USF Pro 2000 – Syndication Server

Andersen Promotions unveils 2025 USF Pro Championships schedules

The 2025 calendar of events for USF Pro Championships Presented by Continental Tire was unveiled on Tuesday. The schedule for the three rungs comprised of USF Pro 2000, USF2000 and USF Juniors will once again provide the rising talents in open-wheel …

Of the 52 total races across the three series, 36 will be held in support of IndyCar, kicking off at the popular NTT IndyCar Series season-opener on the streets of St. Petersburg.

USF Juniors – which has blossomed since its debut in 2022 – will also be a support series for IMSA at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and part of the GRIDLIFE Festival Tour at Road America featuring a blend of music and motorsports.

Live streaming of all events will continue to be provided by USF Pro Championships TV (Pro Racing Group), which returns for its 12th season providing behind-the-scenes content as well as the highly acclaimed mini-documentary series The Climb.

A total of 85 drivers participated in USF Pro Championship events this season with top honors claimed in a thrilling season finale at Portland International Raceway three weeks ago. Champions Lochie Hughes (USF Pro 2000), Max Garcia (USF2000) and Max Taylor (USF Juniors) will now take their scholarships to progress up the ladder.

For 2025, the USF Pro 2000 champion will receive a scholarship package valued at $546,500 to advance to INDY NXT, with the USF2000 champion’s package valued at $405,050 to move up to USF Pro 2000 and the USF Juniors champion’s package at $249,675 to progress to USF2000.

Skip Barber, the Official Racing School of USF Pro Championships, will continue to offer its Formula Race Series champion a scholarship valued at $100,000 to advance to USF Juniors.

Additional prize money and awards include the Continental Tire Pole Award for each race, and season-ending awards for Rookie of the Year, Team Champion, Engineer of the Year, Mechanic of the Year, Hard Charger, Move of the Year and Spirit Award. In USF Pro 2000, the top-three finishers will also receive a Dallara Simulator Award to help further prepare for a move up to Indy NXT.

“This year marked 25 years of promoting for me and, since 2010, over $27.5 million in scholarships and awards have been distributed to help drivers move up the ladder,” said Dan Andersen, Owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions. “It was gratifying to see 14 of our recent graduates on the IndyCar grids this year and 18 in Indy NXT – further proof that what we are doing is working.

“It is not easy to win in our championships and that, to me, makes for great training. To have as many events as we can on IndyCar race weekends is vital to that training and I want to thank our promoter partners for making this possible. It seems our depth of talent amongst drivers grows stronger every year, and we look forward to seeing what 2025 will bring.

“While our schedules are in place for next season, we are still working to finalize our full prize money and award packages and look to build on the $1.4 million currently on offer over the coming months.”

USF Pro Championships will take to the track for one final outing this year with the USF Pro Fall Combine at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on October 19-20.

Spring Training will return to NOLA Motorsports Park on February 22-23. Additional series’ in-season tests for all three series will be held at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on May 13-14 and Road America on June 11-12. The season-ending Championship Celebration will take place on August 11 in Portland. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway will once again host the traditional USF Pro Fall Combine on October 25-26.

Johnson wins again for VRD in USF Pro 2000 at Portland

Nikita Johnson was out to prove a point this weekend, and he did so emphatically. The 16-year-old from Gulfport, Fla., knew he had virtually no chance of wresting away the USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire championship from his main rival, Lochie Hughes, but after holding off a race-long challenge Friday from last year’s USF2000 champion Simon Sikes in damp, drying conditions, Saturday Johnson ensured another visit to the top step of the podium for himself and VRD Racing in the dry by fending off the attentions of Turn 3 Motorsport’s Hughes to claim his series-leading eighth victory of the season.

Hughes had to be content with second, secure in the knowledge the title was already under wraps, while Sikes, from Augusta, Ga., enjoyed another fine podium finish after fighting his way past Pabst Racing teammate Jace Denmark, from Brownsburg, Ind., during an all-green 30-lap season finale.

Johnson and Hughes shared the front row of the grid for the third race in succession, with Johnson having earned his sixth Continental Tire Pole Award by virtue of recording the fastest of every driver’s second-best laps during the solitary qualifying session yesterday.

