RACE CONTROL • 75Our man Hunter said post race “It was pretty intense out there, especially
with what happened at the start. I was expecting some chaos in Turn One
but I literally saw a car barrel-roll over the top of the front of my car and I’m
thankful to have escaped unscathed. I’m happy to get out of the race clean
and with good points – we can build on this. And it’s an honour to wear the
scholarship colours. I look at a driver like Oliver Askew as someone I want to
emulate, coming through and winning the championship. That’s our goal as
well so today was a good start.”
Eves Claims Second St. Petersburg USF2000 Victory
Following victory in Round 1 Braden Eves with the team which has won the
last eight Driver Championships in succession seemed to be moments away
from celebrating another first USF2000 victory. This time for Florida racer
Darren Keane when the pole sitter and race long leader lost control under
braking for Turn 13 on the final lap while under intense pressure from Jay
Howard Driver Development’s Christian Rasmussen.
Eves, who had been running third, took advantage of the gifted victory to
take the checkered flag ahead of New Zealand’s Hunter McElrea (Pabst Racing)
and Zach Holden, from Greenfield, Ind., who completed the podium for BN
Racing.
After proving to be one of the stars in the season opener by carving his
way from the back of the field (due to a faulty transponder in qualifying)
to seventh, Keane, from Boca Raton, Fla., looked set to take full advantage
of his space. Keane, who qualified on pole position, was briefly passed by