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  indypro 2000 series  usf20000 series road to indyUSF JUNIORS

USF Pro  2000 Championship

www.usfpro2000.com

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

 

 

Escorpioni Sweeps and Takes

USF Pro 2000 Points Lead


 

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Is there no stopping Leonardo Escorpioni? Last year’s USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire champion started third in this afternoon’s final leg of the USF Pro Patriot Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio, but lost no time in taking the lead and then took off for his third win in two days. The Florida-based Brazilian’s impressive performance for Turn 3 Motorsport has vaulted him into the lead of the USF Pro 2000 championship, chasing a scholarship valued at almost $600,000 to make the step next year into INDY NXT.


 

Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, posted another solid drive for Exclusive Autosport, finishing second, and now trails Escorpioni by a mere two points with 10 of 18 races now complete.


 

Andres Cardenas, from Lima, Peru, finished third – his fourth podium appearance for the JHDD powered by ECR team in the last five races.


 

Provisional Results


 

Perfect conditions for this morning’s race, allied to fresh Continental tires for most of the field, proved conducive to fast lap times. They also ensured that every position on the starting grid for this afternoon’s weekend finale was set by each driver’s best lap, rather than their second-fastest lap set during qualifying, which was appreciably slower. Thus did Jeffers claim his series-leading fourth Continental Tire Pole Award of the season.


 

After this morning’s all-green 30-lap race, the weekend finale didn’t start so well with several cars tangling at the exit of Turn One and a couple more sustaining damage and heading for the pit lane for repairs.


 

Jeffers still led at the restart from Pabst Racing’s G3 Argyros, from Newport Beach, Calif., who came out of the blocks like a rocket to jump from fifth to second at the initial start, but Escorpioni also was on the move. He displaced Argyros immediately at the restart, with four laps completed, and a couple of laps later drove cleanly around the outside of Jeffers at Turn Two to take the lead both in the race and the provisional point standings.


 

Moments later, Michael Costello, from Naples, Fla., a podium finisher this morning for Turn 3 Motorsport, made contact with another car while battling over eighth and ended his race in the gravel trap. Yellow again.


 

The race was recommenced after nine laps, and Escorpioni immediately began to edge away from Jeffers. The talented 16-year-old posted a sequence of laps faster than the preceding one to extend his advantage to over two seconds after just 12 laps and to more than four seconds with 26 laps in the books. Just for good measure, Escorpioni set a new fastest lap – worth another championship point – with three laps remaining. Impressive.


 

Jeffers instead had to heed his mirrors in the closing stages as Cardenas put on a charge which brought him to within a second with a handful of laps remaining. Jeffers, though, was up to the task and held on for his fifth podium finish.


 

Cardenas had to be content with third after an excellent day’s work, while Argyros finished a distant fourth, well clear of TJ Speed Motorsports’ Thomas Schrage, from Bethel, Ohio, who extended his sequence of top-six finishes to six.


 

After starting 14th, Brady Golan, from Austin, Texas, briefly nosed ahead of Schrage after the restart before settling back into sixth aboard his Turn 3 Motorsport Tatuus. It was comfortably enough to win the Tilton Hard Charger Award. 


 

The PFC Award once again was claimed by Turn 3 Motorsport’s Peter Dempsey as the winning team owner. 


 

After a busy few weeks with a total of five races at Road America and Mid-Ohio, the USF Pro 2000 teams will now take a brief hiatus before traveling to the West Coast for a doubleheader event – once again in conjunction with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES – at Portland International Raceway in Portland, Ore, on August 6-9.


 

Provisional championship points after 11 of 18 rounds:

1. Leonardo Escorpioni, 228

2. Jack Jeffers, 226

3. G3 Argyros, 177

4. Andres Cardenas, 174

5. Frankie Mossman, 167

6. Michael Costello, 166

7. Thomas Schrage, 151

8. Teddy Musella, 133

9. Brady Golan, 116

10. Christian Cameron, 109


 

Leonardo Escorpioni (#4 Data Pioneer Solutions/Corix/Peer 1-Turn 3 Motorsport Tatuus IP-22): “The start was very difficult. It was very low grip and the track was very greasy. It was about just me focusing at the beginning. Turn 3 gave me an amazing car so they made my job pretty easy actually. I got by Jack and it was about maintaining the pace and stretching out fast laps to get away. I love this track. It's super fun, it's super flowy so I'm super happy to race here.”


 

Jack Jeffers (#92 USF Pro Championships/Exclusive Autosport Tatuus IP-22): “I think there's a little bit of time to be found in the car and a little bit of time to be found in my driving. We're a team, so we lose together and we win together. I think they just did a better job than us in this last race and that's that. So it's going to be head down and back to the drawing board and make sure we're executing at Portland. The track was pretty greasy, especially the first couple of laps with a lot of marbles getting picked up on our tires. I was kind of just holding on for dear life. The heat is another added factor. It was super physical, but it's kind of the same as yesterday's race.”


 

Andres Cardenas (#6 Java House/Splenda-JHDD powered by ECR Tatuus IP-22): “It was a very good race. We had a little bit of a bad start. I went onto the grass, but was able to recover. And we were quick, so that's important. I'm looking forward to getting my first win.”

 

Turn 3 and Escorpioni Double Up

in USF Pro 2000 at Mid-Ohio 


 

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Leonardo Escorpioni is on a roll in USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire. The 16-year-old Brazilian, based in Windermere, Fla., thoroughly dominated this morning’s second leg of the USF Pro Patriot Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio tripleheader for Turn 3 Motorsport to take his third win of the season and second in as many days. Escorpioni finished more than 6.3 seconds clear following an all-green 30-lap race around the challenging 2.258-mile 13-turn Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.


 

Andres Cardenas, from Lima, Peru, had a lonely run to second place for JHDD powered by ECR as Michael Costello, from Naples, Fla., rounded out the podium aboard a second Turn 3 Motorsport entry.


 

Results


 

The grid for this morning’s race was determined either by each driver’s second-fastest lap in qualifying on Friday or their fastest lap during yesterday’s opening race of the weekend. Escorpioni’s qualifying lap was good enough for his third Continental Tire Pole Award of the year, comfortably clear of Cardenas, G3 Argyros (Pabst Racing) and Costello.


 

Ideal conditions greeted the USF Pro 2000 field for their 8:00 a.m. EDT start time, with an overcast sky, a significantly cooler temperature and greatly reduced humidity compared to Saturday.


 

Escorpioni left everyone firmly in his wake from the get-go. He was almost a second clear of Cardenas after the opening lap and continued to increase his pace as track conditions improved and the fuel load lessened.


 

Argyros held onto third in the early stages, but was clearly struggling for pace and was no match for Costello, who slipped past on the sixth lap and immediately pulled away.


 

Behind, VRD Racing’s Frankie Mossman, from Newport Beach, Calif., muscled his way past both teammate Teddy Musella, from Orlando, Fla., and Thomas Schrage (TJ Motorsports), from Bethel, Ohio, on the opening lap, but also soon began to struggle with a lack of grip. Championship leader Jack Jeffers (Exclusive Autosport), from San Antonio, Texas, also was in the mix after lining up a disappointed eighth on the grid.


