USF Juniors wins for Medeiros and Machado Perez in South Carolina

USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire made quite an impression on its first-ever visit to South Carolina with Cole Medeiros and Ivan Machado Perez each taking a victory in the first two of three races that will comprise this weekend’s Continental Tire Grand Prix of South Carolina at Carolina Motorsports Park.

Medeiros, from Ayr, Ont., Canada romped to a clear victory Saturday morning for Exclusive Autosport after polesitter Machado Perez was involved in a couple of early skirmishes. Later in the day, Machado Perez, from Madrid, Spain, rebounded to secure an emphatic victory for VRD Racing with pole position.

Finland’s Vilho Aatola (DEForce Racing) finished second in the opening race ahead of Machado Perez, while Zanella Racing’s Olivier Mrak and fellow Canadian Alex Berg (Berg Racing) completed the podium in Race 2 after Medeiros, who had finished second on the road, was penalized for his involvement in an early incident.

Machado Perez once again displayed his speed during the lone qualifying session on Friday, claiming his third Continental Tire Pole Award of the young season for VRD Racing by Pole Position. Medeiros posted the second fastest time, only for his best lap to be annulled by the race stewards after he was adjudged to have impeded another driver during the session. Medeiros nevertheless lined up third for the opening race behind Machado Perez and Olivia Racing’s Karel Pasiewicz.

But Medeiros was vaulted into the lead after Pasiewicz misjudged his braking point for Turn 1 and cannoned into the rear of the polesitter. Pasiewicz’s car flew into the air following the contact and sustained front wing damage, although he was fortunate enough to make it back to the pits where a new nose was fitted and he rejoined at the rear of the field.

Machado Perez was able to resume in third behind Medeiros and Finland’s Vilho Aatola (DEForce Racing), who took advantage of the melee to leap from fourth to second before the caution flags waved.

Another couple of incidents broke up the middle stages of the 15-lap race, but neither of them affected Medeiros, who remained untroubled in the lead and went on to claim a well-deserved maiden victory.

“The race went really well," he said. "At the start it was a little crazy, and I just wanted to hold my position because I knew something was going to happen. I got through and got into the lead. I just kept my head down, focused and pushed forward. My car felt good the whole race. The last few laps I started saving the tires a little bit. I was just coasting around because I knew I had a gap and they were battling a lot behind me. This win feels very special. I would like to thank my parents, Exclusive Autosport, my coach Oliver [Askew], my engineer Zach [Leedy], my mechanic John [Stephens] and everyone who has made this possible.”

Aatola withstood intense pressure firstly from the recovering Machado Perez and then from points leader Mokarem, who took advantage of an aborted attempt by the Spaniard to move onto second. Mokarem, however, was later assessed a five-second penalty for incident responsibility which relegated him to ninth in the final results.

Machado Perez was therefore elevated to third after sneaking past Casper Nissen (JHDD powered by ECR) on the final lap.

Pasiewicz made some impressive moves to rise from 21st following his first-lap incident to 11th at the checkered flag, although, he, too, was assessed a post-race penalty as a result of his first-lap error. He was eventually classified in 18th.

The Tilton Hard Charger Award fell the way of JW Main, who climbed all the way from 20th on the grid to secure seventh at the finish.

RACE 1 RESULTS

Race 2 later in the afternoon saw Machado Perez once again taking the Continental Tire Pole Award by virtue of posting the best of each driver’s second-fastest lap during qualifying. The top seven positions remained the same as this morning with Alex Berg (Berg Racing) earning a place on row four by virtue of a significantly faster lap during the opening race following a mechanical problem in qualifying.

Machado Perez led the pack cleanly into Turn 1, but on this occasion, close behind, Medeiros, who started third, left his braking a tad too late for Turn 1 and made contact with the unfortunate Pasiewicz, who was knocked off into the gravel trap. The incident resulted in a 10-second post-race penalty for Medeiros which ultimately dropped him from second to ninth.

After Pasiewicz’s car was recovered, the green flag flew once again and there was no catching Machado Perez as last year’s runaway Skip Barber Race Series champion quickly pulled clear of the field led by Canadians Antonio Serravalle, Zanella Racing teammate Olivier Mrak, Medeiros, who had dropped to fourth after his first-corner miscue, and Berg.

“I’m really happy about the way Race 2 has gone. It's great to finally get a clean start and just be able to do what we wanted to do all weekend, which is pushing the first laps, managing to open a bit of a gap and just managing the race all around," said Machado Perez." I'm just really happy about the car the team has given me and the opportunity to be here and show some good pace. I am looking forward to tomorrow and hoping that we are able to get another good result.”

Another mid-race caution negated Machado Perez’s advantage, but it was nothing more than a minor inconvenience as he once again sped away from his pursuers.

Instead, all eyes were on the battle for second. Medeiros firstly dispatched Mrak, then closed on Serravalle before making a clean move heading toward Turn 1 with three laps remaining.

Serravalle, meanwhile, came under intense pressure from behind with five cars squabbling for what seemed to be the final podium spot on the last lap. Unfortunately, an incident involving Mrak and Serravalle in Turn 11 precipitated additional contact behind between Max Cuthbert (JHDD powered by ECR) and Evan Cooley (Exclusive Autosport).

Berg emerged from the chaos to secure a deserved first podium finish of the season ahead of a surprised Aatola, who had seemed set to finish eighth before the late shenanigans.

The Tilton Hard Charger Award was claimed by DEForce Racing’s Colombian Pipe Chaparro, who worked his way from 20th to 10th during the 15-lap race.

The day’s two PFC Awards went to Josh Cooley and Michael Duncalfe (Exclusive Autosport) and Dan Mitchell and Yannick Rolland (VRD Racing by Pole Position) as the winning team co-owners.

RACE 2 RESULTS

The final race of the weekend will see a green flag tomorrow at 10:10am ET.