FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. -– It was a weekend of mixed conditions and mixed results for VRD Racing’s Jimmie Lockhart during the fourth and fifth rounds of USF Juniors Presented by Cooper Tires. Taking on the rolling hills of Alabama and the famed Barber Motorsports Park, Lockhart improved on both his qualifying efforts to finish fifth in race one and stand on the podium when the checkered flag flew in race two.

With a busy two-day event, Thursday provided Lockhart and the rest of the USF Juniors field with four on-track sessions including two test sessions, official practice and qualifying, while Friday would feature rounds four and five of the 2023 championship. With a pair of qualifying sessions setting the grid for the two wheel-to-wheel races, Lockhart qualified seventh and sixth respectively.

Friday greeted racers with better weather and a packed house as the day also featured the first sessions for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Rolling off the grid seventh and on the inside of row four, Lockhart was determined to move forward and fight for a podium result. Advancing two positions over the course of the 20-lap race, Lockhart earned the third fastest lap of the session and had some momentum heading into the final race of the weekend later in the afternoon.

With one top-five result under his belt already, the goal of the podium was reached in race two. Despite not showing the same pace as in race one, Lockhart was able to climb two positions and cross the line third to celebrate on the podium for the first time over the weekend. With his second podium result in the five USF Junior races to date, Lockhart sits fourth in the chase for the championship with 11 races to go.

Lockhart said, “Just as I did in Sebring, I finished the weekend with a podium result. I need to improve on my qualifying effort which will yield better results once the racing begins.”

Next up for Lockhart is a trip to the VIRginia International Raceway over the June 2-4 weekend for rounds six, seven and eight of the USF Juniors Presented by Cooper Tires program.