The top two quickly put some distance between the pursuing Pabst pair, Denmark ahead of Sikes. But rather than simply settling for second, Hughes was especially keen to finish his magnificent year with a flourish – and another victory. But Johnson was not to be denied. Having incurred a 30-point penalty due to a technical infraction earlier in the season, which put a severe dent in his title aspirations, Johnson had no intentions of relinquishing his hard-earned on-track advantage.

Only very briefly during this afternoon’s 30-lap race were the top two separated by more than a second. Hughes redoubled his efforts in the closing stages, but there was not the hint of a chink in Johnson’s armor, and even a last-lap lunge from Hughes under braking for Turn 1 failed to rattle the leader.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1505]

The scrap for third was equally intense. Denmark led the way for the majority of the race until Sikes finally made a move stick at Turn 1 with just five laps remaining.

Jay Howard Driver Development’s Frankie Mossman, from Newport Beach, Calif., found a way past Dutchman Glenn van Berlo (Pabst Racing) at the start, but after another spirited tussle it was van Berlo who came out ahead to secure fifth.

Next up in seventh was DEForce Racing’s Jorge Garciarce, from Guadalajara, Mexico, who completed his rookie USF 2000 season strongly by rising from 14th on the grid to claim his fourth Tilton Hard Charger Award.

“A great way to end off the year with two victories and two poles – just an amazing VRD race car,” Johnson said. “You know, this red machine, our car’s just been amazing all year. I just can’t thank the VRD boys enough for everything they’ve done. They’ve been a huge part of my career. So, hats off to them, my family for always coming out and helping out; my dad for helping me with racing ever since I was a little kid. My mom helping me too, always taking me to tracks. And my little brother for always supporting me at every track. And even when I’m away, he watches. I can’t thank my sponsors enough because I wouldn’t be here without them. And everybody that has just been here from the start. It’s just another amazing year done with the USF Pro Championships.”

Dan Mitchell took his eighth PFC Award of the year as the winning car owner.

It was Johnson who claimed the honors this weekend on the race track, but Hughes has put together an exemplary rookie season and will take the plaudits tomorrow evening during the traditional Championship Celebration when he will be presented with the champion’s trophy and a scholarship prize valued at $681,500 to ensure graduation next year to Indy NXT.

RESULTS

Johnson wins in the damp as Hughes clinches USF Pro 2000 title

Nikita Johnson scored a fine victory for VRD Racing in Friday evening’s first leg of the Continental Tire Grand Prix of Portland doubleheader season finale. Some distance behind, a measured drive to sixth position was enough for Turn 3 Motorsport …

Hughes, from the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia also claimed a scholarship valued at $681,500 to advance to Indy NXT, the final stepping stone to the NTT IndyCar Series, in 2025.

Last year’s USF2000 champion Simon Sikes charged hard in the closing stages to finish hot on Johnson’s tail and clinch a coveted second teams’ championship in as many years for Pabst Racing. Frankie Mossman completed the podium for Jay Howard Driver Development.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=6751]

Johnson earned his fifth Continental Tire Pole Award of the year in dry conditions, although the track was completely different for the start of the race following an earlier rain shower. Nevertheless, Johnson was able to maintain his advantage under braking for the tight Festival Curves chicane, pursued by Sikes who displaced a sensibly conservative Hughes from second position. Behind them several cars came together in the tricky conditions to ensure an immediate full-course caution.

Johnson carried on from where he left at the restart, with four laps in the books, although he was unable to shake off Mossman, who had vaulted from ninth on the grid to fourth at the initial start and then made up two more positions immediately after the restart.

The two leaders immediately stretched away from Sikes in third, who in turn comfortably outpaced BN Racing teammates Ricardo Escotto and Alessandro De Tullio.

Track conditions gradually improved as the race progressed, and Johnson eventually managed to eke out some breathing space over Mossman, who continued to run well in second. At two-thirds distance, 20 laps, the gap between the two leaders had grown to 2.6s.

The man to watch at this stage was Sikes, whose car came alive as the track continued to dry. After falling as far as 8.6s behind Mossman with 12 laps completed, suddenly the gap began to diminish rapidly. Within the space of just 10 laps, Sikes had reeled in Mossman, whom he dispatched with ease into Turn 6.

