From the outset, all three TJ Speed drivers showed impressive pace during the first practice session. Ariel Elkin led the team, finishing fifth overall. American driver Jace Denmark ended the session in 12th, while New Zealand’s Sebastian Manson, competing on the challenging St. Pete barrier-lined track for the first time, placed 17th.

In qualifying, the team continued to impress, with all three drivers securing top-10 positions. Manson posted the fifth-fastest time in his first-ever USF Pro 2000 qualifying session, while fellow rookie Elkin clocked in with the seventh-fastest time. Denmark, a title contender, qualified 10th and lined up for race one from the outside of row five.

Race one proved to be a tough outing for the team. Manson’s race ended prematurely after an unfortunate incident during a restart while he was battling inside the top five. Elkin’s race also came to an early halt on lap 12 after he made contact with the wall while running in the top 10, which led to damage that prevented him from participating in race two. Denmark, however, had a clean and consistent race, moving up two spots to finish eighth and begin his championship quest on a solid note.

“We didn’t get the results we were hoping for in race one, with two of our drivers suffering early retirements due to unfortunate incidents,” said Team Owner Tim Neff. “It’s disappointing because all three cars showed strong potential, but only Jace made it to the finish line. Nonetheless, his eighth-place finish gives us a solid result to build on for the season.”

In race two, Manson started in 10th place, with Denmark just behind in 11th. Elkin, after his race one incident, was unable to participate in the weekend’s final race. Both Manson and Denmark delivered strong performances in race two, with Denmark finishing in sixth place and Manson securing eighth, giving TJ Speed two more top-10 finishes to end the weekend on a positive note.

“We bounced back well after the tough first race, and our drivers proved they can compete at the front of the pack,” Neff continued. “Bringing home two top-10 finishes in race two is a solid way to close out the weekend, and I’m confident that we’ll continue to build momentum and deliver even better results as the season progresses. It’s unfortunate that Ariel couldn’t race in the second event, but we look forward to giving him more opportunities to perform in the future.”

TJ Speed will next head to NOLA Motorsports Park from April 10-13 for rounds three, four and five of the 2025 USF Pro 2000 season.