Jeffers reclaims USF Pro 2000 points lead with Markham win

Jack Jeffers led throughout this afternoon’s shortened USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire race on the brand-new street circuit in Markham, Ont., Canada. Jeffers’ third win of the season for Exclusive Autosport enabled him to slip back into the championship points lead with four races remaining this season.

G3 Argyros, from Newport Beach, Calif., maintained his recent run of form by finishing second for Pabst Racing ahead of Peru’s Andres Cardenas for JHDD powered by ECR.

After qualifying was canceled due to the entire event starting a day later than originally planned, today’s grid was determined by championship points, and in the enforced absence of championship leader Leonardo Escorpioni due to visa issues, it was Jeffers who started on pole position with Argyros alongside on the front row.

A clean start saw Jeffers maintain his advantage into Turn 6 at the end of the long back straightaway, although behind, Cardenas, who started fifth, managed to sneak past VRD Racing’s Frankie Mossman , from Newport Beach, Calif., for third. A little farther back, Mossman’s teammate Teddy Musella, from Orlando, Fla., overtook TJ Speed Motorsports’ Thomas Schrage, from Bethel, Ohio, in Turn 7.

After a brief early caution to remove some debris from the race track, the race resumed with the leading positions unchanged. Jeffers never really looked under threat in the lead as the next few runners soon began to spread themselves out a little and the main interest focused on a back-and-forth tussle for sixth between Schrage and New Zealander Sebastian Manson (Turn 3 Motorsport).

Colin Aitken brought out the Safety Car again when he lost control and collected the wall in Turn 4 on the 10th lap, and following the cleanup there was time for just a two-lap dash to the checkered flag.

Jeffers withstood immense pressure from Argyros at the restart, then cut loose on the final lap when he recorded the fastest lap of the race to ensure another pole position for Race Two tomorrow.

Cardenas, in third, crossed the line close behind Argyros with Mossman also in contention. A dust-up in the midfield saw Schrage emerged in fifth ahead of Turn 3 Motorport’s Brady Golan, from Austin, Texas, and Manson, who also claimed the Tilton Hard Charger Award after having started 10th.

Exclusive Autosport co-owners Josh Cooley and Michael Duncalfe earned the PFC Award as the winning team owner.

Tomorrow’s concluding race of the Continental Tire Grand Prix of Markham weekend is due to see a green flag at 10:25 a.m.

Provisional championship points after 13 of 18 rounds:

1. Jack Jeffers, 283

2. Leonardo Escorpioni, 278

3. G3 Argyros, 258

4. Andres Cardenas, 214

5. Frankie Mossman, 212

6. Thomas Schrage, 194

7. Michael Costello, 166

8. Teddy Musella, 162

9. Brady Golan, 162

10. Colin Aitken, 144