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  indypro 2000 series  usf20000 series road to indyUSF JUNIORS

USF Pro  2000 Championship

USF Pro Championships Presented by Continental Tire is an evolution of the Road to Indy, one of the most successful driver development programs in the world. Comprised of USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire, USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire and USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire

www.usfpro2000.com
 

De Tullio Pulls Off Last-Lap Pass to Win in Toronto


 

TORONTO, Ont., Canada – Alessandro de Tullio executed a spectacular last-lap pass in this morning’s thrilling second leg of the Continental Tire Grand Prix of Toronto doubleheader to claim victory for Turn 3 Motorsport. It was the Miami, Fla., native’s fourth USF Pro 2000 win of the season.


 

Frankie Mossman, from Newport Beach, Calif., had to settle for second place after leading most of the 25-lap race for VRD Racing, while Jacob Douglas, from Christchurch, New Zealand, maintained his streak of podium finishes after taking third for Pabst Racing.


 

Results


 

Qualifying for Race Two on Saturday morning saw de Tullio lay down his intentions following a difficult second half of the season. His best lap edged newly crowned champion Max Garcia (Pabst Racing), from Coconut Grove, Fla., by just over a tenth of a second. It was enough for his fourth Continental Tire Pole Award of the season, but his first since NOLA Motorsports Park in April.


 

De Tullio narrowly held onto his advantage at the rolling start, while Garcia opted for a cautious approach to the first corner which cost him a couple of positions to Mossman, who had started fifth but immediately stormed up on the inside line under braking for Turn One, and third-place qualifier Max Taylor (VRD Racing), from Hoboken, N.J.


 

Mossman’s bold move cost him momentum on the exit which allowed both Taylor and Garcia to sneak back ahead on the long drag along Lake Shore Boulevard to Turn Three. Then, through the ensuing left-handed kink at Turn Four, contact between Taylor and Garcia sent the latter spinning.


 

Miraculously, a furious Garcia kept his car off the wall and rejoined at the tail end of the field. He then posted a masterful recovery drive and posted the fastest lap of the race before finishing ninth. It was truly a champion’s performance.


 

Taylor lost a few positions following the contretemps, then retired only a few laps later following another incident, this time with hometown hero Mac Clark (Exclusive Autosport), from nearby Milton, Ont., at Turn Three.


 

Mossman executed a fine pass on de Tullio for the lead under braking for Turn Three on the sixth lap, but was never able to shake off his pursuer.


 

The two leaders remained in close formation, gradually eking out a small margin over a similarly tight battle for third between Liam McNeilly (Jay Howard Driver Development), from London, England, and Douglas.


 

Mossman began to feel the pressure in the closing stages, making sure, especially, that he left no opportunity for de Tullio to make a pass at the preferred overtaking point in Turn Three. Instead, de Tullio glimpsed the smallest of gaps under braking for Turn One on the very last lap and dived for the inside at the very last moment. There was no way for Mossman to respond.


 

Once into the lead, de Tullio kept his rival at bay for the final one and a half miles to win by far the most exciting race of the season thus far.


 

The battle for third also was decided in the final few laps. Only this time McNeilly was adjudged by Race Control to have made a defensive move in reaction to an attempted maneuver by Douglas, and was instructed to cede the position.


 

McNeilly did, reluctantly, and had to be content with fourth to cap a mightily impressive debut weekend.


 

Another late pass by Ariel Elkin (TJ Speed Motorsports) elevated the Israeli to fifth ahead of Pabst Racing’s Michael Costello, from Sarasota, Fla.


 

A little further down the order, Guadalajara, Mexico’s George Garciarce (DEForce Racing) lost a couple of positions late in the race to the recovering Garcia and Clark, who placed 10th after his earlier collision with Taylor, but even a 12th-place result was enough to secure him the Tilton Hard Charger Award after having started 18th.


 

Turn 3 Motorsport’s Peter Dempsey secured the PFC Award as the winning car owner.


 

The USF Pro 2000 championship is already won, but the battle for the other placings is very much alive and will be settled during a final doubleheader weekend, once again in conjunction with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, at Portland International Raceway in Portland, Ore., on August 8-10.


 

Provisional championship points after 16 of 18 rounds:

1. Max Garcia, 431

2. Ariel Elkin, 315

3. Mac Clark, 312

4. Alessandro de Tullio, 302

5. Jacob Douglas, 290

6. Max Taylor, 239

7. Michael Costello, 190

8. Nicholas Monteiro, 185

9. Cooper Becklin, 179

10. Frankie Mossman, 168


 

Alessandro de Tullio (#44 AstroPay/Sport Summa/DTI Group/InterMS-Turn 3 Motorsport Tatuus IP-22): “We had a strong start to the season, and we had some setbacks that weren't really in our control. We found what was setting us back throughout the season starting in Indy, and clearly, we showed the pace to be back here. And then we had that issue yesterday and got taken out. It's finally so great to bounce back. I can't thank the team enough. They've worked so hard for this. Like I said, if it weren't for the problems that were out of our control this year, we would have been in the title fight all year no problem.”


 

Frankie Mossman (#84 Ethika/Jaxxon/Ivy Day Spa/Arai Americas-VRD Racing Tatuus IP-22): “It definitely hurts to not get the win. I haven't stood on the podium all year. We had a tough season so far. But the team's been doing a really perfect job getting me all together, and I feel like I'm learning so much every single weekend. I think we were a little bit hurt, you know, not having the tire advantage and they had. I tried my best. It's really important to drive your best on the last lap and not the first 24. And I messed up on that part. I'm going to take what I learned into Portland and hopefully we go win both races.”


 

Jacob Douglas (#19 DouglasFay Group/Fleet Cost & Care-Pabst Racing Tatuus IP-22): “It was a good recovery after we qualified sixth yesterday. I struggled a little bit at the start, but once the car got going, we were really fast. I managed to reel in P3 and get by him. Unfortunately, the leaders were a bit far gone at that point and I wish I could have been in the battle for it. But, we'll take some good points and a trophy and go to Portland, one of my favorite tracks, and try to get some wins.”

 

 

Perfection from Garcia Secures Another USF Pro Championship


 

gavin baker

TORONTO, Ont., Canada – There was no stopping Max Garcia in today’s first of two USF Pro 2000 races that will make up this weekend’s Continental Tire Grand Prix of Toronto. At the tender age of 16, the youngest driver in the field raced to his seventh win of the season. It was comfortably enough to put the USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire championship beyond the reach of his rivals with three races still to be run.


 

Garcia, from Coconut Grove, Fla., joined current NTT INDYCAR SERIES standouts Kyle Kirkwood and Christian Rasmussen in claiming consecutive championship titles in USF2000 and USF Pro 2000. He also secured a scholarship valued at almost $600,000 to advance to INDY NXT in 2026.


 

Pabst Racing teammate Jacob Douglas, from Christchurch, New Zealand, finished second for the second race in a row to ensure that Pabst Racing will win this year’s coveted Team Championship. A disqualification for last year’s USF Juniors champion Max Taylor, from Hoboken, N.J., whose VRD Racing entry failed post-race technical inspection, elevated local driver Mac Clark, from Milton, Ont., Canada to the final podium position for Exclusive Autosport.


 

Results


 

For the third race weekend in a row, Garcia displayed his intentions in qualifying on Friday by snagging yet another Continental Tire Pole Award – his eighth of the season in just 15 races.


 

Alessandro de Tullio, from Miami, Fla., qualified a strong second for Turn 3 Motorsport – and will start from the pole in tomorrow’s second race of the weekend. Unfortunately, he ran into trouble right away due to a broken spark plug. De Tullio was immediately engulfed by the pack in Turn One, although he was doing his best to hold onto seventh place until contact with Israel’s Ariel Elkin (TJ Speed Motorsports) at Turn Five on the third lap saw him exit the race with a broken suspension.


 

A couple of laps later, Elkin’s teammate Sebastian Manson, from Auckland, New Zealand, crashed heavily in Turn 11 to bring out the first of two full-course cautions.


 

Garcia was already firmly ensconced in the lead, and he immediately reasserted his superiority at the restart, jumping clear of Taylor, who had profited initially from de Tullio’s misfortune to run second. Douglas ran third through the middle stages of the 25-lap race, but couldn’t match Taylor’s pace.


 

Then came a second interruption following an incident in Turn One between Logan Adams (Comet/NCMP Racing), from Greenfield, Ind., and Pabst Racing’s Michael Costello, from Naples, Fla. Adams, after qualifying a fine sixth, had earlier lost a position to Canadian Mac Clark, who had lined up a disappointing eighth on the grid. Costello then made his own move on Adams under braking, but tracked out wide on the exit which left Adams with nowhere to go. Both cars were eliminated, with Costello later being assessed a positional penalty for incident responsibility.


 

The caution was of little consequence to Garcia, who once again made himself scarce at the restart. His eventual winning margin was just over three seconds.


 

In Garcia’s mirrors, Douglas made a fine maneuver into Turn One at the restart on Lap 21 to move past Taylor into second, which he held to the finish.


 

Clark was next in line, well clear of Elkin, who was later assessed with a 30-second penalty for incident responsibility which dropped him to the tail end of the lead lap in 10th.


 

Frankie Mossman (VRD Racing), from Newport Beach, Calif., inherited fourth ahead of Liam McNeilly, who impressed massively on his USF Pro 2000 debut for Jay Howard Driver Development. The Englishman ran as high as fourth – despite zero previous experience in the car – before clipping one of the omnipresent concrete walls and bending his car’s suspension.


