“I’m incredibly proud to say that we earned our first-ever Continental Tire Pole Award, and we did it by setting a new track record for the fastest two-lap qualifying average in USF2000 history,” said Houk. “We beat out some of the biggest teams in the paddock by just three-hundredths of a second, and it felt absolutely amazing to do it right here in my hometown of Indianapolis.”

Unfortunately, the race itself didn’t go the way the team had hoped.

“We made some bold changes to the setup trying to find that extra edge, but sometimes in racing, risks don’t pay off,” said Houk. “The car wasn’t quite where we needed it to be for race conditions, and I had to dig deep just to bring it home and salvage points. It was frustrating, no doubt, especially after the high of qualifying, but I’m thankful we finished clean, and even more thankful for the lessons we learned.

“This sport has a way of keeping you grounded. After watching the Indianapolis 500 yesterday, I was reminded that even the best drivers and most well-funded teams face tough, unpredictable challenges. What matters is how you respond, how you grow, and how you show up at the next race; and that’s what we plan to do.

“Huge thanks to my team, my parents, and everyone who works so hard behind the scenes to make this possible. Thank you to everyone who came out to support me this weekend; your energy meant everything. Special congrats to Anthony Martella and Thomas Schrage for a strong race night.”

The team has already set its sights forward to Rounds Nine and 10 at Road America at Elkhart Lake, Wis., on June 20-22. Houk was strong at the challenging road course last year, starting P11 and finishing sixth, and remains confident of being able to improve on that this year.

“With the momentum we’ve built and the lessons we’ve learned, I’m more motivated than ever to get back on track and fight for the results I know we’re capable of,” concluded Houk. “We are moving forward with focus, determination and the belief that our best is still ahead.”