USF Pro Championships – Page 10

Sikes, Hughes share USF2000 wins on turbulent day at Road America

USF2000 Presented by Cooper Tires title rivals Lochie Hughes (Jay Howard Driver Development), from Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, and Simon Sikes (Pabst Racing), from Augusta, Ga., shared the victory spoils in Saturday’s Discount Tire Grand Prix …

Hughes encountered a problem with his car in the opening race and later was assessed a 5s penalty for blocking, which dropped him from 10th to 12th, while Sikes placed 10th in race two following some on-track skirmishes. Consequently, Hughes’ slender points lead has diminished by one, from four points to three, heading into the second half of the season.

Jacob Douglas (Pabst Racing), from Christchurch, New Zealand, scored a career-best second-place finish Saturday morning ahead of VRD Racing’s Nikita Johnson, from Gulfport, Fla. After starting from pole position in race two, Mac Clark, from Milton, Ont., Canada, finished second ahead of 14-year-old Max Garcia (Pabst Racing), from Coconut Grove, Fla.

Hughes began the weekend in emphatic style during qualifying on Friday by securing his second Cooper Tires Pole Award of the season, and his first since the opening round on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., in early March. The Australian teenager took full advantage of the pristine new track surface on the challenging 4.014-mile circuit by posting a new lap record of 2m07.8964s, an average speed of 112.985mph. His time comfortably eclipsed the old standard of 2m09.2583s set by Rasmus Lindh in 2018.

A clean start saw Hughes maintain his advantage for the first half-lap ahead of Sikes and the rest of the closely matched pack. Unfortunately, Hughes then made a mistake under pressure at Turn 6 and ran wide, which immediately cost him a couple of positions to Sikes and Clark.

An incident at Turn 1 on the second lap ensured a full-course caution with Sikes at the head of the field, where he was to remain for the remainder of the 12-lap race. Sikes had to withstand challenges at no fewer than three restarts following a series of minor incidents before racing clear to score his third win of the season and briefly retake the championship points lead.

Hughes regained one of his lost places by slicing past Clark at Turn 5 at the first restart, only to slide wide again at Turn 6 and lose several positions after his rear wing collapsed. Hughes stopped to have the wing reattached and did well to climb back to 10th at the finish prior to the penalty.

Clark fell out of contention after being one among three drivers who attempted to run side-by-side through Turn 5 following one of the restarts. He, too, resumed at the back but did gain the consolation of a new lap record, 2m09.1655s, on the final lap.

“It was a fun race,” Sikes said. “Starting second, I was able to get the lead on the first lap into Turn 6 and from there, it was just about trying to hold on to that position. We had several restarts, all of which were all about heavy defending and trying to maintain that lead. Once we got down to the last restart, it was a fun cruise to the end and I was appreciating the awesome Wisconsin scenery. I am so thankful to win at home for Pabst and the first weekend racing with Mockett on the car.”

All of the drama allowed New Zealander Jacob Douglas, who celebrated his 18th birthday earlier in the week, to emerge in a clear second place in his first outing for the locally based Pabst Racing team.

Nikita Johnson (VRD Racing), from Gulfport, Fla., impressively overcame some problems in qualifying by rising from 12th on the grid to complete the podium in third. Johnson’s fine drive earned him the Tilton Hard Charger Award.

Chase Gardner (Exclusive Autosport), from Prosper, Texas, and Elliot Cox (Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Development), from Indianapolis, Ind., also took advantage of the incident-packed race to round out the top five after starting deep in the pack.

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Race two winner Lochie Hughes Gavin Baker Photography

The action continued later in the afternoon with Clark, last year’s USF Juniors Presented by Cooper Tires champion, on pole position after claiming the Cooper Tires Pole Award, his second of the year, during a second dedicated qualifying session on Friday.

Clark held onto his advantage through a couple of early full-course cautions, but there was no holding back Hughes, who made up for his earlier disappointment by drafting past into the lead at the beginning of lap eight. Clark never gave up the chase but had to settle for second ahead of young Garcia, who atoned for an error in race one by snaring his first podium result.

This time it was Pabst teammate Sikes’ turn to have difficulties. After running third in the early stages, Sikes was involved in a couple of skirmishes before finally taking the checkered flag a disappointed 10th.

“It was a pretty good race,” Hughes quipped afterward. “I was able to jump up to second at the start before the safety cars. I got a great restart and just sent it around the outside of Mac. I wasn’t sure how much grip there would be with the resurface but I thought stuff it, go for it. I was in the lead and then another safety car again, but I got a good restart and managed to hold the lead. Then it was just about trying to break the tow which I couldn’t really do so Mac was always right there. It was critical to make no mistakes and just hold the gap I had and win the race and that’s what I did.”

Jorge Garciarce (DEForce Racing), from Guadalajara, Mexico, took a career-best fourth ahead of Johnson.

USF Junior regular Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, capped an exploratory USF2000 outing with Exclusive Autosport by claiming the Tilton Hard Charger Award after finishing 12th and making up nine positions during the 12-lap race.

For the third time this season the PFC Awards for the winning car owners were split by Augie Pabst and Jay Howard.

Next on the agenda for the USF2000 competitors is a triple-header event, once again held in conjunction with the NTT IndyCar Series, at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, in two weeks’ time on June 30-July 1.

