By Patrick Stephan

After running in damp to dry conditions Toronto Race #1 yesterday, the USF2000 presented by Cooper Tires driver’s again encountered a wet track at 8:10am for Race #2.

With the Ambient Temperature at just 69F, the Track 73F, and the humidity at 93% chances of the track to dry out today were slim. The mist had stopped just before the scheduled green flag but the track was very wet from the overnight rain, so USF officials had the cars run an extra pace lap with all cars running on the Cooper wet weather tires.

The clock and lap count would start as drivers continued warming tires and driving some of the water off the course. Nikita Johnson then spun between Turn 4 and 5 and would stop without hitting anything. He was actually going straight when the car snapped to the left, indicating perhaps a half shaft or other issue caused the spin.

The AMR INDYCAR Safety Team would have to push his car to the run-off area putting the second running driver in the championship out of the race without completing a lap.

The race would go green at the end of Lap 3, with Papasavvas going to the extreme left side, scraping the wall as he went through the braking zone and in to the run off area. Chase Gardner tried to make the corner but wound up on the outside and in to tire barrier.

Both would eventually be able to continue and rejoin the race.

At the exit of Turn 3, both Al Morey and Logan would spin at the exit of Turn 3.

Max Garcia, who hit the wall in qualifying for the race and started 18th was aggressively taking advantage of the conditions to get to 10th on Lap 5.

Preceding him were leader Sikes, then Christodoulou, Douglas, Clark, Hughes, Corry, Cox, Scully, and Garciarce.

Cox in 7th had started 12th and is need of a clean race after too much drama (most not of his doing) in the past few race weekends.

Clark moved by Douglas for third on Lap 7, with Hughes also getting by, sending Clark to 5th.

By Lap 8, Garcia was up to 5th, and Cox to 6th as the field settled in. While the level of spray was diminished, the track was still wet all the way around with no real “dry” line having formed yet.

The 14 year old Garcia would pass Hughes for 4th on Lap 9.

Sikes lead over Christodoulou would be just 0.8 seconds on Lap 11. Coming back from his Turn 1 incident, Evagoras Papasavvas was back in to the field and up to 11th.

On the 13th lap, Christodoulou was still chasing Sikes and was just 0.4 back.

Sikes would give up the lead on Lap 16 when he slid a little wide under braking at Turn 3. That allowed Christodoulou to take the lead for the first time today. A few moments later, Chase Gardner caught the wall at the exit of Turn 11, bringing out the yellow flag as Sikes, Clark, Garcia, Hughes and Cox would now round out the Top 6.

The AMR INDYCAR Safety team did a great job getting the track Gardner car cleared and the green flag waved again at the end of Lap 19. Christodoulou got away clean, but it would get messy behind the Toronto native on the final lap. Garcia dove to the inside at Turn 1, with Sikes and Clark side by side through 1 and 2.

Heading down the backstraight to Turn 3, Christodoulou was three car lengths clear of Sikes when Garcia tried to get inside of Clark at corner entry, but had a bad angle, and on the slick track he made left front to right rear contact, sending Clark spinning. When Garcia had arrived at the corner, that actually made it 3 wide as Lochie Hughes was already trying to go around Clark.

Hughes would make it around the outside, but Garcia and the spinning Clark would slide to the outside, taking Elliot Cox with them as the track became blocked and he had no way around. All three were able to drive back around to pit lane, and Cox may not have even had any contact – a small plus after a rough weekend. But his solid 6th place run was ruined.

Christodoulou brought his car all the way around for the win, with Sikes finishing second to extend his point lead. Hughes, Garciarce, Douglas rounded out the Top 5.

This is Christodoulou’s first USF2000 win. The 18 year old is primarily racing GB3 this year with a top finish of 2nd at Silverstone, but did 5 USF2000 races in 2020.

With Christodoulou being part time driver, Sikes already large point lead (55 over Johnson entering the day) will only grow heading to the triple header finale at Portland on Labor Day weekend. We will pass along the official standings this afternoon after they are posted by USF Championships.

