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USF Pro 2000 Championship

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

www.usfpro2000.com

Rampant Garcia Extends

USF Pro 2000 Points Lead at Mid-Ohio

gavin baker

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Max Garcia was in a class of his own during this weekend’s PFC Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio. The 16-year-old from Coconut Grove, Fla., dominated both 30-lap USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire races for Pabst Racing in blisteringly hot conditions at the challenging Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, scooping a maximum 66 points and extending his already commanding championship lead.

TJ Speed Motorsports’ Ariel Elkin, from Haifa, Israel, and Garcia’s teammate Jacob Douglas, from Christchurch, New Zealand, shared the second-place finishes, well in arrears of Garcia, as Max Taylor (VRD Racing), from Hoboken, N.J., and Mac Clark (Exclusive Autosport), from Milton, Ont., Canada, completed the podium placings.

Race 1 Results

Race 2 Results

For the second race weekend in a row, Garcia displayed prodigious pace in qualifying. The lone session on Friday saw Garcia outpace everyone by almost a full half-second to ensure another Continental Tire Pole Award, with Elkin lining up alongside for the first of today’s two 30-lap races.

The story of this morning’s race was almost identical. Following a brief full-course caution after five laps when George Garciarce, from Guadalajara, Mexico, spun into the gravel at Turn Two due to contact with Logan Adams (Comet/NCMP Racing), from Greenfield, Ind., Garcia simply accelerated away from the field and was never remotely under challenge. His eventual winning margin was a comfortable 7.3545 seconds. Job done.

Elkin was similarly untroubled in second, while an early back-and-forth tussle for third between Alessandro de Tullio, from Miami, Fla., who qualified third for Turn 3 Motorsport, and VRD Racing’s Max Taylor, who started seventh, was settled well before the finish in Taylor’s favor.

De Tullio cemented his claim to fourth place after edging clear of Douglas in the closing stages.

Another New Zealander, Sebastian Manson, collected the Tilton Hard Charger Award for TJ Speed Motorsports having risen from 16th on the grid to ninth at the checkered flag.

Garcia completed his weekend sweep of Continental Tire Pole Awards, once again ensuring himself of the inside of the front row of the grid for Race Two. Although this time it wasn’t quite as clear cut. Garcia’s second-fastest lap during qualifying on Friday had been significantly faster than anyone else, but against the odds – and despite the high heat and humidity during Race One – the majority of the field turned laps faster than in qualifying. Garcia was again top of the pile, but by only 0.0335 of a second over teammate Douglas.

VRD Racing’s Frankie Mossman, from Newport Beach, Calif., lined up third having taken the opportunity during this morning’s race to make a pit stop for a fresh set of Continental tires.

Garcia once again took off into the lead this evening, extending his advantage to over three seconds before being pegged back after 10 laps when Canadian debutant Nick Gilkes’ Jay Howard Driver Development car ground to a halt on the race track with a mechanical problem.

Once that had been cleared, Garcia continued his master class by extending his lead with every lap. He even posted new fastest race laps on each of the final four laps of the 30-lap race before taking the checkered flag 9.6659 seconds clear of Douglas.

A fine start saw Clark vault from sixth on the grid to third, where he remained for the duration.

Mossman enjoyed by far his best race of the season by finishing close behind in fourth, with Elkin a disappointed fifth.

Carson Etter, from Villa Park, Calif., earned his first Tilton Hard Charger Award of the season after climbing from 17th on the grid to 12th for Exclusive Autosport.

Pabst Racing’s Augie Pabst pocketed another pair of PFC Awards as the winning car owner.

Can anyone stop Garcia’s charge toward a second successive USF Pro Championships crown? Only four races remain, starting with another doubleheader event in two weeks’ time, July 18-20, on the Streets of Toronto, Ont., Canada, where last year’s USF2000 champion will have an opportunity to clinch another title – and a scholarship valued at $594,500 – to facilitate his progression to the next step of the ladder, INDY NXT, in 2026.

Provisional championship points after 14 of 18 rounds:

1. Max Garcia, 384

2. Ariel Elkin, 287

3. Mac Clark, 279

4. Alessandro de Tullio, 267

5. Jacob Douglas, 243

6. Max Taylor, 237

7. Michael Costello, 169

8. Nicholas Monteiro, 162

9. Cooper Becklin, 156

10. Joey Brienza, 141.

Race 1:

Max Garcia (#18 Advance Auto Parts/USF Pro Championships/Bell/OMP-Pabst Racing Tatuus IP-22): “It was an awesome race. I was able to break away and then was just managing for most of it. The last 10 laps I was pushing to get fastest lap. I think we maxed the points again, which is awesome. I can't wait to get out there and do another 30 laps later on today.”

Ariel Elkin (#27 Zero Network/Swift Garage-TJ Speed Motorsports Tatuus IP-22): “An amazing race here in Mid-Ohio for Race One. We managed to do everything possible in qualifying, and we put the car on the front row. I was happy to maintain P2. I was trying to do the best, but pretty happy with the result.”

Max Taylor (#88 PINK/Susan G Komen Foundation/Unicorn-VRD Racing Tatuus IP-22): “I think it was a really strong race all things considered. I made up four spots on the opening lap, taking advantage of the chaos ahead and picking them off one by one. I went for a move on Elkin but just couldn't get it done. It's definitely hard to pass around here. I just managed it from there and then pushed the last 10 laps. The VRD guys gave me a great car. I was able to execute a good race. So overall, I'm pretty happy.”

