PORTLAND, Ore. – Englishman Liam McNeilly notched two fine race victories in today’s Continental Tire Grand Prix of Portland for Jay Howard Driver Development, but a pair of podium finishes was enough for Hoboken, N.J., teenager Max Taylor to claim the USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire championship title with one race to spare for VRD Racing.
Taylor also will pocket a scholarship valued at $263,700 to graduate onto the next step of the USF Pro Championships driver development ladder, USF2000, in 2025.
Teammate and second generation racer Sebastian Wheldon, from Coral Gables, Fla., also captured two more podium finishes to clinch the Team Championship for VRD Racing.
Taylor began his day in the best possible style by posting the fastest lap during a wet qualifying session to claim his third Continental Tire Pole Award in the most recent four races.
The track was largely dry by the time the 21-car field lined up on the grid, although everyone was obliged to start on grooved, wet-weather tires. A chaotic race ensued as a series of minor incidents brought out the caution flags and almost everyone chose to make pit stops during the 15-lap race to switch onto slicks.
The lone exception among the leaders was InterMS’ Augusto Soto-Schirripa, from Miami, Fla., who saw the green flag in the lead at the final restart with just a couple of laps remaining. By then, however, dry-weather tires were clearly the preferred option. McNeilly, who took the restart in third, overtook Taylor almost immediately in Turn One and had no difficulty in holding on until the checkered flag for a timely third win of the season.
Wheldon vaulted from fourth to second on the final lap, while Taylor rounded out the podium ahead of DEForce Racing’s Brady Golan, from Austin, Texas, who recorded his best result of the season in fourth, and Soto-Schirripa, who nursed his wet-shod car home in fifth.
JT Hoskins, from Sarasota, Fla., claimed the Tilton Hard Charger Award for Jay Howard Driver Development after rising from 21st on the grid to 10th.
The second race of the tripleheader season finale this evening was held on a damp but drying race track.
McNeilly this time started at the front by virtue of posting the best second-fastest lap of all drivers during the lone qualifying session to earn the Continental Tire Pole Award. He and Taylor quickly pulled out a solid lead over the rest, although Wheldon soon began to work his way back into contention after slipping to sixth place over the first couple of laps.
Taylor moved past McNeilly into the lead after six laps, and while he initially pulled out a handy lead, the race was far from won. Instead, McNeilly began to close as the track continued to dry. Wheldon, too, was by then fully into his stride, so that the three leaders were back to running nose to tail with five laps remaining.
McNeilly, intent on keeping his title hopes alive, regained the lead with a clean pass under braking for Turn One on the 13th lap, but Taylor remained locked onto his rear wing, which was enough to put the championship beyond the reach of his rivals.
Evan Cooley (Exclusive Autosport), from Frankfort, Ill., rose from ninth on the grid to fourth, securing him the Tilton Hard Charger Award.
McNeilly’s banner day ensured two more PFC Awards for Jay Howard as the winning car owner, and he will have one more opportunity to add to that tally when the final race of the season takes the green flag at 2:15 p.m. tomorrow.
Provisional championship points after 15 of 16 races:
1. Max Taylor, 329
2. Liam McNeilly, 294
3. Sebastian Wheldon, 283
4. Ariel Elkin, 262
5. Jack Jeffers, 231
6. Augusto Soto-Schirripa, 227
7. Joao Vergara, 151
8. G3 Argyros, 141
9. Leonardo Escorpioni, 131
10. Timothy Carel, 130
Max Taylor (#33 PINK ETF/Susan G Komen Foundation-VRD Racing Tatuus JR-23): “It feels amazing. Just getting out of that car and seeing all my friends and family and the whole VRD team was just amazing. I couldn't imagine it differently. I'm so thankful to Dan for this entire year. In the race it was P2 in the end, but I did what I needed to do and I came away the champion so I'm just super ecstatic.”
Liam McNeilly (#9 Acclaim Contracts/Wolf International-Jay Howard Driver Development Tatuus JR-23): “The day was really good, P2 in qualifying and winning Race 1 and winning Race 2. This year wasn't our year. Big congratulations to Max who won the championship. If you can't win the championship, you've got to win races. Ending the year out in style and this is just going to take us into next year with a lot more momentum. Can't thank the team enough and we'll go into next year a lot stronger.”
Sebastian Wheldon (#98 Gainbridge Andretti-VRD Racing Tatuus JR-23): “Overall, I think the race went pretty well. I had some good pace and I just couldn't extract it at the end. I think I killed the tires too early. I'm super happy with how this whole year has been, and we have one race tomorrow. I can't wait for tomorrow.”