Team posts one podium and three top-10s during grueling doubleheader weekend
LEXINGTON, OH – Exclusive Autosport returned to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this past weekend for Rounds 10 and 11 of the USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire championship, fielding Bex Cranston, Brenden Cooley, and Cole Medeiros for the doubleheader event. Battling changing weather conditions and one of the most technical circuits on the schedule, the trio continued to show the team's depth and determination throughout the weekend.
Cranston led the way with his first career USF Juniors podium, while Cooley and Medeiros both delivered strong top-10 performances as all three drivers gained valuable experience and continued their progression through the second half of the season.
“Mid-Ohio was another weekend where I thought our pace was stronger than the results ultimately shows,” said Michael Duncalfe, Co-Owner and CEO. “I’m incredibly proud of our entire USF Juniors crew for giving our drivers competitive race cars all weekend long. It was fantastic to see Bex earn his first career podium after showing podium-caliber speed from the moment we unloaded, and I know that the result is well deserved. Brenden and Cole also drove very well, but unfortunately their finishing positions don’t accurately reflect how competitive they were throughout the weekend.
"All three drivers continue to make tremendous strides every time they get behind the wheel. Their confidence is growing, their racecraft continues to improve, and the pace is there. We're seeing all the pieces come together, and it's only a matter of time before everything aligns over the course of a full race weekend. I'm excited to see what this group can accomplish during the second half of the season."
The weekend began on Thursday with a productive day of unofficial testing, where the Exclusive Autosport trio quickly found speed around the technical Mid-Ohio circuit and carried that momentum into Friday's official sessions. In practice, Cranston, Cooley and Cole Medeiros all finished inside the top-eight, setting the stage for a competitive qualifying session. Cranston continued to lead the charge by qualifying sixth, while Cooley secured ninth and Medeiros lined up 13th for Race 1. When the green flag dropped later that afternoon, all three drivers battled hard through a pair of caution periods, with Cooley leading the team home in seventh, Medeiros advancing to eighth, and Cranston crossing the line in 12th after serving an in-race drive-through penalty, taking away a likely podium result.
Sunday morning brought the final race of the weekend for the USF Juniors squad, with all three drivers looking to finish the Mid-Ohio event on a high note. Cranston delivered the drive of the weekend, charging from eighth on the grid to claim a career-best third-place finish and his first USF Juniors podium. Medeiros continued to battle forward throughout the 20-lap contest, but a late-race incident left him 16th, while Cooley was running inside the top 10 before early-race contact dropped him to 17th in the final results – an outcome that did not reflect the speed he displayed throughout the weekend.
The USF Juniors will now have a quick turnover with a series test this Tuesday at Lime Rock Park with the Rounds 12 and 13 taking place on Friday and Saturday on a weekend featuring the NASCAR Truck Series.
EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT – DRIVER RESULTS AND QUOTES
MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE – LEXINGTON, OH – JULY 3-4, 2026
BEX CRANSTON - #90
Qualifying: 6th – 1:05.302
Race 1: Start – 6th / Finish – 12th (In-Race Penalty)
Race 2: Start – 8th / Finish – 3rd
Driver Quote: “Mid-Ohio was a weekend full of great pace. From the jump, we were P1 in first practice and had strong pace throughout each session. I made a small mistake in qualifying, putting us in sixth, so I knew there was work to do to get the car where it belonged in the races. In Race 1, we got up to third on Lap 3, but a penalty sent me to the back. However, in Race 2, starting from eighth, we managed to bring the car all the way to the podium after a wild race. I want to say a massive thanks to everyone at Exclusive Autosport who makes it all happen for me. Zach, Elliott, Aiden, Alycia, Michael, Josh, as well as all my partners: IES, Miller Motorcars, Tephra Digital, RidgeTop Research, and King and Spalding. This weekend was a good step forward in my progression, and a positive end to a wonderful a weekend. I can’t wait to go to Lime Rock next week for the penultimate round of the championship.”
BRENDEN COOLEY - #92
Qualifying: 9th – 1:25.372
Race 1: Start – 9th / Finish – 7th
Race 2: Start – 5th / Finish – 17th (Contact)
Driver Quote: “We had a strong weekend and put ourselves in a position to fight for the podium. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get it done in the end, but there were plenty of positives to take away. We’ll learn from it, keep pushing, and come back stronger next weekend at Lime Rock.”
COLE MEDEIROS - #97
Qualifying: 12th – 1:25.453
Race 1: Start – 12th / Finish – 8th
Race 2: Start – 13th / Finish 16th (Contact)
Driver Quote: "Mid-Ohio was a challenging weekend. I struggled in qualifying, but we found some strong pace in Race 1. Unfortunately, a mistake cost us some valuable positions. In Race 2, I fought my way from P8 up to P5 before an incident ended our charge. Despite the setbacks, there were plenty of positives to take away, and I'm looking forward to carrying that momentum into Lime Rock this weekend."
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