 

Jeffers quickly sliced through the field, despite being held up in the opening laps, and once clear of Mossman, he really began to show his speed. It took Jeffers until Lap 15 to find a way past Argyros into fourth, and by that stage Costello was already more than 10 seconds up the road. No matter. After trading fastest laps with Escorpioni , Jeffers eventually finished hot on Costello’s tail.


 

Jeffers also eclipsed current NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver Rinus VeeKay’s eight-year-old race lap record with a new benchmark of 1:15.8307, an average speed of 107.197 mph, on Lap 27. It was enough to assure him of pole position for the final race of the tripleheader weekend and retain a much reduced margin of only four points over Escorpioni.


 

Jeffers’ fine effort also earned him the Tilton Hard Charger Award. 


 

Argyros retained a distant fifth despite intense pressure from Schrage. With overtaking notoriously difficult among closely matched cars on the undulating road course, Schrage twice opted to ease his pace considerably in order to claim some clear track. He used the ploy magnificently to post the second fastest lap of the race on the final lap and ensure himself a place on the outside of the front row for the finale.


 

Turn 3 Motorsport’s Peter Dempsey earned his second straight PFC Award – and fourth of the year – as the winning team owner. 


 

The final race of the weekend is scheduled to see a green flag later this afternoon at 3:30 p.m., shortly after the conclusion of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES headline event.


 

Provisional championship points after 10 of 18 rounds:

1. Jack Jeffers, 200

2. Leonardo Escorpioni, 196

3. G3 Argyros, 158

4. Michael Costello, 158

5. Frankie Mossman, 157

6. Andres Cardenas, 152

7. Thomas Schrage, 134

8. Teddy Musella, 119

9. Christian Cameron, 104

10. Brady Golan, 101


 

Leonardo Escorpioni (#4 Data Pioneer Solutions/Corix/Peer 1-Turn 3 Motorsport Tatuus IP-22): “It was an amazing race. Turn 3 made it very easy for me again. I haven't had to really work that hard. It was about staying on track, doing good, clean laps and just managing the gap. The car was amazing, honestly. At the end, I was for sure pushing more but I still left a little bit on the table. I think I could have probably maxed a fast lap if I went full push, but I was leading and I didn’t want to risk it.”


 

Andres Cardenas (#6 Java House/Splenda-JHDD powered by ECR Tatuus IP-22): “The car was great. Honestly, the track was really quick and the car was quick. We were turning good laps. I'm really happy to get a podium after Race One.”


 

Michael Costello (#2 Proguard Automotive/EDA Eyewear/Hope for AL-Turn 3 Motorsport Tatuus IP-22): “It felt really good out there with lots of grip and the car felt great, as always. Thank you to Turn 3 Motorsport and everybody involved. Now we just have to focus on the next one and try and capitalize because we didn't really have a great Race One. But, let's just celebrate this one and put it behind us, then on to the next.”

Kennedy Leads VRD Racing

One-Two Punch at Mid-Ohio


 


 

LEXINGTON, Ohio – VRD Racing this morning concluded the USF Pro Patriot 250 Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio in style as Canadian Edward Kennedy led Dutch teammate Dean Hoogendoorn to a magnificent sweep of the top two steps of the USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire podium. The pair of youngsters, born just four days apart in May 2012, took the checkered flag under caution following an action-packed 20-lap race.


 

Fellow rookie Bex Cranston, from Greenwich, Conn., who has familial roots in Ohio, earned a career-best third-place finish for Exclusive Autosport.


 

Results


 

Points leader Karol Pasiewicz, once again started from pole position for Olivia Racing after having recorded the best of each driver’s second-fastest laps during the solitary qualifying session on Friday. The former karting champion from Lodz, Poland, thus earned his fifth straight Continental Tire Pole Award.


 

Friday race winner Kennedy started alongside Pasiewicz on what was a “green” race track following a heavy thunderstorm the previous evening which not only washed away all the rubber that had been laid previously, it also caused significant damage to several teams’ paddock awnings.


 

Pasiewicz held off a determined challenge from Kennedy on the opening lap, although it wasn’t long before Kennedy, too, came under pressure as Max Cuthbert, from Essex, England, stormed from sixth on the grid.


 

Cuthbert clearly had the fastest car in the early stages, and he executed a fine move around the outside of Kennedy in Turn Four on the sixth lap before completing the pass in Turn Five. Cuthbert next set his sights on the race leader. He was reducing the deficit until trying to carry a little too much speed through Turn One a couple of laps later caught him out and he slid off into the wet grass.

Pasiewicz continued to lead after a brief full-course caution, but then he, too, made a mistake and performed a quick 360-degree spin in Turn One on Lap 12. The error gifted a grateful Kennedy the lead, which he maintained until the finish.


 

Shortly before Pasiewicz’s error, Cranston, who had started eighth, continued his march toward the front by slipping past both Olivier Mrak (Zanella Racing), from Ottawa, Canada, and Casper Nissen (JHDD powered by ECR), from Toftlund, Denmark, in quick succession. Cranston also ousted Hoogendoorn to move into second.


 

Hoogendoorn returned the favor with another fine outside-line move in Turn Four at the end of the longest straightaway on Lap 16, and this time he was able to make the position stick as another couple of incidents ensured that the race would finish under yellow.


 

The first clash, in Turn Five, ended with Canadian Cole Medeiros spinning his Exclusive Autosport car after being edged onto the grass at the exit of Turn Four as he attempted to pass Nissen. Pasiewicz, who had rejoined in seventh after his slip, narrowly avoided Medeiros as the Canadian spun across the road directly in front of him.


 

Then, as the green flags flew from the restart, Zanella Racing teammates Victor Couto, from Boca Raton, Fla., and Mrak came together in Turn 13. Both speared off into the gravel to ensure the race would finish under yellow.



Mexican rookie Elias Vignola completed his best weekend for DEForce Racing by finishing fifth after Nissen was later assessed a penalty for blocking which relegated him to ninth in the final results.


 

For the second straight day, JHDD powered by ECR’s JW Main, from Tulsa, Okla., earned the Tilton Hard Charger Award after working his way from 17th on the grid to sixth.

 

 

The PFC Award once again was claimed by Dan Mitchell as the winning car owner.


 

The USF Juniors field now heads directly to Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn., for a series test on Tuesday, July 7, in advance of another pair of races, this time in conjunction with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, later in the week on July 10/11.


 

Provisional championship points after 11 of 16 races:

1. Karol Pasiewicz, 232

2. Max Mokarem, 181

3. Ivan Machado Perez, 167

4. Olivier Mrak, 167

5. Cole Medeiros, 155

6. Victor Couto, 149

7. Bex Cranston, 145

8. Vilho Aatola, 132

9. Casper Nissen, 130

10. Leonardo Serravalle, 124


 

Edward Kennedy (#30 VRD Racing Tatuus JR-23): “I knew I didn't have the pace in the beginning, so I just had to defend a bit for second. I knew at some point in the race there was going to be a safety car and there was. After Karol spun, I inherited P1. I had a lot of pace towards the end. We were really, really fast and I would like to thank VRD.”


 

Dean Hoogendoorn (#12 Williams F1 Team Driver Academy-VRD Racing Tatuus JR-23): “Obviously, starting P7 is not the easiest race you will get but I'm really happy with the result again as we have a VRD one-two. To all the boys in the team, a really great job. We found really great pace, especially in the middle of the race. We started chipping away those positions and moving to the front. We had two safety cars in the end, so that was really tricky but I stayed behind Eddie and everything went as planned. I'm really, really happy.”


