FFCS SUMMER 2025 NEWSLETTER
April – FFCS with Formula Race Promotions – Mid Ohio Formula Speedfest
The second points event of the season for the FFCS was held for the first time at the historic Mid Ohio road course. Seventeen (17) cars entered with great racing through the smaller, but competitive field. We were joined by our Canadian friends Murray (Chinook) and Daniel Burkett (Van Diemen).
Several of the sessions experienced damp track conditions, but Sunday’s Feature Race was under clear skies and a dry track. The FFCS youngest winner, Mark Kingham, at 19 years old, in a Zink Z10, took the top step of the podium, but said he couldn’t accept the champagne due to his age. His dad, Phil, also an accomplished FF racer, accepted it on his behalf and said he would keep it for his 21st birthday!
In Historic Ford (HF), Andrew Stein and his Merlyn took top honors, while Jeff White in a Reynard won in the Post Club Ford (PCF) class. Field Champion flag award went to Mike Spence and Mike Wirrick picked up the Hard Charger Award from Stonebridge Cryoscience.
May – FFCS with VRG at Summit Point – Jefferson 500
A fantastic field of 42 Fords entered, with position changes at the front and throughout the pack.
Feature Race A Winners: Taras Pawluczkowycz (HF), Ira Nesbitt (CF), and John Vidovich (PCF).
Taras earned the Hard Charger Award from Stonebridge Cryoscience and Mike Wirrick the Field Champion Flag.
Feature Race B Winners: Trey Dusek (HF), Patrick Flynn (CF), and Joe Griffin (PCF). Dave Fairchild won the Hard Charger award and Frank DelVecchio was awarded the Field Champion Flag.
From the FFCS Executive Committee:
We believe many of us would agree that the Jefferson 500 this year was a tremendous success. The racing was thrilling, and we thoroughly enjoyed the spirited competition. We especially appreciated how well the split racing groups worked, demonstrating that close racing is possible at any speed. The strong community support and camaraderie in the paddock were also fantastic and made us very proud to be part of the FFCS.
The success we've built in the FFCS has fostered a culture of excellence, and this year we witnessed some incredibly close head-to-head battles, reminiscent of the golden age of Formula Ford.
With this in mind, we wish to address our front-runners. While no one is suggesting you should slow down, it's important to remember that running at the front comes with increased scrutiny and responsibility. The close and exciting racing we enjoy is only possible because we have consistently done so without major incidents and without endangering other competitors on track.
Essentially, if you are pushing the limits of these cars in a highly competitive environment, please do so with the utmost care and awareness. Maintaining the high quality of our racing – both in terms of competition and safety – is a hallmark of the FFCS. Let's continue to uphold that standard.
June – FFCS members at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport) for the VARAC Vintage GP
Although not an official FFCS points event for 2025, nine (9) of our US members ventured north for a great weekend of weather, racing, and camaraderie. A total of nineteen (19) Formula Fords competed in an open-wheel group of forty-three (43) cars resulting in an incident-free weekend. Steve Adams dominated the Feature in his CF Lola 540, followed by Doug Beatty (Crosslé) and Dan Pyanowski (Crosslé). Kevin Young in his (Crosslé 20) took top honors in HF.
There is potential to make either the VARAC 50th Anniversary event at Mosport one of the FFCS points events in 2026 or the All Open Wheel Weekend at Mosport July 25-26, 2026, sanctioned by CASC. Per usual, we will get feedback at our Annual General Meeting in September at Watkins Glen and through our annual survey to decide a venue for an additional points event in 2026, as there is also additional potential to race at Mid Ohio, Grattan, or NJMP.
June – FFCS with VRG and VSCCA at Thompson Vintage Motorsports Festival
Eighteen (18) FFCS drivers took on the tight and technical track at Thompson. The “Wicked Big Car Show” a charity event, also joined the fun on Saturday at the track.
The weekend was also incident-free and exhibited a great 2x2 formation for the start of the Feature race with Andrew Stein winning HF, Mike Agnifilo CF and overall winner, and Tom Venturino taking the PCF win. John Rutherford was awarded the Field Champion Flag, and Federico Mosconi took his Crosslé from the back of the pack to win the first race and earn the Stonebridge Cryoscience Hard Charger Award.
TECH INSPECTIONS
With VRG and FFCS experiencing a growing field of cars at our events, the need for efficient tech inspection to ensure safety of all competitors is a must.
As the Chief of Tech for VRG has authorized FFCS to conduct inspections on our member’s cars, at some events we find ourselves shorthanded. We have drafted a document for apprenticeships to recruit and train additional inspectors. If you’re interested in assisting at events you may attend, contact an FFCS Executive Committee member.
One item we have not checked in some time is the rule the top of the driver’s helmet must be 2” below the top of the roll bar. Bill Stoler does a fantastic job of posting action shots of our cars on track. From these photos, it appears there are a few cars / drivers that don’t meet this rule. For your safety, check photos of your car at billstoler.com, or better yet, sit in your car with full gear and have someone measure this clearance. You will need to modify your seating position in the car or worse case, have a new taller roll bar installed meeting the FFCS and VRG requirements.