With two victories and a second place Nikita Johnson managed to take the lead of the USF Pro 2000 in New Orleans. Still 15 years old, Johnson will play a double program in 2024, altering the USF Pro 2000 to GB3, in which however he will be forced to miss the first two events, waiting for his 16th birthday. The USF2000 vice-champion took advantage of Lochie Hughes’ bad weekend, championship leader after the opening round in St.Petersburg, to take the lead and already put a significant gap between himself and his pursuers.
Hughes, however, was forced to retire in race 1 due to a technical problem, while in the second race he had to stop after going off the track. Only in the last scheduled heat did he manage to finish in the top-10, not getting beyond a meager tenth place. Green light therefore for Johnson and Hunter Yeany, great protagonist with three podiums and the first victory of the season. The American driver, who returned to national soil after his unfortunate experiences in FIA Formula 3, has relaunched himself in a big way and now occupies second position in the championship. Jace Denmark also did well, scoring pole in Q1 and two podiums.
Sunday 7 April 2024, race 1
1 – Hunter Yeany – TJ Speed - 18 laps in 42’10”748
2 – Nikita Johnson – VRD – 0”283
3 – Jace Denmark – Pabst – 0”958
4 – Danny Dyszelski – Turn 3 – 1”992
5 – Mac Clark – DEForce – 2”601
6 – Nicolas Baptiste – BN Racing – 2”951
7 – Ricardo Escotto – BN Racing – 3”548
8 – Christian Brooks – Pabst – 4”616
9 – Frankie Mossman – JHDD – 5”361
10 – Simon Sikes – Pabst – 5”560
11 – Tyke Durst – Turn 3 – 6”126
12 – Braden Eves – Exclusive – 6”533
13 – Jorge Garciarce – DEForce – 6”759
14 – Logan Adams – Comet – 8”202
Retreat
Ethan Ho
Liam Sceats
Lochie Hughes
Adam Fitzgerald
Nicholas Monteiro
David Morales
Sunday 10 March 2024, race 2
1 – Nikita Johnson – VRD – 18 laps in 30’26”883
2 – Hunter Yeany – TJ Speed - 3”526
3 – Simon Sikes – Pabst – 3”974
4 – Mac Clark – DEForce – 4”640
5 – Nicolas Baptiste – BN Racing – 8”290
6 – Ricardo Escotto – BN Racing – 8”784
7 – Jace Denmark – Pabst – 9”188
8 – Liam Sceats – TJ Speed - 11”894
9 – Jorge Garciarce – DEForce – 12”928
10 – Christian Brooks – Pabst – 13”803
11 – Frankie Mossman – JHDD – 14”188
12 – Ethan Ho – Turn 3 – 16”777
13 – Adam Fitzgerald – Turn 3 – 17”569
12 – Logan Adams – Comet – 19”903
15 – Nicholas Monteiro – DEForce – 20”443
16 – Braden Eves – Exclusive – 20”573
17 – Tyke Durst – Turn 3 – 1 lap
Retreat
Lochie Hughes
Danny Dyszelski
Not gone
David Morales
Sunday 10 March 2024, race 3
1 – Nikita Johnson – VRD – 18 laps in 27’46”207
2 – Jace Denmark – Pabst – 2”809
3 – Hunter Yeany – TJ Speed - 6”043
4 – Simon Sikes – Pabst – 7”242
5 – Mac Clark – DEForce – 7”933
6 – Ricardo Escotto – BN Racing – 13”378
7 – Christian Brooks – Pabst – 14”570
8 – Danny Dyszelski – Turn 3 – 15”911
9 – Frankie Mossman – JHDD – 16”451
10 – Lochie Hughes – Turn 3 – 17”991
11 – Liam Sceats – TJ Speed - 19”945
12 – Nicolas Baptiste – BN Racing – 23”040
13 – Ethan Ho – Turn 3 – 28”755
14 – Jorge Garciarce – DEForce – 29”914
15 – Adam Fitzgerald – Turn 3 – 36”929
16 – Braden Eves – Exclusive – 37”421
17 – Nicholas Monteiro – DEForce – 38”143
18 – Logan Adams – Comet – 39”210
19 – Tyke Durst – Turn 3 – 42”686
Not gone
David Morales
The championship
1.Johnson 141 points; 2.Yeany 102; 3.Brooks, Clark 80; 5.Denmark 77; 6.Hughes 75; 7.Mossman 66; 8.Sceats, Sikes 63; 10.Dyszelski 58.
