Rinus Veekay Dominates Pro Mazda Race 1 in Mid-Ohio

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor

LEXINGTON, Ohio — Rinus Veekay put together a dominant Saturday at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course to claim the Pro Mazda Presented by Cooper Tires championship lead.

Veekay scored the pole and led wire-to-wire to claim Saturday’s Cooper Tires Pro Mazda Mid-Ohio Grand Prix Race 1. The Juncos Racing prospect took the checkered flag 2.8753 seconds clear of BN Racing’s David Malukas in what proved to be a comfortable win in a caution-free event.

Robert Megennis rose from fifth to claim the final spot on the podium in third, with Carlos Cunha and Parker Thompson completing the top five. Thompson’s pedestrian run meant that Veekay jumped ahead of him in the point standings, leaving the first race of the weekend with the championship lead.

Oliver Askew followed in sixth, with Felipe Drugovich, Mathias Soler-Obel, Sting Ray Robb and Kris Wright completing the top 10.

There were few issues throughout the 14-car field, with each driver completing the race and 13 of the 14 cars staying on the lead lap. The race went to the 25-lap scheduled distance instead of resorting to the 40-minute time limit.

The Pro Mazda field will return for Race 2 on Sunday at 11:05 a.m. ET.

Cooper Tires Pro Mazda Mid-Ohio Grand Prix Race 1 Results

1. Rinus Veekay
2. David Malukas
3. Robert Megennis
4. Carlos Cunha
5. Parker Thompson
6. Oliver Askew
7. Felipe Drugovich
8. Mathias Soler-Obel
9. Sting Ray Robb
10. Kris Wright
11. Nikita Lastochkin
12. Andres Gutierrez
13. Moises de la Vara
14. Charles Finelli