Loiacono wins USF Juniors at Mid-Ohio after Fisher DQ

Liam Loiacono, from Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, and Jay Howard Driver Development inherited victory in Saturday morning’s USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course after Zanella Racing’s Ty Fisher, from White Rock, B.C., Canada, was disqualified following post-race technical inspection.

The Australian, who started eighth, was credited with his second win of the season after capturing his first top-score at the same track in June.

Joao Vergara, from Miami, Fla., took second place following a race-long battle with Zanella Racing’s Leonardo Escorpioni, from Windermere, Fla., who won yesterday’s opening race of the PFC Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio doubleheader. The result enabled Escorpioni to extend his lead in the chase for the championship and a scholarship to graduate onto the next step of the USF Pro Championships ladder, USF2000, in 2026.

For the second consecutive day, 14-year-old Fisher started from the front of the field after snaring his third Continental Tire Pole Award of the season. The honor was assured during the lone qualifying session on Friday when Fisher set the best of each driver’s second-fastest laps, fractionally ahead of Escorpioni.

Unfortunately, two incidents on the opening lap led to the pace car being dispatched to keep the remainder of the field in check. DEForce Racing’s Thomas Nordquist, from Omaha, Neb., was the first casualty, tipped into a spin on the front straightaway moments after the green flag flew, while the second involved title contender Oliver Wheldon (VRD Racing), from St. Petersburg, Fla., who started third before suffering an identical fate at the end of the long, downhill back straightaway.

When the green flag waved again with five laps in the books, the young Canadian put his head down and soon began to open up a margin over his pursuers.

Fisher increased his pace on every one of the subsequent laps until, with just three laps remaining and a lead of 3s, he was able to throttle back and ease home toward the checkered flag. Unfortunately, his initial joy was later replaced by dejection.

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Escorpioni held second at the restart, but only briefly before fellow Florida-based Brazilian Vergara glimpsed an opportunity and took it under braking for Turn 2. Loiacono also was in the mix, and while he lost a little ground to Vergara before finally finding a way past Escorpioni, he quickly made up that deficit.

Loiacono found a way past Vergara on lap 14, but by then Fisher was long gone in the lead and still pulling away.

Instead, all eyes were focused on the battle between Vergara and Escorpioni, who remained in close formation – but with their positions unchanged – until the checkered flag.

Exclusive Autosport’s Brenden Cooley, from Mokena, Ill., recorded his best finish to date in fourth ahead of Zanella Racing’s Diego Guiot, from The Woodlands, Texas, who just held off a charging Vilho Aatola (DEForce Racing), from Turku, Finland.

The Tilton Hard Charger Award went to Michael Suco (InterMS), from Auburn, Ala., who finished ninth after starting back in 19th.

Jay Howard pocketed the PFC Award as the winning car owner.

A pair of tripleheader weekends remain to decide the championship. Next on the docket is a visit to the fast and challenging Road America venue in Elkhart Lake, Wis., on July 24-26, followed two weeks later by a trip to the West Coast for three more races at Portland International Raceway, in Portland, Ore., in support of the NTT IndyCar Series.

RESULTS