RACE ONE RESULTS

RACE TWO RESULTS

Jeffers gets first USF Juniors win at VIR, Giaffone shares spoils

Brazilian Nicolas Giaffone and first-time winner Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, shared the victory spoils Sunday as the weekend’s Cooper Tires VIR Grand Prix concluded with a pair of exciting USF Juniors Presented by Cooper Tires races at …

Giaffone this morning scored his fourth win in a row for DEForce Racing, but he was unable to prevent Exclusive Autosport’s Jeffers from turning the tables this afternoon. Giaffone finished strongly in second place, however, and now holds a commanding 61-point advantage in the chase to secure a scholarship valued at over $241,800 to advance to USF2000 Presented by Cooper Tires in 2024 as part of the Discount Tire Driver Advancement Scholarship program.

Joey Brienza (Exclusive Autosport), from Golden, Colo., and 14-year-old Hudson Schwartz (VRD Racing), from Arlington, Va., completed the podium in the first race, with Giaffone and Max Taylor (VRD Racing), from Hoboken, N.J., claiming the places in the finale.

Sunday morning’s race brought significantly cooler conditions than the day before and began with 16-year-old Jeffers taking the Cooper Tires Pole Award by virtue of having posted the fastest of each drivers’ second best lap during the lone qualifying session on Saturday morning.

Jeffers maintained a slender advantage over a snarling pack for the opening four laps, but points leader Giaffone was on a mission. The on-form Brazilian displaced both Brienza and yesterday’s polesitter Ethan Ho (DC Autosport), from Los Angeles, Calif., in the opening stages before slipping past Jeffers with an imperious move on the outside of Turn One.

Soon afterward a problem with his car’s steering wheel eliminated the unfortunate Jeffers from contention and allowed Giaffone to pull clear of the field.

A couple of incidents punctuated the final third of the race. The leading pack ran three abreast as they raced toward Turn 1 at the first restart, whereupon Ho ran wide and then spun. Jimmie Lockhart (VRD Racing), from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., also gyrated onto the grass.

Taylor took the challenge to Giaffone after the final restart with two laps remaining. The pair ran side by side through the Roller Coaster, Turn 14, and Taylor nosed briefly ahead as the leaders plunged downhill through the final sequence of corners before attempting to carry a touch too much speed into Turn 17, which took him wide onto the damp grass and out of contention.

Brienza briefly drafted past Giaffone as the leaders began their last lap, but Giaffone reasserted himself at Turn One and held on to take the victory by less than a quarter of a second.

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Schwartz emerged amid the excitement to claim third ahead of Brady Golan, from Austin, Texas, who nosed ahead of DEForce Racing teammate Lucas Fecury, from Sao Luis, Brazil, at the finish line. Golan’s fine effort earned him the Tilton Hard Charger Award, having lined up 13th on the starting grid.

A new race lap record for Giaffone was enough to secure him another Cooper Tires Pole Award for the third and final race of the weekend, with the grid established according to either each drivers’ second fastest lap in qualifying or their best lap from race two.

Giaffone maintained his early advantage but this time it was Jeffers who was on the charge and anxious to make up for his earlier disappointment. He did so in style, marching confidently around the outside of Giaffone in Turn 1 and asserting himself in the lead before the ensuing the left-handed Turn 3. Jeffers then checked out to secure a well-deserved maiden victory.

Giaffone was untroubled in second, well clear of Taylor, who broke away from the pack to finish similarly clear of VRD teammate Lockhart in fourth. Taylor’s fine drive from eighth on the grid was enough to claim his second Tilton Hard Charger Award of the season.

“It started off a bit slow,” Jeffers said. “I sent it down the inside of Giaffone in Turn 1 but he was able to hold the lead and I lost a few positions. Then the yellow came out and after the restart, I lost another position. I slowly picked my way back up and was able to get by Jimmie in an unorthodox way which surprised me, but respectful racing from him. I caught up to Giaffone in the draft and was able to get by him. My teammate Joey Brienza battled him a little bit which gave me a gap and it led me to have my own race track. I know I have had the pace all weekend to pull away. I just needed to break the draft.”

The day’s pair of PFC Awards to the winning car owners were shared by DEForce Racing’s David and Ernesto Martinez and Exclusive Autosport’s Michael Duncalfe.

Next up for the USF Juniors is a double-header event at the similarly undulating Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, on July 7/8 in support of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

RACE TWO RESULTS

RACE THREE RESULTS

Giaffone goes three straight in USF Juniors in VIR opener

Third generation racer Nicolas Giaffone captured his fourth win of the season – and third in succession for DEForce Racing – following a spirited drive this afternoon in USF Juniors Presented by Cooper Tires competition. There was little breathing room throughout the opening round of the Cooper Tires VIR Grand Prix tripleheader for the 18-year-old from Sao Paulo, Brazil, who rebounded from a crash in practice earlier in the day.

Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, claimed his third podium of the season for Exclusive Autosport with Quinn Armstrong, of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, rounding out the top three with his fourth podium for DEForce Racing.

Ethan Ho of DC Autosport displayed consistent top-five pace during the trio of test sessions Friday on the challenging 3.27-mile road course. The 17-year-old Korean-American based in Los Angeles posted only the 10th fastest time in practice Saturday morning, but when it counted in qualifying, he laid down a fast lap early. His time of 1m55.327s was matched, precisely, on the final lap by Joey Brienza of Exclusive Autosport, but it was Ho who was credited with his first Cooper Tires Pole Award.

After a solid start, Ho came under attack almost immediately from a charging Jeffers, who had lined up third on the grid and displaced Brienza in the opening turns, and then Giaffone, who started fourth but had moved into second by lap three.

Ho’s podium hopes were extinguished on lap five when contact from VRD Racing’s Max Taylor – who had dropped a wheel off track – resulted in a spin and the loss of seven positions.

Lap six proved to be a pivotal point in the race as a brief rain cell moved into the area, catching several drivers out and necessitating the caution flags. The running order for what would be a five-lap dash to the finish saw Jeffers leading Giaffone followed by Hudson Schwartz (VRD Racing), Lucas Fecury (DEForce Racing) and Armstrong.

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A tremendous battle ensued between Jeffers and Giaffone when the field went back to green on lap 11, with Giaffone managing to finally make his pass for the lead stick with three laps to go. Armstrong was able to work his way by Schwartz and Fecury, who lost ground after contact with Brienza but still managed to finish fifth behind Taylor and earn the Tilton Hard Charger Award. It was also an impressive drive from Taylor, who had dropped back to 11th at one stage, and set the fastest lap of the race.

“We started the day with a crash in practice, which was unfortunate, but it showed me once again how good my team is and how good they are working under pressure,” Giaffone said. “I have never been to VIR before and the team had never been here with this car, so I think we did an amazing job in setting the car right for qualifying and then setting the car even better for the race. The race here is difficult because the draft keeps everyone kind of close. You can be a half-a-second faster but you won’t be able to pull away. This made things interesting with the rain. Overall, a pretty solid race. We still have two to go and I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but it is very good to be starting the weekend P1.”

Brienza’s promising day from a front-row starting spot ended with an unrepresentative 14th-place finish after suffering right-rear tire damage.

Giaffone now holds a 40-point edge in his quest for a Discount Tire Driver Advancement Scholarship valued at $241,800 which will enable the series champion to progress onto the next step of the USF Pro Championship ladder in 2024.

Another PFC Award went to winning car owners David and Ernesto Martinez of DEForce Racing.

The action will continue with two more races Sunday. The first is slated to start at 9:10 a.m. EDT, with the finale set for a green flag at 12:55 p.m. As usual, full coverage can be found on the free USF Pro Championships App, YouTube channel and the usfjuniors.com website.

RESULTS

USF Juniors season reaches halfway mark at VIR

USF Juniors Presented by Cooper Tires will reach the mid-point in its 16-race season this weekend, June 3-4, with a tripleheader event at the challenging 3.27-mile Virginia International Raceway road course in Alton, Va. Six different drivers have …

Six different drivers have stepped onto the podium during the opening five rounds of competition. After sweeping the most recent double-header event at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, third-generation Brazilian racer Nicolas Giaffone currently leads the way in the quest for a scholarship valued at over $241,800 to advance to USF2000 Presented by Cooper Tires in 2024 as part of the Discount Tire Driver Advancement Scholarship program. Giaffone, 18, drives for the same DEForce Racing team with which Canada’s Mac Clark won the inaugural USF Juniors title in 2022.

ENTRY LIST

Giaffone will be joined in the DEForce stable by Australian teenager Quinn Armstrong, who holds third position in the standings with a win and two-second-place finishes to his name, as well as Brazilian veteran Lucas Fecury, who completed a DEForce lockout in one of the two Barber races, and newcomer Brady Golan, from Austin, Texas.

Exclusive Autosport’s Joey Brienza, from Golden, Colo., currently splits the DEForce pair in the points table on the strength of three pole positions, a win and two runner-up finishes gained from the opening event at Sebring International Raceway in Florida. Brienza will be supported by Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, who won last year’s Lucas Oil Formula Car Championship, and fellow rookies Erick Schotten, from Brazil, and Giovanni Cabrera, from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

VRD Racing, which emerged victorious in all three VIR races one year ago, also will field a contingent of hungry youngsters, led by Jimmie Lockhart, also from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Lockhart already has a pair of podium finishes to his name this year. Series veteran Ethan Barker, from Houston, Texas, Max Taylor, from Hoboken, N.J., and Hudson Schwartz, from Arlington, Va., also will fly the VRD flag.

A pair of cars from DC Autosport will complete the 14-car field in the hands of Ethan Ho, from Los Angeles, Calif., and former off-road racer Carson Etter, from Villa Park, Calif.

A busy week for the USF Juniors will begin with three 30-minute test sessions on Friday, June 2. An additional 30 minutes of official practice at 9:55am ET on Saturday will provide one final opportunity to become familiar with the track prior to a crucially important single qualifying session at 12:35pm. Race 1 will start later in the day at 4:10pm, followed by two more 15-lap or 40-minute races on Sunday at 9:10am and 12:55pm.

Full coverage can be found on the free USF Pro Championships App, YouTube channel and the usfjuniors.com website.

De Alba and Clark claim USF Pro championship wins

Mexico’s Salvador de Alba and Canadian Mac Clark emerged victorious in front of a large and appreciative crowd yesterday evening in the Carb Night Classic at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park as the USF Pro Championships Presented by Cooper Tires …

De Alba made a lightning start from third on the grid and went on to win the Freedom 90 USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires event over Exclusive Autosport teammate Joel Granfors. Local favorite Jack William Miller had to settle for third for Miller Vinatieri Motorsports after starting on pole position.

In the earlier USF2000 Presented by Cooper Tires contest, last year’s USF Juniors champion, Mac Clark sped to an emphatic victory for DEForce Racing in his first-ever oval start.

Evagoras Papasavvas (Jay Howard Driver Development) and Simon Sikes (Pabst Racing) completed the USF2000 podium.

Freedom 90 Results
Freedom 75 Results

De Alba’s fast start decisive

The outcome of the USF Pro 2000 race was decided within moments of the green flag flying. Miller used his extensive oval experience, dating back to 2019, to claim his first Cooper Tires Pole Award of the season during qualifying yesterday afternoon, but he was unable to hold back a fast-starting de Alba, who quickly muscled his way into the lead of the 90-lap race.

Immediately behind, Francesco Pizzi (TJ Speed Motorsports) also displaced Granfors on the opening lap, moving from fourth into third, although the Swede was able to redress the balance on the 38th lap as the leaders negotiated some slower traffic. The quartet circulated together in the same order until lap 65, when Granfors finally was able to find a chink in Miller’s armor and slip through into second.

The two Exclusive cars then edged clear of Miller and Pizzi before Pizza’s teammate Christian Weir lost control in Turn 4 after 79 laps and necessitated a full-course caution. Unfortunately, there wasn’t quite enough time for the race to be restarted, so de Alba was declared the winner ahead of Granfors, Miller and Pizzi.

Myles Rowe (Pabst Racing with Force Indy) maintained his healthy championship lead after passing Michael d’Orlando (Turn 3 Motorsport), from for fifth after 61 laps.

Jonathan Browne continued his strong run of form for Turn 3 Motorsport by securing seventh ahead of Jordan Missig’s (Pabst Racing) fine effort, having started last in the 18-car field after crashing in qualifying, earned him the Tilton Hard Charger Award.

Michael Duncalfe earned his second successive PFC Award as the winning car owner following Granfors’ victory a couple of weeks ago on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Grand Prix road course.

De Alba’s victory vaulted him from ninth in the points table to fourth, only nine points behind teammate Granfors in second.

Provisional championship points after 7 of 18 rounds:

1. Myles Rowe, 165
2. Joel Granfors, 133
3. Francesco Pizzi, 128
4. Salvador de Alba, 124
5. Kiko Porto, 117
6. Reece Ushijima, 101
7. Jack William Miller, 101
8. Jonathan Browne, 101
9. Jace Denmark, 96
10. Lirim Zendeli, 83

Salvador de Alba (No. 91 Archandel/Red Cola/Mecano/Z Motors-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus IP-22): “It was a very, very good week. We improved the car a lot in the test sessions yesterday, and qualifying was the best of the season in third place. We knew we had a very good race pace. At the start, we managed to get into first place. We stayed there the entire race and managed the tires.

“Joel, at the end, caught me a little bit and I pushed a lot. We still had good tires and managed to finish it. Congrats to Joel, another one-two for Exclusive Autosport. I am very thankful to my sponsors for making this possible and for sure we are going in the right direction. I hope to be on the podium many times this year.”

Clark wins USF2000 in his first oval start

Mac Clark was imperious in his first-ever start on an oval track, leading throughout yesterday’s Freedom 75 and taking the checkered flag well clear of his rivals.

Clark placed only fifth and seventh in the two test sessions prior to qualifying, but come single-car qualifying, the oval track rookie nailed his two laps perfectly to secure the first Cooper Tires Pole Award of his young career.

The Canadian teenager maintained his advantage at the start and soon began to edge clear of Papasavvas, who started on the outside of the front row of the grid. His lead was trimmed when the caution flags flew after 12 laps, when Danny Dyszelski’s VRD Racing Tatuus came to a stop on the back straightaway, but Clark quickly reasserted himself at the restart.

A series of fast laps, including one that would stand as the fastest of the race, earning him an additional championship point, soon enabled Clark to rebuild his lead, leaving Papasavvas to concentrate his attention on Chase Gardner (Exclusive Autosport).

But Sikes was the man on the move. After starting ninth following a troubled qualifying, Sikes fought his way steadily forward. He slipped past championship leader Lochie Hughes (Jay Howard Driver Development) after 26 laps, and, following a protracted battle with Gardner, moved into third with seven laps remaining in the 75-lap race.

Sikes’ effort moved him to within four points of Hughes in the battle for a Discount Tire Driver Advancement Scholarship valued at $433,200 to graduate into USF Pro 2000 in 2024. Sikes also claimed the Tilton Hard Charger Award.

Clark’s victory secured the first PFC Award of the season for DEForce Racing’s David and Ernesto Martinez as the winning car owners.

While the focus of attention now switches back to the hallowed ground of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for tomorrow’s highly anticipated 107th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, the USF Pro Championships will return to action next month at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. The famed road course will host a pair races for each series, to be held in conjunction with the NTT IndyCar series, on the weekend of June 17/18. In the meantime, drivers on the first step of the ladder, USF Juniors Presented by Cooper Tires, will contest a triple-header event next weekend, June 3/4, at VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Va.

USF2000 provisional championship points after 8 of 18 races:

1. Lochie Hughes, 208
2. Simon Sikes, 204
3. Nikita Johnson, 170
4. Evagoras Papasavvas, 144
5. Mac Clark, 140
6. Sam Corry, 108
7. Chase Gardner, 103
8. Jorge Garciarce, 102
9. Danny Dyszelski, 88
10. Max Garcia, 81

Mac Clark (No. 1 USF Pro Championships/Valkyrie AI/ARM/Clubine Motorsports-DEForce Racing Tatuus USF-22): “To describe a night like tonight, it is hard to put into words. It is incredible. It feels amazing. It has been too long since we have won a race, and now to be on the top step of the podium with these boys and DEForce is great.

