Louis Foster (Exclusive Autosport) in the Copart.com/Novara Technologies No. 90 dominated the lone Indy Pro 2000 practice at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Photo credit: Gavin Baker Photography/Road to Indy
Indy Pro 2000 championship leader Louis Foster, a rookie for Exclusive Autosport, dominated the lone series practice, going almost three-tenths-of-a-second quicker than his rivals.
Behind him, the field was tight, with the following eight drivers separated by a half-second.
When the 2.258-Mile, 13-Turn Mid-Ohio Road Course officially opened for Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires practice at 8 am, a baker’s dozen 2.0L Elite Engine powerplants served as a wake-up call for the campers surrounding the rural road course.
Only Jay Howard Driver Development drivers Braden Eves and Salvador de Alba remained on pit road.
Just before the halfway point of the practice, the red flag came out when the No. 6 Jay Howard Driver Development machine of Salvador de Alba spun in Turn 5 and could not continue. The Mexican driver was on his out lap. His car was returned to the paddock “on the hook,” and he did not turn any laps in practice.
The quickest driver at the halfway point of the session was Louis Foster (Exclusive Autosport), with a time of 81.0884 seconds.
Juncos Hollinger Racing teammates Reece Gold and Enaam Ahmed were second and third quickest. Jack William Miller (Miller Vinatieri Motorsports) and Wyatt Brichacek (Exclusive Autosport) rounded out the top five.
The track reopened with ten minutes remaining in the weekend’s sole Indy Pro 2000 practice.
Miller, whose Miller Vinatieri Motorsports has a technical alliance with Exclusive Autosport (EA), spent much of the final ten minutes trading the top spot with EA’s Foster.
Also in the mix were Yuven Sundaramoorthy (Pabst Racing) and Josh Green (Turn 3 Motorsport).
Ahmed, who stood on the Indy Pro 2000 podium at Mid-Ohio in the final race of last season, went fourth quickest at the end of the session.
Reigning USF2000 champion improved to second on the timing screens on his last lap but was still 0.2806 seconds behind Foster.
Indy Pro 2000 at Mid-Ohio practice times
| RANK | CAR NO. | DRIVER | TEAM | FAST LAP | DIFF. | TOTAL LAPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 90 | Louis Foster | Exclusive Autosport | 1:18.9821 | 1:18.9821 | 18 |
| 2 | 1 | Kiko Porto | DEForce Racing | 1:19.2627 | 0.2806 | 12 |
| 3 | 40 | Jack William Miller | Miller Vinatieri Motorsports w/Exclusive Autosport | 1:19.2995 | 0.3174 | 17 |
| 4 | 47 | Enaam Ahmed | Juncos Hollinger Racing | 1:19.3240 | 0.3419 | 16 |
| 5 | 8 | Nolan Siegel | DEForce Racing | 1:19.5660 | 0.5839 | 14 |
| 6 | 92 | Wyatt Brichacek | Exclusive Autosport | 1:19.5696 | 0.5875 | 17 |
| 7 | 18 | Yuven Sundaramoorthy | Pabst Racing | 1:19.6660 | 0.6839 | 10 |
| 8 | 4 | Braden Eves | Jay Howard Driver Development | 1:19.7246 | 0.7425 | 9 |
| 9 | 55 | Reece Gold | Juncos Hollinger Racing | 1:19.7406 | 0.7585 | 16 |
| 10 | 3 | Josh Green | Turn 3 Motorsport | 1:19.8458 | 0.8637 | 12 |
| 11 | 19 | Jordan Missig | Pabst Racing | 1:19.9111 | 0.9290 | 13 |
| 12 | 2 | Jonathan Browne | Turn 3 Motorsport | 1:20.2656 | 1.2835 | 14 |
| 13 | 6 | Salvador De Alba | Jay Howard Driver Develpment | No Time | — | — |