LEXINGTON, Ohio – Diabolical conditions greeted the USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire field this morning, but Liam Loiacono was up for the challenge as he splashed to a fine maiden victory in the second leg of the PFC Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio. Loiacono, from Queensland, Australia, took the lead on the opening lap for the Jay Howard Driver Development team and withstood a strong challenge from VRD Racing’s Oliver Wheldon, from St. Petersburg, Fla., to secure maximum points.

Brazilian Leonardo Escorpioni, now based in Windermere, Fla., extended his championship lead for Zanella Racing by finishing third.

Race Results

Yesterday’s winner Joao Vergara (VRD Racing), from Miami, Fla., once again started at the front of the 22-car field, snagging his second Continental Tire Pole Award as the grid was set by a combination of each driver’s second quickest lap during the lone qualifying session on Friday or their best lap during yesterday’s race, whichever was faster.

Loiacono lined up second having established a new race lap record on Saturday afternoon, and the talented Aussie made full use of his previous wet weather experience, gained in Australian Formula Ford competition, by driving around the outside of Vergara in Turn One moments after the start.

Former karting star and JHDD teammate Harley Keeble, from Grimsby, England, also took advantage of the conditions by rising from seventh on the grid to second on the opening lap, only to undo all his good work when he left his braking a fraction too late at the Turn Two Keyhole. Cue the first of several full-course-cautions after Keeble speared off through the gravel trap and into the tire barriers.

The rain continued to fall heavily, contributing to a plethora of incidents around the undulating 2.258-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, although Loiacono barely put a wheel wrong before taking the checkered flag shortly after the 40-minute time window had elapsed.

Having pushed Loiacono every step of the way, 14-year-old Wheldon maintained his record of having finished every race but one this year on the podium, vaulting him from fourth place to second in the points table at the halfway mark in the 16-race season.

Vergara ran third for much of the race before falling foul of the conditions and sliding off the road on Lap 13. He rejoined at the tail of the cars on the lead lap, following a pit stop to replace his car’s rear wing, and eventually finished 14th to salvage what could turn out to be some crucial championship points.

Vergara’s error elevated Escorpioni to the final step on the podium.

DEForce Racing’s Patricio Gonzalez, from Mexico City, Mexico, recorded his best ever finish in fourth, followed by teammate Vilho Aatola, from Turku, Finland, who rebounded from a disappointing result on Saturday after having qualified third fastest.

Connor Aspley, from O’Fallon, Mo., impressed for the Pole Position Motorsports team by finishing a solid sixth ahead of InterMS teammates Michael Suco, from Auburn, Ala., who earned the Tilton Hard Charger Award after climbing from 18th on the grid and Emma Scarbrough, from Senoia, Ga., who recorded her first-ever top-10 finish.

Jay Howard pocketed his first PFC Award of the season as the winning car owner.

USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire will return to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on the Fourth of July weekend for another pair of races which will be held in conjunction with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the two upper rungs on the USF Pro Championships ladder, USF Pro 2000 and USF2000.

Provisional championship points after eight of 16 races:

1. Leonardo Escorpioni, 188

2. Oliver Wheldon, 181

3. Ty Fisher, 169

4. Joao Vergara, 165

5 Liam Loiacono, 148

6. Vilho Aatola, 131

7 Rodrigo Gonzalez, 117

8. Diego Guiot, 89

9. Patricio Gonzalez, 82

10. Michael Suco, 82

Liam Loiacono (#6 Heli America Inc.-Jay Howard Driver Development Tatuus JR-23): “The race win is awesome, especially as it took a while to get there. We had some trouble at Barber (Motorsports Park) and couldn't quite maximize qualifying. Same sort of thing here. The practice pace was insane, and then we just couldn't quite get that car set up in qualifying. So, we started a bit further down than we'd like. We got the car set up right in the first race, but I made a mistake and dropped back. I managed to get a lap done in that race that moved me up to the front row. It was all about just judging it correctly today [with the conditions] especially in Turn Two. I didn't really know where I was braking. I was sort of just judging it by what I could see, what I could see in my mirrors and who's closing. I am just so stoked to finally get the win and so proud for the team.”

Oliver Wheldon (#98 Gainbridge/Big Machine Racing-VRD Racing Tatuus JR-23): “I started third and was able to get by Harley [Keeble] after he went off. I saw Liam in front and there was a full-course yellow, so I just wanted to get a good restart and try to get by him. I ended up going off but I kind of got saved by another full-course yellow. In the end, super close – almost there. I’m just waiting for my first win. It was a pretty good weekend.”

Leonardo Escorpioni (#55 Qwilt/Peer 1/Mensalize-Zanella Racing Tatuus JR-23): “It was a good race. It was all about staying on track. It was very difficult. My teammate Ty [Fisher] went off on the opening lap. The yellows helped a lot honestly, just in being calm and not spinning out and staying on track. The driver ahead of me, Joao [Vergara] made a mistake and I was able to get by and finish P3. It was honestly just about being calm, staying on track and not getting nervous about the conditions.”

Vergara Regains His USF Juniors Winning Form at Mid-Ohio

Gavin Baker