Sikes continued his forward charge, but the clock proved to be Johnson’s savior, as the 40-minute time limit expired after only 27 of the 30 laps had been completed and Johnson took the checkered flag a scant 0.6690s to the good.

Mossman followed them home in third, while Escotto took fourth and the Tilton Hard Charger Award after starting way back in 15th.

The other man to make an impression in the closing stages was Sikes’ Pabst Racing teammate Glenn van Berlo. After being involved in a skirmish on the opening lap, the Dutch rookie charged through the field to finish fifth, well clear of Hughes, who, assured of the championship title, stormed past De Tullio for fifth on the final lap.

“It feels amazing. I mean, it hasn’t fully sunk in yet,” said new champion Hughes. “It wasn’t the ideal race with the conditions, but I just had to bring it home. I wanted to make sure I got this done today, so I can enjoy tomorrow.

“It’s all thanks to the team to Pete and Mandy (Dempsey) to everyone who’s been on my car this year, to Matt, Neil and Dave, and everyone who’s helped out this year. And, of course, my family who made it all happen. I wouldn’t be here without them. It’s tough not getting a lot of support from back home in Australia so to win this championship and have the prize money to move on to IndyNXT next year is amazing.”

Dan Mitchell took his seventh PFC Award of the year as the winning car owner.

The final race of the season will see the green flag at 3:10pm on Saturday.

RESULTS

Hughes regains control with USF Pro 2000 Toronto perfection

Lochie Hughes this morning took a big step toward his ultimate goal of winning this year’s USF Pro 2000 championship title by virtue of dominating the second leg of the Continental Tire Grand Prix of Toronto for Turn 3 Motorsport. The Australian followed a fine recovery drive yesterday by leading throughout today’s 25-lap race for his fifth win of the season.

New Zealand’s Liam Sceats rebounded from a first-lap incident on Saturday to secure his fifth podium of the year for TJ Speed Motorsports after relegating championship contender Jace Denmark (Pabst Racing) to third place with a late pass.

After being pipped to the pole for yesterday’s race by Turn 3 Motorsport teammate Danny Dyszelski and then being caught up in a first-corner melee, Hughes made sure there would be no repeat by snaring the extra championship point for this morning’s race during a second qualifying session on Saturday morning. Hughes also took full advantage of his fourth Continental Tire Pole Award by maintaining his lead into the first corner, although behind him there was more drama as Dyszelski, who this time started in eighth, once again was involved in an incident along with BN Racing teammates Alessandro De Tullio and Ricardo Escotto.

Hughes again took off into the lead once the cleanup had been completed, while Denmark initially led the chase having overtaken championship rival Nikita Johnson (VRD Racing) at Turn 1 on the initial start.

Johnson was able to redress the balance with a bold move at Turn 5 on the eighth lap, then quickly closed on Hughes. The pair was rarely separated by more than a car length or two for the next dozen laps, until Johnson made a mistake at Turn 10 and spun into one of the unforgiving concrete walls. His day was done.

Hughes once again took off confidently at the restart with three laps remaining, pulling away to an emphatic victory, leaving Denmark to come under attack from Sceats and a large pack of cars behind. Denmark parried an attempt by Sceats to take a pass at Turn 5, only to make a mistake under braking for Turn 10, running wide and allowing the Kiwi through into second, where he remained until the finish.

“This win was really important with only two races to go. The season has gone by so quickly. I feel like we were just at St. Pete,” said Hughes. “I was happy to just not do any overtaking in that race. The last two races, we ended up being in the pits and had to do a bunch of overtaking the rest of the race. It was nice to just stay out in front and I can’t thank the Turn 3 crew enough for giving me an amazing car.”

Mac Clark matched his best result of the season for DEForce Racing with fourth, while an incident on the final lap at Turn 1 involving Sceats’ teammate Cooper Becklin, Jorge Garciarce (DEForce Racing), Logan Adams (Comet/NCMP) and Dutch debutant Glenn van Berlo (Pabst Racing) allowed Garciarce to emerge in fifth ahead of Jay Howard Driver Development’s Frankie Mossman who vaulted from 11th to sixth at the checkered flag.

