Louis Foster, Exclusive Autosport finally break through in Indy Pro 2000 IMS Race 3

#90: Louis Foster , Exclusive Autosport, Copart.com, Novara Technologies. Photo courtesy Gavin Baker Photography/Road to Indy

By Tony DiZinno

Exclusive Autosport was due a result after showing clear pace with all its cars throughout the Indy Pro 2000 Championship weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. After a tough couple races, Englishman Louis Foster enjoyed a welcome trouble-free race and survived a late-race restart to earn an overdue first series win in the seventh round of the season.

Driving the No. 90 Tatuus PM-22, Foster took the lead by de facto teammate Jack William Miller (Miller Vinatieri Motorsports, in an Exclusive Autosport technical alliance) before Turn 7 on Lap 3 and led the final 23 of 25 laps on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course. 

Polesitter Miller spent most of his race in the wars, defending against a host of challengers. He fended off an attempt from Reece Gold (Juncos Hollinger Racing), who locked up and fell back into Yuven Sundaramoorthy’s (Pabst Racing) clutches. That hiccup allowed Braden Eves through to third. Miller lost second to Eves on Lap 16; the Jay Howard Driver Development pilot made it past Miller at the inside of Turn 1.

Eves finished second on the road and will look to hold this podium result following the technical infringement that cost him the on-the-road win in Friday’s race one. The No. 4 car was dinged for Rule 12.30.3, which reads: 

All ballast must be securely fastened, installed in the approved ballast locations (wooden plank, pedal bulkhead, behind the driver’s seat back panel, and under the engine) and not exceed the weights as listed in the Technical Manual or Bulletins. The only ballast materials allowed for use are steel or aluminum, unless otherwise instructed by the Technical Director.

Miller fought off Eves’ JHDD teammate Wyatt Brichacek in by far his best drive of the season for the final podium spot. Enaam Ahmed (Juncos Hollinger Racing) completed the top five. 

The late battles behind Foster came to light thanks to Gold stopping on track with a mechanical issue on Lap 18, which brought out the race’s only full-course caution. The race two winner was running fourth when his troubles struck. Foster lost what had been an 8.6659-second lead in the process.

Nolan Siegel had a quiet race and finished sixth, best of the DEForce Racing entries, ahead of the leading Turn 3 Motorsport entry of Josh Green. Pabst Racing struggled with its trio of entries finishing 10th, 11th and 12th. Race one winner Salvador De Alba didn’t start this race due to mechanical issues.

Provisionally, Siegel leads the standings by just three points heading to the now rebranded Indianapolis Raceway Park oval, formerly Lucas Oil Raceway, later this month. He has 141 points with Foster making something of his weekend to get to 138. Gold falls to third with 130, and Eves sits fourth with 120.

Indy Pro 2000 GP of Indianapolis – Race #3 Unofficial Results