Reigning USF2000 champion Michael d’Orlando is facing a financial crunch that could end the New Yorker’s title-contending season in Indy Pro 2000 before it’s over.
Driving for Turn 3 Motorsports, d’Orlando took the advancement prize given by the USF Championships presented by Cooper Tires to secure a Indy Pro 2000 seat and has been the hottest driver in the series in recent months. Holding fourth in the Drivers’ standings with two race weekends and five races left to run, there’s a remote chance the college student can catch runaway championship leader Myles Rowe.
But after a costly start to the season where misfortune was the norm, d’Orlando has become the latest American junior open-wheel talent staring at the prospect of falling off the training ladder due to a budget shortfall.
“It was a blessing to have the USF Pro Championships help fund the season for me this year, but it didn’t cover all the costs and we’re struggling to find that last little bit of cash to end off the season strong,” d’Orlando told RACER. “Since we got to the halfway point of the season, we’ve won three of the last six races, and I’ve also been creating proposals and trying to find more partners to help me get to COTA and Portland to finish out the year but haven’t had any success.”
Something in the range of $50,000 is required for d’Orlando to keep going through the final round, and while his plight is by no means new, it’s a reminder of the serious costs involved for top young drivers working their way towards IndyCar.
“It’s been quite tough as a full-time college student, even taking summer classes to make sure I can get my marketing degree at the University of Noth Carolina Charlotte,” he said. “We’ve had a great partner with Priority Technology Holdings that has been with us throughout the entire season this year. And they’ve been super supportive to help put me on track and now I’m trying to get the extra we need to keep myself in a seat and try and perform to the best of my capability.”