Race 2:

Max Garcia (#18 Advance Auto Parts/USF Pro Championships/Bell/OMP-Pabst Racing Tatuus IP-22): “Great race. I was able to get out to a big lead and control it, and was managing the whole race. It was a really fun weekend for sure, and I can't wait to get back going in Toronto.”

Jacob Douglas (#19 DouglasFay Group/Fleet Cost & Care-Pabst Racing Tatuus IP-22): “We managed to improve our grid position in Race One today, which was great. So, I started P2 and just stayed in P2 the whole time. I had some pressure from Mac but managed to pull away at the end. It’s great to get on the podium here at Mid-Ohio after a tricky qualifying yesterday, and get some good points for the championship.”

Mac Clark (#90 Corpay Cross-Border Solutions/Clubine Motorsports-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus IP-22): “It was a tough race . Thirty laps is a long time in the Pro car. It is always a pleasure to drive here at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and a great way to end our weekend. We had a little bit of a rough qualifying and then not a great result in Race One after contact on the first lap. So, happy to be back on the box. We have some good momentum heading into our home race in Toronto. I'm really looking forward to that next week.”

USF Pro Championships’ Full House at Mid-Ohio

PALMETTO, Fla. – All three levels on the USF Pro Championships Presented by Continental Tire open-wheel driver development ladder will be in action this Fourth of July weekend at the challenging Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

The PFC Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course will allow young drivers in USF Pro 2000, USF2000 and USF Juniors to display their talents alongside the NTT INDY CAR SERIES and INDY NXT as all three championship chases are reaching a pivotal point in the season.

Garcia Paces in USF Pro 2000

Two weeks ago at Road America, Max Garcia strengthened his USF Pro 2000 championship lead as he bids to become the third driver in the past 12 years to claim back-to-back titles in USF2000 and USF Pro 2000. The last two to achieve the feat were Kyle Kirkwood, in 2018/2019, and Christian Rasmussen, in 2020/2021. Both will be among the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field this weekend – alongside another dozen USF Pro Championship graduates.

Garcia, 16, from Coconut Grove, Fla., scored five race wins on his way to claiming the USF2000 title last year for Pabst Racing. Three poles and a pair of victories at Road America took his 2025 season tally to four and his points lead to 72 with six races remaining on the schedule.

Entry List

The battle for second place has intensified with five drivers currently bracketed by 45 points. A hat-trick of podium finishes has vaulted Canadian Mac Clark (Exclusive Autosport) to the position of closest challenger to Garcia, merely one point ahead of Israeli rookie Ariel Elkin, who has won three times for TJ Speed Motorsports after stepping up directly from USF Juniors.

Alessandro de Tullio, from Miami, Fla., also has three wins to his credit for Turn 3 Motorsport, although his most recent victory came at NOLA Motorsports Park in May. He now lies 12 markers adrift of Clark.

Last year’s USF Juniors champion Max Taylor (VRD Racing), from Hoboken, N.J., who secured his first win at Road America, and New Zealander Jacob Douglas (Pabst Racing) also remain in the mix, 32 and 33 points, respectively, behind de Tullio.

Nick Gilkes, from Richmond Hill, Ont., Canada, is set to make his USF Pro 2000 debut with Jay Howard Driver Development in advance of an event at his home track on the streets of Toronto in two weeks’ time. Gilkes, a former Ontario Formula Ford 1600 Champion, also has achieved success in Europe in recent years.

A pair of 45-minute test sessions on Thursday, July 3, will commence activities for the USF Pro 2000 competitors, followed by 30 minutes of practice at 9:45 a.m. EDT on Friday and the lone qualifying session at 12:15 p.m. A pair of 30-lap races will be held on Saturday, July 5, starting at 11:55 a.m. and 5:15 p.m..

Home Hero Schrage Leads USF2000 Title Fight

Even though Thomas Schrage’s run of seven consecutive USF2000 podium finishes for VRD Racing, including two victories, came to an end in the most recent race at Road America, the 20-year-old from Bethel, Ohio, will make the short trip to his home track this weekend with a 27-point advantage over his nearest challenger, Exclusive Autosport’s Jack Jeffers.

Schrage has been looking forward to this event for the entire season. He won twice at Mid-Ohio en route to claiming the FRP Formula 1600 Championship in 2022 and impressed on his USF2000 debut at the same venue in 2023, overcoming a mechanical problem in qualifying to notch a pair of top-10 finishes and a clean sweep of three Tilton Hard Charger Awards. A second partial campaign in 2024 – and his maiden outing with VRD Racing – yielded his first fastest race lap, pole position and podium finish.

Entry List

Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, began his year as the closest challenger to Englishman Liam McNeilly, who blitzed the first five races in a row for Jay Howard Driver Development before visa difficulties prevented him from continuing. Jeffers finished second in each of the first three races and looked set to strengthen his title challenge after taking pole for both of the most recent races at Road America.

Unfortunately, a crash in the opening race left Jeffers on the back foot, although he remains solidly in title contention.

