A challenging race weekend can be a harsh test for a young team as frustration on track can lead to disruption and conflict back in the paddock. But at this weekend’s Fast Trac 100 at the Grand Prix of Houston, Round Three as Cooper Tires Presents the Champ Car Atlantic Championship Powered by Mazda, Red Bull Team Forsythe came together despite adversity on Friday and Saturday and posted positive results in Sunday’s race.
After experiencing balance and grip problems earlier in the weekend that relegated him to a seventh-row starting spot, 18 year-old Robert Wickens of Toronto was able to move past several cars and scored solid points by finishing in 10th position. Wickens sits fourth in the season point standings and leads the Rookie of the Year category.
16 year-old John Edwards of Little Rock, Arkansas, experienced an electrical problem early in Qualifying on Saturday that relegated the youngest driver in Atlantic history to 21st starting spot in the 27-car field. Edwards, who along with Wickens is a member of the world-wide Red Bull Junior Team, made a stellar recovery in the race on Sunday as he jetted from back in the pack to pass nine cars and crossed the finish line in an amazing 12th place, scoring an extra championship point for moving up more spots than anyone else in the race. Edwards now claims ninth in the overall point standings and fifth in the Rookie of the Year battle among 21 contenders.
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