Hunter Yeany Adds Top-10 Result
It was the opening round of USF Pro Championships Presented by Continental Tire this past weekend as TJ Speed brought a trio of drivers to the Streets of St. Petersburg. Taking on the tight confines of the barrier-lined temporary circuit, Liam Sceats led the team in his first career USF Pro 2000 start with a third-place result on Saturday.
With only one practice session to learn the bumpy and challenging race course, TJ Speed drivers went straight to work on Friday afternoon to set the grid for the first wheel-to-wheel action on Saturday. Sceats proved his prowess as the recent New Zealand Grand Prix winner clocked the third fastest lap of the session to secure a row two starting position Saturday. David Morales was just outside the top 10 in 12th position, while Hunter Yeany put all three team drivers in the top 15, qualifying 15th.
Sceats led the team on Saturday as he ran at the pointy end of the field. Challenging the leaders early, the Kiwi kept them honest and was able to drive to a podium result in his first career Streets of St. Pete event. Yeany put two in the top 10 as he was on a charge to eventually finish in an impressive seventh.
With street racing comes risks and David Morales was a victim of those risks. Involved in a big incident that destroyed his TJ Speed-prepared machine, Morales was checked and cleared from the infield care center, but his car was too badly damaged to compete in round two on Sunday.
Returning to the track Sunday with an early morning affair, it was Sceats who found himself just on the outside of a second top-five result. Finishing sixth, Sceats was a victim of track position but was able to keep with the lead pack, gaining more experience for potential future events. Yeany was forced to overcome some difficult circumstances through the race to earn a P13 result while all three drivers will look to their next event.
“Great weekend for Liam as he was able to earn his first podium result in his series debut,” explained TJ Speed’s Tim Neff. “Hunter performed very well and showed that he has what it takes to compete and should be a force for strong finishes as the year rolls on. Tough luck for David on Saturday but thankful that he walked away and is okay. The focus shifts to the next one now.”
The next stop for TJ Speed and the USF Pro Championships is a trip to NOLA Motorsports Park over the April 5-7 weekend.
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