Jeffers’ miscue has opened the door for a second VRD Racing challenger, Teddy Musella. The rookie from Orlando, Fla., last year’s Ligier JS F4 champion, took both poles at the Indianapolis Grand Prix circuit in May. After following home Schrage in a fine one-two VRD finish in Race One at Road America, Musella went on to claim his maiden victory in Race Two. He has now closed to within nine points of Jeffers with six races remaining – starting with this weekend’s tripleheader.

Other likely contenders will include Pabst Racing’s G3 Argyros, from Newport Beach, Calif., and Caleb Gafrarar, from Charlotte, N.C., while last year’s Mazda Scholarship Shootout contender Vaughn Mishko, from Sylvan Lake, Mich., will make his USF2000 debut with DEForce Racing.

Two 45-minute test sessions on Thursday and 30 minutes of official practice at 8:55 a.m. on Friday will lead into the crucial single USF2000 qualifying session at 11:25 a.m., which will help determine the grids for all three races – one at 2:05 p.m. on Friday, a second at 4:20 p.m. on Saturday and the finale at 8:20 a.m. on Sunday, July 6.

Game On in USF Juniors

The top four drivers in a hotly contested USF Juniors championship are separated by only 23 points heading into this weekend’s Mid-Ohio doubleheader. The battle for the Teams Championship also is hotly contested with just 17 points separating Zanella Racing from VRD Racing.

Each team has two protagonists in the chase. Zanella currently leads the way with Florida-based Brazilian Leonardo Escorpioni, a three-time winner, holding a mere seven-point edge over top rookie Oliver Wheldon (VRD). The 14-year-old younger brother of Sebastian (both sons of the late, lamented Dan Wheldon), from St. Petersburg, Fla., is still seeking his maiden victory, despite having finished on the podium in seven of the first eight races of the season.

Entry List

Young Canadian rookie Ty Fisher, aboard a second Zanella entry, and another Florida-based Brazilian, Joao Vergara (VRD) have two wins apiece and stand 19 and 23 points off the lead, respectively. Half of the season – eight races – remain on the schedule.

Australian Liam Loiacono also is in the title chase for Jay Howard Driver Development, especially after claiming an emphatic maiden victory in the most recent race – in the wet at Mid-Ohio during the IMSA weekend in early June. Loiacono trails Escorpioni by 40 points with a total of 66 available this weekend.

The inclement weather in June saw Emma Scarborough (InterMS), from Senoia, Ga., and Kaylee Countryman (Exclusive Autosport), from Chandler, Ariz., secure their maiden top-10 finishes, while a third female, locally based Maddie Colleran, from Hunting Valley, Ohio, also seeks to continue her learning curve with Zanella Racing.

Chase Fernandez, from Manchester, England, a race winner already this year in the British F4 series, will make his USF Juniors debut with Jay Howard Driver Development.

In common with the other two USF Pro Championships series, a pair of 45-minute test sessions will start the weekend ball rolling for USF Juniors on Thursday afternoon. A busy day on Friday will comprise practice at 8:05 a.m., qualifying at 10:35 a.m. and the first race at 1:05 p.m. Race Two is set to see a green flag at 9:40 a.m. on Saturday.

Full coverage, including timing and live streaming, can be found on the free USF Pro Championships App, YouTube channel and respective series’ websites, usfpro2000.com, usf2000.com and usfjuniors.com.

USF JUNIORS

usfjuniors.com.

USF 2000 Championship

www.usf2000.com

Game on in USF2000 as Jeffers Wins Again at Mid-Ohio

gavin baker

LEXINGTON, Ohio –The battle for the USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire championship could not be closer. Exclusive Autosport’s Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, claimed a hard-fought victory this morning in the third and final race of the PFC Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio weekend, and is now tied on points with local driver Thomas Schrage, from Bethel, Ohio, who finished hot on his heels in second place for VRD Racing.

Jeffers currently holds the favor of a tie-break on the basis of one more race win – three to two – than Schrage.

Teddy Musella, from Orlando, Fla., also was in the fight for the victory at the end of a thrilling race which ended with the top five cars separated by a mere 1.4595 seconds after 20 laps around the undulating 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course.

Results

For the third day running, Schrage, from Bethel, Ohio, lined up at the head of the field for the start having earned his third Continental Tire Pole Award of the season by virtue of posting the best of each driver’s second-fastest laps during the lone qualifying session on Friday.

He was hoping for rather better fortune than the past two days, and all seemed well as he maintained his advantage for the first two laps, albeit under intense pressure from Jeffers, who again had started second.

On Lap Three, Jeffers executed a brilliant pass for the lead under braking at the end of the long back straightaway, heading into Turn Four, and for a while he seemed to be in a class of his own.

Jeffers was simply imperious during the first 10 laps, quickly opening up a gap of six seconds to the pursuing pack, which was still led by Schrage.

But the complexion of the race changed completely when the Pace Car was scrambled following an incident in Turn Nine when Ryan Giannetta (VRD Racing), from Redondo Beach, Calif., lost control at the exit. Giannetta, unfortunately, was collected by Canadian Anthony Martella (Jay Howard Driver Development), who himself had made a mistake earlier while running 10th and was attempting to recover positions.

