires rival Anthony Martin (Cape Motorsports) by virtue of a hard-fought victory this afternoon in the first of two races that comprise the Pro Mazda Watkins Glen Grand Prix Presented by Cooper Tires. The Brazilian now holds an eight-point edge with a Mazda Scholarship worth almost $800,000 on the line in tomorrow morning's final race of the season.

A third-place finish for fellow Brazilian Carlos Cunha enabled him to vault ahead of Team Pelfrey teammate TJ Fischer in their scrap for third place in the championship. The result also allowed Team Pelfrey to stretch its lead in the team championship to six points over Juncos Racing.

The two title protagonists were separated by just two points as they headed to upstate New York for this weekend's final double-header, but that gap was extended by one after qualifying yesterday afternoon when Franzoni posted a new track record of 1:42.4376, an average speed of 118.433 mph, to secure his fourth pole of the season by a handsome margin of 0.8121 seconds.

In markedly cooler conditions today, the front row pair took off in lock step with Martin, from Perth, Australia, intent upon not allowing Franzoni to stretch away. Even better, Martin took advantage of an aggressive run through the Esses on the opening lap, plus a good draft, to tow past as the leaders headed toward the Inner Loop.

The race was neutralized before the end of the second lap when Pro Mazda debutant Robert Megennis (Team Pelfrey) lost control and crashed heavily at Turn Nine. Innocent teammate Nikita Lastochkin, who had been embroiled in a close battle for third in the championship, was unable to avoid the wreckage and also crashed out of the race.

Even though Martin led away from the restart, it quickly became apparent that Franzoni had the faster car. The Brazilian tried a couple of times to make a bold outside-line pass at the toe of the boot (Turn Seven), only to be rebuffed each time. Finally, on Lap 12, Franzoni virtually mirrored the earlier pass by Martin as he drafted into the lead prior to the Inner Loop. Franzoni then romped away over the final couple of laps, posting comfortably the fastest lap of the race at a new record 1:43.5737 (117.134 mph) before taking the checkered flag a full 3.5743 seconds clear to claim his sixth win of the season and the sixth PFC Award for winning team owner Ricardo Juncos.

Martin couldn't match that pace and instead had to concentrate on maintaining second place ahead of Cunha, which he achieved by less than one second.

Sting Ray Robb (World Speed Motorsports) finished a distant fourth, well clear of Kris Wright (JDC MotorSports), who worked his way from 10th on the grid to secure the Staubli Award. Matt Machiko (ArmsUp Motorsports) enjoyed a strong return to the series for the first time since May, snaring the Quarter Master Hard Charger Award after rising from 10th on the grid to sixth.

Brendan Puderbach finished eighth for FatBoy Racing! to secure the National Class Championship crown.

Another qualifying session will set the starting grid for tomorrow's 12th and final round of the season, which is due to start at 7:55 a.m. ET.