Ribeiro Continues Leading SCCA Formula Russell Championship

Kevin West Wins Spring Mechanics Challenge Series

INFINEON RACEWAY - SONOMA, Calif. (June 17, 2004) - Road Racing Scholarship winner J. R. Hildebrand moved up the charts with two dominant wins in this past weekend's SCCA Formula Russell Championship at Infineon Raceway. His total of 112 gives him a three point edge over Bruce Feldman, last year's champion, and keeps him within striking distance of the championship lead now held by Fernando dias Ribeiro with 120 points.

dias Ribeiro, the benefactor of an anonymous sponsor for the rest of the season, did not finish Saturday's event but paced himself using Hildebrand's speed on Sunday to finish second in that race. He stayed in front of the hard charging Steve Hill who picked up third. Both Hill and dias Ribeiro are battling for the overall championship as well the Masters Division title.

Cole Nelson picked up third place on Saturday with the race's fastest lap, but was absent on Sunday to participate in the Red Bull scholarship runoffs at a local indoor karting track. He now sits in fourth with 106 points, but still is a contender for the championship which provides a racing scholarship in 2005 Pro Formula Mazda as a the prize. Both he and Hildebrand have qualified to compete in the next round of the Red Bull program at Infineon Karting Center in August. Rounding out the top five is Jeremy Spiering with 89.

dias Ribeiro's point total also gives him the lead in the Masters Division followed by Hill with 85. Tom Hughes holds down third from a win on Saturday netting him 72 points while Stan Kohls and Don Stewart round out the top five with 65 and 62 points respectively.