Jeffers claims first USF2000 win at Indy

Jack Jeffers this afternoon took full advantage of the absence of USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire championship leader Liam McNeilly to score a fine maiden victory in the first of two races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Grand Prix road course that comprise this weekend’s VP Racing Grand Prix of Indianapolis. Jeffers, from San Antonio, Texas, took the lead on the opening lap and pulled away to a relatively comfortable win for Exclusive Autosport.

VRD Racing’s Thomas Schrage finished second for the third race in a row as G3 Argyros took third for Pabst Racing.

Rookie Teddy Musella laid down some stunning laps during the lone qualifying session earlier this morning in chilly conditions to claim his first Continental Tire Pole Award in just his sixth start. Musella’s new mark of 1m24.3272s comfortably eclipsed Braden Eves’ long-standing lap record of 1m24.5396s set back in 2019 and was almost a half-second better than VRD Racing teammate Schrage. Jeffers shared row two of the grid with DEForce Racing’s Sebastian Garzon.

Musella and Schrage continued to run side by side as they led the 20-car field down the long main straightaway from the rolling start, but unfortunately for Musella, it all went wrong at Turn 1as he left his braking just a tad too late and slid off into the damp grass. The entire field swept past before he was able to rejoin.

Schrage led the field along Hulman Drive for the first time, only to lock up his front brakes slightly as he slowed for Turn 7, which forced him to run wide at the exit. Jeffers needing no second bidding as he romped through into the lead.

After a full course caution due to an incident on the opening lap, Jeffers remained under pressure for several laps as the top two quickly pulled away from their pursuers. Another error by Schrage on lap 10 gifted Jeffers an extended advantage and left him under no real pressure in the closing stages.

“I was able to get to the lead on the first lap, and then there was an early safety car. But I had a good restart and was able to just build the gap, lead every lap, put some fast laps down and focus on not making mistakes and just hitting my marks,” related Jeffers. “There’s really not a word to describe winning at this track, honestly, it’s so surreal. It’s a feeling that I can’t describe, but it’s a huge thanks to Exclusive Autosport. They’ve worked with me continuously so much over the past couple of years to continue to develop me and it’s nice to see our hard work finally pay off. I felt very fulfilled coming into the pit lane and being able to celebrate all the hard work we’ve done.”

Argyros worked his way neatly from eighth to fourth before the early caution, then vaulted to third, which he maintained until the finish.

Musella, meanwhile, posted a spectacular charge from the tail of the field, setting the fastest lap of the race before deposing Argyros’ teammate, Caleb Gafrarar for fourth place with a couple of laps remaining.

Simon Sikes, the 2023 USF2000 champion, finished sixth after accepting a late opportunity to join Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Development, just ahead of Garzon.

Ayrton Houk rose from 13th on the grid to score another top-10 result for his family-owned Benchmark Autosport team, while Australian Formula Ford champion Eddie Beswick picked up the Tilton Hard Charger Award for Synergy Motorsport after rising from 16th on the grid to ninth.

Jeffers’ fine drive not only earned a PFC Award for Michael Duncalfe and Joshua Cooley as the winning car owners, it also moved Exclusive Autosport into the lead of the teams championship by just one point.

Conspicuous by his absence due to ongoing visa issues, Jay Howard Driver Development’s British driver McNeilly still holds the points lead heading into the seventh round of the USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire season which will see a green flag Saturday at 10:30am, immediately prior to the IndyCar warmup session.

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