 

Turn 3 Motorsport’s Tyke Durst, from Charlotte, N.C., took home the Tilton Hard Charger Award after rising from 19th on the grid to a career best eighth at the finish, while Pabst Racing’s Augie Pabst earned another PFC Award as the winning car owner.


 

The USF Pro 2000 weekend will conclude with a green flag tomorrow at 10:20 a.m. EDT, directly before the NTT INDYCAR SERIES headline event.


 

Provisional championship points after 15 of 18 rounds:

1. Max Garcia, 417

2. Mac Clark, 301

3. Ariel Elkin, 298

4. Alessandro de Tullio, 271

5. Jacob Douglas, 268

6. Max Taylor, 237

7. Michael Costello, 175

8. Nicholas Monteiro, 171

9. Cooper Becklin, 166

10. Joey Brienza, 155


 

Max Garcia (#18 Advance Auto Parts/USF Pro Championships/Bell/OMP-Pabst Racing Tatuus IP-22): “The race was awesome for sure. I just got out to the lead and didn't really look back after that. I'm just so excited that I was able to win the championship with a win. It's just fantastic, and I can't wait for Portland.”


 

Jacob Douglas (#19 DouglasFay Group/Fleet Cost & Care-Pabst Racing Tatuus IP-22): “I started P4 and had a good start up to P3 and then had some good restarts and managed to hold our position during the race. On the last restart with five to go, I made a move for P2 and managed to finish the race there. I didn't quite have the pace to challenge for the win, but nonetheless a great race.”


 

Mac Clark (#90 Corpay Cross-Border Solutions/Clubine Motorsports-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus IP-22): “It was a really solid Race One here on the streets of Toronto. Starting in eighth place, we knew we had our work cut out for us, but the #90 Exclusive Autosport Corpay machine was on rails today. We had really good pace and I think we finished with the second fastest race lap. I made some good moves out there. We are going to be starting deep in the field again tomorrow, but looking forward to hopefully charging through again. It is nice to end up on the box.”

Rampant Garcia Extends USF Pro 2000 Points Lead at Mid-Ohio

gavin baker

 

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Max Garcia was in a class of his own during this weekend’s PFC Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio. The 16-year-old from Coconut Grove, Fla., dominated both 30-lap USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire races for Pabst Racing in blisteringly hot conditions at the challenging Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, scooping a maximum 66 points and extending his already commanding championship lead.


 

TJ Speed Motorsports’ Ariel Elkin, from Haifa, Israel, and Garcia’s teammate Jacob Douglas, from Christchurch, New Zealand, shared the second-place finishes, well in arrears of Garcia, as Max Taylor (VRD Racing), from Hoboken, N.J., and Mac Clark (Exclusive Autosport), from Milton, Ont., Canada, completed the podium placings.


 

Race 1 Results

Race 2 Results


 

For the second race weekend in a row, Garcia displayed prodigious pace in qualifying. The lone session on Friday saw Garcia outpace everyone by almost a full half-second to ensure another Continental Tire Pole Award, with Elkin lining up alongside for the first of today’s two 30-lap races.


 

The story of this morning’s race was almost identical. Following a brief full-course caution after five laps when George Garciarce, from Guadalajara, Mexico, spun into the gravel at Turn Two due to contact with Logan Adams (Comet/NCMP Racing), from Greenfield, Ind., Garcia simply accelerated away from the field and was never remotely under challenge. His eventual winning margin was a comfortable 7.3545 seconds. Job done.


 

Elkin was similarly untroubled in second, while an early back-and-forth tussle for third between Alessandro de Tullio, from Miami, Fla., who qualified third for Turn 3 Motorsport, and VRD Racing’s Max Taylor, who started seventh, was settled well before the finish in Taylor’s favor.


 

De Tullio cemented his claim to fourth place after edging clear of Douglas in the closing stages.


 

Another New Zealander, Sebastian Manson, collected the Tilton Hard Charger Award for TJ Speed Motorsports having risen from 16th on the grid to ninth at the checkered flag.


 

Garcia completed his weekend sweep of Continental Tire Pole Awards, once again ensuring himself of the inside of the front row of the grid for Race Two. Although this time it wasn’t quite as clear cut. Garcia’s second-fastest lap during qualifying on Friday had been significantly faster than anyone else, but against the odds – and despite the high heat and humidity during Race One – the majority of the field turned laps faster than in qualifying. Garcia was again top of the pile, but by only 0.0335 of a second over teammate Douglas.


 

VRD Racing’s Frankie Mossman, from Newport Beach, Calif., lined up third having taken the opportunity during this morning’s race to make a pit stop for a fresh set of Continental tires.


 

Garcia once again took off into the lead this evening, extending his advantage to over three seconds before being pegged back after 10 laps when Canadian debutant Nick Gilkes’ Jay Howard Driver Development car ground to a halt on the race track with a mechanical problem.


 

Once that had been cleared, Garcia continued his master class by extending his lead with every lap. He even posted new fastest race laps on each of the final four laps of the 30-lap race before taking the checkered flag 9.6659 seconds clear of Douglas.


 

A fine start saw Clark vault from sixth on the grid to third, where he remained for the duration. 


 

Mossman enjoyed by far his best race of the season by finishing close behind in fourth, with Elkin a disappointed fifth.


 

Carson Etter, from Villa Park, Calif., earned his first Tilton Hard Charger Award of the season after climbing from 17th on the grid to 12th for Exclusive Autosport.


 

Pabst Racing’s Augie Pabst pocketed another pair of PFC Awards as the winning car owner.


 

Can anyone stop Garcia’s charge toward a second successive USF Pro Championships crown? Only four races remain, starting with another doubleheader event in two weeks’ time, July 18-20, on the Streets of Toronto, Ont., Canada, where last year’s USF2000 champion will have an opportunity to clinch another title – and a scholarship valued at $594,500 – to facilitate his progression to the next step of the ladder, INDY NXT, in 2026.


 

Provisional championship points after 14 of 18 rounds:

1. Max Garcia, 384

2. Ariel Elkin, 287

3. Mac Clark, 279

4. Alessandro de Tullio, 267

5. Jacob Douglas, 243

6. Max Taylor, 237

7. Michael Costello, 169

8. Nicholas Monteiro, 162

9. Cooper Becklin, 156

10. Joey Brienza, 141.


 

Race 1:

Max Garcia (#18 Advance Auto Parts/USF Pro Championships/Bell/OMP-Pabst Racing Tatuus IP-22): “It was an awesome race. I was able to break away and then was just managing for most of it. The last 10 laps I was pushing to get fastest lap. I think we maxed the points again, which is awesome. I can't wait to get out there and do another 30 laps later on today.”


 

Ariel Elkin (#27 Zero Network/Swift Garage-TJ Speed Motorsports Tatuus IP-22): “An amazing race here in Mid-Ohio for Race One. We managed to do everything possible in qualifying, and we put the car on the front row. I was happy to maintain P2. I was trying to do the best, but pretty happy with the result.”


 

Max Taylor (#88 PINK/Susan G Komen Foundation/Unicorn-VRD Racing Tatuus IP-22): “I think it was a really strong race all things considered. I made up four spots on the opening lap, taking advantage of the chaos ahead and picking them off one by one. I went for a move on Elkin but just couldn't get it done. It's definitely hard to pass around here. I just managed it from there and then pushed the last 10 laps. The VRD guys gave me a great car. I was able to execute a good race. So overall, I'm pretty happy.”


 

Race 2:

Max Garcia (#18 Advance Auto Parts/USF Pro Championships/Bell/OMP-Pabst Racing Tatuus IP-22): “Great race. I was able to get out to a big lead and control it, and was managing the whole race. It was a really fun weekend for sure, and I can't wait to get back going in Toronto.”


 

Jacob Douglas (#19 DouglasFay Group/Fleet Cost & Care-Pabst Racing Tatuus IP-22): “We managed to improve our grid position in Race One today, which was great. So, I started P2 and just stayed in P2 the whole time. I had some pressure from Mac but managed to pull away at the end. It’s great to get on the podium here at Mid-Ohio after a tricky qualifying yesterday, and get some good points for the championship.”


 

Mac Clark (#90 Corpay Cross-Border Solutions/Clubine Motorsports-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus IP-22): “It was a tough race . Thirty laps is a long time in the Pro car. It is always a pleasure to drive here at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and a great way to end our weekend. We had a little bit of a rough qualifying and then not a great result in Race One after contact on the first lap. So, happy to be back on the box. We have some good momentum heading into our home race in Toronto. I'm really looking forward to that next week.”

 

 

USF JUNIORS

USF Pro Championships Presented by Continental Tire is an evolution of the Road to Indy, one of the most successful driver development programs in the world. Comprised of USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire, USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire and USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire

usfjuniors.com.

 

Loiacono Sweeps to Set Up

USF Juniors Title Decider

gavin baker

 

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – The battle for this year’s USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire championship has intensified following this weekend’s Elite Engines Grand Prix of Road America tripleheader. Liam Loiacono, from Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, this morning completed a clean sweep for Jay Howard Driver Development, although Brazilian Leonardo Escorpioni, from Windermere, Fla., maintained his points lead following an excellent charge to second place after starting back in 14th for Zanella Racing.


 

Patricio Gonzalez, from Mexico City, Mexico, was credited with third for DEForce Racing after a five-second post-race penalty was assessed on Escorpioni’s teammate, Ty Fisher, from White Rock, B.C., Canada for avoidable contact.


