By Patrick Stephan
The first practice session for the USF2000 presented by Cooper Tires series got off to a shaky start here in Toronto. The weather was nice at 8:30am with the ambient temp approaching 70, and the track in the mid-80’s. INDYCAR takes track temps in multiple locations at every track, and for Toronto this weekend, those locations are Turn 10/pit lane, on the front straight, and then over at Turn 6. Those locations will vary by 3-6 degrees F, and the “track temp” we are given is usually just the average of those locations.
The green flag was only out briefly as Eliott Cox came to a stop on the front straight. The issue would keep him out for most of the session. I went down to talk with the Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Development crew after practice to find out they had an issue with the throttle stop on the car. The throttle went past 100%, so the
Not a complicated fix, but the replacement part isn’t normally carried out to pit lane, so the crew had to go back to the transporter.
Unfortunately for SFHRD, the USF Paddock is about as far away from pit lane as possible here. And SFHRD is on the very end of the Enercare center in Hall “D” – with pit lane out the door at Hall “A”. From outside, that puts them near Turn 1…with the pits at Turn 10…they literally had to borrow a golf cart to go get the part, and get it back, but as noted missed much of the session.
More of the detail on the Cox machine was provided by Greg Beck, who told me this is the car that had been crashed at the INDY GP weekend. The tub picked up a crack and needed to be repaired. That had been done, but meanwhile the team acquired another car they ran through Mid-Ohio – where they were again caught up in an accident. That car is being repaired/rebuilt now itself, and Beck plans to have that car do a test (likely at IRP) before they run it again.
So, to make a short story long, the car is back to good to go, but Cox got just one lap in practice this morning.
Others with issues later in the session included Joey Brienza who folded up the right front corner of his car at Turn 5. The right rear also had white paint on the tire. Checking out that car in the Exclusive Autosport paddock I noticed the team already at work to get the suspension repaired.
Teammate Chase Gardner was reported to have hit the wall at Turn 10 and continued. I didn’t see that one during my garage walk, so not sure on damage there.
On the time sheet, Evagoras Papasavvas would pace the field for Jay Howard Driver Development at 1:13.7609. For reference, last year’s first USF2000 session saw time Jace Denmark lead the first session at 01:14.2457, then taking the pole at 1:13.0629.
Being a street course, corners move slightly each year and portions were repaved…and others picked up new bumps, so not a perfect comparison, but look for at least a one second gain by the time we get to today’s 20 minute qualifying session (1:35ET).
Lochie Hughes was P2 with point leader (by 40 over Hughes) in P3. Jacob Douglas and Nikita Johnson rounded out the Top 5.
USF2000 presented by Cooper Tires Toronto Practice #1 Results:
| Pos | Car # | Driver | Best Time | Diff | Gap | Fast Lap | Total Laps | Team |
| 1 | 6 | Evagoras Papasavvas | 1:13.7609 | ‑‑.‑‑‑‑ | 17 | 19 | Jay Howard Driver Development | |
| 2 | 8 | Lochie Hughes | 1:14.0596 | 0.2987 | 0.2987 | 17 | 19 | Jay Howard Driver Development |
| 3 | 22 | Simon Sikes | 1:14.0693 | 0.3084 | 0.0097 | 16 | 17 | Pabst Racing |
| 4 | 23 | Jacob Douglas | 1:14.1539 | 0.393 | 0.0846 | 17 | 19 | Pabst Racing |
| 5 | 17 | Nikita Johnson | 1:14.2454 | 0.4845 | 0.0915 | 19 | 19 | VRD Racing |
| 6 | 24 | Max Garcia | 1:14.3989 | 0.638 | 0.1535 | 17 | 18 | Pabst Racing |
| 7 | 1 | Mac Clark | 1:14.6553 | 0.8944 | 0.2564 | 17 | 17 | DEForce Racing |
| 8 | 2 | Nico Christodoulou | 1:14.7399 | 0.979 | 0.0846 | 17 | 19 | VRD Racing |
| 9 | 7 | Al Morey | 1:14.7499 | 0.989 | 0.01 | 17 | 19 | Jay Howard Driver Development |
| 10 | 10 | Jorge Garciarce | 1:14.8130 | 1.0521 | 0.0631 | 17 | 17 | DEForce Racing |
| 11 | 14 | Sam Corry | 1:14.8398 | 1.0789 | 0.0268 | 19 | 19 | VRD Racing |
| 12 | 9 | Logan Adams | 1:15.0164 | 1.2555 | 0.1766 | 19 | 19 | Jay Howard Driver Development |
| 13 | 95 | Chase Gardner | 1:15.8764 | 2.1155 | 0.86 | 6 | 7 | Exclusive Autosport |
| 14 | 19 | Gordon Scully | 1:16.1354 | 2.3745 | 0.259 | 16 | 17 | VRD Racing |
| 15 | 93 | Avery Towns | 1:16.5484 | 2.7875 | 0.413 | 14 | 18 | Exclusive Autosport |
| 16 | 12 | Maxwell Jamieson | 1:16.9300 | 3.1691 | 0.3816 | 12 | 17 | DEForce Racing |
| 17 | 67 | Elliot Cox | 1:20.0845 | 6.3236 | 3.1545 | 1 | 1 | Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Dev |
| 18 | 91 | Joey Brienza | 1:48.2081 | 34.4472 | 28.1236 | 2 | 2 | Exclusive Autosport |