Dakota Dickerson clinched the Formula 3 Americas title with a round to spare as James Roe Jr and Benjamin Pedersen shared the race wins at Road America.
The reigning United States Formula 4 champion had a large lead in the standings entering the weekend, and got off to a good start by qualifying on the front row of the grid alongside Velocity Racing Developments’ poleman Mathias Soler-Obel.
But not long into the race Dickerson had to enter the pits to retire, having damaged his car in an early incident, with his Global Racing Group team-mate Pedersen taking the race lead from Soler-Obel.
Nearly half of the field retired from the opening race, which had three caution periods, before Pedersen took the chequered flag in first with a gap of nearly eight seconds to second place Roe Jr.
However he was given two time penalties post-race which demoted him down to fifth, elevating first-time podium finisher Roe to a maiden victory.
Race two was a calmer affair as Pedersen made up for his previous penalties by taking his fourth win in seven races.
All eyes were on Dickerson however, as the American rose up the grid from seventh place to finish second. The result was enough for him to clinch the title before the season finale at Sebring.
Soler-Obel kept his podium streak going with second place and third place finishes in race one and two respectively. The Colombian moves up to third in the standings behind Dickerson and Pedersen.
John Paul Southern Jr enjoyed his first podium finish in almost a year after he was classified third in the opening race. The Southern Motorsports driver also took fourth place in race two.
Results round-up
Race 1 (12 laps)
1 James Roe Jr Global Racing Group 35m27.236s
2 Mathias Soler-Obel Velocity Racing Developments +3.453s
3 John Paul Southern Jr Southern Motorsports +3.707s
4 Blake Upton Global Racing Group +4.415s
5 Benjamin Pedersen Global Racing Group +6.122s
6 Antonio Serravalle Velocity Racing Developments +1 lap
Ret Kent Vaccaro Momentum Motorsports
Ret Dajita Dickerson Global Racing Group
Ret Logan Cusson Jensen Global Advisors
Ret Parker Locke Velocity Racing Developments
Pole: Soler-Obel, 2m04.259s
Fastest lap: Pedersen, 2m04.993s
Race 2 (19 laps)
1 Pedersen 35m34.842s
2 Dickerson +6.934s
3 Soler-Obel +22.016s
4 Southern Jr +46.203s
5 Upton +56.364s
6 Roe Jr +1 lap
Ret Serravalle
Ret Locke
FL: Pedersen, 2m04.845s
Championship standings
1?Dickerson 223? ?2?Pedersen 146? ?3?Soler-Obel 132? ?4?Jacob Abel 122? ?5?Roe Jr 119? ?6?Baltazar Leguizamon 100? ?7?Southern Jr 95? ?8?Quinlan Lall 69? ?9?Upton 67? ?10?Locke 49