Formula 3: Engine failure at Hungaroring makes Damian Blue the first driver to trail twice in the Formula 3 Series

Damian Blue picked up the 2nd last place finish of his SCRL Formula 3 Series career in Round 7 at Hungaroring when his #97 Advance Auto Parts fell out with engine problems after completing 6 of the 10 laps.

The finish, which came in his 7th career start, was his first on the circuit since Round 5 at the Hockenheimring when he completed all 7 laps under power, 2 races ago. In the SCRL Formula 3 Series, it's the 2nd for car #97 and the 1st for engine issues. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 3rd for the #97 and the 45th for engine issues. After trailing at the first Hockenheimring event, Blue came back for redemption as he started first in the second event and would lead all seven laps to score his first career SCRL sanctioned win.

On race day, Blue rolled off starting 18th while starting last was the #2 IZOD of Carter Joey as the green flag waved, Joey wasn't going to stay in last for long, as he knocked first Silverstone last-place finisher the #99 Target of Ryan Rush, as Rush would trail for the first lap, but the next time around, Rush had knocked Joey back to last. With the rules of F3 being that the driver who finishes last in the first race would start first in the second event, Joey was quite possibly using strategy in the race to get a good start for the second round. Joey was running in the final spot at the time on the fifth lap when Blue, who was running in 12th, began to slow going into turn 1 before stalling on track. Blue's car would be towed back to pit road as the crew looked over the car and found that the engine had blown up, with the car being retired by the 8th lap.

Finishing 22nd was second Catalunya last-place finisher the #8 BMC / Embrase / Hyundai Brazil of Elliott Rose, who suffered tire problems while running in 22nd as he pulled into the pits and then behind the wall, just as the leaders were about to start the final lap.

Rounding out the Bottom Five were: 21st was the aforementioned #2 of Carter Joey, 20th was the #19 Boy Scouts of America of Al Lagasee and 19th was the #33 Shell V-Power / Pennzoil Ultra of Mitchell Collins.

SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This was the first time the #97 had finished last at Hungaroring.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
23) #97-Damian Blue / 6 laps / engine
22) #8-Elliott Rose / 8 laps / tire
21) #2-Carter Joey / 10 laps / running
20) #19-Al Lagasee / 10 laps / running
19) #33-Mitchell Collins / 10 laps / running