ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – Colombian Sebastian Garzon was the big winner today as USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire wrapped up its season with the USF Pro Championships Grand Prix at Road America. Third and fourth-place finishes for DEForce Racing’s Garzon were enough to clinch the title and a scholarship valued at $409,816 to graduate onto the next step of the USF Pro Championships ladder, USF Pro 2000, in 2027.

The races, meanwhile, were won by VRD Racing’s Ryan Giannetta, from Redondo Beach, Calif., who inherited the top spot following several late incidents, and Pabst Racing’s Eddie Beswick, from Sydney, Australia, who claimed his second win of the weekend.

Gabriel Cahan (Exclusive Autosport), from Santa Fe, N.M., and Garzon were second and third this morning, while VRD Racing’s Oliver Wheldon, from St. Petersburg, Fla., and Exclusive Autosport’s Evan Cooley, from Mokena, Ill., completed the podium in the finale.

This morning’s grid was determined either by each driver’s second fastest lap during the lone qualifying session on Friday or, more rarely, their best laps from Race One. Wheldon secured his sixth Continental Tire Pole Award of the season by virtue of his lap in qualifying, narrowly ahead of Beswick and Pabst Racing teammate and fellow Aussie Brad Majman, who earned his position by virtue of a new race lap record on Friday.

Beswick took the lead prior to the first corner but Wheldon stayed right him to begin a back-and-forth contest throughout the opening five laps which enabled them to edge away from an intense battle for third involving Majman, primary series rival and points leader Garzon and Giannetta.

An incident farther down the field meant that the Pace Car had to be scrambled, and another unfortunate collision shortly before the race should have been restarted led to the yellow being extended.

The restart came with only two laps remaining. Unsurprisingly, there was drama aplenty. Firstly, at Turn Five with one lap to go, Majman’s attempt under braking to split Garzon and ENVE Motorsports’ Wesley Gundler, from Holly Springs, N.C., ended in disaster as the Australian’s Pabst Racing entry reared into the air and out of the race. Gundler also was sent into a spin, from which he recovered to finish ninth despite losing his rear wing in the initial impact.

Beswick and Wheldon continued their tussle for top honors, with Wheldon grasping the lead with a fine move under braking for Turn Three on the final lap. However, his subsequent defense as the top leaders accelerated along the fast straightaway ended in contact which sent Beswick spearing off the track.

Wheldon was fortunate to be able to resume and finish 10th, albeit with a three grid-place penalty for the finale later in the day.

Giannetta, who had been running sixth at the restart, inherited the win – richly deserved after experiencing all manner of misfortune during the season. Gabriel Cahan, from Sante Fe, N.M., claimed his first podium finish in second, while a relieved Garzon took third to extend his championship lead to 27 points heading into the finale.

Thomas Nordquist (DEForce Racing), from Omaha, Neb., earned his best finish in fourth ahead of Canadian Lucas Nanji (Pabst Racing) and Callahan Peter (JHDD powered by ECR), from Fishers, Ind., whose drive from 17th on the grid earned him a third Tilton Hard Charger Award.

The final race later in the day mirrored the perfect weather conditions – warm and sunny – by staying green throughout the 12-lapper.

As per this morning, Wheldon had earned the Continental Tire Pole Award, but was obliged to start from fourth as a result of his earlier penalty.

Beswick’s Pabst Racing team performed wonders to repair his car in time for him to start from the pole. The Australian was forced to cede his lead to a bold move in Turn Five by a fast-starting Cooley on the first lap at Turn Five, but he soon regained control and edged away to secure a fine victory – his fourth of the season and second in as many days.

Wheldon overcame his grid penalty to rise to second on Lap 2, which he maintained until the finish.

Cooley couldn’t quite match the leaders’ pace but still capped a strong season with an eighth podium finish, while Garzon followed him home in fourth to secure a well-deserved championship for himself and DEForce Racing.

Garzon’s main rival, Majman, was next ahead of Gundler, who posted a magnificent drive from the back of the grid. Both Gundler and Vergara were required to start from the pit lane after being assessed responsibility for separate incidents in the earlier race, but Gundler played a starring role as he earned the Tilton Hard Charger Award, a new lap record and, for good measure, the GhostLap Fastest Race Lap of the Weekend Award.

The day’s two PFC Awards went to VRD Racing’s Dan Mitchell and Augie Pabst as the winning car owners. Pabst Racing also clinched its sixth Team Championship in the last 10 years.

Garzon and DEForce Racing will celebrate their victorious season at the traditional USF Pro Championships Celebration in nearby Elkhart Lake tomorrow, after which attention will switch to the USF Pro Fall Combine post-season test at the Indianapolis Grand Prix road course next month, October 17/18.

Provisional championship points after 18 of 18 races:

1. Sebastian Garzon, 383

2. Brad Majman, 354

3. Eddie Beswick, 339

4. Evan Cooley, 294

5. Oliver Wheldon, 282

6. Joao Vergara, 257

7. Ryan Giannetta, 242

8. Gabriel Cahan, 214

9. Wesley Gundler, 213

10. Anthony Martella, 209

Race 1:

Ryan Giannetta (44 R3 Recover and Wellness/Chilli Surfboards-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “A super strong race. It was unfortunate to see some of my teammates get taken out and some incidents happen, but I’m super happy to come away with a win and I will keep pushing for the next one.”

Gabriel Cahan (#93 AllPrint Graphics-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-22): “A very hectic race from the start. I struggled in the first half of the race starting on the inside lane. It definitely hurts a little bit there. But I just kept my head down to stay clean, avoided all the mess and eventually brought home P2.”

Sebastian Garzon (#12 Orsolon Racing/Café de Colombia-DEForce Racing Tatuus USF-22): “It was a really clean race for me. I just had the opportunities that I had and kept it clean the whole race and came in P3. It is really good championship points and now for the final race of the season I will try to give my best and win the championship.”

Race 2:

Sebastian Garzon (#12 Orsolon Racing/Café de Colombia-DEForce Racing Tatuus USF-22): “First, thank you God for giving me this incredible team behind me. It was a really difficult year, like so many ups and downs, but the most important thing is that I learned from them, from my mistakes. I want to thank my team, Ernesto and David Martinez, Simon, Armando, Omar, Isra, everyone, Frank, Aiden, everyone in the whole crew of DEForce. I want to thank my dad, my mom, my sister and the whole family and friends that came here to America to see me win the championship. I'm super happy.”

Eddie Beswick (#23 Next Level Racing-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “I feel like I've had my fair share of bad luck in the second half of this season, so I really wanted to come in regardless of the championship position and finish off strong and hopefully try and challenge for the front. Then to wrap up the Team Championship as well, that's good payback for them. I am just really happy and satisfied with my performance.”

Oliver Wheldon (#98 TWG Motorsports-VRD Racing Tatuus USF-22): “It’s been a pretty frustrating week, to be honest. I was leading in both races, Race One and Two, but had an incident in both of them and that took me out of the races. So, pretty unfortunate, but in Race Three, we came home with a good result in P2. I still wanted a little bit more, but overall, a good year of learning and meeting new people, so can't wait for next year.”

Evan Cooley (#90 Brown Brothers Harriman-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-22): “A great race to end the year. I got to lead off the start, starting pretty far back in seventh, so that was nice. We just didn't have the pace this weekend overall, but it’s still good to bring it home with two podiums. Unfortunately I had a mechanical in Race Two, but overall a good way to end the year and I’m excited for next year.”