ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Locally based teenager Nikita Johnson put on a master class in Sunday’s Discount Tire Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
The youngest driver in the field of 21 cars at just 14, Johnson, from nearby Gulfport, Fla., displayed maturity far beyond his years as he took the lead shortly after the start in his VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22 and held off race-long pressure from series veteran Simon Sikes to claim a deserved maiden USF2000 Presented by Cooper Tires victory. It will surely be the first of many.
Sikes had to be content with second, despite starting from the pole position and recording the fastest race lap, while yesterday’s winner, Lochie Hughes finished third for Jay Howard Driver Development.
After an initial attempt at a start this morning was waved off because the field was improperly aligned, Sikes accelerated away in the lead ahead of fellow front row starter Evagoras Papasavvas. But it was Johnson, who turned out to be the early mover after starting third.
Johnson slipped past Papasavvas at turn one on the opening lap. One lap later, he took advantage of Sikes leaving his braking a little too late at the end of the long start/finish straightaway and sliding wide into the marbles. Johnson quickly ducked to his inside and was through into the lead.
As the two JHDD teammates, Papasavvas and Hughes, squabbled over third, Sikes kept the pressure on Johnson, but the youngster was wise to every move.Â
With two laps to go, Sikes took advantage of the draft to haul alongside the leader on the main straightaway, only to once again leave his braking a fraction too late and slid wide at turn one, which allowed Johnson to regain the position. With that, his victory was assured.
Hughes found a way past Papasavvas on lap 12 at turn 13 but could make no impression on the two leaders. He nevertheless maintains a slender one-point edge over Johnson after the opening weekend of the season.
A variety of minor incidents served to break up the field, but the race remained under green for the entire duration, with DEForce Racing’s Jorge Garciarce rising from 10th on the grid to secure a career-best fifth, just ahead of Future Star Racing’s Trey Burke.