“I have so many people to thank – everyone who has supported my 2023 program. This is why we are racing in this series and this is what we aim to do every weekend. It was a little bit stressful in the car, not really a lot of emotion, and then the last five laps my spotter was telling me plus-five, plus-five and it starts to sink in and you cross the line and it is a wave of emotion. It is the best feeling in the world. This was my first-ever oval race and my first oval win.”

USF Pro Championships talent watch: Jordan Missig

Jordan Missig has taken a very different path to the USF Pro Championships Presented by Cooper Tires. Growing up initially as a race fan, the Joliet, Ill., native transferred his passion for racing toward an initial foray into karting. His racing had to take hiatus when other family interests came to the forefront, but the racing bug bit Missig again when the family joined the Autobahn Country Club.

Missig began racing karts and winning in local, regional and national karting championships.

He continued winning races when he made the step up to the Radical Cup North America Series. While Missig is ultimately focused on his racing career, he has also focused on his education, graduating top of his class with a degree in Communications and Media Arts. Even while pursuing his degree, he continued racing in the Formula Regional Americas F3 Championship and IMSA Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series, earning multiple first-place finishes.

Missig absolutely loves open-wheel racing in the USF Pro 2000 Championship (formerly Road to Indy) and is currently in his second season for Pabst Racing. Shortly after he signed with Pabst Racing things began to click. He finished 11th in the 2022 title chase and is looking for more in 2023 with the help of one of the most popular and long-standing teams in the paddock.

“I’ve been on different teams and I can say that Pabst Racing is one of the best,” says Missig. “They’re also very family-oriented. There’s a true bond within the team, and the level of professionalism and care that they bring to the cars is second to none. Last year was a learning year for me in this series. Team Owner Augie Pabst, (engineer) Tonis Kasemets and the whole Pabst crew did everything they could to help me get used to the car. They bring the best out in their teams and drivers and you don’t always see that in other organizations.

“You can see it on track – both the team’s USF2000 cars and all three USF Pro 2000 cars are competitive. It takes talent to be a good racecar driver, but it takes a good team like Pabst to win races and championships.”

Missig uses his maturity when making decisions on and off the track. He’s earned three top-10 finishes in the first six races of the 2023 season, and his goal is to add to those finishes and win as the season progresses.

While incorporating his skills and college degree as an exceptional brand ambassador, Missig’s goal for the 2024 season is to advance into the Indy NXT series and continue to gain experience and hone his race craft to enable him to reach his ultimate goal of racing in the NTT IndyCar Series.

“I can see the difference between my competitors and myself in what plays out in my mind during a race,” says Missig. “I tend to be able to see moves before they happen so I can play out what I want to do. Stuff is always going to happen that you’re not prepared for, but I feel my vast experience helps me see and make the right on track decisions.

“Each race weekend has been one good race and one not so good race for me. Race two at St. Pete definitely showed what we can do (with a seventh-place finish from 14^th on the starting grid). I didn’t get out of the gate well in race one at Sebring, but was able to battle back (to fifth), while race two had me shaking my head a bit. A couple of times there were moves that were out of my control.

“Indianapolis proved to be the same, with some bad luck in both qualifying and in the first race. But I was at least able to leave Indy with a smile on my face with a solid (race two) P8 result, with the help of some hard-fought racing and wheel-to-wheel battles to cap off the weekend.”

“I would have hoped to be further up the standings, but we know we have the pace, and I’m looking forward to getting to my better tracks.”

Those “better tracks” are coming quickly on the series schedule. Having grown up in Illinois, Missig has a great deal of experience at Road America, which hosts a double-header, June 15-18, but he also counts the oval at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park as one of his strong tracks as USF Pro 2000 heads there, May 25-26.

“No matter what car I get into, I seem to do well at Road America,” he says. “I’ve raced there several times – it’s where I got my first car win in 2019 with Radical and 2020 back-to-back wins in Lamborghini.”

Missig has found a way to channel his passion for racing toward a greater cause.

Missig has been able to blend a good cause into his motorsports program as an ambassador for 501(c)(3) charity Racing for Mental Health. He appreciates what R4MH is doing and stands for in its mission to stomp out the stigma surrounding mental health issues and its message of “Let’s Talk About It.”

Missig, diagnosed with ADHD at the age of five, knew what it was like to have difficulty focusing on school because of outside issues, but when he started racing, suddenly things were different. Racing for Mental Health became crystal clear to Missig after a friend dropped out of school because of bullying.

“I felt as though the deterioration of (my friend’s) mental health from bullying kept him from doing what he wanted to do,” says Missig. “I had my own issues, but for me, racing felt very different from school. Obviously, I liked racing more than school at the time, because I was able to focus in a way I’d never been able to in school. Racing put me in a very different place, so R4MH allows me to raise awareness about the stigma attached to mental health issues.

“It’s good to be able to talk about it, and the goal of the charity is to bring awareness, and to welcome people to start a conversation. We want to get people to talk about their mental health, so that they can get the guidance and help to succeed in life. There’s an element of awareness, both for people who are having issues and for the public at large, to understand what’s happening. When people talk openly about their mental health and get the needed help, that’s a critical element in allowing them the quality of life that they deserve.”

You can learn more about Jordan at jordanmissigracing.com, and about Racing for Mental Health at racingformentalhealth.com. For the latest from USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires, click here.

Sikes, Hughes share Saturday USF2000 spoils at Indianapolis

The final two rounds of the Discount Tire Grand Prix of Indianapolis saw the top three drivers in the USF2000 Presented by Cooper Tires point standings share dual podium honors with Simon Sikes of Pabst Racing taking the win in race two and Lochie …

Nikita Johnson of VRD Racing capped off two podium finishes of third with a second-place drive in the final 15-lap event.

The first of Saturday’s pair of races saw Johnson, from Gulfport, Fla., once again starting at the front of the field having earned his second successive Cooper Tires Pole Award. But the young Floridian found himself under attack the moment the green flag fell.

Remarkably, having lined up sixth on the grid, it was one of Johnson’s VRD Racing teammates, Danny Dyszelski, from Belmont, N.C., who drove around the outside of everyone at Turn 1 to emerge in the lead from Sikes, who started second, and Johnson.

The more experienced Sikes soon dispatched Dyszelski to assume the top position, which he was able to hold for the remainder of the 15-lap race to clinch his second victory of the season.

Sikes, from Atlanta, Ga., fought off his pursuers following a couple of full-course caution periods, then put his head down and set the fastest laps of the race as he edged clear of the battle for second between championship rival Hughes and Johnson.

Hughes, from Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia, who started second, drove well to regain ground after being elbowed out on the opening lap and falling to seventh. The Australian narrowly held off Johnson at the checkered flag.

Mac Clark (DEForce Racing), from Milton, Ont., Canada finished fourth ahead of Friday winner Sam Corry (VRD Racing), from Cornelius, N.C., then New Zealander Jacob Douglas (Exclusive Autosport) and local resident Elliot Cox (Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Development), who claimed the Tilton Hard Charger Award after fighting his way to climbing from 18th on the starting grid to seventh.

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The third race of an eventful Discount Tire Grand Prix of Indianapolis had Sikes claiming another successive Cooper Tires Pole Award by virtue of setting the fastest lap of the weekend during the earlier encounter. A four-wide battle heading into Turn 1 saw Sikes on the bottom and shuffled back to sixth as Evagoras Papasavvas of Jay Howard Driver Development, who started third, become the star of the opening lap as he moved into the lead.

The caution flags flew before the end of the first tour due to contact between two drivers and when the race resumed on lap four, Hughes took full command followed by Johnson in second, Papasavvas and Sikes.

Sikes continued to use his experience to advantage and when the yellow came out three laps later for an incident involving local driver Elliot Cox of Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Development and Friday’s race winner Sam Corry of VRD Racing, he had advanced to second behind Hughes with Johnson in third and Papasavvas fourth.

After repairs to the tire wall following the incident, the scene was set for a three-lap shootout. Impressively, 14-year-old Max Garcia of Coconut Grove, Fla., found himself in the mix. The Pabst Racing driver slotted into third from eighth at the restart with Johnson settling in to second while Sikes was displaced to fourth.

Hughes comfortably maintained the point to continue his streak of winning one race in every event held to date this season.

“I am super happy to win race three,” Hughes said. “I mean, what a place to win. I can’t thank the team enough. It has been a tough weekend finishing second every single race so far. To finally come out on top is just such a relief and I can’t thank the team enough. It is cool to win for my mom on Mother’s Day as well so hi to them back home.”

Sikes, while not a winner this time around, was still positive.

“We started on pole, which is obviously where you always want to start but it quickly went downhill from there,” he said. “I had a bit of a rough start and got into the grass on the exit of Turn 2 and unfortunately fell back to sixth place. We went under the safety car pretty quickly and then I had an awesome restart and was able to get all the way back up into second before another yellow. I got the worse at the restart and knocked back a few spots but was able to have a great battle with my teammate Max Garcia for the final spot on the podium on the last lap. I am really happy for Pabst Racing to put another one on the podium.”

Garcia ended the day fourth with Ethan Ho of Los Angeles, Calif., showing impressive form for DC Autosport to round out the top five.

Zack Ping from Buford, Ga., picked up the final Tilton Hard Charger Award of the weekend for VRD Racing with a gain of eight positions to finish 11th.

Augie Pabst and Jay Howard took home the PFC Awards as the winning car owners.

The USF2000 teams and drivers will remain in the Indianapolis area for their next round on Friday night, May 26, their only chance of the season to compete on an oval track at Lucas Oil Raceway Park.

RACE TWO RESULTS

RACE THREE RESULTS

Granfors takes first USF Pro 2000 victory

Joel Granfors started a lowly 18th for this morning’s second leg of the Discount Tires Grand Prix of Indianapolis on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Grand Prix road course. But the rising star from Eskilstuna, Sweden, took advantage of a series of …

Mexico’s Salvador de Alba capped a banner day for the Canadian-owned Exclusive Autosport team by finishing second. Jace Denmark finished third for Pabst Racing.

Championship leader Myles Rowe looked to bounce back from a disappointing race on Friday after claiming the Cooper Tires Pole Award for Pabst Racing with Force Indy by virtue of setting the fastest lap in yesterday’s race. Rowe duly held onto the lead at the start, only for an unforced error at Turn 7 on the opening lap to send him wide onto the grass and to the tail of the field. Instead it was Francesco Pizzi who took the early advantage for TJ Speed Motorsports after starting second.

An early full-course caution following an incident farther down the field proved pivotal in the outcome of the race. Pizzi, still out front, was slow on the restart and consequently was swamped by the chasing pack.

De Alba, who was seventh in line for the resumption, timed his jump to perfection, leaping into the lead by the start/finish line, followed by the opportunistic Granfors, who had made up nine positions over the course of the first couple of laps and then leapt from ninth to second.

