Jeffers bounces back with win as Mossman takes USF Pro 2000 lead

Photo: Gavin Baker Photography

Jack Jeffers took a lights-to-flag victory in the second USF Pro 2000 race in Arlington, as Frankie Mossman left round one with the points lead.

Jeffers was untroubled throughout most of the 16-lap race, and started on pole after setting the fastest lap in race one, but a late caution period put the field on his tail for the last two laps of racing.

The Exclusive Autosport driver held on to finish 0.9839 seconds ahead of Andres Cardenas, who had a 10s penalty for contact and a five-second penalty for weaving that demoted him to 13th.

A multi-car incident on lap one triggered an early caution period. Contact between Christian Cameron and Logan Adams sent the latter spinning in a narrow part of the track. Joey Brienza suffered damage as he tried to go around the outside of the incident in avoidance, while a number of other cars became stuck behind the stoppage.

Adams and Brienza retired while the rest of the drivers involved managed to make their way to the pits then continue racing.

Racing resumed on lap four with Jeffers leading Leonardo Escorpioni and Cardenas. As Escorpioni and Cardenas battled for position, the pair made slight contact which damaged Escorpioni’s front wing and meant he had to pit. Cardenas continued without issue, but was punished for the incident.

He could not keep up with Jeffers, who stretched out his gap at the front. He was over 4.5s down the road with four laps to go when an incident for Teddy Musella caused the next caution period and put Cardenas on the leader’s tail.

Racing resumed with two laps remaining, but Jeffers went unchallenged to win and get redemption after a spin cost him victory in race one.

G3 Argyros inherited second, having avoided the lap one drama and initially run in fifth. He got past Mossman at the restart, who then stayed with him. Musella briefly made it a three-car battle for position, as Mossman found a way back past Argyros, but then retired.

On the next restart, Argyros was on the attack again. This time it was Evan Cooley who made it a three-car fight as the trio went side-by-side, but Argyros came out on top. Mossman took third, just ahead of Cooley.

JT Hoskins took fifth ahead of Brady Golan, both of whom made up positions in the opening lap incident.

Race one winner Escorpioni set the fastest lap on his way to eighth, behind Michael Costello.

Thomas Schrage, one of the drivers caught out in the lap one incident, recovered to ninth.

Race results (18 laps)