USF2000 Toronto Race #2 Unofficial Results:

By Patrick Stephan

The scattered rain in the forecasts landed on the Toronto Indy race track before the USF2000 Championship Race #1, but had stopped before the green would wave…leaving us with a wet in places but quickly drying track and the temperature at 74F, with the track 86F and the humidity 87%.

Evagoras Papasavvas led the field down to the start with the grid nicely aligned until the green flag flew – when all bets off. The field fanned out 3, 4, and 5 wide but everyone made it through Turns 1 and 2. Down at Turn 3, Nikita Johnson took the lead under braking on the inside of Papasavvas.

Toward the rear of the field, Eliott Cox rough weekend got even worse as he hit the inside wall at the little kink before Turn 3. Couldn’t quite tell from replay if he got loose under braking while at the far inside of the corner, or perhaps contact from the rear…the result was a damaged right front suspension and wing. He would slide through the corner nearly getting hit again.

That would bring out the yellow with Johnson leading Papasavvas, Hughes, Garcia, Douglas, Morey, Corry, and Gardner.

With the track nearly dry, everyone behind those drivers came to pit lane under the caution to switch to the slicks. While a change to wets happens with 5 minute reds, they can go back to slicks on their own, though teams are limited to the pit equipment allowed and they get just 3 crew members to do the tire change, so the key here is to get it done without losing a lap.

Nico Christodoulou and Mac Clark would lead the charge of the slicks when we went back to green.

Christodoulou, the first to take the slicks, was back up to fifth by Lap 8 and he was third on Lap 9 with Johnson and Papasavvas ahead.

On Lap 10 the yellow came out for Gordon Scully who hit the wall hard in Turn 11. This sent the remaining drivers on the rains to pit road, first Papasavvas and then Johnson the next lap as the gap from wets to dries was about four seconds.

Christodloulou would keep the lead for a couple laps after the green flag waved, but Sikes got around Clark and then took the lead on Lap 15.

Jorge Garciarce then brought out the yellow as he got loose through Turn 8 with the rear catching the tire barrier.

With the AMR INDYCAR Safety team quickly cleaning up the scene and the Garciarce car moved off the track hanging from a wrecker, we would get more green flag running.

The final restart came with 2 laps to run and the order Sikes, Clark, Christodoulou, Adams, Garcia, Papasavvas, Johnson, Gardner.

Max Garcia, who damaged his Pabst Racing machine during Race #2 qualifying on Saturday morning, made a strong move to the inside at Turn 3 to get from 5th to second at Turn 3. Coming out of Turn 5 we see the front wing of Papasavvas sliding across the track as things stacked up through 4 and 5.

Clark had been dropped to fifth but would get Christodoulou at Turn 1 to return to 4th. As the field came around on the final lap, Avery Towns spun off Turn 5, not hitting anything, and able to drive around to the finish.

Sikes held on for the victory, his fifth of the season. With Lochie Hughes finishing 15th, and Nikita Johnson 7th, this will stretch Sikes point lead from 40 to 55 over Johnson who now has sole possession of second as Hughes drops to third 64 back of the Sikes. That’s more than a race with just four to go as max points in a race are 33 for the USF2000 Series.

Race #2 for the USF2000 Series will kick off Sunday’s action in Toronto at 8:10am. After that, the USF2000 Series has just the triple header on Labor Day weekend at Portland to complete the season.

Point Standings and Quotes courtesy Andersen Promotions:

Provisional championship points after 14 of 18 races:

1. Simon Sikes, 341

2. Nikita Johnson, 286

3. Lochie Hughes, 277

4. Mac Clark, 266

5. Evagoras Papasavvas, 251

6. Chase Gardner, 189

7. Sam Corry, 176

8. Jorge Garciarce, 167

9. Max Garcia, 166

10. Jacob Douglas, 141

Simon Sikes (#22 Big Check Race Fans/Doug Mockett & Company/Group6Gear.com-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “I don’t even know where to start! It started in wet conditions. I played it a bit too safe in the first qually (qualifying session), so I started sixth and was just trying to work my way forward to a podium. That was my end goal for this race, but we got out there and we got under this first Safety Car period and the team called me in for slick tires. I was questioning it, I didn’t know if it would work, but ultimately that was the best call anyone could have made. (Canadian race engineer) Burke Harrison did such a fantastic job. He and Augie Pabst, the whole Pabst organization made this one happen. They made the strategy call that ended up winning the race and gave me a perfect car to go execute, so huge thanks to them, and Doug Mockett for being an awesome supporter. Just really happy to take away a Pabst one-two to start off the races in Toronto.”