 

Race Results


 

Loiacono once again started at the front of the field as a consequence of having set the best second-fastest lap of all drivers during the solitary qualifying session on Friday. He therefore ensured a clean sweep of Continental Tire Pole Awards and was intent upon repeating that feat in the race.


 

The long straightaways at Road America usually provide plenty of opportunities to overtake, and that is precisely what transpired during the 10-lap race. However, most of the action was centered on a massive scrap for second place, which allowed Loiacono to drive as he pleased at the front of the field.


 

He needed no second bidding, and despite a brief full-course caution midway through the race when InterMS’ Michael Suco, from Auburn, Ala., found the tire wall in Turn 14, Loiacono never relinquished his advantage.


 

After claiming his first-ever podium finish yesterday, rookie Evan Cooley (Exclusive Autosport), from Mokena, Ill., held onto his second-place starting position for the majority of the race before finding himself shuffled down the order in the closing stages.


 

Instead, remarkably, it was Escorpioni who emerged to take the runner-up spot. Despite problems in qualifying which led him to start way back in the pack, Escorpioni made up five positions within the first two laps before finding himself shuffled back down again to 12th. No problem. The gifted Brazilian vaulted immediately from ninth to fifth at the restart, then picked off those in front to grab second from teammate Fisher with a couple of laps to go.


 

Loiacono by then was already out of reach, but second place – for the second race in a row – represented an impressive comeback. Escorpioni’s performance also earned him the Tilton Hard Charger Award.


 

Fisher followed him home in third, although later was assessed a penalty following a clash on Lap Eight in Turn Six with VRD Racing’s Oliver Wheldon, who fell all the way to 17th. Fisher was eventually credited with ninth, thereby keeping alive his slim title aspirations.

 

The battle for what turned out to be the final podium position saw three cars virtually abreast of each other at the checkered flag with Gonzalez capping a breakthrough weekend by narrowly edging out DEForce Racing teammate Vilho Aatola, from Turku, Finland, and the unfortunate Cooley.

 

Connor Aspley (Pole Position Motorsports), from O’Fallon, Mo., and Diego Guiot (Zanella Racing), from The Woodlands, Texas, also were right in the mix at the finish line as third through seventh were blanketed by a scant 0.2304 of a second. Rahim Alibhai (Zanella Racing), from Miami, Fla., completed a strong debut weekend just a half-second back in eighth.


 

Jay Howard mirrored Loiacono’s feat by sweeping the PFC Awards as the winning car owner.


 

The championship will be decided during a final tripleheader event at Portland International Raceway in Portland, Ore., on August 7-9. USF Juniors will compete alongside the other two rungs on the USF Pro Championships Presented by Continental Tire open-wheel racing development ladder, USF2000 and USF Pro 2000, and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Five drivers remain mathematically in contention for a scholarship to graduate to USF2000 in 2026.


 

Provisional championship points after 13 of 16 races:

1. Leonardo Escorpioni, 310

2. Liam Loiacono, 296

3. Joao Vergara, 237

4. Oliver Wheldon, 224

5. Ty Fisher, 221

6. Vilho Aatola, 200

7 Rodrigo Gonzalez, 179

8. Patricio Gonzalez, 162

9. Diego Guiot, 157

10. Brenden Cooley, 129


 

Liam Loiacono (#6 Heli America Inc./JW Winco-Jay Howard Driver Development Tatuus JR-23): “A great job by the whole team at Jay Howard Driver Development. Spencer made sure that thing didn't fall apart when I was absolutely destroying those curbs. So, big thanks to them. I couldn't have done it without them. The momentum we are building is quite incredible. I just knew I could pull away and stay away from all the battling and try to pull away and let the chaos unfold behind me. Big thanks to Heli America, JW Winco and Fitzgerald Equipment for coming out, the whole family back home in Australia, my mom for coming out – it’s a long way from home. Thanks to all of them.”


 

Leonardo Escorpioni (#55 Qwilt/Peer 1/Mensalize-Zanella Racing Tatuus JR-23): “This one was definitely the hardest one for sure. It was a struggle, honestly. Vergara was leaking a lot of oil and I was behind him. I couldn't see anything for the first like four laps. I was stuck there and then, thankfully, the yellow came out. I was able to get by then and I was able to rip off all the tear-offs. After that, I mean, it was a good race. We were able to move up through the field from ninth or eighth to P2 in two or three laps. I felt like we had the pace to challenge for the win, but qualifying didn't help us. We'll be back in Portland. I want to get back on the top step. I think this is the second weekend that I haven't won a race. It’s been a good season, but I want more.”

 

 

Loiacono Rolls at Road America with USF Juniors Double


gavin baker


 

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – Liam Loiacono is riding a hot streak with the Jay Howard Driver Development team. The 17-year-old from Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, followed his recent pair of victories at Mid-Ohio – on separate weekends – with a magnificent double win today in the opening two of three races that comprise the Elite Engines Grand Prix of Road America.


 

Loiacono has now closed to within 21 points of Brazilian Leonardo Escorpioni in the quest for the USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire championship. Four races remain this season.


 

Escorpioni, based in Windermere, Fla., bounced back impressively from some problems in qualifying to notch a fourth and a second for Zanella Racing. Brothers Rodrigo and Patricio Gonzalez, from Mexico City, Mexico, each claimed a podium finish for DEForce Racing, while rookie Brenden Cooley, from Mokena, Ill., netted a best-ever third-place result this morning for Exclusive Autosport.


 

Race 1 Results

Race 2 Results


 

After winning two of the most recent three races, Loiacono maintained his momentum on Thursday by posting comfortably the fastest lap during the lone qualifying session to clinch his second Continental Tire Pole Award.


 

Cooley and DEForce Racing’s Vilho Aatola, from Turku, Finland, occupied the next two places on the grid for this morning’s opening race, although the man on the move at the start was Aatola’s teammate Rodrigo Gonzalez, who burst through from fifth on the grid to chase Loiacono on the opening lap.


 

The Australian began to edge clear with three laps in the books, only for his advantage to be immediately annulled by a full-course caution after InterMS teammates Emma Scarbrough, from Senoia, Ga., and Michael Suco, from Auburn, Ala., tangled at Turn One. They had been disputing 11th position at the time, working their way forward after a disappointing qualifying session left them languishing at the rear.


 

Another caution soon after the restart, when DEForce Racing’s Thomas Nordquist, from Omaha, Neb., found himself in the gravel at Turn Three, set the stage for a one-lap dash to the checkered flag.


 

Once again, Loiacono held off the attentions of Gonzalez to claim victory, while the Mexican’s fine run to second represented his best result of the season.


 

Younger brother Patricio also enjoyed a fine race. He was badly hindered by the lack of a front wing in the closing stages, following a skirmish with VRD Racing’s Oliver Wheldon, from St. Petersburg, Fla., but somehow managed to maintain sixth on the road behind Cooley, who also secured his highest finish to date, and the top two championship protagonists, Florida-based Brazilians Leonardo Escorpioni (Zanella Racing) and Joao Vergara (VRD Racing).


 

Escorpioni’s drive to fourth was especially meritorious, since an abbreviated run in qualifying had consigned him to a lowly 17th place on the starting grid. He was a well-deserved winner of the Tilton Hard Charger Award.


 

A couple of post-race penalties – one to Vergara for blocking and another to Aatola for avoidable contact – elevated Patricio Gonzalez to fifth ahead of Pole Position Motorsports’ Connor Aspley, from O’Fallon, Mo., who impressed by climbing from 15th to an eventual sixth, equaling his personal best, following a mid-race incident.


 

Series debutants Colin Aitken (VRD Racing), from Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and Rahim Alibhai (Zanella Racing), from Miami, Fla., also benefited from the penalties by rising to solid seventh and eighth positions.


 

This afternoon’s second race saw Loiacono once more starting at the front having secured another Continental Tire Pole Award by virtue of posting the best of each driver’s second-fastest laps during qualifying on Thursday. Cooley again joined him on the front row with Aspley and Canadian Ty Fisher (Zanella Racing) on row two.


 

Two lengthy caution periods blighted the early stages, but the final two-lap dash to the checkered flag showed what USF Juniors are all about. Escorpioni, having vaulted from fifth on the grid to second early on, took advantage of the huge Road America draft to take the lead into Turn One at the final restart. He profited, too, when Vergara and Cooley became entangled while also striving to take the top spot.


 

Loiacono was briefly relegated to third behind Escorpioni and an inspired Patricio Gonzalez, but was able to repay the favor heading into Turn One to begin the final lap. Loiacono narrowly held off Escorpioni during the final 4.014-mile lap around “America’s National Park of Speed” while Gonzalez was more than content after securing his first-ever podium finish in third.


 

JT Hoskins (Jay Howard Driver Development), from Sarasota, Fla., found a way past Aspley on the final lap to take fourth. Both were career-best finishes. Also in close contention at the checkered flag were Aatola, Wheldon and Fisher, who rebounded magnificently after being forced to make an unscheduled pit stop at the end of the first lap to replace a broken front wing.


 

The Tilton Hard Charger Award went to Suco, who battled from 20th on the grid to 10th.


 

Both PFC Awards went to Jay Howard as the winning car owner.


 

The penultimate race weekend of the season will wrap up tomorrow, Saturday, July 26, with the third and final race which is set for a green flag at 10:45 a.m. CDT.


