USF2000 points leader Sikes gets seventh pole of 2023 in Toronto

Photo: Gavin Baker Photography

USF2000 points leader Simon Sikes claimed pole in the series’ second qualifying session on the streets of Toronto.

Velocity Racing Development’s Sam Corry was first to top the times, then Sikes shuffled him down to second after a few minutes.

Sikes’ Pabst Racing team-mate Max Garcia completed one lap before losing his front wing, and it was left at turn two through the rest of qualifying.

Race one poleman Evagoras Papasavvas lowered the pace into the 1m13s with his second lap, and improved again on the lap after. Sikes responded by going faster, but then Papasavvas reclaimed first place with a 1m13.0532s.

That was no issue for Sikes, who had an answer to that by setting a 1m12.8034s. DEForce Racing’s Mac Clark was able to demote Papasavvas to third, but was half a second off Sikes’ pace as he improved again by four tenths of a second.

The second half of qualifying featured less changes at the top, with the most notable action being Exclusive Autosport’s Joey Brienza stopping on two seperate occasions at turn one. Sikes had a lock-up at turn three too and went down the escape road, but was able to rejoin.

Papasavvas reduced his advantage down to 0.3566s, and with five minutes to go Jay Howard Driver Development’s Lochie Hughes went just 0.0021s slower to slot into third place while Clark improved in fourth.

In the final four minutes Papasavvas finally bettered Sikes’ pace, but on his next lap he went 0.0898s faster than him to reclaim first place.

Sikes secured pole with a minute to go by breaking into the 1m11s, and although Papasavvas improved twice after he came 0.1859s short of matching his rival’s pace.

Pabst’s Jacob Douglas qualified third and VRD’s Nikita Johnson went fourth fastest after the chequered flag, shuffled Nico Christodoulou down to fifth after he had jumped up to third place with a minute left on the clock. Clark qualified seventh for his home race.

Qualifying results