But the rookie Granfors was far from done. After another full-course caution interruption, the Swede took advantage of a big draft from de Alba as the leaders sped toward Turn 1, then promptly braked later, on the outside line, to grasp the lead.

Granfors, who finished second in last year’s GB3 Championship in the UK, never looked back as he raced away to take the checkered flag over three seconds clear of de Alba.

“It was a crazy race,” related Granfors. “I made a good start. I think I managed to get up to P8 after the first two laps then the safety car came out. I had a really good restart. There was a miscommunication with some drivers and we took advantage of that. I think I went from P10 to P2 going into Turn 1 and then the pace car came out again. I just managed to slipstream Salvador going up into Turn 1 and managed to brake later than him. From that point on, I was trying to do as quick laps as possible to pull away. I got a gap and managed the tires until the end. It is a dream come true to win here.”

Denmark also profited from the restarts, jumping from sixth to third, which he maintained to the finish.

Jonathan Browne enjoyed a strong weekend for Turn 3 Motorsport, securing his second successive fourth-place finish ahead of the remarkable Rowe, who atoned for his earlier gaffe by storming back through the field and finishing fifth to further extend his championship lead.

Granfors, unsurprisingly, earned the Tilton Hard Charger Award, while Michael and Kimberly Duncalfe claimed their first PFC Award of the season as the winning car owners.

Next up for the USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires contenders is their lone oval race of the season at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday evening, May 26.

RESULTS

Provisional championship points after 6 of 18 rounds:
1. Myles Rowe, 139
2. Kiko Porto, 100
3. Francesco Pizzi, 98
4. Joel Granfors, 95
5. Jace Denmark, 91
6. Reece Ushijima, 86
7. Lirim Zendeli, 82
8. Jonathan Browne, 80
9. Salvador de Alba, 77
10. Jack William Miller, 67

Corry wins action-packed first USF2000 race at Indianapolis

Sam Corry started 12th on the grid for Friday afternoon’s first of three races that will comprise the Discount Tire Grand Prix of Indianapolis, but he ended the day on the top step of the podium to score his first USF2000 Presented by Cooper Tires victory for VRD Racing. A chaotic fifth round of the season saw four different leaders during the 15-lap race, with Corry, from Cornelius, N.C., taking full advantage of a tangle between Mac Clark (DEForce Racing) and former points leader Simon Sikes (Pabst Racing) to grasp the initiative on the final lap.

Lochie Hughes, from Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia, crossed the line in second place for Jay Howard Driver Development to take over the points lead, mere inches ahead of polesitter Nikita Johnson (VRD Racing), from Gulfport, Fla.

Johnson, who claimed all three bonus points for the pole, fastest lap and most laps led, laid out his stall Thursday by pacing the field both in the two hours of testing and official practice later in the afternoon. Even though conditions were dramatically different Friday morning, Johnson continued that form on a wet but drying track to secure his first-ever Cooper Tires Pole Award.

The action began at the first corner when second-place qualifier Jacob Douglas (Exclusive Autosport), from Christchurch, New Zealand, clambered over the curbs and was collected by several other cars to ensure a full-course caution.

There was more contact soon after the restart as 14-year-old Max Garcia (Pabst Racing), from Coconut Grove, Fla., missed his braking point at Turn 7 and inadvertently took out both debutant Max Taylor (VRD Racing), from Hoboken, N.J., and local driver Elliot Cox, who had qualified a fine third for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Development. Cue another caution.

The final five laps were held under proper green flag conditions, even though they, too, were peppered with incidents. Johnson staunchly defended his lead at the first restart, but on the second, having been pinned to the inside by a charging Sikes, left his braking a tad too deep and slid wide at the apex, gifting Sikes the lead. It didn’t last for long. A couple of corners later, Hughes, up from 11th on the grid, made an incisive pass on Sikes, who had started fourth, at Turn 3.

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It was Hughes’ turn to take on a defensive strategy as the leaders headed down the long front straightaway into Turn 1 for the 12th time. He, too, carried too much speed through the middle of the corner, running out wide and taking Sikes with him. Clark, last year’s USF Juniors Presented by Cooper Tires champion, was the main beneficiary as he slipped past both of them to grasp the advantage ahead of Sikes and Corry, who had steadily moved up the order. For him, the best was yet to come.

When Sikes once again pressured Clark into Turn 1 for the final time, there was a sense of deja vu as the Canadian ran wide at the apex and once again took Sikes with him. On this occasion both ran onto the grass, losing several positions. Sikes subsequently was involved in a separate incident at Turn 5, dropping him to the tail of the field.

Corry grasped the opportunity with both hands, reeling off the final 2.439-mile lap to take a well earned victory. Behind, Hughes barely held off Johnson, who had recovered well after falling to seventh following his earlier incident.

“I started P12 and everyone loves a comeback story,” Corry said afterward. “I just tried to stay out of trouble at the beginning and just try to hit my marks. There was some carnage in front of me and I got out of that clean and led the last lap again just trying to hit my marks and I did and it came to me. The VRD boys put together a really good race car, and I can’t thank them (and my family) enough.”

Danny Dyszelski (VRD Racing), from Belmont, N.C., scored a career best fourth ahead of the recovering Clark, while Chase Gardner (Exclusive Autosport), from Prosper, Texas, picked up the Tilton Hard Charger Award after climbing from 19th on the starting grid to sixth. Clark was later assessed a 30s penalty for avoidable contact, which dropped him to 14th position.