The restart came with seven laps remaining, and this time Jeffers was unable to shake off his pursuers. Schrage appeared to have marginally the faster car, but Jeffers was inch perfect and held on to score another fine victory, his third of the season.

Jeffers set his fastest lap of the race last time around, although his hopes of gaining an extra championship point were foiled by Exclusive Autosport teammate, Evan Cooley, who snagged the extra point on the final lap.

Musella was very much part of the lead battle in third, as were Brazilian Lucas Fecury, who drove by far his best race for Exclusive Autosport, and Friday race winner Caleb Gafrarar (Pabst Racing), from Charlotte, Calif., who had lost out to Fecury in Turn Four on Lap 14.

The DEForce Racing duo of Jeshua Alianell, from The Woodlands, Texas, and Sebastian Garzon, from Neiva, Colombia, were only a second further back in sixth and seventh, having exchanged positions on Lap Six, with Christian Cameron (VRD Racing), from Sonoma, Calif., G3 Argyros (Pabst Racing), from Newport Beach, Calif., and Cooley all snapping at their heels.

Alianell’s best showing since he finished on the podium in the first race of the season at St. Petersburg, Fla., earned him the Tilton Hard Charger Award having lined up 10th on the grid.

The PFC Award once again was claimed by Exclusive Autosport’s Michael Duncalfe and Joshua Cooley as the winning car owners.

Five races remain in the USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire season – a doubleheader up next on the challenging Streets of Toronto in Canada on July 18-20, followed by a tripleheader finale on the West Coast at the Portland International Raceway road course in Portland, Ore, on August 8/10.

Provisional championship points after 13 of 18 races:

1. Jack Jeffers, 288

2. Thomas Schrage, 288

3. Teddy Musella, 256

4. G3 Argyros, 219

5. Caleb Gafrarar, 212

6. Evan Cooley, 190

7. Liam McNeilly, 163

8. Anthony Martella, 156

9. Lucas Fecury, 148

10. Sebastian Garzon, 147.

Jack Jeffers (#92 Corpay Cross Border Solutions-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-22): “The beginning was good. I was able to pull a gap while they [second and third] were battling. I kind of suspected a full-course caution was going to come out because that's the nature of this track, and so it came out. We had a good restart, and they were pressuring me the whole race. They've both been very fast all weekend, so I was never going to count them out. I had to go defensive one time in Turn Four but other than that, I had it covered off and we were able to hold on to the end. Road America was a poor performance on my part, and I had to go home and really do some self-reflecting, and just be brutally honest with myself. I'm glad that I could regroup and reset the right way. I had the right team behind me to help me with that. They've never lost faith in me. They've always had my back from day one back in 2023. I have the best team out there. Huge thank you to the whole EA crew.”

Thomas Schrage (#2 TireDiscounters/Doug Mockett & Company/Airport Electric Service/Boys & Girls Clubs-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “We started on pole once again, and we've had a really quick car this weekend. Yesterday wasn't a good day for us. We finished 11th. And today, I guess I can't let it get to me too much. I don't know if we had the quickest car. I just drove a smart race and even though the points lead slips away from me, I'm not too worried about it. I just have to focus forward. It was a rougher weekend after qualifying than we thought it would be. We survived it and the championship is mostly even, so we just have to go back at it in Toronto.”

Teddy Musella (#25 Triarsi Competizione/Don’t Sleep Energy Drink-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “I feel like it's kind of an unfortunate result. I think we should have gotten a little bit more. I feel like we had one of the quickest cars the whole weekend. Getting third is a good result, but I think we should have got more.”

jeffers Wins at Mid-Ohio

to Tighten USF2000 Title Chase

gavin baker

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, drove a textbook race today at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for Exclusive Autosport. Jeffers’ second win of the USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire season moved him to within five points of Ohioan Thomas Schrage, who suffered a disappointing day after starting on pole position for VRD Racing.

Friday race winner Caleb Gafrarar, from Charlotte, N.C., finished hot on the tail of Jeffers for Pabst Racing, while VRD’s Teddy Musella, from Orlando, Fla., took third.

Results

Schrage, from Bethel, Ohio, once again started at the front of the field after claiming his second Continental Tire Pole Award during qualifying on Friday, when he posted the best of each driver’s second-fastest laps.

A messy start to the race saw the Pace Car scrambled almost immediately due to a mid-pack coming-together between several cars just moments after the green flag flew. Unfortunately, both Ayrton Houk (Benchmark Autosport), from McCordsville, Ind., and Ryan Giannetta (VRD Racing), from Redondo Beach, Calif., were eliminated.

The restart proved disastrous for Schrage, who hesitated when the green flag flew and was immediately enveloped by the pack. Worse, contact a little later in the lap caused some front end damage which eventually forced him into the pits for repairs.

Jeffers needed no second bidding. He immediately swept into the lead, which he maintained after another brief full-course caution when VRD Racing’s Christian Cameron, from Sonoma, Calif., found himself shuffled into the gravel at the exit of Turn Two.

Musella and Gafrarar, who rebounded quickly from an early miscue, kept the pressure on Jeffers throughout the 20-lap race. Musella was the primary aggressor in the early stages, but a fired-up Gafrarar found a way past with four laps remaining and continued to challenge hard in the closing stages before finally being forced to settle for second.