 

Provisional championship points after 12 of 16 races:

1. Leonardo Escorpioni, 285

2. Liam Loiacono, 264

3. Joao Vergara, 236

4. Oliver Wheldon, 220

5. Ty Fisher, 209

6. Vilho Aatola, 180

7 Rodrigo Gonzalez, 176

8. Diego Guiot, 143

9. Patricio Gonzalez, 140

10. JT Hoskins, 120


 

Race 1 Quotes:

Liam Loiacono (#6 Heli America Inc./JW Winco-Jay Howard Driver Development Tatuus JR-23): “At the start, we pulled a nice gap and I thought I was going to run away with it. But the yellow brought that back into play, and it bunched us up quite closely. On the last lap, I was really just trying to hold on there. It was a good race and I couldn't do it without all my supporters Heli America and JW Winco, who came on board this week for the final two rounds. I'm pumped to have them on board. It's great to get some wins with them. I'd like to thank Jay, Joe, AJ, Spencer – the whole Jay Howard team. The car was hooked up. I couldn't have done it without them. Hopefully, we score some more wins.”


 

Rodrigo Gonzalez (#18 Arkansas State University Queretaro/Torre Skala-DEForce Racing Tatuus JR-23): “I feel like the first couple of laps, I got the tires up to temp really fast and then made my way up to P2. Overall, I think I could have been a little bit more aggressive, but at the same time, Liam blocked very good. So it was a tough race, but I know what I have to do now for racing.”


 

Brenden Cooley (#92 Innovel Global Logistics-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus JR-23): “It was hectic. I was just trying to hang on at the start, trying to find a gap and then I got shuffled back a little bit. But I just kept my nose clean, kept running my race. I knew I was fast and had a great car and I was in there for the end. I felt at one with the car. The whole Exclusive Autosport team gave me such a great car. It was on rails, and I can't thank enough my engineer Zach Leedy and Coach Braden Eves, my team owners, Michael and Josh, my dad, and Innovel Global Logistics for helping me do this.”


 

Race 2 Quotes:

Liam Loiacono (#6 Heli America Inc./JW Winco-Jay Howard Driver Development Tatuus JR-23): “After that first win [at Mid-Ohio], I sort of felt unstoppable, especially in the wet. Knowing the margin I could pull in the wet, I sort of went, there's no reason I can't do that in the dry. So we really turned it on in Mid-Ohio and managed to score those wins. Unfortunately, Ty [Fisher] was disqualified in one, so I inherited that win. From there, we just knew we had the car and we had the whole package. Qualifying and the race and testing and practice here, I knew we were definitely fast. I could go deepest on the brakes, and I knew that I could take every corner with a bit more speed than them. Hopefully we can continue this stretch of momentum with four races left to go in the season.”


 

Leonardo Escorpioni (#55 Qwilt/Peer 1/Mensalize-Zanella Racing Tatuus JR-23): “It was a good race. We started P5 and the start wasn't really what we hoped for. We fell back. And then in the first lap, we were able to recover. We were leading with two laps to go. We were able to get Liam on the restart, and then with the draft here, it was super hard to pull away and he unfortunately got me going into [Turn] One on the last lap. It is what it is. We had a good points haul, and I'm super proud of how everything went.”


 

Patricio Gonzalez (#15 Arkansas State University Queretaro/Torre Skala-DEForce Racing Tatuus JR-23): “That was a very fun race. I struggled a lot at the beginning with pace, but then after the first restart, I found pace and I managed to overtake a few cars to make my way to P3.”


 

 

 

Loiacono Scores USF Juniors Win After Fisher is DQ’d


 gavin baker


 

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Liam Loiacono, from Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, and Jay Howard Driver Development inherited victory in this morning’s USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course after Zanella Racing’s Ty Fisher, from White Rock, B.C., Canada, was disqualified following post-race technical inspection.


 

Loiacono, who started eighth, was credited with his second win of the season after capturing his first top-score at the same track in June.


 

Joao Vergara, from Miami, Fla., took second place following a race-long battle with Zanella Racing’s Leonardo Escorpioni, from Windermere, Fla., who had won yesterday’s opening race of the PFC Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio doubleheader. The result enabled Escorpioni to extend his lead in the chase for the championship and a scholarship to graduate onto the next step of the USF Pro Championships ladder, USF2000, in 2026.


 

Results


 

For the second consecutive day, 14-year-old Fisher started from the front of the field after snaring his third Continental Tire Pole Award of the season. The honor was assured during the lone qualifying session on Friday when Fisher set the best of each driver’s second-fastest laps, fractionally ahead of Escorpioni.


 

Unfortunately, two incidents on the opening lap led to the Pace Car being dispatched to keep the remainder of the field in check. DEForce Racing’s Thomas Nordquist, from Omaha, Neb., was the first casualty, tipped into a spin on the front straightaway moments after the green flag flew, while the second involved title contender Oliver Wheldon (VRD Racing), from St. Petersburg, Fla., who started third before suffering an identical fate at the end of the long, downhill back straightaway.


 

Fisher remained unflustered at the front, and when the green flag waved again with five laps in the books, the young Canadian put his head down and soon began to open up a margin over his pursuers.


 

Fisher increased his pace on every one of the subsequent laps until, with just three laps remaining and a lead of three seconds, he was able to throttle back and ease home toward the checkered flag. Unfortunately, his initial joy was later replaced by dejection.


 

Escorpioni held second at the restart, but only briefly before fellow Florida-based Brazilian Vergara glimpsed an opportunity and took it under braking for Turn Two. Loiacono also was in the mix, and while he lost a little ground to Vergara before finally finding a way past Escorpioni, he quickly made up that deficit.


 

Loiacono found a way past Vergara on Lap 14, but by then Fisher was long gone in the lead. And still pulling away.


 

Instead, all eyes were focused on the battle between Vergara and Escorpioni, who remained in close formation – but with their positions unchanged – until the checkered flag.


 

Exclusive Autosport’s Brenden Cooley, from Mokena, Ill., recorded his best finish to date in fourth ahead of Zanella Racing’s Diego Guiot, from The Woodlands, Texas, who just held off a charging Vilho Aatola (DEForce Racing), from Turku, Finland.


 

The Tilton Hard Charger Award went to Michael Suco (InterMS), from Auburn, Ala., who finished ninth after starting back in 19th.


 

Jay Howard pocketed the PFC Award as the winning car owner.


 

Just a pair of tripleheader weekends remain to decide the championship. Next on the docket is a visit to the fast and challenging Road America venue in Elkhart Lake, Wis., on July 24-26, followed two weeks later by a trip to the West Coast for three more races at Portland International Raceway, in Portland, Ore., in support of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.


 

Provisional championship points after 10 of 16 races:

1. Leonardo Escorpioni, 241

2. Joao Vergara, 217

3. Liam Loiacono, 198

4. Oliver Wheldon, 198

5. Ty Fisher, 194

6. Vilho Aatola, 160

7 Rodrigo Gonzalez, 145

8. Diego Guiot, 119

9. Patricio Gonzalez, 101

10. Michael Suco, 101.


 

Liam Loiacono (#6 Heli America Inc.-Jay Howard Driver Development Tatuus JR-23): “It would have been nice to win it on the track. It was unfortunate for Ty. He drove unbelievably. It is a shame it ended this way for him, but you have to comply by the rules and play fair. So, unfortunately for him, that didn’t happen. It was great to inherit the win though, especially as it was a hard fought race and hard weekend for the whole team. I am just happy to finish first after a tough qualifying and bring some good points back. That’s great. Thanks to Heli Forklifts and Heli Cleveland. It is amazing to have this result with all of them out here to watch. I hope we can do it the next round as well.”


 

Joao Vergara (#10 Cross/Carecode/Son Boronat/Arai-VRD Racing Tatuus JR-23): “The race didn't go how we wished. We were really quick at the start and catching up to Ty, but then Liam got around me. I made a few mistakes in Turn Two and Turn Nine. We didn't have the pace to win, unfortunately, today. Some mistakes on my end didn't help as well, but we'll move on to Road America now, clear our heads and get the win there.”


 

 
 

USF 2000 Championship

USF Pro Championships Presented by Continental Tire is an evolution of the Road to Indy, one of the most successful driver development programs in the world. Comprised of USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire, USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire and USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire

www.usf2000.com

Imperious Jeffers Claims a Second USF2000 Win in Toronto


 

TORONTO, Ont., Canada – Texas teenager Jack Jeffers took another massive step toward winning this year’s USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire championship with a dominant performance this morning for Exclusive Autosport.


 

Jeffers, who celebrated his 19th birthday on Thursday, led from flag to flag for his fifth victory of the season to wrap up an enthralling Continental Tire Grand Prix of Toronto. He now holds a commanding 52-point lead heading into the tripleheader season finale as he seeks to clinch a scholarship valued at $405,000 to graduate onto the next step of the renowned USF Pro Championships open-wheel development ladder, USF Pro 2000, in 2026.


 

Pabst Racing rounded out the podium with its pair of cars driven by Caleb Gafrarar, from Charlotte, N.C., and G3 Argyros, from Newport Beach, Calif.


 

Results


 

Jeffers, who won yesterday, had cemented his authority on the weekend earlier on Saturday by posting the fastest time during the second qualifying session. The effort ensured his third Continental Tire Pole Award of the year.


 

The 1.786-mile, 11-turn Toronto street circuit always presents a stiff challenge for drivers, but their tasks were even more tricky this morning on a track that was still damp following an overnight thunderstorm.


