Johnson leads lights-to-flag in USF Pro 2000’s third NOLA race

Photo: Gavin Baker Photography

Velocity Racing Development’s Nikita Johnson took a lights-to-flag victory in USF Pro 2000’s third NOLA Motorsports Park race. 

It was a trouble-free race for Johnson, who made a good getaway from pole and quickly gapped the rest of the field. 

With a lack of incidents further back in the field, there was no appearance by the pace car and so Jace Denmark in second place had to rely on his own pace to close in on Johnson. But he was unable to do so, and finished 2.809 seconds behind.

Third through fifth ran relatively close together throughout the race, but were never close enough to make moves on each other. Hunter Yeany completed the podium places, ahead of Simon Sikes and Mac Clark. 

The main battle for most of the race was over sixth place and headed by Christian Brooks for P6. He did not have the pace of those ahead, and a train of drivers began to form behind him. Right on his tail was Ricardo Escotto, who spent most of the race trying to find a way through. 

Brooks defended well but Escotto was eventually able to find a gap and slip past. He spent the remaining laps trying to close in on Clark, but finished more than five seconds behind him. 

Brooks held onto seventh ahead of Danny Dyszelski and Frankie Mossman. Liam Sceats had been in the train behind Brooks for much of the race, but dropped off late on, allowing Lochie Hughes to come through and claim 10th. Hughes had come into the weekend as championship leader, but leaves it sixth in the standings while Johnson now has a huge points lead.

Race result (18 laps)