 

Bex Cranston (#90 IES/Miller Motorcars/King & Spalding-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus JR-23): “I was starting eighth after the penalty yesterday, but I was just trying to keep chipping them off, one by one, and a couple of restarts helped me out. I want to thank all the boys at Exclusive Autosport and all of our partners for all they do for us, so a big thank you.”

  

Escorpioni Takes Charge

in Mid-Ohio USF Pro Opener


 


 

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Florida-based Brazilian Leonardo Escorpioni overcame a heavy sickness and intense heat and humidity today at the challenging Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course to score an emphatic USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire victory for Turn 3 Motorsport. Escorpioni has lost 10 pounds in body weight during the week – and almost failed the minimum weight check after qualifying – but put that behind him in style as he led from flag to flag in the first of three races that will comprise this weekend’s USF Pro Patriot Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio.


 

Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, maintained his championship lead with a strong second-place finish for Exclusive Autosport, having started sixth, as Frankie Mossman, from Newport Beach, Calif., completed the podium for VRD Racing.


 

Results


 

Escorpioni, last year’s USF Juniors champion, laid down a marker when he posted the fastest time in practice on Friday morning, and continued that form into qualifying by securing his second Continental Tire Pole Award of the season.  


 

Peruvian Andres Cardenas was less than a tenth of a second slower in qualifying for JHDD powered by ECR, but wasn’t able to keep pace with the race leader following an early full-course caution when one of Escorpioni’s teammates, Tyke Durst, from Charlotte, N.C., performed a quick spin at the exit of Turn Four.


 

A series of fastest laps saw Escorpioni extend his advantage to over 4.5 seconds before the caution flags waved again after 16 laps.


 

G3 Argyros, from Newport Beach, Calif., had been applying intense pressure to Cardenas until making a mistake on the entry to Turn Nine on successive laps. The second error caused him to run wide on the exit and make contact with the barriers.


 

Cardenas knew his best shot at snatching the victory would come at the restart. His effort to take the high line at Turn Two was firmly rebuffed but, undaunted, Cardenas tried again at the end of the long back straightaway. Unfortunately, he ran wide onto the grass at the exit and lost a bunch of positions before he was able to resume.


 

Behind, Michael Costello (Turn 3 Motorsport), from Naples, Fla., ran wide at Turn Two while challenging Thomas Schrage (TJ Speed Motorsports), from Bethel, Ohio, for fourth, with similar results, which allowed Mossman to make a big run on Schrage as they headed down the straight.


 

Mossman’s bold maneuver moved him from sixth to third, whereupon he chased hard after Jeffers for the remainder of the 30-lap race, with Schrage also tucked in behind.


 

But there was no stopping Escorpioni, who led by as much as 2.8 seconds before easing his pace over the final two laps and cruising toward his second – and most emphatic – win of the season.


 

Teddy Musella, from Orlando, Fla., finished several seconds in arrears for VRD Racing after a lengthy tussle with Christian Cameron (TJ Speed Motorsports), from Sonoma, Calif., and the recovering – and frustrated – Cardenas.


 

Logan Adams, from Greenfield. Ind., marked a welcome return to the series with a fun run from 14th on the grid to ninth which earned his small family run team a well-deserved Tilton Hard Charger Award.


 

The second race of the three-race weekend was due to be held this evening, but has been postponed due to inclement weather. Instead, Race Two will now see a green flag at 8:00 a.m. EDT tomorrow, as originally scheduled, with the third and final race now postponed until after the NTT INDYCAR SERIES headline event on Sunday afternoon.


 

Provisional championship points after nine of 18 rounds:

1. Jack Jeffers, 180

2. Leonardo Escorpioni, 165

3. Frankie Mossman, 152

4. G3 Argyros, 141

5. Michael Costello, 136

6. Andres Cardenas, 127

7. Thomas Schrage, 119

8. Teddy Musella, 105

9. Christian Cameron, 93

10. Brady Golan, 88


 

Leonardo Escorpioni (#4 Data Pioneer Solutions/Corix/Peer 1-Turn 3 Motorsport Tatuus IP-22): “I'm super happy. The car was amazing. Turn 3 gave me an amazing car. I just had to go out there, sit in the car and drive. It was really easy for me, honestly. The car was on rails and it was just about staying on track and staying focused. I want to thank the whole Turn 3 team, my dad, my mom, Naka [Zanella] and the whole Zanella team as well.”


 

Jack Jeffers (#92 USF Pro Championships/Exclusive Autosport Tatuus IP-22): “We've known we've had the pace to be in the top three, top four. I was able to have a good start and from there, it was a long race – people getting tired, tires going off, a whole bunch of variables were going to come into play. It was just about managing myself, managing everything, making methodical moves and not doing something out of desperation. We picked up a lot of positions and I think we have the speed to belong up there. I think Leo still has us beat a little bit but we have two more races to try to find that little bit.”


 

Frankie Mossman (#77 Ethika/Jaxxon/Ivy Day Spa/Arai Americas-VRD Racing Tatuus IP-22): “Honestly, it was more surprising of a race for myself. I tend to have better starts, but I made a couple mistakes at the beginning. I kind of sat in eighth, and then I capitalized on some people's mistakes. The car was really, really good in the second half of the race. I knew that if I just stayed settled down, that it would kind of come to us.”


 

 
 

 

USF Pro Championships Announces

Next-Gen USF Pro 2000 Chassis


 


 

PALMETTO, Fla. – USF Pro Championships Presented by Continental Tire today unveiled renderings of the new chassis that will make its competition debut in 2028 for the top level of its renowned driver development ladder, USF Pro 2000. In collaboration with leading racecar manufacturer Tatuus, the APT-28 will begin prototype testing later this year in Italy before moving stateside.


 

The Tatuus APT-28 replaces the current Tatuus IP-22, which has served as a vital step in the careers of many rising stars of the sport including USF Pro 2000 champions Louis Foster, Myles Rowe, Lochie Hughes and Max Garcia since being introduced in 2022.


 

The one-piece carbon monocoque APT-28 features the latest FIA-enhanced impact and intrusion resistance with integrated full-length side anti-intrusion panels. The chassis is slightly larger than its predecessor and will feature Continental Tire-shod 15-inch wheels.


 

It will be powered by a Honda K20 C1 2.0-liter turbocharged engine developed by Elite Engines Inc. producing 320 to 360 horsepower, enhanced with a push-to-pass feature, providing competitors with a 45-85 increase in horsepower over the current engine package.


 

A full list of specifications can be found here.


 

The APT-28 is available as a fully complete car or minus dampers, allowing teams to seamlessly transfer over their existing inventory to save on costs.


 

Based on today's exchange rate and excluding tariffs, the complete car is priced at $206,900 USD. Removing the dampers reduces the price to $198,900 USD. Orders for the highly anticipated APT-28 will open on October 1, 2026 with vehicle delivery priority determined by deposit sequence. The first shipment is targeted for delivery on September 1, 2027 and the second on October 15, 2027.


 

The Tatuus APT-28 is expected to make its debut at the annual USF Pro Fall Combine at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2027 with a series’ oval test to follow.


