Mid-Ohio USF2000: Askew wins for seventh time in 2017

The 20-year-old from Florida, who scored the maximum 33 points, entered the weekend with a 18-point lead over Rinus VeeKay and was able to grow that lead to 29 points heading into tomorrow's penultimate USF2000 race.  

The Soul Red No. 3 of Askew led the field cleanly through the first 10 turns of the 2.258-mile, 13-Turn natural terrain road course, but the tricky Turn 11 caught out Kory Enders. Enders, who started the race in a season best fifth spot, went off on the inside of Turn 11, and spun lazily in front of the oncoming field. 

As cars scrambled to the right and left of the DEForce Racing No. 11. the 14 trailing drivers all missed Enders, but Andres Gutierrez, Colin Kaminsky, and Bruna Tomaselli all got stacked up and spun through the grass on the outside of Turn 11. 

All four drivers were able to recover, and Enders was able to recover to an impressive eighth place finish after falling down to 15th. 

Parker Thompson, who won the last two races in Toronto, was able to get around outside front row starter Lucas Kohl. His second place finish was his fifth podium of the season and his 17th career MRTI podium. 

VeeKay, who initially qualified on the outside of the front row, was forced to start fourth after he trailed Askew by 19 points when the race began, was able to get by his Pabst Racing teammate Kohl for the final spot on the podium on the sixth lap of the race, but was not able to make any more progress. 

Askew, who pulled out a second and a half lead was forced to defend that spot when Moisés de la Vara’s Mazda-powered Tatuus from the DEForce Racing stable came to a halt in Turn 5. 

Askew slowed the field down as they came through the final turn to take the green flag, and was able to just pull away from Thompson as they hit the turn in point for Turn 1. Askew’s start was reviewed, but was deemed to be legal by the USF2000 Race Control. 

The biggest mover in the race was David Malukas. The Chicago, Ill. driver was penalized for qualifying interference and start the race in 15th, but was able to recover to finish sixth.  

The second USF2000 qualifying session begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning and the final race of the weekend rolls off 12:10 p.m. 

Story by Steve Wittich