ELKHART LAKE, Wis. — Eddie Beswick has developed a special affinity for Road America.
After scoring his maiden USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire victory at the fabled Wisconsin road course in June, the 21-year-old from Sydney, Australia, this afternoon triumphed once again for the locally based Pabst Racing team in the first of three races that will conclude the season.
Title protagonists Sebastian Garzon (DEForce Racing), from Colombia, and Beswick’s fellow Australian teammate Brad Majman both finished well down the order after tangling on Lap 2, which allowed Beswick to close to within 44 points of Garzon with just two races remaining and a maximum of 66 points still to be claimed.
Evan Cooley, from Mokena, Ill., finished second for Exclusive Autosport ahead of Florida-based Brazilian Joao Vergara (VRD Racing).
Beswick laid down a marker earlier this morning by snaring his second Continental Tire Pole Award of the season. Vergara joined him on the front row of the grid, equaling his best grid position of the season (also at Road America in June) with VRD Racing teammate Oliver Wheldon, from St. Petersburg, Fla., sharing row two with Garzon and Majman lining up fifth.
A fraught opening lap saw Wheldon immediately putting the polesitter under pressure before taking the lead on the inside under braking for Turn Five.
Behind, a good start by Majman saw him make up two places on the opening lap to run third ahead of Cooley and Garzon. The Colombian, however, was on a charge. After displacing Cooley, he dived to the inside of Majman under braking for Turn Six, only for there to be contact between the pair at the exit.
Garzon’s car leapt into the air but continued with the loss of only a few positions, only to then spear off into the gravel at Turn One on the very next lap to bring out the caution flags for the first and only time during the 12-lap race.
Beswick took advantage of a massive draft at the restart to pass Wheldon cleanly before Turn One for the lead. Wheldon, however, was in no mood to concede. The Floridian made a move to the inside under braking for Turn Six, whereupon contact between the pair immediately broke Wheldon’s front wing. He had no option but to pit for repairs.
Beswick assumed a clear lead over Cooley, which he extended with each successive lap before securing his third win of the season. He also ensured a sixth PFC Award for Augie Pabst as the winning car owner.
Cooley edged slightly clear of Vergara on the final lap, while Exclusive Autosport’s Ayrton Cahan, from Santa Fe, N.M., remained hot on his heels to the finish. Cahan earned the Tilton Hard Charger Award after having started 12th.
Wesley Gundler, from Holly Springs, N.C., also drove a strong race for ENVE Motorsports, closing onto Cahan’s tail in the final stages before having to settle for fifth. Connor Aspley (Exclusive Autosport), from O’Fallon, Mo., drove by far his best race after stepping up from USF Juniors to finish sixth ahead of the other Cahan brother, Gabriel, and VRD Racing’s Ryan Giannetta, from Redondo Beach, Calif.
Coincidentally, Garzon and Majman both rejoined a lap down following their earlier contretemps. Garzon managed to find a way past his rival, although Majman earned the honor of a lap record – and what could turn out to be a crucial additional championship point.