Musella couldn’t quite match that pace in the waning laps but still held onto third ahead of the second Pabst Racing entry of G3 Argyros, from Newport Beach, Calif.

Brazilian Lucas Fecury and Exclusive Autosport teammate Evan Cooley, from Mokena, Ill., also were close behind at the checkered flag.

For the second day running, Australia’s Eddie Beswick secured the Tilton Hard Charger Award for Synergy Motorsport after keeping his nose clean and climbing from 15th on the grid to seventh.

Exclusive Autosport’s Michael Duncalfe and Joshua Cooley took the PFC Award as the winning car owners.

The PFC Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio tripleheader race weekend will conclude bright and early tomorrow, Sunday, July 6, at 8:20 a.m. EDT, immediately prior to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ final warmup.

Provisional championship points after 12 of 18 races:

1. Thomas Schrage, 262

2. Jack Jeffers, 257

3. Teddy Musella, 234

4. G3 Argyros, 207

5. Caleb Gafrarar, 195

6. Evan Cooley, 178

7. Liam McNeilly, 163

8. Anthony Martella, 152

9. Sebastian Garzon, 133

10. Lucas Fecury, 129.

Jack Jeffers (#92 Corpay Cross Border Solutions-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-22): “It was a good race. We were able to get Schrage on the restart. I think we caught him sleeping a little bit, and we were able to capitalize on that. From there, it was about running my own race, getting a good restart and kinda managing it. I realized that Teddy and Caleb had a little bit more pace than me, but I didn't get worried. It was just about managing and holding my position. So I started backing up a little bit, trying to back Teddy into Caleb, hoping they could battle. At the end it was about managing Caleb. Honestly, I was just focusing on my [corner] exits, making sure I got good runs so he can't have a shot at me at the next corner. I feel I managed it well, and we were able to come in with the win.”

Caleb Gafrarar (#24 Circle K/Bell/Racing Electronics/Molecule-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “I thought my race was pretty solid. I fell back at the start when they went full-course yellow. Just some miscommunication, but no problem at all. Then we started coming back through. People were making mistakes in front of me and I just took advantage of it and worked my way back forward. I was right there with Jack at the end and I thought I might be able to get him. I tried to go for a Hail Mary at the last corner but couldn’t make it stick. So, settled for P2 and I’m happy with it. I can’t wait to see what we can do tomorrow.”

Teddy Musella (#25 Triarsi Competizione/Don’t Sleep Energy Drink-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “It was very challenging. Jack had great pace and eventually I just made a bit of a mistake and Caleb got by. That dropped me to P3 and from there on I was just keeping the position. We had some good race pace so we should be good for tomorrow.”

Gafrarar Scores Maiden USF2000 Victory at Mid-Ohio

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Former karting star Caleb Gafrarar, from Charlotte, N.C., made the most of a slice of good fortune this afternoon at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and went on to claim a deserved maiden USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire victory for Pabst Racing.

The first of three races that will comprise the PFC Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio saw Exclusive Autosport’s Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, finish second ahead of his main championship rival – and polesitter – Thomas Schrage (VRD Racing), from Bethel, Ohio.

Results

Points leader Schrage languished fourth on the timing charts heading into the final few minutes of the crucial lone qualifying session this morning. But he sprung into life when it mattered, finally finding enough space for a few clear laps and scooping his first Continental Tire Pole Award of the season in the waning moments.

After the first attempt at a start was waved off because the field was too spread out, Schrage narrowly held his lead for the first few laps, although it was already apparent that he didn’t have the same pace advantage as he had during qualifying. Jeffers finally took advantage by making a late lunge for the inside under braking for Turn Four, at the end of the main straightaway, with three laps in the books.

The maneuver sent Schrage onto the grass at the exit of the corner and allowed a close following Gafrarar to slip through into second.

But a couple of laps later, after Ryan Giannetta’s VRD Racing Tatuus ground to a halt on the track and resulted in the Honda Civic Type-R Pace Car being deployed, the race stewards found the time to review the earlier incident between Jeffers and Schrage. They determined that Jeffers’ move was overly aggressive and ordered him to fall in line behind Schrage.

The problem for Jeffers by that time, of course, was that Gafrarar, too, had overtaken the polesitter. So at the restart it was Gafrarar leading the field with Jeffers and Schrage in his wake.

Jeffers looked to have a faster car at this juncture in the 20-lap race, with a dozen laps still remaining. He quickly overtook Schrage, once again under braking for Turn Four, and proceeded to pile the pressure on Gafrarar, but the rookie held his ground, then reeled off a series of quick laps to extend his margin in the closing stages and earn a fine victory.

Jeffers had to make do with second, while Schrage’s car became more to his liking in the closing stages and he was able to maintain his points lead in third ahead of teammate Teddy Musella, from Orlando, Fla.

Brazilian Lucas Fecury equaled his career-best finish for Exclusive Autosport in fifth, followed by the youngest driver in the field, 15-year-old Christian Cameron. The youngster from Sonoma, Calif., qualified a fine fourth for VRD Racing but had to fight his way back toward the front after slipping to eighth in the early laps.

Fellow rookie Eddie Beswick, from Sydney, Australia, earned his third Tilton Hard Charger Award of the season for Synergy Motorsport after rising from 13th on the grid to 10th.

