A dramatic first-corner incident in Saturday afternoon’s USF Pro 2000 Continental Tire Grand Prix of Toronto involved two of the top three championship contenders and allowed last year’s USF2000 champion Simon Sikes to pounce and ultimately claim his second victory of the season for Pabst Racing.
Sikes, from Augusta, Ga., fought off a race-long challenge from teammate Jace Denmark, from Brownsburg, Ind., who also profited from the opening melee to close to within 24 points of the championship lead. Ricardo Escotto, from Mexico City, completed the podium for BN Racing.
Turn 3 Motorsport earned a lockout of the front row of the grid after qualifying Friday, although points leader Lochie Hughes, from Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, had to be content with second position behind 16-year-old teammate Danny Dyszelski, from Belmont, N.C., who secured his first ever Continental Tire Pole Award.
Unfortunately, Dyszelski didn’t hold his advantage for long. After taking an ultra-defensive inside line toward the first corner, the youngster found himself braking a tad later than was optimal, which in turn sent him wide at the apex…at precisely the same moment Hughes was seeking to sweep past on the outside. Both cars lost valuable momentum, which allowed Sikes, who had started third, to scythe past them both and into the lead.
Inches behind, Denmark, who started third, also was slowed by the pair of Turn 3 cars, unlocking chaos behind as early season points leader Nikita Johnson (VRD Racing), from Gulfport, Fla., rammed into the left-rear corner of New Zealander Liam Sceats’ TJ Speed Motorsports Tatuus IP-22.
Sceats and Johnson, who had started eighth, were out on the spot, as was Dutch debutant Glenn van Berlo, who had qualified a fine fifth for Pabst Racing. Hughes was more fortunate. After ducking into the pits during the ensuing caution, his crew found no appreciable damage and immediately sent him on his way. He was at the back of the pack but the car was fine.
Hometown hero Mac Clark (DEForce Racing) found himself in second for the restart, although Denmark quickly moved past and began to heap the pressure on Sikes.
Clark remained in contention for the opening third of the race before drifting away from the two leaders and becoming ever more vulnerable to the chasing pack, led by Escotto, who had moved up from 10th on the grid.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1505]
Try as he did, Denmark could find no chink in Sikes’ armor, so had to settle for second – his fourth consecutive podium finish – and the knowledge that he gained valuable points in his quest for the championship title and a scholarship valued at $681,500 to progress onto the next step of the ladder, Indy NXT, in 2025. The one-two sweep for Pabst Racing brought another PFC Award for car owner Augie Pabst, adding to the similar trophy secured earlier in the day by his USF2000 team.
“I started third and always had it in my head that I wanted to go to the front as early as possible, and it happened in Turn 1,” Sikes said. “I was able to get out front and then saw Mac and my teammate Jace behind me. We took that restart and Jace had a phenomenal run into second and then it was just about putting the laps in. I knew we had fast cars. Jace kept me honest the whole race and we just drove our own race. There was only the one caution so a lot of good running out there on this bumpy track. I just can’t thank Pabst enough for the amazing cars and the incredible weekend so far. I really wanted to get the win and I am so happy I could do it because that one 100 percent is for [F1600 team owner and close friend] Greg Rice [who passed away earlier this week].”
Escotto moved into third on the 14th lap, earning himself the Tilton Hard Charger Award, soon to be followed by teammate Alessandro De Tullio, from Miami, Fla., who once again impressed in only his third USF Pro 2000 start.
Hughes, meanwhile, was driving like a man possessed. Rejoining 14th after his pit stop, the Australian quickly charged through the pack before relieving Clark of fifth position with just two laps remaining.
Hughes’ performance allowed him to minimize the damage and retain the points lead heading into Sunday’s second race of the weekend, for which he will start on the pole position by virtue of posting the fastest lap during a dedicated second qualifying session earlier Saturday morning. The race is set to see a green flag at 8:55 a.m ET.