 

Jeffers, though, was inch perfect on the opening lap, while Argyros muscled his way to second after ousting front row starter Brad Majman (Jay Howard Driver Development), from Melbourne, Australia.


 

The tricky conditions caught out several potential contenders a little further down the order, including Evan Cooley (Exclusive Autosport), from Mokena, Ill., local driver Anthony Martella (Jay Howard Driver Development), from Woodbridge, Ont., Canada and, most critically, title contender Thomas Schrage (VRD Racing), from Bethel, Ohio.

 

All three drifted wide on the exit of the fast Turn Seven, clipped the wall and suffered broken suspensions. The mistake was especially galling for yesterday’s polesitter Schrage, who qualified a disappointing 10th but had already made up several positions on the opening lap.


 

After another brief caution to clear away some debris from the race track, Jeffers quickly took advantage of some battling in his mirrors to establish a clear lead, which he expertly extended to 3.6798 seconds at the checkered flag. Jeffers set the fastest lap for good measure.


 

Gafrarar made up a position at each of the two restarts to move up to second, where he remained, while teammate Argyros, after losing two places on the first restart, fought his way back past Majman on Lap Nine to complete the podium.


 

VRD Racing’s Teddy Musella, from Orlando, Fla., muscled his way from eighth on the opening lap to fourth to keep his title aspirations alive.


 

Majman rounded out the top six ahead of Florida-based Brazilian Lucas Fecury, who enjoyed a race-long tussle with DEForce Racing’s Jeshua Alianell, from The Woodlands, Texas.


 

A little farther back in 11th, Ryan Giannetta, from Redondo Beach, Calif., capped a difficult weekend by rising from 19th and last on the grid to capture his first Tilton Hard Charger Award.


 

Exclusive Autosport team principals Michael Duncalfe and Joshua Cooley picked up another PFC Award as the winning car owners.


 

Furthermore, the Indianapolis-based team with Canadian origins was able to sneak ahead of VRD Racing in the coveted Team Championship, which will also be decided at the final tripleheader event of the season at Portland International Raceway in Portland, Ore., on the weekend of August 8-10.


 

Provisional championship points after 15 of 18 races:

1. Jack Jeffers, 353

2. Thomas Schrage, 301

3. Teddy Musella, 297

4. G3 Argyros, 260

5. Caleb Gafrarar, 243

6. Evan Cooley, 199

7. Lucas Fecury, 177

8. Anthony Martella, 176

9. Liam McNeilly, 163

10. Sebastian Garzon, 159.


 

Jack Jeffers (#92 Corpay Cross Border Solutions-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-22): “The [track] conditions were tough. It was tough to adapt, but it's the same for everyone. Nobody had an advantage. So, it was whoever could adapt the best and also keep it on track, and I did a very good job at that. It feels amazing to get this win. We keep getting closer to that championship, which is the ultimate goal, but the work's not over. Portland is next, so we need to keep our eyes focused on that.”


 

Caleb Gafrarar (#24 Circle K/Bell/Racing Electronics/Molecule-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “We had a solid race. We were a little unfortunate there at the beginning and fell back a little bit. We were able to work our way back forward and get into P3 and then I slowly worked my way up after the restart. I got a jump on Brad [Majman] and was able to take second. Then I was trying to catch Jack. I was about a half a tenth to a tenth different each lap. And sometimes I'd catch him, sometimes I'd lose and it just wasn't enough to get there. But I can't thank the Pabst boys enough for giving me the car. It was awesome.”


 

G3 Argyros (#23 Positive Energy/Elephant Cooperation-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “After the start, it was very exciting. A little bit of battling and Caleb's pass caught me really off guard. But after that, we moved forward. With the damp track, the conditions were changing every lap, and so I just did my best to manage the setup. I just can't thank the Pabst team enough. We had a rocket ship of a car this weekend, and I'm happy to come home with a trophy. It's been a little bit, so it's good to be back up on the podium and spraying champagne.”

 

Jeffers Takes Control in USF2000

with Toronto Victory


 

TORONTO, Ont., Canada – Exclusive Autosport’s Jack Jeffers took a commanding lead in the USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire championship following a spectacular victory in this afternoon’s first of two races that will comprise the Continental Tire Grand Prix of Toronto.


 

Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, qualified only fifth on the tight and challenging 1.786-mile, 11-turn circuit that wends its way around Exhibition Place, just a few kilometers from downtown Toronto. But he began to march forward almost immediately, then grasped the lead in opportunistic style, taking title rival Thomas Schrage (VRD Racing), from Bethel, Ohio, by surprise with a late lunge to the inside under braking for Turn Nine. Jeffers pulled inexorably away to secure his fourth win of the season – and, crucially, his third in a row.


 

Australian Eddie Beswick emerged from a chaotic final few laps to finish a career-best second for Synergy Motorsport, while VRD Racing’s Teddy Musella, from Orlando, Fla., had to settle for third.


 

Results


 

Jeffers and Schrage had arrived in Toronto tied on points at the top of the championship standings. Schrage fired the opening salvo during qualifying on Friday afternoon by securing a valuable championship point by virtue of his fourth Continental Tire Pole Award in a row.


 

Ironically, Jeffers’ teammate, Evan Cooley, from Mokena, Ill., qualified a fine second, with Jeffers back in fifth behind Musella and sandwiched by the two Pabst Racing entries of Caleb Gafrarar, from Charlotte, N.C., and G3 Argyros, from Newport Beach, Calif.


 

The drama began to unfold even before the green flag when the unfortunate Cooley was stranded out on the circuit by a fuel pump failure.


 

Schrage took advantage of the vacant slot alongside him on the grid to lead from the start, although the race soon was neutralized by a full-course caution due to a variety of incidents further down the field.


 

Schrage again led at the restart and looked likely to edge away until making a slight mistake which immediately saw him under increasing pressure from teammate Musella and a determined Jeffers, who had quickly found a way past a fast-starting Argyros.


 

Soon afterward, Musella was adjudged by Race Control to have contravened the rules while trying to defend from Jeffers. He was instructed to move aside and let the young Texan past. He duly did so on Lap 10. Jeffers wasn’t done. On the very next lap, he took advantage of a slight slip by Schrage through the fast sweeping corners in Turns Six and Seven, then glimpsed an opportunity under braking for Turn Nine.


 

The two leaders made contact, causing damage to Schrage’s front wing, but Jeffers was through and away.


 

Schrage instead was unable to shake off Musella, and with three laps to go and struggling with an increasingly loose car, Schrage was passed on the exit of Turn One by Musella who then promptly left his braking too late while defending at Turn Three. As Musella’s car snapped sideways, Schrage ducked back to the inside, only to be slammed from behind by a close-following Argyros.


 

In the ensuing melee, with Schrage hobbled by a flat tire and Argyros with a shattered front wing, Beswick, who had been hot on their heels, ducked through into a fine second place.


 

Musella recovered to run third and tried every which way to find a way past the former Australian Formula Ford champion, but Beswick held firm. Beswick also claimed the Tilton Hard Charger Award after having started the race in 12th.


 

Argyros limped home in fourth, barely ahead of another Australian, Brad Majman, who had enjoyed a race-long scrap with Jay Howard Driver Development teammate Anthony Martella, from nearby Woodbridge, Ont., Canada.


 

Exclusive Autosport’s Michael Duncalfe and Joshua Cooley shared another PFC Award as the winning car owners.


 

The second race of the weekend will see green flag tomorrow morning at 9:25.a.m. EDT, with Jeffers set to start from pole position after posting the fastest time in a crash-married second qualifying session which took place earlier this morning.


 

Provisional championship points after 14 of 18 races:

1. Jack Jeffers, 320

2. Thomas Schrage, 297

3. Teddy Musella, 278

4. G3 Argyros, 238

5. Caleb Gafrarar, 218

6. Evan Cooley, 193

7. Anthony Martella, 171

8. Liam McNeilly, 163

9. Lucas Fecury, 162

10. Eddie Beswick, 162


 

Jack Jeffers (#92 Corpay Cross Border Solutions-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-22): “This is mega, and setting ourselves up nicely for the championship. The goal is always to win, but I wasn't necessarily thinking I need to win this race. I needed to finish top-three because I know I'm set up good for tomorrow. So this was about making moves methodically if I had the car for it, and that's what I was able to do. I've been good under braking compared to my competitors this season, so I knew I had to use it to my advantage, but Thomas and Teddy and the Pabst guys, they've been quick all year. You have to catch them off guard and see where their weaknesses are. I was close to [making a move], but I was kinda like, ahh, we're tied, but I have to go for it so I went for it.”


 

Eddie Beswick (#25 Synergy Motorsport Tatuus USF-22): “Schrage made a few mistakes and I saw that it was closing up and I was at a nice distance where I could make an opportunity of it if they tripped over each other, and that's what they did. When a crash happens, it washes wide. I went down the inside. I was confident with the pace the whole time. We just didn't get to do it in qualifying. When I was there, I really felt like I belonged to be there. So when I got in front, it was eyes forward. Teddy had a crack at the end there. It got me a bit nervous, but, man, I'm happy. We've had so much hard luck, and it's been difficult. You know, there's no way it was ever going to be easy. We've been sitting around the back, sitting around P10, and then all of a sudden, I'm here in second. I really don't know what to say, but it's been so much hard work, and it's so awesome to give the boys back something that they deserve.”


 

Teddy Musella (#25 Triarsi Competizione/Don’t Sleep Energy Drink-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “It's just unfortunate. I made a mistake when I passed Thomas, went deep into Turn Three. It's just a driver error. It would have been P2 otherwise. Still, I think it was a good recovery that I was able to finish P3 after almost walling it in [Turn] Three. It's just honestly my bad. It should have been P2, but still a good result.”