 

“It is a pleasure once again to work with our partners at Tatuus on a new car design,” said Dan Andersen, Owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions. “The Tatuus APT-28 will be an incredible race car with the latest FIA safety designs and with Honda turbo power and a push-to-pass feature to further train our drivers to move up the ladder to a career in INDY NXT and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.


 

“Our racing should become even more competitive, and we can’t wait to see this beauty perform on tracks soon. While our initial testing will take place in Italy, we will look forward to an official unveiling at one of the opening races next season.”



“The journey alongside Andersen Promotions is enriched with a new and wonderful chapter,” said Giovanni Delfino, CEO of Tatuus and the Korus Group. “The USF Pro Championships, and USF Pro 2000 in particular, represent a fundamental step in the development of an ever-growing number of drivers. The methodology developed over time by the organization ensures a training environment of the highest quality, and for Tatuus it is both a mission and an honor to contribute with a car that represents the ideal technical platform. In the United States, the passion for motorsport can be experienced in its purest form, and we are confident that this new car will go on to write remarkable chapters on iconic circuits such as Indianapolis, St. Petersburg and Road America.”

 

“The bridge that Tatuus and Andersen Promotions have built since 2017 connects Italy and the United States through a shared passion for motorsport,” said Gianfranco De Bellis, President of Tatuus and the Korus Group. “Mutual respect, strong personal ties and a consistent ability to collaborate for the good of motorsport are the defining traits of this partnership, which today is enriched by a new chapter. We look forward to seeing this single-seater on track soon, and we are confident it will provide the ideal preparation for drivers as they progress toward the highest levels of American and global motorsport.”

 

Patriotic Theme Set for Fourth of July

Open-Wheel Extravaganza


 

Potentially Pivotal Weekend for All Three USF Pro Championships


 


 

PALMETTO, Fla. – Open-wheel racing aficionados will be in their element this Fourth of July weekend at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Indeed, the entirety of the North American professional development system will be on display at the famed 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course situated just outside of Lexington, Ohio, ranging from the pinnacle, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, through INDY NXT and all three steps on the highly acclaimed USF Pro Championships Presented by Continental Tire ladder.


 

The USF Pro Patriot 250 Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio will comprise three races for USF Pro 2000 and two apiece for USF2000 and USF Juniors. All three levels will be sharing the same race weekend bill for the first time this season.


 

Current NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers Rinus VeeKay, Kyle Kirkwood, Sting Ray Robb, Christian Rasmussen and Louis Foster have won USF Pro races at Mid-Ohio, while rising INDY NXT stars Myles Rowe, Max Taylor, Salvador de Alba, Nikita Johnson and Max Garcia also have previously visited Victory Lane.


 

Jeffers Top in USF Pro 2000

Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, has been the man to beat this season in USF Pro 2000. After winning last year’s USF2000 crown and a scholarship for the Exclusive Autosport team, Jeffers marked his debut at the more senior level by claiming pole position on the streets of Arlington, Texas. He has since won twice and failed only once to qualify on the front row of the grid.


 

Entry List


 

Jeffers, who won two of the three USF2000 races at Mid-Ohio last year, currently holds a 20-point advantage in his quest to join Matthew Brabham, Kirkwood, Rasmussen and Garcia as the only drivers to secure successive championships.


 

A fourth-place finish, along with fastest race lap, and a runner-up result during the recent doubleheader weekend at Road America, Wisconsin, allowed Jeffers to extend his margin, although a sweep of race wins brought Pabst Racing’s G3 Argyros, from Newport Beach, Calif., firmly into the mix. The series will reach its halfway point this weekend with the eighth, ninth and 10th races out of 18.


 

Turn 3 Motorsport teammates Leonardo Escorpioni and Michael Costello, along with VRD Racing’s Frankie Mossman and JHDD powered by ECR’s Andres Cardenas also remain in contention for the title and a scholarship valued at almost $600,000 to assist in graduation to INDY NXT in 2027.


 

Florida-based Brazilian Escorpioni, the reigning USF Juniors champion, burst onto the scene by winning on his debut in Arlington, while Costello, from Naples, Fla., secured his maiden victory at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in May for the first of two oval track events this season.


 

Both Californian Mossman and Peruvian Cardenas are still searching for their first wins, although Cardenas claimed two podium finishes at Road America and posted the fastest time during a series test at Mid-Ohio in May and Mossman has visited the podium four times already this year. 


 

Budgetary constraints have severely restricted testing opportunities for Thomas Schrage (TJ Speed Motorsports), although the native of Bethel, Ohio, holds high expectations after taking pole for each of the past three USF2000 races at Mid-Ohio and claiming two podiums.


 

USF Pro 2000 drivers will have one more chance to gain some track time during a pair of 45-minute test sessions on Thursday, July 2, prior to 30 minutes of official practice at 9:40 a.m. EDT on Friday and then a critical 20 minutes of qualifying at 12:10 p.m. The field will have two races on Saturday, July 4, at 11:40 a.m. and 5:15 p.m., and one more on Sunday at 8:00 a.m. immediately prior to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup.


 

Garzon Leads in USF2000

Half of the USF2000 season is now in the books with Colombian teenager Sebastian Garzon continuing to hold the points lead for DEForce Racing. Now in his sophomore season, the former Lucas Oil Formula Car Series champion came out of the blocks with a point to prove, securing three wins and four more podium finishes from the opening nine races.


 

Entry List


 

The Pabst Racing pair of Australian challengers, Brad Majman and Eddie Beswick, enjoyed a strong weekend at their team’s home event at Road America nine days ago, each taking a race win and a combined five podiums. Majman now trails Garzon with a reduced 30-point deficit with Beswick now up to third ahead of Exclusive Autosport’s Evan Cooley, from Mokena, Ill.


 

Cooley took a dominant victory in the only oval race of the season at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park after teammate Anthony Martella, from Woodbridge, Ont., Canada, tangled with a slower car having started from pole. Both young chargers have experienced more than their share of misfortune so far this season, although Martella has underlined his capabilities by winning twice – on the Indianapolis Grand Prix road course and at Road America.


 

VRD Racing’s Florida-based Brazilian, Joao Vergara, and fellow rookie Oliver Wheldon, from St. Petersburg, Fla., also have shone this year along with yet another Australian, Liam Loiacono (JHDD powered by ECR), who, like Vergara and Wheldon, has graduated from USF Juniors.


 

Wheldon has been particularly impressive. After being too young to contest the opening two races in his hometown, he burst onto the scene with three poles and two podium finishes on debut at the Indianapolis road course, then was third again in one of the Road America races. He was also second quickest to Martella during a rain-affected Mid-Ohio test in late May.


 

Two 45-minute test sessions for USF2000 on Thursday will lead into a busy Friday with official practice at 8:50 a.m., qualifying at 11:20 a.m. and then the first race at 4:45 p.m. Race Two is set to see a green flag at 4:20 p.m. on Saturday.


 

USF Juniors on Show

This week represents an opportunity for the USF Juniors contenders to compete in front of an NTT INDYCAR SERIES crowd, so the stakes are high – and especially so for those still in contention for the championship and a scholarship valued at $251,516 to graduate to USF2000 in 2027.


 

Four different winners have emerged from the opening nine races and no fewer than a dozen have either stood on a podium or claimed a fastest race lap, so the level of competition is extremely high.


