Liam McNeilly wins USF2000 season opener in St. Petersburg

Photo: Gavin Baker Photography

Liam McNeilly won the first race of the USF2000 season at St. Petersburg, passing polesitter Caleb Gafrarar who then crashed trying to respond.

Gafrarar was a clear leader on the run to Turn 1, although McNeilly did then take a look around the outside. Behind, McNeilly’s Jay Howards Driver Development team-mate Brad Majman – who started fifth – was spun around by contact from Teddy Musella, triggering an early safety car.

At the restart, McNeilly went side-by-side with Gafrarar and took the lead on the brakes into the first corner, with Jack Jeffers also in contention.

After three laps of racing, Gafrarar was still within just over half a second of McNeilly until he locked up under braking for Turn 4 and crashed into the barriers.

The subsequent restart would last just a few corners before a similar looking incident took Wian Boshoff out of the race.

When the race resumed once more, former USF Juniors rivals McNeilly and Jeffers pulled away from third-placed Jeshua Alianell. Jeffers got right onto the gearbox of McNeilly at one stage, but the Briton ultimately held on to win by just under half a second.

Alianell rounded out an all-rookie podium for DEForce Racing. Evan Cooley and G3 Argyros climbed up from eighth and ninth to finish fourth and fifth, with the latter just holding off a charging Anthony Martella, who had started 13th. Starting last after crashing early in qualifying, Thomas Schrage finished 12th.

Race results (20 laps)