 

 

 

Game on in USF2000 as Jeffers  Wins Again at Mid-Ohio

gavin baker
 

LEXINGTON, Ohio –The battle for the USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire championship could not be closer. Exclusive Autosport’s Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, claimed a hard-fought victory this morning in the third and final race of the PFC Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio weekend, and is now tied on points with local driver Thomas Schrage, from Bethel, Ohio, who finished hot on his heels in second place for VRD Racing.


 

Jeffers currently holds the favor of a tie-break on the basis of one more race win – three to two – than Schrage.


 

Teddy Musella, from Orlando, Fla., also was in the fight for the victory at the end of a thrilling race which ended with the top five cars separated by a mere 1.4595 seconds after 20 laps around the undulating 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course.


 

Results


 

For the third day running, Schrage, from Bethel, Ohio, lined up at the head of the field for the start having earned his third Continental Tire Pole Award of the season by virtue of posting the best of each driver’s second-fastest laps during the lone qualifying session on Friday. 


 

He was hoping for rather better fortune than the past two days, and all seemed well as he maintained his advantage for the first two laps, albeit under intense pressure from Jeffers, who again had started second.


 

On Lap Three, Jeffers executed a brilliant pass for the lead under braking at the end of the long back straightaway, heading into Turn Four, and for a while he seemed to be in a class of his own.


 

Jeffers was simply imperious during the first 10 laps, quickly opening up a gap of six seconds to the pursuing pack, which was still led by Schrage.


 

But the complexion of the race changed completely when the Pace Car was scrambled following an incident in Turn Nine when Ryan Giannetta (VRD Racing), from Redondo Beach, Calif., lost control at the exit. Giannetta, unfortunately, was collected by Canadian Anthony Martella (Jay Howard Driver Development), who himself had made a mistake earlier while running 10th and was attempting to recover positions.


 

The restart came with seven laps remaining, and this time Jeffers was unable to shake off his pursuers. Schrage appeared to have marginally the faster car, but Jeffers was inch perfect and held on to score another fine victory, his third of the season.


 

Jeffers set his fastest lap of the race last time around, although his hopes of gaining an extra championship point were foiled by Exclusive Autosport teammate, Evan Cooley, who snagged the extra point on the final lap.


 

Musella was very much part of the lead battle in third, as were Brazilian Lucas Fecury, who drove by far his best race for Exclusive Autosport, and Friday race winner Caleb Gafrarar (Pabst Racing), from Charlotte, Calif., who had lost out to Fecury in Turn Four on Lap 14.


 

The DEForce Racing duo of Jeshua Alianell, from The Woodlands, Texas, and Sebastian Garzon, from Neiva, Colombia, were only a second further back in sixth and seventh, having exchanged positions on Lap Six, with Christian Cameron (VRD Racing), from Sonoma, Calif., G3 Argyros (Pabst Racing), from Newport Beach, Calif., and Cooley all snapping at their heels.


 

Alianell’s best showing since he finished on the podium in the first race of the season at St. Petersburg, Fla., earned him the Tilton Hard Charger Award having lined up 10th on the grid.


 

The PFC Award once again was claimed by Exclusive Autosport’s Michael Duncalfe and Joshua Cooley as the winning car owners.


 

Five races remain in the USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire season – a doubleheader up next on the challenging Streets of Toronto in Canada on July 18-20, followed by a tripleheader finale on the West Coast at the Portland International Raceway road course in Portland, Ore, on August 8/10.


 

Provisional championship points after 13 of 18 races:

1. Jack Jeffers, 288

2. Thomas Schrage, 288

3. Teddy Musella, 256

4. G3 Argyros, 219

5. Caleb Gafrarar, 212

6. Evan Cooley, 190

7. Liam McNeilly, 163

8. Anthony Martella, 156

9. Lucas Fecury, 148

10. Sebastian Garzon, 147.


 

Jack Jeffers (#92 Corpay Cross Border Solutions-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-22): “The beginning was good. I was able to pull a gap while they [second and third] were battling. I kind of suspected a full-course caution was going to come out because that's the nature of this track, and so it came out. We had a good restart, and they were pressuring me the whole race. They've both been very fast all weekend, so I was never going to count them out. I had to go defensive one time in Turn Four but other than that, I had it covered off and we were able to hold on to the end. Road America was a poor performance on my part, and I had to go home and really do some self-reflecting, and just be brutally honest with myself. I'm glad that I could regroup and reset the right way. I had the right team behind me to help me with that. They've never lost faith in me. They've always had my back from day one back in 2023. I have the best team out there. Huge thank you to the whole EA crew.”


 

Thomas Schrage (#2 TireDiscounters/Doug Mockett & Company/Airport Electric Service/Boys & Girls Clubs-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “We started on pole once again, and we've had a really quick car this weekend. Yesterday wasn't a good day for us. We finished 11th. And today, I guess I can't let it get to me too much. I don't know if we had the quickest car. I just drove a smart race and even though the points lead slips away from me, I'm not too worried about it. I just have to focus forward. It was a rougher weekend after qualifying than we thought it would be. We survived it and the championship is mostly even, so we just have to go back at it in Toronto.”


 

Teddy Musella (#25 Triarsi Competizione/Don’t Sleep Energy Drink-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “I feel like it's kind of an unfortunate result. I think we should have gotten a little bit more. I feel like we had one of the quickest cars the whole weekend. Getting third is a good result, but I think we should have got more.”

 

 

jeffers Wins at Mid-Ohio

to Tighten USF2000 Title Chase


 

gavin baker

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, drove a textbook race today at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for Exclusive Autosport. Jeffers’ second win of the USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire season moved him to within five points of Ohioan Thomas Schrage, who suffered a disappointing day after starting on pole position for VRD Racing.


 

Friday race winner Caleb Gafrarar, from Charlotte, N.C., finished hot on the tail of Jeffers for Pabst Racing, while VRD’s Teddy Musella, from Orlando, Fla., took third.


 

Results


 

Schrage, from Bethel, Ohio, once again started at the front of the field after claiming his second Continental Tire Pole Award during qualifying on Friday, when he posted the best of each driver’s second-fastest laps.


 

A messy start to the race saw the Pace Car scrambled almost immediately due to a mid-pack coming-together between several cars just moments after the green flag flew. Unfortunately, both Ayrton Houk (Benchmark Autosport), from McCordsville, Ind., and Ryan Giannetta (VRD Racing), from Redondo Beach, Calif., were eliminated.


 

The restart proved disastrous for Schrage, who hesitated when the green flag flew and was immediately enveloped by the pack. Worse, contact a little later in the lap caused some front end damage which eventually forced him into the pits for repairs.


 

Jeffers needed no second bidding. He immediately swept into the lead, which he maintained after another brief full-course caution when VRD Racing’s Christian Cameron, from Sonoma, Calif., found himself shuffled into the gravel at the exit of Turn Two.


 

Musella and Gafrarar, who rebounded quickly from an early miscue, kept the pressure on Jeffers throughout the 20-lap race. Musella was the primary aggressor in the early stages, but a fired-up Gafrarar found a way past with four laps remaining and continued to challenge hard in the closing stages before finally being forced to settle for second.


 

Musella couldn’t quite match that pace in the waning laps but still held onto third ahead of the second Pabst Racing entry of G3 Argyros, from Newport Beach, Calif.


 

Brazilian Lucas Fecury and Exclusive Autosport teammate Evan Cooley, from Mokena, Ill., also were close behind at the checkered flag.         


 

For the second day running, Australia’s Eddie Beswick secured the Tilton Hard Charger Award for Synergy Motorsport after keeping his nose clean and climbing from 15th on the grid to seventh.


 

Exclusive Autosport’s Michael Duncalfe and Joshua Cooley took the PFC Award as the winning car owners.


 

The PFC Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio tripleheader race weekend will conclude bright and early tomorrow, Sunday, July 6, at 8:20 a.m. EDT, immediately prior to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ final warmup.


 

Provisional championship points after 12 of 18 races:

1. Thomas Schrage, 262

2. Jack Jeffers, 257

3. Teddy Musella, 234

4. G3 Argyros, 207

5. Caleb Gafrarar, 195

6. Evan Cooley, 178

7. Liam McNeilly, 163

8. Anthony Martella, 152

9. Sebastian Garzon, 133

10. Lucas Fecury, 129.


 

Jack Jeffers (#92 Corpay Cross Border Solutions-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-22): “It was a good race. We were able to get Schrage on the restart. I think we caught him sleeping a little bit, and we were able to capitalize on that. From there, it was about running my own race, getting a good restart and kinda managing it. I realized that Teddy and Caleb had a little bit more pace than me, but I didn't get worried. It was just about managing and holding my position. So I started backing up a little bit, trying to back Teddy into Caleb, hoping they could battle. At the end it was about managing Caleb. Honestly, I was just focusing on my [corner] exits, making sure I got good runs so he can't have a shot at me at the next corner. I feel I managed it well, and we were able to come in with the win.”


 

Caleb Gafrarar (#24 Circle K/Bell/Racing Electronics/Molecule-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “I thought my race was pretty solid. I fell back at the start when they went full-course yellow. Just some miscommunication, but no problem at all. Then we started coming back through. People were making mistakes in front of me and I just took advantage of it and worked my way back forward. I was right there with Jack at the end and I thought I might be able to get him. I tried to go for a Hail Mary at the last corner but couldn’t make it stick. So, settled for P2 and I’m happy with it. I can’t wait to see what we can do tomorrow.”


 

Teddy Musella (#25 Triarsi Competizione/Don’t Sleep Energy Drink-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “It was very challenging. Jack had great pace and eventually I just made a bit of a mistake and Caleb got by. That dropped me to P3 and from there on I was just keeping the position. We had some good race pace so we should be good for tomorrow.”


 

 

 

Gafrarar Scores Maiden USF2000 Victory at Mid-Ohio


 

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Former karting star Caleb Gafrarar, from Charlotte, N.C., made the most of a slice of good fortune this afternoon at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and went on to claim a deserved maiden USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire victory for Pabst Racing.


 

The first of three races that will comprise the PFC Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio saw Exclusive Autosport’s Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, finish second ahead of his main championship rival – and polesitter – Thomas Schrage (VRD Racing), from Bethel, Ohio.


 

Results


 

Points leader Schrage languished fourth on the timing charts heading into the final few minutes of the crucial lone qualifying session this morning. But he sprung into life when it mattered, finally finding enough space for a few clear laps and scooping his first Continental Tire Pole Award of the season in the waning moments.


 

After the first attempt at a start was waved off because the field was too spread out, Schrage narrowly held his lead for the first few laps, although it was already apparent that he didn’t have the same pace advantage as he had during qualifying. Jeffers finally took advantage by making a late lunge for the inside under braking for Turn Four, at the end of the main straightaway, with three laps in the books.


 

The maneuver sent Schrage onto the grass at the exit of the corner and allowed a close following Gafrarar to slip through into second.


 

But a couple of laps later, after Ryan Giannetta’s VRD Racing Tatuus ground to a halt on the track and resulted in the Honda Civic Type-R Pace Car being deployed, the race stewards found the time to review the earlier incident between Jeffers and Schrage. They determined that Jeffers’ move was overly aggressive and ordered him to fall in line behind Schrage.


 

The problem for Jeffers by that time, of course, was that Gafrarar, too, had overtaken the polesitter. So at the restart it was Gafrarar leading the field with Jeffers and Schrage in his wake.


 

Jeffers looked to have a faster car at this juncture in the 20-lap race, with a dozen laps still remaining. He quickly overtook Schrage, once again under braking for Turn Four, and proceeded to pile the pressure on Gafrarar, but the rookie held his ground, then reeled off a series of quick laps to extend his margin in the closing stages and earn a fine victory.


 

Jeffers had to make do with second, while Schrage’s car became more to his liking in the closing stages and he was able to maintain his points lead in third ahead of teammate Teddy Musella, from Orlando, Fla.


 

Brazilian Lucas Fecury equaled his career-best finish for Exclusive Autosport in fifth, followed by the youngest driver in the field, 15-year-old Christian Cameron. The youngster from Sonoma, Calif., qualified a fine fourth for VRD Racing but had to fight his way back toward the front after slipping to eighth in the early laps.


 

Fellow rookie Eddie Beswick, from Sydney, Australia, earned his third Tilton Hard Charger Award of the season for Synergy Motorsport after rising from 13th on the grid to 10th.


 

The PFC Award as the winning car owner was claimed for the first time this season by Pabst Racing’s Augie Pabst.


 

The tripleheader event will continue tomorrow with the green flag for Race Two set for 4:20 p.m. EDT, followed by the finale at 8:20 a.m. on Sunday, immediately prior to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ final warmup.


 

Provisional championship points after 11 of 18 races:

1. Thomas Schrage, 251

2. Jack Jeffers, 226

3. Teddy Musella, 212

4. G3 Argyros, 188

5. Caleb Gafrarar, 170

6. Liam McNeilly, 163

7. Evan Cooley, 163

8. Anthony Martella, 143

9. Sebastian Garzon, 124

10. Christian Cameron, 118.


 

Caleb Gafrarar (#24 Circle K/Bell/Racing Electronics/Molecule-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “This is awesome. I can't thank the guys enough for giving me the race car to do it. Right when that yellow came out, I was like, I think the car is coming in right now. And when I got to start in the front for the restart, I was like, alright, I think we can get away. The car got faster and faster as well. I just started pushing a little bit more; keep it fast, but not over do it. Let's just keep it going for the weekend.”


 

Jack Jeffers (#92 Corpay Cross Border Solutions-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-22): “Mixed emotions here. You know, I feel I made a fair move for the lead, and they penalized me for it. So, I had to drop back to third and then got back around Thomas for second. I was a little bit faster, but this track, you know, once we all even out and we all have the same pace, it's tough to pass. So, second to Caleb. He's one of my really good friends off track, so I'm happy for him. Happy that he got his maiden win, but, honestly, I feel like that one was ours and I feel like it got it taken away from us. But it's already in the past, so it's time to look forward and move on to tomorrow.”


 

Thomas Schrage (#2 TireDiscounters/Doug Mockett & Company/Airport Electric Service/Boys & Girls Clubs-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “I would say I gave it away a little too easy today. I don't think we had the fastest car, and I kinda knew that from the start. I know that we're starting up front for all three races, so I didn't really force anything. I tried to just keep clear of the trouble and just drive my own race. Hopefully, we come back tomorrow and we can get a win. I'd call it another subpar day, but it's a podium finish so we'll take it.”


 

Escorpioni Extends USF Juniors Points Lead with Mid-Ohio Win


 

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Leonardo Escorpioni came from behind this afternoon to claim a sublime victory in the first leg of the PFC Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio doubleheader for USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire. Escorpioni, from Windermere, Fla., grasped the lead from Zanella Racing teammate Ty Fisher following a mid-race restart and led the remainder of the 20-lap distance to claim his fourth victory of the season and extend his championship lead to 23 points over Oliver Wheldon, who finished fourth for VRD Racing.


 

Another Florida-based Brazilian, Joao Vergara, maintained his championship aspirations by finishing a close second, while early pacesetter Fisher had to settle for third. 


 

Results


 

Fisher, 14, from White Rock, B.C., Canada, was the fastest man in qualifying this morning, duly securing his second Continental Tire Pole Award of the season. Escorpioni was less than one tenth of a second slower to assure himself a starting position on the outside of the front row. VRD teammates Wheldon, from St. Petersburg, Fla., and Vergara shared row two.


 

A couple of midfield incidents broke up the first half of the race with Fisher narrowly holding onto his lead. But Escorpioni made a strong restart at the second time of asking as the two teammates jostled for the top spot. They successfully negotiated the majority of the undulating Esses, between Turns Four and Six, in side-by-side formation, displaying tremendous respect for each other’s abilities without either wanting to give an inch.


 

But it was Escorpioni who prevailed, with Vergara, who had displaced Wheldon following an earlier restart on Lap Seven, also snapping at his heels. Next time around under braking at the top of the hill for Turn Two, Vergara saw a small opening and went for it. Second place was his reward.


 

Vergara then set a new fastest lap of the race on Laps 12 and 13 in his pursuit of Escorpioni, while Fisher, in third, reset the mark next time around as the three leaders remained in close formation.


 

Wheldon, unfortunately, by this stage was no longer in the mix for the win following a skirmish at the exit of the final corner with Jay Howard Driver Development’s Liam Loiacono, from Queensland, Australia, up from eighth on the grid, which saw Wheldon being edged wide onto the grass. The consequent massive loss of momentum relegated Wheldon briefly to eighth.


 

The battle for the lead intensified in the closing stages as Escorpioni and Vergara traded fastest race laps with Fisher also hot on their heels. Escorpioni, though, was up to the challenge, and eventually took the checkered flags just 0.7921 of a second ahead of Vergara. Fisher finished just behind the pair of them in third.


 

Lioacono couldn’t quite match the leading pace in fourth, but remained clear of Rodrigo Gonzalez, from Mexico City, Mexico, who was fifth for DEForce Racing ahead of the recovering Wheldon.


 

DEForce Racing’s Vilho Aatola, from Turku, Finland, drove well from a disappointing 12th on the grid to eighth ahead of Diego Guiot (Zanella Racing), from The Woodlands, Texas, Brenden Cooley (Exclusive Autosport), from Mokena, Ill., and the younger of the Gonzalez brothers, Patricio, who earned his first Tilton Hard Charger Award of the season after rising from 18th on the grid to 10th.


 

Juan and Jessica Zanella took home their sixth PFC Award of the season as the winning car owners.


 

The USF Juniors weekend will conclude with a second 20-lap race at 9:40 a.m. EDT tomorrow in advance of the second practice session for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES contenders.


 

Provisional championship points after nine of 16 races:

1. Leonardo Escorpioni, 219

2. Oliver Wheldon, 196

3. Ty Fisher, 193

4. Joao Vergara, 191

5. Liam Loiacono, 167

6. Vilho Aatola, 145

7 Rodrigo Gonzalez, 134

8. Diego Guiot, 102

9. Patricio Gonzalez, 93

10. Michael Sumo, 89


 

Leonardo Escorpioni (#55 Qwilt/Peer 1/Mensalize-Zanella Racing Tatuus JR-23): “We had the championship lead [beforehand] so, honestly, going into the race I was really thinking about [challenging for] the race win. I was thinking about just finishing on the podium and staying there. But then on the restart, I saw an opportunity to pass Ty, and I went for it. We had some pretty good racing going through [Turns] Four, Five and Six, and I was able to pull off the move. I could tell in my mirrors that Joao was pretty quick at the end. It was about staying consistent and staying on track because I know it's really hard to pass through with the dirty air.”