 

Entry List


 

Poland’s Karol Pasiewicz is the current points leader for Olivia Racing. The former European karting standout finished second in each of the first three races at Homestead-Miami Speedway in February, then qualified second for all three races of the next event at Carolina Motorsports Park, only to endure a series of misfortunes which netted him a best finish of only 11th. Pasiewicz rebounded magnificently at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park by winning all three races from pole.


 

In the absence of Spanish three-time winner Ivan Machado Perez (VRD Racing), unfortunately sidelined for budgetary reasons after a hefty crash at CTMP, a trio of Zanella Racing teammates occupy the next three places in the championship – and are separated by only 19 points. Olivier Mrak, from Ottawa, leads the way despite still seeking his first win. Nevertheless, five podium finishes leave him just 26 points shy of Pasiewicz and four ahead of teammate Max Mokarem. The Virginia-based Lebanese racer won two of the three opening races and podiumed at Carolina Motorsports Park but a crash early in qualifying at CTMP ensured lowly starting positions for all three races.


 

Florida-based Brazilian Victor Couto has been trending in the opposite direction and has every intention of improving upon his pair of second-place finishes in Canada.


 

Other likely contenders include Canada’s Cole Medeiros and Exclusive Autosport teammate Bex Cranston, from Greenwich, Conn., along with Denmark’s Casper Nissen (JHDD powered by ECR) and 14-year-old VRD Racing teammates Edward Kennedy, from Mont-Tremblant, Canada, and Dutchman Dean Hoogendoorn, both of whom impressed on debut in Canada.


 

The USF Juniors schedule closely resembles that of USF2000 with two 45-minute test sessions on Thursday, followed by a hectic Friday comprising practice at 8:00 a.m., qualifying at 10:30 a.m. and the first race at 1:00 p.m. The second race is set to start at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday.


 

Complete coverage can be found on the free USF Pro Championships App, YouTube channel and respective series websites, usfpro2000.com, usf2000.com and usfjuniors.com.

 

USF 2000 Championship

www.usf2000.com

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

 

Martella Claims His Third USF2000 Win

of the Season at Mid-Ohio


 


 

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Anthony Martella, from Woodbridge, Ont., Canada, experienced a nightmare start to his USF2000 Presented by Continental Tires season, failing to finish four of the first six races, more often than not due to no fault of his own. But this evening at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Martella led throughout the final leg of the USF Pro Patriot 250 Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio doubleheader to claim his third win of the season for his Exclusive Autosport team.


 

Ryan Giannetta, from Redondo Beach, Calif., shadowed Martella every inch of the way to secure his best ever finish for VRD Racing, while Colombian Sebastian Garzon extended his championship lead with another podium finish for DEForce Racing.


 

Results


 

Martella lined up on the inside of the front row of the grid for today’s race by virtue of having recorded the best of each driver’s second-fastest laps during the sole period of qualifying on Friday. The deserving Canadian thereby earned his first Continental Tire Pole Award of the season. Friday polesitter Giannetta occupied the outside of the front row, with Garzon and Friday race winner Eddie Beswick (Pabst Racing), from Sydney, Australia, sharing row two.


 

Today’s race ran far later than originally scheduled after the afternoon proceedings, including NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying, were delayed by thunder showers, and was shortened to 15 laps.


 

A couple of caution periods broke up the early stages, but proved to be nothing more than a minor inconvenience for Martella, who retained control at each restart and never gave even the vaguest hint that he was about to relinquish his stranglehold.


 

Nevertheless, Giannetta never allowed Martella to relax and closed to within with a couple of car lengths over the final few laps. Giannetta set the fastest lap of the race for good measure.


 

Garzon was content to hold third place throughout, falling back a little from the two leaders but still remaining clear of the battle for fourth.


 

Oliver Wheldon., from St. Petersburg, Fla., held the place initially – which was a remarkable effort considering the fact he was driving a brand-new car after his VRD Racing team worked almost through the night to build up a new car following his huge accident on Friday. Unfortunately, Wheldon fell back deep into the pack when his car simply understeered off the road at the first restart. He recovered to finish 11th.


 

The Pabst pair of Beswick and fellow Australian Brad Majman took up the running, although both soon came under pressure from yet another Aussie, Liam Loiacono (JHDD powered by ECR), who had started 10th. Loiacono overtook Majman, but his attempts to pass Beswick resulted in contact under braking for Turn Five which took them both out onto the grass. They rejoined but finished well down the order.


 

Majman was gifted the place, much to his delight, after lining up seventh on the grid. Florida-based Brazilian Joao Vergara completed the top five in another VRD Racing entry.


 

Gabriel Cahan, from Sante Fe, N.M., finished sixth for Exclusive Autosport, while younger brother Ayrton earned the Tilton Hard Charger Award after rising to ninth from 17th.


 

The PFC Award went to Josh Cooley and Michael Duncalfe as the winning car owners.


 

Next up for USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire is another doubleheader event in support of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES at Portland International Raceway in Portland, Ore., on August 6-9.


 

Provisional championship points after 11 of 18 races:

1. Sebastian Garzon, 265

2. Brad Majman, 246

3. Eddie Beswick, 208

4. Evan Cooley, 175

5. Joao Vergara, 169

6. Anthony Martella, 157

7. Ryan Giannetta, 139

8. Ayrton Cahan, 139

9. Gabriel Cahan, 134

10. Oliver Wheldon, 132


 

Anthony Martella (#92 NIN Transport/VPS Services-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-22): “Obviously, with the hot conditions, I knew it was going to be a tough race but I knew I had to work on my conditioning outside of the racetrack and I did. And yeah, it was a hard race. Starting from pole I knew I'd be pressured, but I knew if I stayed calm and didn't make any mistakes, I knew I was going to check out and get the job done. I want to thank the whole Exclusive Autosport team. They've done an amazing job throughout the whole weekend prepping the car. I want to thank the guys from NIN Transport for coming out here to Mid-Ohio from a long way in Toronto. I want to thank everybody at Green Savoree for all their continued support and belief in my development, and I want to thank my amazing parents for letting me do this crazy sport.”


 

Ryan Giannetta (44 R3 Recover and Wellness/Chilli Surfboards-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “My first podium. There is nothing like it. I am so happy to be up here. Other drivers put on a great race and there was minimal mistakes from me and I just put it together. It was really hard to break that car length gap to Martella. Honestly, I think the only way for me to catch up was a mistake from the other driver. We are really putting it together being P2 this race and taking the pole. I am super, super excited.”


 

Sebastian Garzon (#12 Orsolon Racing/Café de Colombia-DEForce Racing Tatuus USF-22): “It was a really tough race. Eddie passed me at the start and I got him in Turn Four around the outside. After the safety car, I tried to maintain the distance between Ryan and Martella, but they were really fast. P3 was the maximum I could do today and I can be really happy with this result after a DNF yesterday. I am still leading the championship points and I will work harder for Portland.”


 

 

Beswick Wins Incident-Strewn

USF2000 Race at Mid-Ohio 


 


 

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Pabst Racing claimed its third win out of the last four USF2000 Presented by Continental Tires races when Eddie Beswick, from Sydney, Australia, emerged victorious from a messy opening leg of the USF Pro Patriot 250 Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio doubleheader.


