De Tullio pulls off last-lap pass to win USF Pro 2000 in Toronto

Alessandro de Tullio executed a spectacular last-lap pass in Sunday morning’s thrilling second leg of the Continental Tire Grand Prix of Toronto doubleheader to claim victory for Turn 3 Motorsport. It was the Miami, Fla., native’s fourth USF Pro 2000 win of the season.

Frankie Mossman, from Newport Beach, Calif., had to settle for second place after leading most of the 25-lap race for VRD Racing, while Jacob Douglas, from Christchurch, New Zealand, maintained his streak of podium finishes after taking third for Pabst Racing.

Qualifying for race two on Saturday morning saw de Tullio lay down his intentions following a difficult second half of the season. His best lap edged newly crowned champion Max Garcia (Pabst Racing), from Coconut Grove, Fla., by just over a tenth of a second. It was enough for his fourth Continental Tire Pole Award of the season, but his first since NOLA Motorsports Park in April.

De Tullio narrowly held onto his advantage at the rolling start, while Garcia opted for a cautious approach to the first corner which cost him a couple of positions to Mossman, who had started fifth but immediately stormed up on the inside line under braking for Turn 1, and third-place qualifier Max Taylor (VRD Racing), from Hoboken, N.J.

Mossman’s bold move cost him momentum on the exit which allowed both Taylor and Garcia to sneak back ahead on the long drag along Lake Shore Boulevard to Turn 3. Then, through the ensuing left-handed kink at Turn 4, contact between Taylor and Garcia sent the latter spinning.

Miraculously, a furious Garcia kept his car off the wall and rejoined at the tail end of the field. He then posted a masterful recovery drive and posted the fastest lap of the race before finishing ninth. It was truly a champion’s performance.

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Taylor lost a few positions following the contretemps, then retired only a few laps later following another incident, this time with hometown hero Mac Clark (Exclusive Autosport), from nearby Milton, Ont., at Turn 3.

Mossman executed a fine pass on de Tullio for the lead under braking for Turn 3 on the sixth lap, but was never able to shake off his pursuer.

The two leaders remained in close formation, gradually eking out a small margin over a similarly tight battle for third between Liam McNeilly (Jay Howard Driver Development), from London, England, and Douglas.

Mossman began to feel the pressure in the closing stages, making sure, especially, that he left no opportunity for de Tullio to make a pass at the preferred overtaking point in Turn 3. Instead, de Tullio glimpsed the smallest of gaps under braking for Turn 1 on the very last lap and dived for the inside at the very last moment. There was no way for Mossman to respond.

Once into the lead, de Tullio kept his rival at bay for the final one and a half miles to win by far the most exciting race of the season thus far.

The battle for third also was decided in the final few laps. Only this time McNeilly was adjudged by Race Control to have made a defensive move in reaction to an attempted maneuver by Douglas, and was instructed to cede the position.

McNeilly did, reluctantly, and had to be content with fourth to cap a mightily impressive debut weekend.

Another late pass by Ariel Elkin (TJ Speed Motorsports) elevated the Israeli to fifth ahead of Pabst Racing’s Michael Costello, from Sarasota, Fla.

Further down the order, Guadalajara, Mexico’s George Garciarce (DEForce Racing) lost a couple of positions late in the race to the recovering Garcia and Clark, who placed 10th after his earlier collision with Taylor, but even a 12th-place result was enough to secure him the Tilton Hard Charger Award after having started 18th.

Turn 3 Motorsport’s Peter Dempsey secured the PFC Award as the winning car owner.

With the USF Pro 2000 championship already won, the battle for the other placings is very much alive and will be settled during a final doubleheader weekend, once again in conjunction with the NTT IndyCar Series, at Portland International Raceway in Portland, Ore., on August 8-10.

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