STEAM CORNERS, Ohio — VRD Racing’s Edward Kennedy became the youngest driver to win a USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire race this afternoon in the first of two races that comprise the USF Pro Patriot 250 Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio.
Kennedy, from Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, was too young to contest the opening two race weekends of the season but has quickly made his presence known.
After a strong debut last month at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, where he earned a best finish of fourth, Kennedy, who only turned 14 on May 8, took the lead from polesitter and championship leader Karol Pasiewicz (Olivia Racing) halfway around the opening lap in hot, humid conditions and held on to win in just his fourth start.
At 14 years, one month and 26 days, he eclipsed current Indy NXT driver Nikita Johnson, who was previously the youngest USF Juniors winner at 14 years, two months and six days.
Pasiewicz, from Lodz, Poland, actually strengthened his points advantage by finishing second ahead of another 14-year-old, Dutchman Dean Hoogendoorn aboard a second VRD Racing entry.
Pasiewicz continued his excellent work from Canadian Tire Motorsport Park last month by once again topping the charts during qualifying this morning to secure his fourth successive Continental Tire Pole Award. Denmark’s Casper Nissen was second fastest for JHDD powered by ECR ahead of Kennedy and fellow Canadian Olivier Mrak for Zanella Racing.
Kennedy, however, drove impressively around the outside of Mrak to take second place at the Keyhole, Turn Two on the opening lap, then also passed Pasiewicz for the lead at the end of the back straightaway.
Farther down the field, a couple of Zanella Racing entries unfortunately attempted to occupy the same piece of road between Turns Four and Five, after which some more inadvertent contact between Cranston and Nissen pitched the Dane into the wall at the exit of Turn Nine.
Mrak benefited from Nissen’s unfortunate early exit, only to make a mistake of his own and spin at Turn One immediately after the restart, which brought out the caution flags again.
The scrappy start thankfully gave way to a clear run to the checkers for the remainder of the 20-lap race. Pasiewicz never allowed Kennedy much breathing space, but the youngster never put a wheel wrong. He also underlined his performance by setting a new fastest lap on each of the final two laps before taking the checkered flags almost one second clear.
A drive-through penalty to Cranston for avoidable contact elevated Hoogendoorn to fourth, which the Williams F1 Team Driver Academy member maintained all the way to the finish despite the best efforts of Englishman Max Cuthbert for JHDD powered by ECR, who had worked his way impressively from 10th at the start.
Mexico’s Elias Vignola (DEForce Racing) earned a career-best fifth ahead of early season pacesetter Max Mokarem, from Fairfax, Va., who vaulted from fourth in the points to second.