 

Florida-based Brazilian Joao Vergara contrived to finish second for VRD Racing, while Pabst Racing’s Brad Majman, from Melbourne, Australia, scorched past polesitter Ryan Giannetta (VRD Racing), from Redondo Beach, Calif., on the final lap to complete the podium. Majman, who started eighth, thereby moved to within 16 points of the championship lead with 10 of 18 races now in the books.


 

Results


 

After showing his speed throughout testing on Friday and 30 minutes of practice early this morning, Giannetta repeated the form when it mattered during qualifying to earn his first-ever Continental Tire Pole Award. Exclusive Autosport’s Canadian, Anthony Martella, snagged the outside front row of the starting grid with Australia’s Liam Loiacono, for JHDD presented by ECR, and fellow countryman Beswick in fourth.


 

Unfortunately, the drama began early. Giannetta, Martella and Loiacono all arrived at Turn Two virtually together with Martella diving to the inside in a bold attempt to take the lead. He didn’t quite pull it off as Loiacono’s outside line paid off nicely and Giannetta, in the middle, wisely opted to settle into third.


 

Just a few car lengths behind, VRD teammates Vergara and Oliver Wheldon, from St. Petersburg, Fla., plus Brazilian Lucas Nanji, up from ninth on the grid for Pabst Racing, also attempted to go side by side. Consequently, Wheldon was launched into a series of rolls directly over the top of Nanji, whose race also ended in the gravel trap.


 

Moments later, as the leaders exited Turn Two and began to head off down the main straightaway, Loiacono and Martella made contact and spun in unison to the inside of the race track. Thankfully, no one else was involved. 


 

Wheldon, too, emerged without injury from his badly damaged Tatuus. The red flags were duly displayed and the race restarted after a delay of approximately half an hour due to a power outage which affected Race Control.


 

Giannetta led at the restart from Beswick, Wesley Gundler (ENVE Motorsports), from Holly Springs, N.C., up from 10th on the grid, and Vergara.


 

Beswick glimpsed an opportunity to make a pass for the lead soon after the restart and maintained that advantage for the remainder of the race, which was further interrupted by another couple of caution periods for a variety of incidents.


 

One of them, on the eighth lap, involved points leader Sebastian Garzon (DEForce Racing). The teenager from Neiva, Colombia, was seeking to take advantage of a mistake by Gundler in Turn Four, only for contact to ensue. Garzon was eliminated on the spot and Exclusive Autosport’s Evan Cooley, from Mokena, Ill., also was collected. Gundler continued, unaware that part of his car’s suspension was damaged, causing him to spin a couple of corners later and take out an innocent Connor Aspley (Exclusive Autosport), from O’Fallon, Mo.


 

Vergara had fallen to seventh at this point, struggling for grip at the previous restart and losing several positions, only to regain them all – and move back into third – following the incident involving Gundler, Garzon and Cooley.


 

A five-lap dash to the finish saw Beswick still running out front. Vergara took advantage of his good fortune by slipping past teammate Giannetta at the restart. The young Californian also lost out on the final lap to Majman, who gained what could be another vital championship point by snatching the fastest lap of the race. Fourth place for Giannetta still represented his best so far.


 

Callahan Peter, from Fishers, Ind., steered clear of the carnage to finish a career-best sixth and take home his second Tilton Hard Charger Award of the year. He had started 19th and last.


 

Augie Pabst pocketed another PFC Award as the winning car owner.


 

Race Two of the doubleheader event will take place immediately after NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying tomorrow, the Fourth of July, at 4:20 p.m. EDT.


 

Provisional championship points after 10 of 18 races:

1. Sebastian Garzon, 243

2. Brad Majman, 227

3. Eddie Beswick, 202

4. Evan Cooley, 164

5. Joao Vergara, 152

6. Ayrton Cahan, 127

7. Anthony Martella, 125

8. Oliver Wheldon, 122

9. Gabriel Cahan, 119

10. Ryan Giannetta, 113


 

Eddie Beswick (#23 Next Level Racing-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “I was obviously pretty lucky there not to be involved in whatever the first lap was, and pretty happy to be in second there. I had very low grip and it was very hot. I was able to capitalize on Ryan messing up the restart. I guess with the aero wash and the grip levels, it was just too hard for the others. I just had to stay composed and survive.”


 

Joao Vergara (#3 Cross/Carecode/Son Boronat/Arai-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “There was a lot of (aero) wash with the two cars in front of me and then as soon as I saw they were going to battle into [Turn] Four, I backed it up a bit to try to get a good exit. I went around the outside of [Turn] Five on Ryan and then into Six I was on the inside so that worked out well for me. It was just a messy race. I'm happy to have survived that.”


 

Brad Majman (#22 Shaw and Partners/NatPat/A14 Management-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “That was something. That was, wow, yeah, I can't believe that. To come from 10th at the red flag to come home third. What do you do when you have such a good team behind you, right? Take the points and go to the next one. We'll be rolling off eighth again tomorrow, so that'll be a bit difficult, but I mean, I never expected this one from 20 minutes ago. If you told me I would have been here, I wouldn’t have believed you.”


 

 

 

USF JUNIORS

usfjuniors.com.

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

 

Pasiewicz, Kennedy Share

Lime Rock USF Juniors Honors


 

LAKEVILLE, Conn. – USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire championship leader Karol Pasiewicz (Olivia Racing) and fellow rising star Edward Kennedy (VRD Racing) shared the spoils of victory in today’s Andersen Corporate Woodworking Grand Prix of Lime Rock.


 

Kennedy, from Mont-Tremblant, Que., Canada was first across the finish line in both 35-lap races, only to slip to third in this morning’s race after having jumped the start. The 14-year-old made amends later in the day, when he came from behind to pass locally based driver Bex Cranston (Exclusive Autosport), from Greenwich, Conn., in the closing stages.


 

Cranston had to be content with a career-best scoop of second-place finishes.


 

After being gifted the victory in the opening race, Pasiewicz, from Lodz, Poland, was content to follow the two leaders home in third later in the afternoon to further extend his points advantage.


 

Race 1 Results

Race 2 Results


 

Kennedy took up yesterday exactly where he finished off last week at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course by posting the fastest lap in qualifying and becoming only the fourth driver this season to secure a Continental Tire Pole Award.


 

A large crowd had gathered for the start in perfect weather conditions at one of the most picturesque venues of the racing season, prior to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series headline event. And while Kennedy was never headed throughout the 35-lap race, he was later assessed a five-second penalty for a jumped start which relegated him to third in the final results.


 

Series leader Pasiewicz, from the outside of the front row, lost a position to Kennedy’s teammate, Dutchman Dean Hoogendoorn, on the run through Big Bend for the first time. Next time around, though, an attempt at an outside-line pass for the lead at the same corner cost Hoogendoorn three positions as he slid wide onto the dirt at the exit of the corner. Pasiewicz took advantage to move back into second ahead of Cranston, who also had overtaken Englishman Max Cuthbert (JHDD powered by ECR) at the first corner on the opening lap.


 

The two leaders, Kennedy and Pasiewicz, edged slightly clear of Cranston in the opening stages, although Cranston soon found his groove and set what was to stand as the fastest lap of the race on his eighth time around the 1.53-mile track. Moments later, an incident farther down the field in Turn One between JHDD powered by ECR teammates Casper Nissen, from Toftlund, Denmark, and Aryan Narola, from Fairfax, Va., brought out the caution flags for the first and only time.


