By Steve Wittich
While the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the INDY NXT teams and drivers are dodging thunderstorms and sideways rain at World Wide Technology Raceway At Gateway, the USF Pro 2000 Presented By Cooper Tires and USF Juniors Presented by Cooper Tires teams are on track at a steamy Circuit of The Americas.
Series debutante and USF2000 Championship Presented By Cooper Tires regular Mac Clark led his veteran DEForce Racing teammate and championship contender Kiko Porto in the lone practice session before a 1:50 pm (CT) qualifying session.
The two DEForce Racing pilots were over half a second clear of Nikita Johnson (VRD Racing), another series debutant.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course race winner Ricardo Escotto (Jay Howard Driver Development) was the fourth quickest, with championship leader Myles Rowe (Pabst Racing) the fifth fastest.
Rowe leads Porto by a commanding 81 points with five races remaining. Salvador de Alba (Exclusive Autosport), who is 84 points behind Rowe, and Michael d’Orlando (Turn 3 Motorsport), who is 93 points out of the championship lead, had the seventh and sixth fastest laps of practice.
Discount Tire Circuit Of The Americas Grand Prix Practice #1 Results
| RANK | CAR NO. | NAME | TEAM | FAST TIME | DIFF. | LAPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Mac Clark | DEForce Racing | 2:02.522 | —— | 9 |
| 2 | 12 | Kiko Porto | DEForce Racing | 2:02.767 | 0.245 | 9 |
| 3 | 17 | Nikita Johnson | VRD Racing | 2:03.094 | 0.572 | 9 |
| 4 | 4 | Ricardo Escotto | Jay Howard Driver Development | 2:03.171 | 0.649 | 10 |
| 5 | 99 | Myles Rowe | Pabst Racing w/Force Indy | 2:03.276 | 0.754 | 10 |
| 6 | 1 | Michael d’Orlando | Turn 3 Motorsport | 2:03.388 | 0.866 | 9 |
| 7 | 91 | Salvador de Alba | Exclusive Autosport | 2:03.504 | 0.982 | 10 |
| 8 | 20 | Jace Denmark | Pabst Racing | 2:03.519 | 0.997 | 10 |
| 9 | 19 | Jordan Missig | Pabst Racing | 2:03.656 | 1.134 | 10 |
| 10 | 10 | Lirim Zendeli | TJ Speed Motorsports | 2:03.766 | 1.244 | 10 |
| 11 | 40 | Jack William Miller | Miller Vinatieri Motorsports | 2:03.786 | 1.264 | 10 |
| 12 | 3 | Louka St‑Jean | Turn 3 Motorsport | 2:04.130 | 1.608 | 9 |
| 13 | 6 | Frankie Mossman | Jay Howard Driver Development | 2:04.319 | 1.797 | 9 |
| 14 | 8 | Jorge Garciarce | DEForce Racing | 2:04.375 | 1.853 | 10 |
| 15 | 2 | Jonathan Browne | Turn 3 Motorsport | 2:04.563 | 2.041 | 3 |
| 16 | 81 | Nicholas Monteiro | NeoTech Motorsport | 2:05.235 | 2.713 | 9 |
| 17 | 93 | Lindsay Brewer | Exclusive Autosport | 2:05.243 | 2.721 | 10 |
| 18 | 95 | Avery Towns | Exclusive Autosport | 2:07.728 | 5.206 | 9 |
| 19 | 17 | Nikita Johnson | VRD Racing | No Time | ‑‑‑ | ‑‑‑ |
| 20 | 32 | Raoul Hyman | TJ Speed Motorsports | No Time | ‑‑‑ | ‑‑‑ |
| 21 | 55 | Francesco Pizzi | TJ Speed Motorsports | No Time | ‑‑‑ | ‑‑‑ |