Garciarce’s best result of the year also earned him the Tilton Hard Charger Award after lining up 13th on the grid.

Hughes’ dominant drive not only secured a fifth PFC Award for Peter Dempsey as the winning car owner, it also brought him a healthy 35-point advantage heading into the final doubleheader event of the season at Portland International Raceway, Aug. 27-28.

RESULTS

Provisional championship points after 16 of 18 rounds:

1. Lochie Hughes, 354

2. Jace Denmark, 319

3. Nikita Johnson, 291

4. Liam Sceats, 241

5. Christian Brooks, 232

6. Simon Sikes, 224

7. Danny Dyszelski, 203

8. Ricardo Escotto, 191

9. Mac Clark, 187

10. Frankie Mossman, 185

Sikes capitalizes as Hughes retains USF Pro 2000 points lead in Toronto

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 …

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.

RESULTS

Johnson doubles up in USF Pro 2000 at Mid-Ohio

Nikita Johnson thrust himself back into the USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire championship chase by scoring an emphatic double victory in Saturday’s Tatuus Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio. The 16-year-old from Gulfport, Fla., led throughout the morning’s 30-lap race but had to come from behind to complete the clean sweep later this afternoon for VRD Racing.

Jace Denmark, from Brownsburg, Ind., also enjoyed a strong day for Pabst Racing with a pair of runner-up finishes as teammate Christian Brooks, from Santa Clarita, Calif., and Turn 3 Motorsport’s Danny Dyszelski, from Belmont, N.C., shared the third-place honors.

After a challenging weekend last time out at Road America, early season points leader Johnson laid down a marker by breaking his tie with points leader Lochie Hughes (Turn 3 Motorsport), from Gold Coast, Australia, and snagging his fourth Continental Tire Pole Award of the season during the lone qualifying session on Friday.

Johnson continued his bounce back to prominence by leading throughout the morning’s 30-lap race. Denmark remained hot on his heels in the early stages, with teammate Brooks also in close contention.

After starting sixth, Hughes gained a position at the start on Exclusive Autosport’s Braden Eves, from Gahanna, Ohio, but also lost one to fast-starting Canadian Mac Clark (DEForce Racing), who muscled his way through in a bold three-wide maneuver at Turn 4. Hughes, though, was quickly into his stride, overtaking both Clark and Pabst Racing’s Simon Sikes, from Augusta, Ga., on lap four to move into fourth position.

The five leaders – Johnson, Denmark, Brooks, Hughes and Sikes – remained in the same positions throughout the 30-lap race, but there was plenty of intrigue as the perfect racing conditions, with a clear blue sky and reduced humidity, allowed them to circulate faster than in qualifying and effectively set the starting grid for race two later in the day, which would be determined according to either each driver’s second-fastest lap in qualifying or their fastest lap in race one.

Ultimately, it was Sikes who claimed that honor, narrowly ahead of Denmark, Hughes, Brooks and race winner Johnson. All five were bracketed by a little more than a tenth of a second, setting the stage for another intriguing contest later in the day.

“The race went very well,” Johnson said. “We started on pole, managed the lead, kept the gap and extended it. The car was on rails today. I can’t thank the VRD boys enough, all of my sponsors, my dad for taking me here and my mother and brother watching back home – everyone in North Carolina and Florida watching. It means a lot and it is great to be back on the top step of the podium. We haven’t had this since Indy. It is good to get back our points and just win again.”

For the second time in as many races, Canada’s Nico Christodoulou earned the Tilton Hard Charger Award, working his way from 18th on the grid following a major mechanical failure in qualifying to finish in 10th.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1505]

Sikes took advantage of his second Continental Tire Pole Award of the season by leading away from the start in race two, but was unable to shake off Denmark, who remained seemingly glued to his rear wing as the two leaders edged away from Brooks and Johnson in third and fourth.

The latter pair exchanged places on lap four, shortly before the day’s first full-course caution due to a clash between New Zealander Liam Sceats (TJ Speed Motorsports) and Frankie Mossman (Jay Howard Driver Development), from Newport Beach, Calif.

The complexion of the race totally changed soon after the restart when Sikes chose to negotiate the ultra-quick Turn 1 in fifth gear, rather than shifting down to fourth, and was surprised when the car bogged down on the exit. Denmark and Johnson immediately drove around him, but it was Johnson who had the better momentum which carried him from third to the lead by the time the pair braked for Turn 2.

Worse was to come for Sikes at the end of the back straightaway when he tangled with Hughes as they sped toward the apex. The collision sent Sikes spearing onto the grass and left Hughes spinning into the path of Brooks, whose day ended on the spot. The other two continued, with Hughes managing to salvage valuable points in seventh position and Sikes just one place behind after another tangle with Mexico’s Ricardo Escotto (BN Racing).

The various incidents elevated the privately run Comet/NCMP Racing entry of Logan Adams, from Greenfield, Ind., into a third place, which he maintained impressively until being passed by Dyszelski with eight laps remaining.

Adams held on for a fine, career-best fourth, well clear of Escotto, who had started 18th and staunchly resisted myriad attempts from a variety of rivals to find a way past. Fifth position was his reward, along with the Tilton Hard Charger Award.

“We started P5 but the car was amazing. It was on rails,’ Johnson said. “We got past Lochie in the very beginning and Brooks, which took a few laps. I did a crossover in the braking zone and got him. After the caution, I benefitted from Simon and Jace fighting in Turn 1. I backed up at the corner and just got a very good exit and passed them both. We had a few more cautions after that but I just kept it in the lead and made sure to keep Jace in the aerowash. I can’t thank VRD enough.”

Johnson’s banner day bumped him back to second place in the point standings, just 26 markers shy of Hughes. Only four races remain in the chase for a scholarship valued at $681,500 to progress onto the next step of the ladder, Indy NXT, in 2025. Johnson also snagged two more PFC Awards for VRD Racing team principal Dan Mitchell.

Next up for the USF Pro contingent are a pair of races on the streets of Toronto, Ont., Canada in two weeks’ time, followed by the West Coast season finale at Portland International Raceway in Portland, Ore., on August 23-25.

RACE ONE RESULTS
RACE TWO RESULTS

Hughes completes perfect USF Pro 2000 weekend at Road America

Lochie Hughes strengthened his claim to the USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire championship this morning by completing a clean sweep of the Elite Engines Grand Prix of Road America. Hughes, from Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, grasped the advantage from Pabst Racing’s polesitter Christian Brooks, from Santa Clarita, Calif., immediately following a restart on lap six and held off a stern challenge throughout the remainder of the 15-lap race to secure his third win of the weekend.

Brooks had to be content with second, well clear of teammate Jace Denmark, from Brownsburg, Ind., as the locally based Pabst Racing team remains frustrated in its quest for a USF Pro 2000 victory at its home track.

It was Brooks who started at the front of the field this morning, securing his first Continental Tire Pole Award of the season by virtue of posting the best of each driver’s second fastest lap during qualifying on Friday afternoon.

The Californian was able to maintain his position for the first two laps, whereupon the caution flags waved due to an unfortunate accident which befell Logan Adams’ family-run Comet/New Castle Motorsports Park Tatuus when he tripped over the apparently slowing Jay Howard Driver Development car of Frankie Mossman in Turn 14. Adams, from Greenfield, Ind., emerged unscathed, but the car was heavily damaged.

Moments after the restart, which came with five laps in the books, Hughes was able to take advantage of a huge draft from the race leader and slipstream his way through into the lead before they reached the braking area for Turn 1.

Job done. Brooks maintained the pressure on Hughes for the remainder of the race, but there was no stopping Hughes from claiming his fifth win of the season and another PFC Award for Turn 3 Motorsport team principal Peter Dempsey as the winning car owner.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1505]

Denmark couldn’t quite match the leading pace, but still was able to take his second podium finish of the weekend and catapult himself to second place in the point standings.

Turn 3 Motorsport’s Danny Dyszelski, from Belmont, N.C., chased home Denmark in fourth, while Pabst Racing’s Simon Sikes, from Augusta, Ga., mounted a tremendous comeback after being shuffled from third place to outside the top 10 in the early stages. Sikes also secured the additional championship point for fastest race lap.

“It was a good weekend. Three wins – you can’t really ask for more than that,” Hughes said. “After the troubles at NOLA and everything, to bounce back in the championship like this and be on the run we are on is great. I can’t thank the team enough and all of my sponsors back home. I am over the moon and hopefully we can just keep this momentum going to Mid-Ohio and the rest of the season.”

The Tilton Hard Charger Award went to Canadian USF Pro 2000 debutant Nico Christodoulou, who overcame some problems in qualifying to battle from 18th on the grid to seventh at the checkered flag.

With the closest title challengers finishing further down the field, Hughes now holds a relatively comfortable 50-point lead in the chase for a scholarship valued at $681,500 to graduate to Indy NXT in 2025 as the contenders head next to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, for two more races held in conjunction with the NTT IndyCar Series on July 6-7.

RESULTS

Hughes doubles and takes USF Pro 2000 points lead at Road America

Lochie Hughes and the Illinois-based Turn 3 Motorsport team enjoyed a banner day at Road America, winning two of the three races that will comprise this weekend’s Elite Engines Grand Prix of Road America. The talented Australian also vaulted into a clear lead in his quest for the USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire championship and a scholarship valued at $681,500 to graduate to INDY NXT in 2025.

Frankie Mossman (Jay Howard Driver Development), from Newport Beach, Calif., and Mexico’s Ricardo Escotto (BN Racing) finished second and third in the opening race, while Pabst Racing’s Christian Brooks, from Santa Clarita, Calif., and New Zealander Liam Sceats (TJ Speed Motorsports) completed the podium later in the day.

Hughes began the weekend trailing early season pacesetter Nikita Johnson by a single championship point, although he quickly erased that deficit by virtue of securing the Continental Tire Pole Award for Saturday’s opening race during the first of two qualifying sessions on Friday.

A cloudy sky and threatening clouds greeted the USF Pro 2000 contenders early this morning when they lined up on the grid, but thankfully the rain was kept at bay for the majority – but not quite all – of the 15-lap race.

Hughes duly led the 21-car field up the hill toward the starter’s awaiting green flag shortly after 8:00 a.m., but it was outside front row starter Simon Sikes, from Augusta, Ga., who grasped the early initiative for Oconomowoc, Wis.-based Pabst Racing when he drove around the outside of the Australian at the first corner.

Last year’s USF2000 champion held the lead for almost exactly one lap before Hughes regained the advantage at the same corner. Shortly afterward, Mossman relegated Sikes to third place at Turn 5, then began to put the pressure on Hughes for the lead.

Mossman momentarily gained the upper hand when he drafted past Hughes into Turn 1 on lap 11, but his decision to take a defensive line subsequently at Turn Three cost him valuable momentum and allowed Hughes to regain the advantage on the long run downhill toward Turn 5.

Mossman intensified his challenge in the closing stages as spots of rain began to fall. For most of the final lap, Hughes felt obliged to adopt a defensive line under braking to minimize any opportunity for Mossman to wrest away his lead. The ploy worked to perfection, although both leaders – and everyone behind – was almost caught off guard when the rain drops rapidly intensified as they negotiated the critical Carousel corner at Turn 8.

The top contenders all made it through safely, then treated the notorious Road America kink with the utmost respect as they made their way toward the checkered flag at significantly reduced pace.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1505]

Hughes duly held on to secure a well-judged victory, his second of the season but first since the very first race on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., in March. Behind, Mossman followed in an impressive second, for his first-ever podium finish, while Sikes’ attempt to wrest away second place went awry at the final corner when he ran out of racing room, strayed two wheels onto the grass and spun.

Escotto inherited third, his first podium since joining BN Racing, after narrowly fending off the Pabst Racing pair of Jace Denmark, from Brownsburg, Ind., and Christian Brooks, from Santa Clarita, Calif., on the dash to the line.

Brazil’s Nicolas Monteiro earned the Tilton Hard Charger Award following an impressive drive to 11th after starting dead last.

Sikes looked to make amends later in the day, starting at the front after having claimed the Continental Tire Pole Award during a second qualifying session on Friday. The race started out well for Sikes as he fought off a challenge from teammate Brooks, but after a couple of early caution periods due to incidents further down the field, he was unable to stay with the leaders and slipped back down the field before once again crashing out on the final lap.

