Anthony Martella wins USF2000’s Freedom 75 race for JHDD

Photo: Gavin Baker Photography

Jay Howard Driver Development’s Anthony Martella won the Freedom 75, USF2000’s sole oval race, at Lucas Oil Raceway on Friday night.

It was a dominant maiden victory for the Canadian, despite a late caution period reducing his gap at the front of the field.

His team-mate Timothy Carel had missed qualifying the previous day, but was able to join the back of the grid. However he stopped on the track as the race was due to get underway, and his rear wing came off as marshals pushed to get his car going again. This led to the first three laps being held under yellow flag conditions before the field was released.

Benchmark Autosport’s Ayrton Houk picked the high line from pole and instantly created a gap to the battling Martella and Thomas Schrage (Velocity Racing Development), but by lap six his lead was being reduced.

Martella feinted a move early in lap eight, then looked to both sides of Houk at the final corner. He tried the inside at turn one next time by, and Schrage joined in.

The top two started lap 13 side-by-side, and Martella moved ahead as they began turning. The race was won at that point, with Martella pulling away and Houk starting a decline down the order.

Schrage took second place on lap 17, and wad already three seconds off the lead. Houk was soon getting defensive against Pabst Racing’s G3 Argyros, but his choice of the outside at turn one meant he soon lost out to him too.

Argyros’s team-mate Caleb Gafrarar almost made contact with Houk on lap 23, getting very squirmy but maintaining enough momentum to go down Houk’s inside at the final corner on the next lap.

Houk eventually fell down to 12th, but the caution period gave him the opportunity to regain one spot.

Schrage took the points lead by finishing second, and JHDD’s Brad Majman completed the podium from 11th on the grid. He had only gained two places by lap 18, but then overtook VRD’s Teddy Musella as Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Development’s Elliot Cox finally cleared Exclusive Autosport’s Evan Cooley up ahead after many laps hounding him.

Majman only took one lap to demote Cooley another spot, and Cox showed he could move quickly with an excellent pass on the outside of Houk. It took two laps for Majman to pass him.

Their progress continued into the race’s second half, with Cox edging ahead of Gafrarar at the end of lap 37 and Majman clearing him two laps later. Now he could actually fight Cox, and took fourth from him on lap 41.

Majman made the podium on lap 50, and on lap 62 DEForce Racing’s Jeshua Alianell slowed and took to the infield section. Although he returned to racing speed, the pace car had already been summoned. The field was soon racing again, with a lapped car between the top two. The leading drivers held position except for USF2000 returnee Cox, who fell to seventh.

Race results (75 laps)