 

Joao Vergara (#10 Cross/Care code/Son Boron at/Arie-VRD Racing Tatuus JR-23): “I wish we could have gotten the win there at the end. We had a little bit of a problem with [aerodynamic] wash behind Leo. I felt like we were a bit faster. We could have gotten the win. But, nonetheless, it's good points for the championship.”


 

Ty Fisher (#37 Cedar Coast/Zanella Racing Tatuus JR-23): “It was a good race. I started first and I led the first few laps and then there was a restart. I had a good restart and was able to hold the lead. Then there was another restart and I lost the lead to Leo. I just couldn't hold it. The car was a bit slidey, and it came in really good at the end. We were fast, but it was just a bit too late. We'll be there for tomorrow.”


 

###

Schrage, Musella Share Road America USF2000 Laurels for VRD

 

 

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – VRD Racing teammates Thomas Schrage and Teddy Musella claimed a victory apiece during today’s hotly contested USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire doubleheader.


 

Schrage, from Bethel, Ohio, padded his championship points lead with a fine win this morning in his first ever race at the famed 4.014-mile road course set in the rural Kettle Moraine countryside near Elkhart Lake, Wis. Musella, from Orlando, Fla., came through for second ahead of Pabst Racing’s G3 Argyros, from Newport Beach, Calif.


 

Later in the day, Musella held off a concerted challenge from Exclusive Autosport’s Evan Cooley, from Mokena, Ill., for his long overdue maiden USF2000 victory. Harley Keeble, from Grimsby, England, capped a memorable debut by finishing third for Jay Howard Driver Development.


 

Race 1 Results

Race 2 Results


 

Regularly among the fastest cars during the recent series test at Road America, Exclusive Autosport carried on its good work when the Elite Engines Grand Prix began in earnest. Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, snagged his first-ever Continental Tire Pole Award during qualifying on Friday, while teammate Cooley circulated only 0.0347 of a second slower to ensure a front row lockout for the Brownsburg, Ind.-based team.


 

Jeffers maintained his lead at the start but remained under intense pressure as a gaggle of cars squabbled in his wake. Musella immediately jumped into second place on the opening lap, followed by Pabst Racing’s Caleb Gafrarar, from Charlotte, N.C., Cooley and a third Exclusive Autosport entry driven by on-form Brazilian Lucas Fecury. Schrage, who experienced a suspension breakage in qualifying, and Ayrton Houk (Benchmark Autosport), from McCordsville, Ind., also were locked in combat.


 

Drafting always plays a significant role at the ultra-fast Road America venue, so it came as no surprise on Lap Four to see Musella vault his way into the lead as the pack jostled for position on the long front straightaway.


 

Unfortunately, while Jeffers clung gamely to the outside line at Turn One, contact with Musella at the exit of the corner sent the title contender’s car hard into the tire barriers and out of the race. Miraculously, no one else was involved as the pack ducked and dived in avoidance. Cue the first of two full-course cautions.


 

Schrage used the draft at the start to nip past teammate Musella on the approach to Turn One, with Gafrarar also following him through. Gafrarar then took his turn out in front before another incident a little further down the field resulted in the Honda Civic Type R Safety Car being scrambled again.


 

There was time for only one lap of racing once the track had been cleared, and poor Gafrarar was a sitting duck as the snarling pack raced toward Turn One for the final time. Schrage timed his run to perfection and moved clearly into the lead, followed by Fecury, but behind there was chaos as Gafrarar was tipped into a spin. 


 

Schrage was free and clear as he romped away for his second win of the season. Musella fought past Fecury for second at Turn Six as Argyros, aboard the second Pabst Racing Tatuus, took advantage of the shuffling to complete the podium in third.


 

Christian Cameron, from Sonoma, Calif., the youngest driver in the field at age 15, completed a magnificent morning for VRD Racing by finishing a career-best fourth ahead of Fecury and Houk.


 

A little further back in 10th, South African rookie Wian Boshoff rebounded from a major accident during testing to claim the Tilton Hard Charger Award for the hard-working Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Development team after starting 19th.


 

Race Two this afternoon saw Jeffers once again starting at the front of the field with his second straight Continental Tire Pole Award by virtue of setting the best of every driver’s second-fastest laps during the sole qualifying session on Friday. That was the good news. The bad news was that he would be driving a different car – that of teammate Brenden Cooley (younger brother of Evan) – after his primary chassis had been badly damaged earlier in the day.


 

The change of car didn’t seem to faze Jeffers – at least in the early stages – as he maintained his lead at the start and, along with teammate Cooley, Gafrarar and Musella began to edge away from the rest of the field.


 

That luxury didn’t last for long as the race once again was interrupted by a couple of brief cautions due to various incidents among the extremely competitive 21-car field.


 

Following some remarkably swift work by the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team, the final restart came with a couple of laps remaining. Musella held the lead at this stage, and even though he immediately came under intense siege – due to the draft – at the restart, a brave late-braking maneuver on the inside line enabled him to somehow retain his slight edge at Turn One. He never looked back.


 

Cooley raced home close behind in second for his career-best result, while Keeble not only impressed, he also drew perhaps the biggest cheer of the day as he arrived at the podium celebrations.


 

Gafrarar had to be content with fourth, while series leader Schrage chose to play things safe, finishing in 13th after having been obliged to line up 15th on the grid following his qualifying woes. 


 

Schrage’s main title rival, Jeffers, made a couple of mistakes in the closing laps, costing him valuable championship points as he slipped from third to eighth, although he was able to regain one of those positions on the final lap.


 

Colombia’s Sebastian Garzon earned the Tilton Hard Charger Award for DEForce Racing after rising from 16th on the grid to ninth.


 

VRD Racing’s Dan Mitchell claimed both PFC Awards as the winning car owner. Mitchell’s fruitful day also saw his team vault into the lead of the Teams Championship for the first time this year.


 

USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire will return to action in two weeks’ time, once again in support of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, on July 4-6.


 

Provisional championship points after 10 of 18 races:

1. Thomas Schrage, 228

2. Jack Jeffers, 201

3. Teddy Musella, 192

4. G3 Argyros, 175

5. Liam McNeilly, 163

6. Evan Cooley, 153

7. Caleb Gafrarar, 139

8. Anthony Martella, 129

9. Sebastian Garzon, 115

10. Ayrton Houk, 107.


 

Race 1:

Thomas Schrage (#2 Doug Mockett & Company/Airport Electric Service/Boys & Girls Clubs-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “I don’t know if we truly had a car to win. The dirty air was really bad and I had a terrible start and that’s all on me. I just stayed cool and I knew I had a lot of laps left. I just picked them off one by one and then Jack was in that huge accident and I was sorry to see that. I was second on that last restart and put myself in a good position. Once I cleared him [Gafrarar], I had an easy run from there. I want to thank Doug Mockett first off – he is the reason why I can race – my dad, Girls and Boys Club of Greater Cincinnati, the Team USA Scholarship and everyone on the VRD team.”


 

Teddy Musella (#25 Triarsi Competizione/Don’t Sleep Energy Drink-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “I had a really good start. I think we had the quickest car in the first half of the race. And then after the first Safety Car, I got P1. This track is so hard from restarts. I just got freight-trained on the main straight and fell back to fourth. After the second restart, I had a really good start and got through the first turn quite cleanly. Then going to Turn Six, was able to pass Lucas Fecury for second. From there on it was just about keeping the car on track and getting a nice finish for the team with a one-two.”


 

G3 Argyros (#23 Positive Energy/Elephant Cooperation-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “It was a real exciting race. We started pretty deep in the field in ninth and it was just hectic. I battled with some of the Jay Howard cars in a cat fight, and that lost us a bunch of time. That first restart was our saving grace. We moved up, moved back into contention – just a lot of really intense fighting and that's what Road America breeds. That's why I love it here. And then we were making places up, and I think we would have had a good shot at going forward. That final restart, I mean, I was sweating in the car. It's hot, and, restarts can bring restarts. I knew it was going be a hectic one and I just protected the car. So we went from seventh to third on the last lap and the last lap is the only one that matters.”


 

Race 2:

Teddy Musella (#25 Triarsi Competizione/Don’t Sleep Energy Drink-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “It’s definitely hard starting on the outside of the front row at this track. I think I fell back to fifth or sixth, but I kept my head cool. I knew I had the pace, and I was getting through the field. And then we had the last restart and it was really hectic. Having to stay at the front at this track, it's just horrible – the draft is so much. We went three-wide into Turn One and I sent it deep on the brakes and kept moving on from there.”


 

Evan Cooley (#90 Brown Brothers Harriman-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-22): “The race was pretty good, a good points haul. I got the lead pretty early on and me and my teammate ran first and second. Then the pace car came out and I fell back on the restart just because of the draft. Nothing I could really do; I got swallowed. But, I ground my way back up and just held P2 for the rest of the race. I just want to thank the whole team. They have done an amazing job this whole weekend.”


 

Harley Keeble (#7 JHDD/CSU One Cure/Lucas il Products-Jay Howard Driver Development Tatuus USF-22): “It was a great race. The start was a bit messy, like Turn One was a bit dirty. I'm inexperienced compared to these guys, so I've just been taking one corner at a time, hitting my marks, just doing the best as I can. I got a really good restart off that last restart, which created a gap and I was able to stay there in P3. Teddy and Evan did a really good job to stay out front. I was slowly coming, but not quite fast enough.”

 

 
 

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