August 11th, 2024
Ariel Victorious at USF Juniors Chicago Round
The 5th round of the USF Juniors Championship in Chicago brought a mix of highs and challenges for Ariel Elkin, but the weekend ended with a thrilling victory and a podium finish, keeping him firmly in the championship battle.
Despite this being his first time on the Chicago circuit, Ariel quickly adapted, showing strong pace throughout practice sessions. After dialing in a solid setup, he qualified 4th out of 25 drivers, positioning himself well for the weekend’s races.
Race 1 saw a promising start as Ariel quickly moved up to 3rd place by the second lap. However, an unexpected issue with the throttle pedal, which got stuck at high speed, forced Ariel to make a quick decision, safely stopping the car and ending his race prematurely.
Race 2 told a different story. Starting from 4th, Ariel was in a fierce battle for the lead from start to finish. On the last lap, he made a bold move to take the lead and crossed the line victorious, securing his second win of the season in spectacular fashion.
In Race 3, Ariel started in 6th and once again fought his way through the field, eventually taking the lead. However, a penalty for "Blocking" led to a controversial end. With little time to react, Ariel was instructed by his engineer to drop to 2nd place just before the finish line to avoid a harsher penalty, handing the win to another driver. Though the decision was tough, Ariel and the team remained positive, learning valuable lessons for the future.
Ariel is now ranked 2nd in the championship standings, with just one race weekend left in Portland. As the season approaches its conclusion, Ariel and the team are determined to keep fighting for the title.