Sellers Promoted, Holds Series Lead After Coulthard is DQ’d

Jan 21, 2002
Auckland, New Zealand — Team USA Scholarship winner Bryan Sellers has been elevated into the lead of the eight-race Talley’s New Zealand International Formula Ford Championship following the revelation that runaway points leader Fabian Coulthard had been using an illegal engine.
After scoring two dominant victories at Pukekohe Park Raceway on Sunday to add to a string of seven straight National championship race wins prior to being beaten twice by Sellers at Timaru one week ago, MotorSport New Zealand officials found a “technical irregularity” late on Sunday evening. Coulthard was disqualified from the event, fined NZ$250 and received an endorsement on his racing license.

Sellers, like most other observers, was hardly surprised at the decision of the race stewards, given that Coulthard had won the races in such a dominant style: “It was like that at Teretonga and even at Timaru; but it was wet there, so I was able to overcome it [and win both races]. He just had an advantage that was impossible to keep up with [in the dry]. Especially here [at the fast Pukekohe track], because that little bit he had coming off the corners kept anybody from getting by him.”

Consequently, Brady Kennett and Nick Ross were declared winners of Sunday’s races, with Ross taking home the Ron Frost Memorial Trophy. Sellers was promoted to second in the official results of both races, with Team USA Scholarship teammate A.J. Allmendinger placing fourth on both occasions.

“Dammit,” exclaimed Sellers, 19, from Centerville, Ohio, when he learned of Coulthard’s disqualification on Monday morning. “I wish I would have stuck that [last-lap] pass on Ross now!”

Sellers had drafted past Ross on the long back straightaway on the 15th and final lap, only for Ross to reclaim the position with a desperate lunge down the inside — with two wheels on the grass — at the ensuing hairpin. At the time, both men thought their tussle was for second place. Following Coulthard’s disqualification, however, it had taken on a greater significance.

“Oh well,” said Sellers. “There’s not much you can do except take the two seconds. Heck, what kind a bad day is it if you’re disappointed with two seconds?”

Coulthard still holds a massive lead in the National Championship, but in the International title-chase, which comprises the past three weekends plus one more double-header at Manfeild on February 2/3, Sellers now holds the upper hand. After six of eight races, unofficially, Sellers has 168 points to the 122 of Coulthard. Kennett and Ken Smith are tied for third on 108, followed by Ross (105), Nelson Hartley (97) and Allmendinger (95). Sellers will attempt to secure Team USA’s fourth championship victory in as many years following the successes of Paul Edwards in the 1998 Formula Opel Winter Series and the ‘99 Formula Palmer Audi Winter Series, plus Phil Giebler’s success in the 2000 FPA Winter Series.

Support for the Team USA Scholarship is provided by CART, Steve and Christine Horne, The Craig Company, American Honda, Prappas Company, Klein Tools, Las Vegas Karting Center, Road Racing Drivers Club, Sparco USA, Skip Barber Racing, Jim Russell Racing Drivers School, Buttonwillow, Speedstar and RACER.