Just an FYI, this race report might be a little light. Unfortunately, the race started after the track cameras were turned off.
Rookie Aaron Telitz led the Pro Mazda field to green for the fifth time in 2016. The 24 year-old led his Team Pelfrey teammate Pato O’Ward into Turn 1. Behind the pole sitter, Nico Jamin was able to get beside championship leader Pato O’Ward going into Turn 2 and the two drivers just barely touched wheels and O’Ward made contact with the wall and was not able to continue.
As the caution flew, the order was Telitz, Jamin, Jake Parsons, Nicolas Dapero, Jorge Cevallos, Will Owen, TJ Fischer, Bobby Eberle and O’Ward.
The running order remained the same until Lap 7 when Cevallos, who made the switch from JDC Motorsports to Cape Motorsports with /WTR after missing the last three events, was able to pass Dapero for fourth.
At the half-way point of the 30 minute race, Telitz held a slim 1.1 second lead over Jamin. Parsons remained in third, Cevallos fourth and Will Owen moved by Dapero to claim fifth.
On Lap 13, Cevallos, who had moved up to fourth from his sixth starting spot hit pit lane after making contact.
The 1.1 second lead Telitz held over Jamin at the half-way point started to grow at a couple of tenths of a second per lap and with ten minutes left in the race, the Rice Lake Wisconsin native’s gap had grown to 2.5 seconds.
The gap remained at 2.5 seconds when Telitz crossed under the checkered flag.
After destroying a car in the first practice session, Parson made a nice comeback, qualifying fourth and finishing third, his second podium of the year.
After the race, Parsons explained that the lowest of lows and the highest of highs of last two days have been a great learning experience for him.
Jamin said he is really happy with his Cape Motorsports with /WTR car at the moment, but The Rouen, France native said his thoughts are really with everybody back home in France.
Toronto Pro Mazda presented by Cooper Tire race #1 results
| RANK | DRIVER | GAP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aaron Telitz | 24 LAPS |
| 2 | Nico Jamin | -2.5327 |
| 3 | Jake Parsons | -13.7361 |
| 4 | Will Owen | -14.9705 |
| 5 | Nicolas Dapero | -21.8716 |
| 6 | TJ Fischer | -22.9763 |
| 7 | Bobby Eberle | -56.4133 |
| 8 | Jorge Cevallos | -11 Laps |
| 9 | Pato O’Ward | -24 Laps |
Unofficial Pro Mazda presented by Cooper Tire points
1 —> Pato O’Ward – 270
2 —> Aaron Telitz – 265
3 —> Will Owen – 188
4 —> Nico Jamin – 185
5 —> Jake Parsons – 160
The second Pro Mazda presented by Cooper Tire race of the weekend will roll off at 9:25am on Sunday morning