 

Kennedy was never seriously threatened once the race went back to green – other than when his jump-start penalty was applied.


 

Pasiewicz came under pressure from Cranston in the final laps before holding on for what was to be his fourth win of the season, while the extra position gained by Cranston was enough for him to claim the Tilton Hard Charger Award.


 

Hoogendoorn, who had repassed Cuthbert shortly before the caution, struggled for pace in the later stages, but still managed to hold off Cuthbert and top Zanella Racing exponent Leonardo Serravalle, from Thorold, Ont., Canada, who is the only driver to have completed all 240 laps thus far in 2026.


 

Kennedy once again started at the front of the field in the second race of the day, his second Continental Tire Pole Award assured by virtue of turning the best of each drivers’ second-fastest laps during the lone qualifying session on Friday. Cranston improved his qualifying time during this morning’s race to earn a starting position on the outside of the front row, and he kept the pressure firmly on during the opening eight laps until the caution flags waved following an incident for Jared Oselka (Zanella Racing), from Long Beach, Ind., at the Uphill Turn.


 

When the green flags waved again, Cranston had a big jump on the outside line along the main Sam Posey Straightaway, then pulled off a brilliant maneuver around the outside of Big Bend to take over the lead.


 

Pasiewicz had the pace to remain tucked in behind the two leaders after a fast-starting Hoogendoorn, who again made a good initial start to move up into third, made a mistake at the exit of Big Bend and fell deep into the pack.


 

Kennedy intensified his efforts until, with a little less than two laps to go, Cranston’s ultra-defensive move to the inside entering the braking area for Big Bend allowed Kennedy to sweep boldly to the outside and complete a fine pass for the lead. Job done.


 

Kennedy held on to take a deserved victory by just over a half-second with Pasiewicz a similar distance farther back in third.


 

Cuthbert completed a strong day with a lonely run to fourth, well clear of Florida-based Brazilian Victor Couto (Zanella Racing), who in turn had edged away from teammate Serravalle. Next up were Exclusive Autosport’s Brenden Cooley, from Mokena, Ill., who earned the Tilton Hard Charger Award after starting 15th, and Zanella’s Grant Mitchell, from Lake Forest, Ill., who capped a breakthrough weekend with another strong effort after finishing seventh this morning.


 

The day’s two PFC Awards went to Olivia Racing’s Dana Delgado and VRD Racing’s Dan Mitchell as the winning car owners.


 

Pasiewicz now holds a commanding 80-point lead in the quest for a scholarship valued at $251,516 to advance to USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire, the next step on the USF Pro Championships ladder, in 2027. With a maximum of 99 points still to be earned at the tripleheader season finale, Pasiewicz will have to wait more than two months before he has the opportunity to clinch the USF Juniors title at the spectacular Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wis., on September 24-26.


 

Provisional championship points after 13 of 16 races:

1. Karol Pasiewicz, 284

2. Max Mokarem, 204

3. Bex Cranston, 197

4. Olivier Mrak, 189

5. Victor Couto, 179

6. Cole Medeiros, 175

7. Ivan Machado Perez, 167

8. Edward Kennedy, 163

9. Leonardo Serravalle, 154

10. Max Cuthbert, 150


 

Race 1:

Karol Pasiewicz (#25 Olivia Racing Tatuus JR-23): “I knew that after qualifying if we didn't manage to take pole, it would be a hard race until the very end. Basically, on this track, the pole gives you a win if you do not mess it up. I tried to pass Edward at the restart, but it was impossible. There was no grip on the outside. Coming into Turn One, Dean as well tried it and went out. Obviously I feel better now getting the win and getting more points for the championship. Overall, it's a very, very unbelievable win for me and I'm really happy.”


 

Bex Cranston (#90 IES/Miller Motorcars/King & Spalding-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus JR-23): “Starting P5 here isn't the easiest thing in the world. This is not a track with big brake zones or anything, so making a pass is really difficult. I knew at the start I had to be aggressive. I made two moves and got up into third and kind of just sat there for the whole race. The car took a little bit to come in, but when it did we went purple and were super fast. We started closing on Karol. If I had known the leader was going to get a penalty, maybe I would have done something a little bit different. We'll take the extra points and from my side, it was a good race. I want to thank everyone at Exclusive Autosport, my engineer Zach [Leedy], Aiden [Fortney, lead mechanic], Elliot [Budzinski, driver coach], and everyone else who makes it possible and to give a big shout out to all my sponsors and all my supporters who came out.”


 

Edward Kennedy (#30 VRD Racing Tatuus JR-23): “The car was on fire. We pulled away from the start to the end but had an unfortunate penalty. It was my fault. I went a bit too early at the start. Hopefully, we'll recover in Race Two. We're starting on pole again, so let's go get it done.”


 

Race 2:

Edward Kennedy (#30 VRD Racing Tatuus JR-23): “The whole race we maintained our gap and then we got passed around the outside in Turn One on the restart. After that, I maintained my gap and then I snuck around Bex on the outside of Turns One and Two. It was definitely a new move. I saw Bex do it to me and I thought why not give it a try? I have nothing to lose. I'm not in the championship after missing the first two races. The last two laps, I maintained my gap but the tires were starting to fall off at the end. But apart from that, the car was amazing. Thank you very much, everyone.”


 

Bex Cranston (#90 IES/Miller Motorcars/King & Spalding-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus JR-23): “I was really pushing. Before the restart, he had a ton of pace and I was really just trying to hang with him and stick in the draft. I stayed there and then we went yellow. For the restart, I saw an opportunity around the outside and took it. It worked in my favor. I tried to do clean laps and maintain my pace out front. Right at the end, I started to lose the car a little bit. Obviously, 35 laps is not a short race by any means. I just lost the car a little bit at the end and he was able to make a move. I am happy to settle for second. It’s good points for the championship, but I wanted the win in front of the home crowd.”


 

Karol Pasiewicz (#25 Olivia Racing Tatuus JR-23): “Obviously, my strategy was just to survive the race and take as many points as I could. The start was pretty difficult as I really messed it up. I finally got up to the leaders after the safety car restart and then I was thinking about trying to go for it, for second place. But I thought I shouldn't risk it because I'm fighting for the championship. I wanted to extend my lead and now everything is focused on winning the championship.”

 

Pasiewicz on Pole as USF Juniors Season Reaches its Climax


 

PALMETTO, Fla. – The USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire season is reaching toward its high point. Only two event weekends remain for the 16-race campaign, starting with this week’s Andersen Corporate Woodworking Grand Prix of Lime Rock. Olivia Racing’s Karol Pasiewicz, from Lodz, Poland, currently holds a commanding 51-point advantage in the quest for a scholarship valued at $251,516 to graduate onto the next step of the USF Pro Championships ladder, USF2000, in 2027.


 

A pair of races will be run on Saturday, July 11, marking the series’ first appearance at the short but challenging 1.53-mile, seven-turn Lime Rock Park road course in Lakeville, Conn., as part of the highly anticipated NASCAR Craftsman Truck series event.


 

Entry List


 

Despite running as a single-car entry with Olivia Racing and lining up against a phalanx of multi-car teams in which drivers can benefit from sharing critical information and data, Pasiewicz has put together a remarkable debut season of car racing.


 

The former European karting star started out with a hat-trick of second-place finishes on the hybrid oval/road course at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Next time out at Carolina Motorsports Park, he qualified on the front row of the grid for all three races, only to experience a sequence of disappointments and a best finish of only 11th.


 

Undaunted, Pasiewicz bounced back by dominating all three races at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. He then added two more pole positions and a pair of top-five results last week at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course to cement himself as a firm favorite to secure top honors.


 

The battle behind Pasiewicz is intense with Fairfax, Va.-based Lebanese Max Mokarem currently holding down second place. The next seven contenders are blanketed by a mere 37 points. A maximum score for each race comprises 30 points for the win plus additional points for pole position, fastest race lap and leading most laps.


 

Mokarem leads the charge for Zanella Racing, which won the 2025 title chase through the efforts of Florida-based Brazilian Leonardo Escorpioni (who now tops the USF Pro 2000 championship chase after an emphatic hat-trick last weekend at Mid-Ohio). Mokarem won two of the opening three races.


 

Fellow rookie Zanella teammates Olivier Mrak, from Ottawa, Que., Canada, and another Florida-based Brazilian, Victor Couto, have been knocking on the door of Victory Lane, as have Canadian Cole Medeiros and Bex Cranston as the leading two representatives of Exclusive Autosport.


 

Cranston, in particular, has high expectations for this week, hailing from nearby Greenwich, Conn., and having claimed his maiden podium finish just last weekend. He also posted the fastest time during a rain-affected test day on Tuesday.


 

The two youngest drivers in the field, Edward Kennedy, from Mont-Tremblant, Que., and Dutchman Dean Hoogendoorn, were unable to take part in the opening two events of the season which occurred before their 14th birthdays, but they have burst onto the scene in recent weeks. 


 

Kennedy became the youngest ever USF Juniors race winner when he took the checkered flag last Friday at Mid-Ohio (and promptly won again on Saturday), while fellow former karting star Hoogendoorn, a member of the Williams F1 Team Driver Academy, who is just four days younger, secured a pair of podium finishes. Hoogendoorn also was fastest in two of the three Tuesday test sessions.


 

A condensed schedule will comprise 30 minutes of practice at 10:00 a.m. EDT today, July 10, and a single 20-minute qualifying session at 2:45 p.m. which will determine the starting order for a pair of 35-lap races on Saturday at 11:15 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.


 

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


 

 

Kennedy Becomes Youngest Ever

USF Juniors Winner


 


 

LEXINGTON, Ohio – VRD Racing’s Edward Kennedy became the youngest driver to win a USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire race this afternoon in the first of two races that comprise the USF Pro Patriot 250 Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio. Kennedy, from Mont-Tremblant, Que., Canada, was too young to contest the opening two race weekends of the season but has quickly made his presence known.


 

After a strong debut last month at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, where he earned a best finish of fourth, Kennedy, who only turned 14 on May 8, took the lead from polesitter and championship leader Karol Pasiewicz (Olivia Racing) halfway around the opening lap in hot, humid conditions and held on to win in just his fourth start. At 14 years, one month and 26 days, he eclipsed current INDY NXT driver Nikita Johnson, who was previously the youngest USF Juniors winner at 14 years, two months and six days.


 

Pasiewicz, from Lodz, Poland, actually strengthened his points advantage by finishing second ahead of another 14-year-old, Dutchman Dean Hoogendoorn aboard a second VRD Racing entry.


 

Results


 

Pasiewicz continued his excellent work from Canadian Tire Motorsport Park last month by once again topping the charts during qualifying this morning to secure his fourth successive Continental Tire Pole Award. Denmark’s Casper Nissen was second fastest for JHDD powered by ECR ahead of Kennedy and fellow Canadian Olivier Mrak for Zanella Racing.


 

Kennedy, however, drove impressively around the outside of Mrak to take second place at the Keyhole, Turn Two on the opening lap, then also passed Pasiewicz for the lead at the end of the back straightaway.


 

Farther down the field, a couple of Zanella Racing entries unfortunately attempted to occupy the same piece of road between Turns Four and Five, after which some more inadvertent contact between Cranston and Nissen pitched the Dane into the wall at the exit of Turn Nine.


 

Mrak benefited from Nissen’s unfortunate early exit, only to make a mistake of his own and spin at Turn One immediately after the restart, which brought out the caution flags again.


 

The scrappy start thankfully gave way to a clear run to the checkers for the remainder of the 20-lap race. Pasiewicz never allowed Kennedy much breathing space, but the youngster never put a wheel wrong. He also underlined his performance by setting a new fastest lap on each of the final two laps before taking the checkered flags almost one second clear.


 

A drive-through penalty to Cranston for avoidable contact elevated Hoogendoorn to fourth, which the Williams F1 Team Driver Academy member maintained all the way to the finish despite the best efforts of Englishman Max Cuthbert for JHDD powered by ECR, who had worked his way impressively from 10th at the start.


 

Mexico’s Elias Vignola (DEForce Racing) earned a career-best fifth ahead of early season pacesetter Max Mokarem, from Fairfax, Va., who vaulted from fourth in the points to second.


 

Brenden Cooley (Exclusive Autosport), from Mokena, Ill., also was in close contention at the finish, while a spin for Florida-based Brazilian Victor Couto (Zanella Racing) at Turn One on the final lap elevated Canadian Cole Medeiros (Exclusive Autosport) to eighth.


 

JW Main, from Tulsa, Okla., claimed the Tilton Hard Charger Award for JHDD powered by ECR with a ninth-place finish after starting almost at the rear of the field in 19th.


 

VRD Racing’s Dan Mitchell took his fourth PFC Award of the season as the winning car owner.


 

The second and concluding race of the weekend for USF Juniors will see the green flag bright and early tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. EDT.


 

Provisional championship points after 10 of 16 races:

1. Karol Pasiewicz, 186

2. Max Mokarem, 171

3. Ivan Machado Perez, 167

4. Olivier Mrak, 164

5. Cole Medeiros, 150

6. Victor Couto, 147

7. Vilho Aatola, 132

8. Bex Cranston, 123

9. Casper Nissen, 119

10. Leonardo Serravalle, 115


 

Edward Kennedy (#30 VRD Racing Tatuus JR-23): “I thought I really had nothing to lose from third because usually a leader gets a gap after Turn One. And I decided to go to the outside in Turn Two. Everyone's on the inside, so I knew someone was going to bunch up. I just sent it to them on the outside. And I was in second place. It was really good. At the end of straight, I did the same thing. But we had amazing pace the whole race. I would love to thank VRD Racing. I feel amazing. I'm so lucky to be here. I'm so lucky to win.”


 

Karol Pasiewicz (#25 Olivia Racing Tatuus JR-23): “He was really quick from the beginning. I did some mistakes at the beginning as well and that's where he pulled away. A little bit of a tricky restart and I lost all my pace in the middle of the race again and I had to keep calm and try to catch him. It was a really difficult race. I would like to thank Olivia for putting up the best car in the paddock. I was playing for the championship and not for the win.”


 

Dean Hoogendoorn (#12 Williams F1 Team Driver Academy-VRD Racing Tatuus JR-23): “Obviously the race was super hot. The pace was definitely there compared to qually as well. On new tires the race was really good. We were catching Eddie and Pasiewicz in the race. Small mistakes made us lose out to the front but I think I'm quite happy with what we achieved in this race.”


 

 

 

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