The PFC Award as the winning car owner was claimed for the first time this season by Pabst Racing’s Augie Pabst.

The tripleheader event will continue tomorrow with the green flag for Race Two set for 4:20 p.m. EDT, followed by the finale at 8:20 a.m. on Sunday, immediately prior to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ final warmup.

Provisional championship points after 11 of 18 races:

1. Thomas Schrage, 251

2. Jack Jeffers, 226

3. Teddy Musella, 212

4. G3 Argyros, 188

5. Caleb Gafrarar, 170

6. Liam McNeilly, 163

7. Evan Cooley, 163

8. Anthony Martella, 143

9. Sebastian Garzon, 124

10. Christian Cameron, 118.

Caleb Gafrarar (#24 Circle K/Bell/Racing Electronics/Molecule-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “This is awesome. I can't thank the guys enough for giving me the race car to do it. Right when that yellow came out, I was like, I think the car is coming in right now. And when I got to start in the front for the restart, I was like, alright, I think we can get away. The car got faster and faster as well. I just started pushing a little bit more; keep it fast, but not over do it. Let's just keep it going for the weekend.”

Jack Jeffers (#92 Corpay Cross Border Solutions-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-22): “Mixed emotions here. You know, I feel I made a fair move for the lead, and they penalized me for it. So, I had to drop back to third and then got back around Thomas for second. I was a little bit faster, but this track, you know, once we all even out and we all have the same pace, it's tough to pass. So, second to Caleb. He's one of my really good friends off track, so I'm happy for him. Happy that he got his maiden win, but, honestly, I feel like that one was ours and I feel like it got it taken away from us. But it's already in the past, so it's time to look forward and move on to tomorrow.”

Thomas Schrage (#2 TireDiscounters/Doug Mockett & Company/Airport Electric Service/Boys & Girls Clubs-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “I would say I gave it away a little too easy today. I don't think we had the fastest car, and I kinda knew that from the start. I know that we're starting up front for all three races, so I didn't really force anything. I tried to just keep clear of the trouble and just drive my own race. Hopefully, we come back tomorrow and we can get a win. I'd call it another subpar day, but it's a podium finish so we'll take it.”

Escorpioni Extends USF Juniors Points Lead with Mid-Ohio Win

LEXINGTON, Ohio – Leonardo Escorpioni came from behind this afternoon to claim a sublime victory in the first leg of the PFC Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio doubleheader for USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire. Escorpioni, from Windermere, Fla., grasped the lead from Zanella Racing teammate Ty Fisher following a mid-race restart and led the remainder of the 20-lap distance to claim his fourth victory of the season and extend his championship lead to 23 points over Oliver Wheldon, who finished fourth for VRD Racing.

Another Florida-based Brazilian, Joao Vergara, maintained his championship aspirations by finishing a close second, while early pacesetter Fisher had to settle for third.

Results

Fisher, 14, from White Rock, B.C., Canada, was the fastest man in qualifying this morning, duly securing his second Continental Tire Pole Award of the season. Escorpioni was less than one tenth of a second slower to assure himself a starting position on the outside of the front row. VRD teammates Wheldon, from St. Petersburg, Fla., and Vergara shared row two.

A couple of midfield incidents broke up the first half of the race with Fisher narrowly holding onto his lead. But Escorpioni made a strong restart at the second time of asking as the two teammates jostled for the top spot. They successfully negotiated the majority of the undulating Esses, between Turns Four and Six, in side-by-side formation, displaying tremendous respect for each other’s abilities without either wanting to give an inch.

But it was Escorpioni who prevailed, with Vergara, who had displaced Wheldon following an earlier restart on Lap Seven, also snapping at his heels. Next time around under braking at the top of the hill for Turn Two, Vergara saw a small opening and went for it. Second place was his reward.

Vergara then set a new fastest lap of the race on Laps 12 and 13 in his pursuit of Escorpioni, while Fisher, in third, reset the mark next time around as the three leaders remained in close formation.

Wheldon, unfortunately, by this stage was no longer in the mix for the win following a skirmish at the exit of the final corner with Jay Howard Driver Development’s Liam Loiacono, from Queensland, Australia, up from eighth on the grid, which saw Wheldon being edged wide onto the grass. The consequent massive loss of momentum relegated Wheldon briefly to eighth.

The battle for the lead intensified in the closing stages as Escorpioni and Vergara traded fastest race laps with Fisher also hot on their heels. Escorpioni, though, was up to the challenge, and eventually took the checkered flags just 0.7921 of a second ahead of Vergara. Fisher finished just behind the pair of them in third.

Lioacono couldn’t quite match the leading pace in fourth, but remained clear of Rodrigo Gonzalez, from Mexico City, Mexico, who was fifth for DEForce Racing ahead of the recovering Wheldon.

DEForce Racing’s Vilho Aatola, from Turku, Finland, drove well from a disappointing 12th on the grid to eighth ahead of Diego Guiot (Zanella Racing), from The Woodlands, Texas, Brenden Cooley (Exclusive Autosport), from Mokena, Ill., and the younger of the Gonzalez brothers, Patricio, who earned his first Tilton Hard Charger Award of the season after rising from 18th on the grid to 10th.

Juan and Jessica Zanella took home their sixth PFC Award of the season as the winning car owners.

The USF Juniors weekend will conclude with a second 20-lap race at 9:40 a.m. EDT tomorrow in advance of the second practice session for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES contenders.

Provisional championship points after nine of 16 races:

1. Leonardo Escorpioni, 219

2. Oliver Wheldon, 196

3. Ty Fisher, 193

4. Joao Vergara, 191

5. Liam Loiacono, 167

6. Vilho Aatola, 145

7 Rodrigo Gonzalez, 134

8. Diego Guiot, 102

9. Patricio Gonzalez, 93

10. Michael Sumo, 89

Leonardo Escorpioni (#55 Qwilt/Peer 1/Mensalize-Zanella Racing Tatuus JR-23): “We had the championship lead [beforehand] so, honestly, going into the race I was really thinking about [challenging for] the race win. I was thinking about just finishing on the podium and staying there. But then on the restart, I saw an opportunity to pass Ty, and I went for it. We had some pretty good racing going through [Turns] Four, Five and Six, and I was able to pull off the move. I could tell in my mirrors that Joao was pretty quick at the end. It was about staying consistent and staying on track because I know it's really hard to pass through with the dirty air.”

Joao Vergara (#10 Cross/Care code/Son Boron at/Arie-VRD Racing Tatuus JR-23): “I wish we could have gotten the win there at the end. We had a little bit of a problem with [aerodynamic] wash behind Leo. I felt like we were a bit faster. We could have gotten the win. But, nonetheless, it's good points for the championship.”

Ty Fisher (#37 Cedar Coast/Zanella Racing Tatuus JR-23): “It was a good race. I started first and I led the first few laps and then there was a restart. I had a good restart and was able to hold the lead. Then there was another restart and I lost the lead to Leo. I just couldn't hold it. The car was a bit slidey, and it came in really good at the end. We were fast, but it was just a bit too late. We'll be there for tomorrow.”

###

Schrage, Musella Share Road America USF2000 Laurels for VRD

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – VRD Racing teammates Thomas Schrage and Teddy Musella claimed a victory apiece during today’s hotly contested USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire doubleheader.

Schrage, from Bethel, Ohio, padded his championship points lead with a fine win this morning in his first ever race at the famed 4.014-mile road course set in the rural Kettle Moraine countryside near Elkhart Lake, Wis. Musella, from Orlando, Fla., came through for second ahead of Pabst Racing’s G3 Argyros, from Newport Beach, Calif.

Later in the day, Musella held off a concerted challenge from Exclusive Autosport’s Evan Cooley, from Mokena, Ill., for his long overdue maiden USF2000 victory. Harley Keeble, from Grimsby, England, capped a memorable debut by finishing third for Jay Howard Driver Development.

Race 1 Results

Race 2 Results

Regularly among the fastest cars during the recent series test at Road America, Exclusive Autosport carried on its good work when the Elite Engines Grand Prix began in earnest. Jack Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, snagged his first-ever Continental Tire Pole Award during qualifying on Friday, while teammate Cooley circulated only 0.0347 of a second slower to ensure a front row lockout for the Brownsburg, Ind.-based team.

Jeffers maintained his lead at the start but remained under intense pressure as a gaggle of cars squabbled in his wake. Musella immediately jumped into second place on the opening lap, followed by Pabst Racing’s Caleb Gafrarar, from Charlotte, N.C., Cooley and a third Exclusive Autosport entry driven by on-form Brazilian Lucas Fecury. Schrage, who experienced a suspension breakage in qualifying, and Ayrton Houk (Benchmark Autosport), from McCordsville, Ind., also were locked in combat.

Drafting always plays a significant role at the ultra-fast Road America venue, so it came as no surprise on Lap Four to see Musella vault his way into the lead as the pack jostled for position on the long front straightaway.

Unfortunately, while Jeffers clung gamely to the outside line at Turn One, contact with Musella at the exit of the corner sent the title contender’s car hard into the tire barriers and out of the race. Miraculously, no one else was involved as the pack ducked and dived in avoidance. Cue the first of two full-course cautions.

Schrage used the draft at the start to nip past teammate Musella on the approach to Turn One, with Gafrarar also following him through. Gafrarar then took his turn out in front before another incident a little further down the field resulted in the Honda Civic Type R Safety Car being scrambled again.

There was time for only one lap of racing once the track had been cleared, and poor Gafrarar was a sitting duck as the snarling pack raced toward Turn One for the final time. Schrage timed his run to perfection and moved clearly into the lead, followed by Fecury, but behind there was chaos as Gafrarar was tipped into a spin.

Schrage was free and clear as he romped away for his second win of the season. Musella fought past Fecury for second at Turn Six as Argyros, aboard the second Pabst Racing Tatuus, took advantage of the shuffling to complete the podium in third.

Christian Cameron, from Sonoma, Calif., the youngest driver in the field at age 15, completed a magnificent morning for VRD Racing by finishing a career-best fourth ahead of Fecury and Houk.

A little further back in 10th, South African rookie Wian Boshoff rebounded from a major accident during testing to claim the Tilton Hard Charger Award for the hard-working Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Development team after starting 19th.

Race Two this afternoon saw Jeffers once again starting at the front of the field with his second straight Continental Tire Pole Award by virtue of setting the best of every driver’s second-fastest laps during the sole qualifying session on Friday. That was the good news. The bad news was that he would be driving a different car – that of teammate Brenden Cooley (younger brother of Evan) – after his primary chassis had been badly damaged earlier in the day.

The change of car didn’t seem to faze Jeffers – at least in the early stages – as he maintained his lead at the start and, along with teammate Cooley, Gafrarar and Musella began to edge away from the rest of the field.

That luxury didn’t last for long as the race once again was interrupted by a couple of brief cautions due to various incidents among the extremely competitive 21-car field.

Following some remarkably swift work by the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team, the final restart came with a couple of laps remaining. Musella held the lead at this stage, and even though he immediately came under intense siege – due to the draft – at the restart, a brave late-braking maneuver on the inside line enabled him to somehow retain his slight edge at Turn One. He never looked back.

Cooley raced home close behind in second for his career-best result, while Keeble not only impressed, he also drew perhaps the biggest cheer of the day as he arrived at the podium celebrations.

Gafrarar had to be content with fourth, while series leader Schrage chose to play things safe, finishing in 13th after having been obliged to line up 15th on the grid following his qualifying woes.

Schrage’s main title rival, Jeffers, made a couple of mistakes in the closing laps, costing him valuable championship points as he slipped from third to eighth, although he was able to regain one of those positions on the final lap.

Colombia’s Sebastian Garzon earned the Tilton Hard Charger Award for DEForce Racing after rising from 16th on the grid to ninth.

VRD Racing’s Dan Mitchell claimed both PFC Awards as the winning car owner. Mitchell’s fruitful day also saw his team vault into the lead of the Teams Championship for the first time this year.

USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire will return to action in two weeks’ time, once again in support of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, on July 4-6.

Provisional championship points after 10 of 18 races:

1. Thomas Schrage, 228

2. Jack Jeffers, 201

3. Teddy Musella, 192

4. G3 Argyros, 175

5. Liam McNeilly, 163

6. Evan Cooley, 153

7. Caleb Gafrarar, 139

8. Anthony Martella, 129

9. Sebastian Garzon, 115

10. Ayrton Houk, 107.

Race 1:

Thomas Schrage (#2 Doug Mockett & Company/Airport Electric Service/Boys & Girls Clubs-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “I don’t know if we truly had a car to win. The dirty air was really bad and I had a terrible start and that’s all on me. I just stayed cool and I knew I had a lot of laps left. I just picked them off one by one and then Jack was in that huge accident and I was sorry to see that. I was second on that last restart and put myself in a good position. Once I cleared him [Gafrarar], I had an easy run from there. I want to thank Doug Mockett first off – he is the reason why I can race – my dad, Girls and Boys Club of Greater Cincinnati, the Team USA Scholarship and everyone on the VRD team.”

Teddy Musella (#25 Triarsi Competizione/Don’t Sleep Energy Drink-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “I had a really good start. I think we had the quickest car in the first half of the race. And then after the first Safety Car, I got P1. This track is so hard from restarts. I just got freight-trained on the main straight and fell back to fourth. After the second restart, I had a really good start and got through the first turn quite cleanly. Then going to Turn Six, was able to pass Lucas Fecury for second. From there on it was just about keeping the car on track and getting a nice finish for the team with a one-two.”

G3 Argyros (#23 Positive Energy/Elephant Cooperation-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “It was a real exciting race. We started pretty deep in the field in ninth and it was just hectic. I battled with some of the Jay Howard cars in a cat fight, and that lost us a bunch of time. That first restart was our saving grace. We moved up, moved back into contention – just a lot of really intense fighting and that's what Road America breeds. That's why I love it here. And then we were making places up, and I think we would have had a good shot at going forward. That final restart, I mean, I was sweating in the car. It's hot, and, restarts can bring restarts. I knew it was going be a hectic one and I just protected the car. So we went from seventh to third on the last lap and the last lap is the only one that matters.”

Race 2:

Teddy Musella (#25 Triarsi Competizione/Don’t Sleep Energy Drink-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “It’s definitely hard starting on the outside of the front row at this track. I think I fell back to fifth or sixth, but I kept my head cool. I knew I had the pace, and I was getting through the field. And then we had the last restart and it was really hectic. Having to stay at the front at this track, it's just horrible – the draft is so much. We went three-wide into Turn One and I sent it deep on the brakes and kept moving on from there.”

Evan Cooley (#90 Brown Brothers Harriman-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-22): “The race was pretty good, a good points haul. I got the lead pretty early on and me and my teammate ran first and second. Then the pace car came out and I fell back on the restart just because of the draft. Nothing I could really do; I got swallowed. But, I ground my way back up and just held P2 for the rest of the race. I just want to thank the whole team. They have done an amazing job this whole weekend.”

Harley Keeble (#7 JHDD/CSU One Cure/Lucas il Products-Jay Howard Driver Development Tatuus USF-22): “It was a great race. The start was a bit messy, like Turn One was a bit dirty. I'm inexperienced compared to these guys, so I've just been taking one corner at a time, hitting my marks, just doing the best as I can. I got a really good restart off that last restart, which created a gap and I was able to stay there in P3. Teddy and Evan did a really good job to stay out front. I was slowly coming, but not quite fast enough.”

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