Max Garcia (#24 Advance Auto Parts-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “Wow, it was a really fun race. You know, started out on wets and we had decent pace on wets and then the first caution came out and I decided not to give up track position and keep it going. And then when I saw all those slick-tires guys get past us, I knew, next yellow, we had to pit. A yellow came out at Turn Eight and I boxed (pitted) immediately. I got up to fifth at the restart, I think we had two green laps, and then it went yellow again and I knew that was my chance. It was pretty crazy with the double-pass into Turn Three”.

Logan Adams (#9 JHDD/CSU One Cure/Lucas Oil Products/LHP-Jay Howard Driver Development Tatuus USF-22): “I never expected my first podium to come from 13th (on the grid), especially my second weekend in the USF car, but it was a blast. I love driving the car, I love the series, the team. Jay Howard obviously got the car dialed in. We made the smart move to go to slicks early. I wouldn’t be here without my sponsors, Comet Kart Sales and New Castle Motorsports Park, they’ve brought me to where I’m at today and I can’t thank them enough.”

USF2000 Toronto Race #1 Results:

By Patrick Stephan

The USF2000 presented by Cooper Tires Series took to the pit lane at Toronto with the air temp in the mid 70’s but dark skies above for Race #2 qualifying.

With 14 minutes to run Sikes was leading Papasavvas, Gardner, Johnson, and Hughes.

Those same names would dominate the session, with point leader Sikes eventually scoring his 3rd pole of the season over Papasavvas, Douglas, Johnson and Christodoulou.

Race #2 for the USF2000 Championship will run bright and early Sunday morning at 8:10am.

Max Garcia hit the wall early in the session, and despite the best efforts of his Pabst Racing crew, he was unable to get out for more laps. The team had to repair not just the front wing, but also the left front suspension.

The #91 of Joey Brienza had several issues in Turn 1, using the run-off a few times per calls from race control.

USF2000 Race #2 Qualifying Results

On the streets of Toronto, Evagoras Papasavvas grabbed his second pole in as many events, as like Mid-Ohio he scored the top starting spot for Race #1 of a multi-race weekend. Papasavvas followed up that Mid-Ohio Race #1 pole with the USF2000 race #1 victory, a feat he’ll certainly want to repeat on Saturday afternoon.

Papasavvas, 15, from Kirkland, WA led most of the session even as driver’s kept turning quicker and quicker laps as the session entered it’s final minutes. Someone lost a front wing near Turn 8, but the debris stayed off line and we stayed green.

Elliot Cox, who turned one lap in this morning’s practice, caught the wall and stacked up several driver’s with about 6 minutes to go. Looked like Cox may have touched the inside of Turn 7 and then slid out wide. He was in the middle of a big pack at the time, so anyone with him that may have been trying to put down a flyer got stacked up as he limped the car to pit lane.

The incident did NOT bring out a full course caution…but with a little under 4 minutes to go, we do go red.

Logan Adams, 8th at the time, got loose in Turn 8, with the rear coming around and just backing in to the wall at corner exit. He then spun around the rest of the way, but kept the suspension off the wall as he came to a stop just across the alternate time line (a few feet from Pit In).

The car did have some more extensive damage we didn’t see from the replay and would come back on the hook, burning up the final 3+ minutes of the session.

That gave the pole to Papassavvas for Race #1 which will run Saturday, July 15th at 1:40pm ET. That will be everyone’s second session with Race #2 Qualifying at 9:50am ET.

USF2000 Toronto Race #1 Unofficial Qualifying Results:

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: