Gold Wins Portland Race #3 in Portland

Indy Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires held their second race of the weekend with the temperature at 68F and a very welcome cloud cover.

With first and second in the championship decided, it’s a chance for much of the field to go for broke (hopefully not literally) without having to worry about season-ending standings.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES had their qualifying about an hour ago, and the ARCA series just had theirs, so several different kinds of rubber on the racetrack.

The race was delayed an hour cleaning up after an ARCA car leaked oil on track.

Green flag – big lock up for Foster, who takes the chicane and comes back on track at the back of the field. Again, no championship implications there!

The rest of the field managed to make it cleanly through the Festival Curves, that might be a first this weekend.

At the start of the second lap, Braden Eves and Salvador de Alba both locked up and had to go through the chicane.

By lap four, Foster up to P11.

Marcos Flack received a drive-through penalty for improperly coming back on track after short cutting the chicane. For safety reasons, the series has very specific requirements to make sure that drivers return to the track in the proper fashion.

Reece Gold held a 1.5 second lead ahead of Kiko Porto, Nolan Siegel and Enaam Ahmed.

Jack William Miller had also gone wide going into turn one, but held on through that first lap to pace in fifth position.

Quick lap of the race for Gold on lap five. Miller has the second quickest lap.

Ahmed currently P3 in the championship, Siegel looking to get around as the two are separated by five points.

Foster right on the rear wing of Josh Green for seventh, with the fast lap of the race on lap 11.

At the halfway point, Gold held a three-second lead over Porto, with Siegel another two seconds back.

Foster upped his quick lap time on lap 14, 1:08.959.

Foster into P7, Green tried to block in the Festival Curves but Foster did the over/under and made the pass on lap 21.

Foster makes the move on de Alba in turn 10 but de Alba refused to give way, so Foster had to back off.

De Alba chipping away at Miller in P5, with Foster right behind.

At the white flag, Gold with a four-second lead over Porto.

More defending from de Alba going into turn one, side by side but again, Foster backs off before the two make contact.

Race control watching the battle for possible blocking.

De Alba takes the inside in turn one with Foster outside and de Alba can’t make the corner – locks up and heads through the chicane.

Checkered flag and the fourth win of the season for Reece Gold, Kiko Porto second, Nolan Siegel third. Louis Foster up to sixth in the end.

Reece Gold celebrates on pit lane after winning Indy Pro 2000 Race #3 at Portland. Road to Indy – Gavin Baker

“I’m super happy to end this on a high note,” said Gold. “The last few weekends weren’t the best (seven straight races off the podium before this weekend). We have a long off-season, so it’s a good way to end the season. We have a lot coming up and we’re super excited about next season – huge thank you to everyone at Juncos Hollinger Racing for a great year.”

Gold is rumored to soon be announcing his move to Indy Lights with Juncos Hollinger Racing next season. With Foster also moving up the ladder, TSO believes as many as five drivers could move from Indy Pro 2000 to Indy Lights in 2023 – much need additions to the series’ car count.

Kiko Porto, Reece Gold, and Nolan Siegel celebrate on the podium for Portland Race #3. Road to Indy – Gavin Baker

Results – Portland Race #3 Indy Pro 2000: