PORTLAND, Ore. – Nikita Johnson was out to prove a point this weekend. And he did so emphatically. The 16-year-old from Gulfport, Fla., knew he had virtually no chance of wresting away the USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire championship from his main rival, Lochie Hughes, but after holding off a race-long challenge yesterday from last year’s USF2000 champion Simon Sikes in damp, drying conditions, today Johnson ensured another visit to the top step of the podium for himself and VRD Racing in the dry by fending off the attentions of Turn 3 Motorsport’s Hughes to claim his series-leading eighth victory of the season.
Hughes had to be content with second, secure in the knowledge the title was already under wraps, while Sikes, from Augusta, Ga., enjoyed another fine podium finish after fighting his way past Pabst Racing teammate Jace Denmark, from Brownsburg, Ind., during an all-green 30-lap season finale.
Johnson and Hughes shared the front row of the grid for the third race in succession, with Jonson having earned his sixth Continental Tire Pole Award by virtue of recording the fastest of every driver’s second-best laps during the solitary qualifying session yesterday.
The top two quickly put some distance between the pursuing Pabst pair, Denmark ahead of Sikes But rather than simply settling for second, Hughes was especially keen to finish his magnificent year with a flourish – and another victory. But Johnson was not to be denied. Having incurred a 30-point penalty due to a technical infraction earlier in the season, which put a severe dent in his title aspirations, Johnson had no intentions of relinquishing his hard-earned on-track advantage.
Only very briefly during this afternoon’s 30-lap race were the top two separated by more than a second. Hughes redoubled his efforts in the closing stages, but there was not the hint of a chink in Johnson’s armor, and even a last-lap lunge from Hughes under braking for Turn One failed to rattle the leader.
The scrap for third was equally intense. Denmark led the way for the majority of the race until Sikes finally made a move stick at Turn One with just five laps remaining.
Jay Howard Driver Development’s Frankie Mossman, from Newport Beach, Calif., found a way past Dutchman Glenn van Berlo (Pabst Racing) at the start, but after another spirited tussle it was van Berlo who came out ahead to secure fifth.
Next up in seventh was DEForce Racing’s Jorge Garciarce, from Guadalajara, Mexico, who completed his rookie USF 2000 season strongly by rising from 14th on the grid to claim his fourth Tilton Hard Charger Award.
Dan Mitchell took his eighth PFC Award of the year as the winning car owner.
It was Johnson who claimed the honors this weekend on the race track, but Hughes has put together an exemplary rookie season and will take the plaudits tomorrow evening during the traditional Championship Celebration when he will be presented with the champion’s trophy and a scholarship prize valued at $681,500 to ensure graduation next year to INDY NXT.
Provisional championship points after 18 of 18 rounds:
1. Lochie Hughes, 395
2. Nikita Johnson, 355
3. Jace Denmark, 345
4. Simon Sikes, 272
5. Liam Sceats, 256
6. Christian Brooks, 232
7. Danny Dyszelski, 230
8. Frankie Mossman, 222
9. Ricardo Escotto, 218
10. Jorge Garciarce, 199
Nikita Johnson (#17 409A Direct/AnyDesk/Labrador Primary Care-VRD Racing Tatuus IP-22): “A great way to end off the year with two victories and two poles – just an amazing VRD race car. You know, this red machine, our car's just been amazing all year. I just can't thank the VRD boys enough for everything they've done. They've been a huge part of my career. So, hats off to them, my family for always coming out and helping out; my dad for helping me with racing ever since I was a little kid. My mom helping me too, always taking me to tracks. And my little brother for always supporting me at every track. And even when I'm away, he watches. I can't thank my sponsors enough because I wouldn't be here without them. And everybody that has just been here from the start. It's just another amazing year done with the USF Pro Championships.”
Lochie Hughes (#44 The McGinley Group/Private Wealth Planning/Grip Auto Timepieces-Turn 3 Motorsport Tatuus IP-22): “It was a good race. I think I had the best launch, to be honest, off the start and had to send it really deep into Turn One to hold my position. Then basically it was just Nikita and I the whole race just nose to tail. It was very difficult because a lot of the corners here are mid- to high-speed corners, so following just wasn't ideal, cooking the front tires a little bit. But there was sort of a bit of a rubber band between us where I'd make a bit of a mistake, he'd pull away, then I'd catch up again, and it was sort of like that the whole race. The last few laps I actually closed in quite a bit and made a mistake into Turn One, braking too late on the last lap and that was it. I gave it everything for my last race with the Turn 3 crew. I'm so happy to have driven here this year, and I wish them the best for the future. I'm sure they'll always be part of my family.”
Simon Sikes (#18 USF Pro Championships/Mockett/Bell Racing/Sabelt-Pabst Racing Tatuus IP-22): “I'm just thrilled to be on the podium for the last race of the season. It's a great way to cap off the year. I am thrilled to just be racing with the Pabst team. They're the greatest and to have this opportunity to race with them two years in a row is absolutely mega. I have to give a huge shout out to the scholarship advancement system and the USF Pro Championships for giving me this opportunity and Doug Mockett, a huge, huge supporter of mine. Without them, I wouldn't be here. It's just a blessing every time we get to go on track.”