After losing a place on the opening lap, Hughes quickly worked his way forward once the race began in earnest, moving to the front on lap 11 and controlling the remainder of the 15-lap contest.

Brooks enjoyed his best result since also finishing second in the opening race of the season, crossing the line just 1.1288s behind the winner, but the drive of the race came from Sceats, who catapulted himself from 14th on the grid to sixth in the early stages. The Kiwi continued his charge forward to take the checkered flag in third, narrowly ahead of Denmark.

Sceats comfortably pocketed the Tilton Hard Charger Award for his efforts, while Turn 3 Motorsport’s Peter Dempsey capped his team’s magnificent day with a pair of PFC Awards as the winning car owner.

One more race is on tap for this weekend’s busy slate of action, with the 12th round of the 18-race season set to see the green flag at 10:00 a.m. Sunday.

RACE ONE RESULTS

RACE TWO RESULTS

Locals Eves and DeFabis share Carb Night Classic USF wins at IRP

Braden Eves and Tanner DeFabis shared the honors Saturday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park after the traditional Carb Night Classic had been postponed from Friday night due to inclement weather. The USF Pro Championships Presented by …

Local resident Eves continued the astonishing form of his Exclusive Autosport team at the 0.686-mile oval with a record-breaking victory from the pole in USF Pro 2000. He was chased home in the Freedom 90 by Pabst Racing’s Jace Denmark, from nearby Brownsburg, Ind., while Australian rookie Lochie Hughes moved to within a point of the USF Pro 2000 championship lead after finishing a close behind in third for Turn 3 Motorsport.

In USF2000, DeFabis, from nearby Avon, Ind., rose quickly from third on the grid to dominate the Freedom 75 race for Jay Howard Driver Development. Last year’s USF Juniors champion Nicolas Giaffone, from Sao Paulo, Brazil, finished second for DEForce Racing ahead of Jay Howard Driver Development’s Evagoras Papasavvas, from Loveland, Ohio.

It was apparent from the very first USF Pro 2000 test session on Wednesday afternoon that 2013 champion Matt Brabham’s qualifying lap record was in serious jeopardy. Ultimately, the top seven on the grid eclipsed both his one- and two-lap standard, led by locally based series veteran Eves, who snagged his first Continental Tire Pole Award of the season during qualifying on Thursday afternoon with a new outright track lap record of 19.4602s and a two-lap average of 126.565mph.

The pole represented a long overdue return to form for Eves, the 2019 USF2000 champion, who had endured a disappointing start to the season with only a pair of top-five finishes from the opening eight races.

Eves took off at the start like a scalded cat. He established a new race lap record on only the second lap and had extended his advantage to over five seconds by the time the caution flags waved for the first and only time after 47 laps due to an incident between Turns 3 and 4 involving Ethan Ho (Turn 3 Motorsport), from Los Angeles, Calif., and championship leader Nikita Johnson (VRD Racing), from Gulfport, Fla. The pair had been disputing sixth place at the time. Both were unhurt.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1505]

The restart would be crucial. Denmark, who had started second and remained as Eves’ closest challenger, was eager to grasp his opportunity after a huge deficit suddenly had been reduced to just a car’s length.

Denmark briefly nosed alongside his rival several times following the resumption, with 24 laps remaining, but Eves kept his cool. And his lead.

Hughes fell back a little from the two leaders at the restart, but it wasn’t long before he was back on their tail. Hughes’ teammate, Danny Dyszelski, from Belmont, N.C., also ran close behind in fourth.

Tthere was no stopping Eves, who held on to score his Exclusive Autosport team’s fifth win at the track since 2018. He also took home team owner Michael Duncalfe’s first PFC Award of the season.

“Oh man, well honestly I have to start off with the most important part of this which was how fantastic my car was,” Eves said. “The Corpay Exclusive Autosport crew just gave me the best car. This is their third time in a row now, winning here, and this place is very, very car dependent. You can’t carry the car here. It’s really a team effort so big thanks to my engineer John Hayes, my team owner Michael Duncalfe, co-owner Josh Cooley and the whole team. It was a super tiring race. The new Continental tire was pulling 2.8-g consistently for 90 laps, so it’s not easy on the body, but I managed to hold on and take the win, so I’m really proud of that.”

