Michael Costello dominates at sodden Portland for first USF2000 win

Photo: Gavin Baker Photography

Jay Howard Driver Development’s Michael Costello took a dominant maiden USF2000 win in race one at Portland on Friday.

The season-closing round started with Velocity Racing Development’s Thomas Schrage setting the practice pace, a 1m25.0004s lap putting him 0.4s clear of DEForce Racing’s Nicolas Giaffone and Exclusive Autosport’s Joey Brienza.

Pabst Racing’s points leader Max Garcia was 1.0981s off the pace in ninth, 0.0376s and one position behind team-mate and main title rival Sam Corry.

On a dry track in qualifying, Garcia rebounded to take pole by 0.0746s over Schrage with a 1m12.6461s. His other serious title rival Max Taylor (VRD) was third, ahead of Elliot Cox (Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Development), Costello, Giaffone, Brienza and Hudson Schwartz (Pabst). Taylor was just 0.1137s off pole, and only 0.0622s ahead of Schwartz. The top 16 were covered by 0.8596s.

Rain arrived before race one, so wet weather tyres were used. The spray was a serious issue at the start, and the top three all skipped turn two. Garcia then almost sent Schrage off again a few corners later.

Garcia led Schwartz by 2.1797s at the end of lap one, with Costello third and Giaffone in fourth as Schrage and Cox headed to the pits. Garcia did the same a lap later, as required due to the corner-cutting, meaning Schwartz went into lap three leading Costello by 1.5445s. Taylor was also pit-bound and rejoined after being lapped.

Rain started falling on lap five, and Schwartz was 3.6s clear up front. Garcia was also on a charge, back in the top 10 by the start of lap seven and in eighth the lap after.

Giaffone was losing more than a second per lap to the top two, but held third, and on lap seven Costello began to close in on Schwartz. He found himself in the lead by 9.14s starting lap 10 as Schwartz had slid off into a spin and dropped to ninth.

The more it rained, the more Costello’s lead grew and by the second half of the 24-lap race there was a battle for second emerging between Giaffone, Corry and JHDD’s Evagoras Papasavvas.

Giaffone went off on lap 14 and fell behind his pursuers, but was then able to get back past Papasavvas, and a caution period called a lap later as conditions worsened eradicated Costello’s 11.4s lead.

The restart was on lap 21, and Garcia immediately nabbed fifth from JHDD’s G3 Argyros. Corry was one of many who cut turn one or two, while Costello pulled 2.8s clear and Papasavvas reclaimed third.

Corry was spun by Papasavvas at turn two the next lap, and Costello’s lead grew to 3.7s. Garcia was now third ahead of Giaffone, with Corry down in ninth.

Costello finished 3.4s ahead of Papasavvas, but once a 10s penalty was applied victory was instead earned by 8.6s over Garcia. Schwartz completed the podium.

Corry came home seventh, and is now 47 points behind Garcia. Taylor’s title hopes only just stay alive with two races remaining.

Race result (24 laps)