Multiple GB4 race winner Liam McNeilly established himself as the driver to beat in the new USF2000 campaign with a dominant display in the season opening weekend at St. Petersburg, Florida.
The British driver qualified second for the first race of the weekend, missing out on pole by just 0.05 seconds, but made amends by topping the second fastest times to bank the front of the grid slot for race two.
But that didn’t matter in the first race of the season, as McNeilly powered into the lead with a late braking move at turn one after a safety car restart. In a frenzied race, the Jay Howard Driver Development ace had to withstand a couple more restarts, but held firm to open his account ahead of Jack Jeffers and Jeshua Alianell.
From pole for race two, McNeilly led all 20 laps of the second encounter, taking the flag over two seconds clear of Jeffers, who was again his main rival.
Of the maximum 66 points on offer across the weekend, McNeilly secured 64 of them, putting him 13 ahead of Jeffers at the head of the standings, in front of the watching IndyCar paddock.
“I had a good start. I didn't have to defend into Turn One so I managed to get a bit of a gap, and then it was just about managing really” a calm McNeilly noted afterwards. “Jack was still there and, if I made a mistake, he was there to pounce. I just had to keep off of the wall and bring it home. I am looking forward to NOLA in a few weeks with the championship lead.”