Indy NXT regular Bryce Aron, from Winnetka, Ill., finished a strong sixth on his USF Pro 2000 debut for TJ Speed Motorsports after taking the opportunity to gain his first experience on an oval.

Colombian Nicolas Baptiste rose from 17th on the grid to seventh to claim the Tilton Hard Charger Award for BN Racing.

USF Pro 2000 RESULTS

Pages: 12

Johnson and Sikes share USF Pro 2000 honors at Indy GP

VRD Racing’s Nikita Johnson and Pabst Racing’s Simon Sikes both stood on the top step of the podium in the final two rounds of the VP Racing Grand Prix of Indianapolis tripleheader. This was the fifth win of the season for Johnson, of Gulfport, Fla., who also stood atop the podium Friday at the Indianapolis Grand Prix road course. For Sikes, from Augusta, Ga., the victory marked the reigning USF2000 champion’s first since graduating to USF Pro 2000.

This morning’s podium was a deja vu of Friday’s with New Zealand’s Liam Sceats (TJ Speed Motorsports) finishing second ahead of Australian Lochie Hughes (Turn 3 Motorsport).

Johnson stretched his already considerable USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire points lead by chasing Sikes home in second place in the final race of the weekend as Hughes once again took third.

Johnson had continued his recent dominance Saturday morning with another emphatic victory. Once again he started at the front, courtesy of his second fastest lap during the lone qualifying session on Friday which secured another Continental Tire Pole Award, although it was outside front row qualifier Sceats who stole a march at the start by snatching the lead at the first turn. It didn’t last for long.

Sceats immediately came under pressure from Johnson, who drafted alongside the New Zealander on the long front straightaway leading into Turn 1. Sceats did his best to defend, holding a tight inside line, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Johnson from executing a textbook “over-under” maneuver by tucking back to the right as Sceats ran a little deep into the braking zone and then slicing past cleanly before they reached Turn 2.

Job done. Johnson then put his head down and rapidly extended his lead. The 15-year-old never relaxed his pace, even posting a new fastest lap of the race just two laps before the finish to ensure himself of the maximum 33-point score.

Sceats maintained second position for the remainder of the all-green 25-lap race, despite intense pressure throughout from Hughes, who finished third for the second straight race.

Fourth place was taken by local resident Jace Denmark (Pabst Racing), who provided one of the drives of the race by rising from 13th on the grid to claim the Tilton Hard Charger Award.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1505]

Starting positions for the final race were set according to either each driver’s second fastest lap in qualifying or their best lap time set during race two this morning, whichever was faster. Johnson duly claimed a sweep of the Continental Tire Pole Awards, thanks to his time from Friday, while Sikes finally gained a glimmer of light after a disappointing couple of days when his best lap from earlier today proved good enough to secure an outside front row starting position.

Hughes started fourth but lost no time in making his presence felt as he grasped the lead on the opening lap. Johnson, though, fought back immediately, taking the lead on the second lap, while Sikes followed through into second next time around.

The two leaders traded fastest laps as they inched away from Hughes in third until, as the 25-lap race neared its halfway mark, Johnson managed to eke out his advantage to over a second.

Shortly afterward, however, in stark contrast to the previous two races, Johnson abruptly lost some pace, which allowed Sikes to close in once more.

On lap 19, Sikes drew alongside Johnson as they sped toward Turn 1, then grasped the lead with a move around the outside.

Once in front, Sikes was never able to extend much of a lead, but there was no way back for Johnson, who had to be content with second. Hughes also finished hot on Johnson’s tail.

The scrap for fourth place was all about TJ Speed Motorsports, with Hunter Yeany, from Virginia Beach, Va., slipping past Sceats to claim the position with four laps remaining.

Mexico’s Ricardo Escotto pocketed the Tilton Hard Charger Award after rising from 14th on the grid to ninth, as VRD’s Dan Mitchell of VRD and Augie Pabst shared the PFC Awards as the winning car owners.

A brace of official tests at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, in Lexington, Ohio, and Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wis., are up next for the USF Pro 2000 regulars, followed by a return to the Indianapolis area for the only oval race of the season, the Continental Tire Freedom 90 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on May 23-24.

RACE TWO RESULTS
RACE THREE RESULTS