HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Max Mokarem drove a picture perfect race this afternoon for Zanella Racing to win the opening round of a new USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire season at the Homestead-Miami Speedway 2.25-mile oval/road course in South Florida.

Mokarem, from Fairfax, Va., became the third youngest race winner at the beginning of the series’ fifth season as he led throughout the 20-lap opening of the USF Juniors Grand Prix of Homestead Presented by YACademy tripleheader. He finished comfortably clear of Olivia Racing’s Karol Pasiewicz, from Lodz, Poland.

Finland’s Vilho Aatola, from Turku, Finland, finished fifth on the road for DEForce Racing, but inherited the final podium position after JHDD powered by ECR teammates Casper Nissen, 15, from Toftlund, Denmark, and Max Cuthbert, 15, from Chelmsford, England, were both penalized five seconds for blocking.

Mokarem laid down a marker this morning in qualifying by securing the first Continental Tire Pole Award of the new campaign. The 14-year-old who races under the Lebanese flag narrowly headed Bex Cranston (Exclusive Autosport), from Greenwich, Conn., and Pasiewicz at the front of a tightly packed field which, remarkably, counted nine different nationalities in the top nine positions on the starting grid.

There was plenty of shuffling for positions among the 21-car field as they completed the opening lap, but as they crossed the line it was still Mokarem who held the lead, albeit by mere inches from Pasiewicz and outside front row qualifier Cranston.

Moments later, a variety of incidents in Turns One and Two ensured the first of two brief full-course cautions. Miraculously, there was only one retirement, but that turned out to be especially unfortunate for Canada’s Alex Berg, whose small family-run team had effected a monumental rebuild following a major accident during testing on Monday, only for his race to be ended through no fault of his own.

Mokarem and Pasiewicz soon distanced themselves from the field after the restart. Mokarem was able to maintain his lead, but only by the narrowest of margins, holding tightly onto the low line through the banking in NASCAR Turns Three and Four and onto the front straightaway as the Pole tried in vain to gain a slipstream after taking a significantly higher line through the 180-degree corner.

Cranston lost his opportunity to stay with the two leaders following an incident on Lap Six with Spain’s Ivan Machado Perez (VRD Racing by Pole Position), but was able to rejoin a distant last and remain on the lead lap. Just. That fact played into his favor following a second Safety Car interlude, which ended with five laps remaining.

Mokarem pulled clear at the restart and retained his advantage until the checkered flag.

Pasiewicz instead had his work cut out to manage the pair of JHDD powered by ECR cars of Nissen and Cuthbert. They eventually took the checkered flag in this order, only to be penalized afterward by the race stewards, dropping them to eighth and 10th position.

Aatola not only inherited third place, he also was a deserving winner of the Tilton Hard Charger Award.

Zanella Racing’s Olivier Mrak, from Ottawa, Canada, was credited with fifth, just ahead of Cranston, who masterfully picked his way through the field, rising from 18th following the final restart. Cranston also laid down a marker by posting comfortably the fastest race lap.

Jose and Jessica Zanella capped their day by picking up the PFC Award as the winning car owners.

A second qualifying session at 9:00 a.m. EST tomorrow will determine the starting positions for the final two races which will see the green flag at 11:15 a.m. and 2.30 p.m.

Provisional championship points after one of 16 races:

1. Max Mokarem, 32

2. Karol Pasiewicz, 25

3. Vilho Aatola, 22

4. Olivier Mrak, 19

5. Bex Cranston, 18

6. Brenden Cooley, 15

7. Casper Nissen, 14

8. Leonardo Serravalle, 13

9. Victor Couto, 12

10. Max Cuthbert, 11

Max Mokarem (#46 District Construction Corp./Zanella Racing Tatuus JR-23): “The pressure was a lot. It was very intense, especially leading up to the last final laps. After everyone grouped up, it was just really intense, but I was able to pull away pretty good. The car was good; it was very consistent throughout the track. I want to thank the team, all the mechanics and the engineers. I want to thank my dad, my family, my sponsors, everyone. It is super exciting. This is actually my first time racing this series and racing this car, so it's very emotional, but also very thrilling. I'm excited to look forward to doing more of this this season.”

Karol Pasiewicz (#25 Olivia Racing Tatuus JR-23): “My race was really, really calm. After the first safety car restart, we pulled away with Max. We were just pulling away, pulling away until the other safety car came. There were some moves that I didn't like under the safety car restart and that cost me my time. I went back to P5 or even P4 and then I just had to move my way up.”

Vilho Aatola (#14 Mad Croc/Anti Skid Life/X-1R-DEForce Racing Tatuus JR-23): “It was a really big surprise (to be on the podium). I have to thank the whole DEForce crew, Mad Croc and all my sponsors. I think it was the best race we could have done after starting P13, so that’s a really nice way to start the season.”