Dan Mitchell, of VRD Racing, claimed his first PFC Award of the season as the winning car owner.

The USF2000 competitors now have a little time to catch their breath and prepare for two more races Saturday at 8:00 a.m. and 12 noon EDT.

RESULTS

All roads lead to Indy for USF Pro championships

The month of May holds a special meaning for all aficionados of open-wheel racing, especially in North America. Highlighted on Memorial Day weekend by the traditional Indianapolis 500, which on May 28 will be held for the 107th time, May also is a …

Teams and drivers representing the two senior levels of the USF Pro Championships Presented by Cooper Tires open-wheel racing development ladder – USF Pro 2000 and USF2000 – will return to action on Friday and Saturday, May 12/13 as they contest the Discount Tire Grand Prix of Indianapolis on the 2.439-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway Grand Prix road course. Two weeks later, on Friday, May 26, they will be back in action a few miles to the west at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for their only opportunity this season to gain some experience on an oval track.

Rowe has the Hot Ticket in USF Pro 2000

Two years ago, in common with many young drivers, Myles Rowe was struggling to establish himself in the world of motorsport. He was granted a lifeline by Roger Penske’s Race for Equality and Change initiative and claimed his first race win, in tricky wet conditions, later that year at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

Rowe, the first Black driver to win at this level, narrowly missed out on the USF2000 Championship in 2022, but has repaid the faith shown in him by taking control of this year’s USF Pro 2000 title-chase. The 22-year-old Pace University graduate from Brooklyn, N.Y., has won three of the first four races of the season for Pabst Racing with Force Indy. Rowe already holds a commanding 42-point lead in his quest for a Discount Tire Driver Advancement Scholarship valued at $664,500 to ensure progression onto the next step on the ladder, Indy NXT, in 2024.

Kiko Porto and Francesco Pizzi are currently tied for second place in the points table. Porto, from Recife, Brazil, has finished on the podium three times for DEForce Racing, but the 2021 USF2000 champion’s title hopes were dented by being unable to start the first of two races at Sebring last month due to a mechanical failure. Pizzi, a rookie from Rome, Italy, has impressed for TJ Speed Motorsports with three top-five finishes along with a pole position and a fastest race lap.

Pizzi’s teammate, German-raised Albanian Lirim Zendeli, also has shown a good turn of speed, including a podium last time out at Sebring, tempered by some inconsistency which he plans to eradicate in Indiana.

Other contenders among an extremely competitive field include Jace Denmark (Pabst Racing), from Scottsdale, Ariz., and Sweden’s Joel Granfors (Exclusive Autosport), both of whom already have a podium finish to their credit, and local driver Jack William Miller, who secured two pole positions last year at Indy for the Miller Vinatieri Motorsports team.

The IMS road course has proved to be a happy hunting ground for Mexico’s Salvador De Alba, who secured his maiden victory last year, Exclusive Autosport teammate Yuven Sundaramoorthy, from Delafield, Wis., who earned a pair of USF2000 victories in 2021 as well as his maiden USF Pro 2000 podium finish last year, and 2022 USF2000 champion Michael d’Orlando (Turn 3 Motorsport), from Hartsdale, N.Y. All three will be hoping to turn their fortunes around after a difficult start to their campaigns.

Entry List

Two hour-long test sessions, followed by 30 minutes of official practice on Thursday will lead into a single, all-important qualifying session at 8:45 a.m. EDT on Friday. A pair of 25-lap races will start at 2:55 p.m. on Friday and 8:55 a.m. on Saturday.

#22 Simon Sikes, Pabst Racing, Group6Gear

Hughes vs. Sikes USF2000 tussle intensifies

Two talented youngsters have separated themselves from the pack after four of the 18 races which will comprise the USF2000 Presented by Cooper Tires season.

Lochie Hughes, from Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia, took first blood with a convincing debut victory on the streets of St. Petersburg for Jay Howard Driver Development. But after an error during qualifying for the first race, Simon Sikes, from Augusta, Ga., has fought back for Pabst Racing and now holds a slender three-point edge as they head to Indianapolis.

Hughes, last year’s F4 United States Championship powered by Honda champion, added a second win to his tally at Sebring, while Sikes has proven his capabilities with three poles, one race win and two second-place finishes. Sikes also has recorded the fastest lap in all four races.

Hughes’ teammate, Cypriot-American Evagoras Papasavvas, from Loveland, Ohio, lies third in the title chase after snagging a pair of podium finishes, six points ahead of 14-year-old Nikita Johnson, who won the second round on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., in March for VRD Racing.

Johnson must be considered as one of the favorites for honors in this weekend’s important triple-header event, especially since his team swept all three wins at Indianapolis last year during a triumphant, one-off appearance for rising British star Alex Quinn.

After a challenging start to his season at St. Petersburg, Mac Clark, who convincingly won last year’s USF Juniors Presented by Cooper Tires title, as well as a scholarship to guarantee graduation into USF2000, bounced back strongly for DEForce Racing at Sebring with a fourth and a second. Clark, from Milton, Ont., Canada, has every intention of maintaining that momentum.

Entry List

This week’s USF2000 schedule is very similar to the one for USF Pro 2000 with two hours of testing and 30 minutes of practice on Thursday, followed by a single qualifying session on Friday morning. However, after one 15-lap race later in the day on Friday at 2:55 p.m., the USF2000 contingent will have two more opportunities to race on Saturday, at 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.

Full coverage can be found on the free USF Pro Championships App, YouTube channel and respective series’ websites.