STEAM CORNERS, Ohio — Mac Clark was perfectly positioned to take his second USF2000 Presented by Cooper Tires victory of the season on Saturday morning for DEForce Racing at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course after championship rivals Simon Sikes and Lochie Hughes clashed at turn two with four laps remaining.
Hughes’ teammate Evagoras Papasavvas continued his banner weekend at his home track by finishing second. Sam Corry followed in third.
Sikes began the day in perfect style. After regaining the points lead yesterday in the first of three races that will comprise the Discount Tire Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio, Sikes started at the front of the field this morning by virtue of posting the second-fastest lap of all drivers during the lone qualifying session on Friday to secure his fifth Cooper Tires Pole Award of the season.
Sikes took off confidently in the lead and quickly built a seemingly unassailable advantage of more than seven seconds. Unfortunately, a midfield incident with seven laps remaining necessitated a full-course caution and slashed Sikes’ lead to nothing.
At the ensuing restart, Hughes, running second, spotted what would likely have been his only opportunity to make a challenge for the lead as he lunged to the inside under braking for the Keyhole, turn two. Hughes caromed into Sikes’ right-rear wheel before cartwheeling spectacularly into the gravel trap and out of the race.
Sikes was able to continue in second place, minus his rear wing, but just as the race was about to be restarted for a one-lap dash to the checkered flag, race officials determined that the car was in an unsafe condition and Sikes was instructed to bring the car onto pit lane. He was eventually classified an unrepresentative 18th, his only consolation the fact he was able to claim the three bonus points for pole position, fastest race lap and leading most laps.
Meanwhile, Clark maintained his advantage on the final lap and crossed the line merely 0.2189-seconds ahead of Corry, with VRD teammate Nikita Johnson and the two Pabst Racing entries of Max Garcia and Jacob Douglas hot on his heels.
Thomas Schrage claimed his second Tilton Hard Charger Award in as many days after rising from 21st on the grid to 11th.
David and Ernesto Martinez picked up the PFC Award as the winning car owners.