Garcia strengthens USF Pro 2000 title hold with dominant Mid-Ohio win

Photo: Gavin Baker Photography

Max Garcia dominated the first race of USF Pro 2000’s Mid-Ohio double-header to claim his fifth win of the season.

There was little challenge from anyone throughout the race, despite an early safety car period, and the Pabst Racing driver finished the 30-lap encounter with over seven seconds in hand to title rival Ariel Elkin.

TJ Speed driver Elkin was engaged in a battle with Velocity Racing Development’s Max Taylor and Turn 3 Motorsport’s Alessandro de Tullio in the opening laps. As they went side by side, Garcia pulled away up front.

When a caution period was required on lap five, Garcia was already 5.3116 seconds ahead. The instigating incident was between Jorge Garciarce (DEForce Racing) and Logan Adams (Comet/NCMP Racing) fighting at the tail end of the field. Garciarce’s car was stuck on track, while Adams limped back to the pits with damage. Recovery teams were able to get Garciarce moving again and he returned to the race several laps down.

On the restart, there was little Elkin could do to stick with Garcia and within a couple of laps the championship leader was several seconds ahead again.

The earlier battle for position did not repeat itself, as the top five spread out until most had buffers of multiple seconds to one another.

Behind the top two were Taylor, de Tullio and Pabst’s Jacob Douglas. Nicholas Monteiro (Turn 3) picked up sixth, comfortably ahead of Joey Brienza (Exclusive) and Cooper Becklin (Turn 3).

After a close battle, TJ Speed’s Sebastian Manson beat Turn 3’s Brady Golan to ninth place.

For much of the race, the closest fight involved Mac Clark. Exclusive Autosport’s title contender had been battling at the sharp end of the field when a clash sent him spinning down the order at turn one. He managed to work his way back up into the top 12 before another incident dropped him to 15th.

Clark began his climb forward once more, eventually coming up against Adams in a close fight for 12th. He managed to find a way through in the closing laps before pipping Pabst’s Michael Costello to take 11th.

Race results (30 laps)