Kennedy, from Mont-Tremblant, Que., Canada was first across the finish line in both 35-lap races, only to slip to third in this morning’s race after having jumped the start. The 14-year-old made amends later in the day, when he came from behind to pass locally based driver Bex Cranston (Exclusive Autosport), from Greenwich, Conn., in the closing stages.

Cranston had to be content with a career-best scoop of second-place finishes.

After being gifted the victory in the opening race, Pasiewicz, from Lodz, Poland, was content to follow the two leaders home in third later in the afternoon to further extend his points advantage.

Kennedy took up yesterday exactly where he finished off last week at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course by posting the fastest lap in qualifying and becoming only the fourth driver this season to secure a Continental Tire Pole Award.

A large crowd had gathered for the start in perfect weather conditions at one of the most picturesque venues of the racing season, prior to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series headline event. And while Kennedy was never headed throughout the 35-lap race, he was later assessed a five-second penalty for a jumped start which relegated him to third in the final results.

Series leader Pasiewicz, from the outside of the front row, lost a position to Kennedy’s teammate, Dutchman Dean Hoogendoorn, on the run through Big Bend for the first time. Next time around, though, an attempt at an outside-line pass for the lead at the same corner cost Hoogendoorn three positions as he slid wide onto the dirt at the exit of the corner. Pasiewicz took advantage to move back into second ahead of Cranston, who also had overtaken Englishman Max Cuthbert (JHDD powered by ECR) at the first corner on the opening lap.

The two leaders, Kennedy and Pasiewicz, edged slightly clear of Cranston in the opening stages, although Cranston soon found his groove and set what was to stand as the fastest lap of the race on his eighth time around the 1.53-mile track. Moments later, an incident farther down the field in Turn One between JHDD powered by ECR teammates Casper Nissen, from Toftlund, Denmark, and Aryan Narola, from Fairfax, Va., brought out the caution flags for the first and only time.

Kennedy was never seriously threatened once the race went back to green – other than when his jump-start penalty was applied.

Pasiewicz came under pressure from Cranston in the final laps before holding on for what was to be his fourth win of the season, while the extra position gained by Cranston was enough for him to claim the Tilton Hard Charger Award.

Hoogendoorn, who had repassed Cuthbert shortly before the caution, struggled for pace in the later stages, but still managed to hold off Cuthbert and top Zanella Racing exponent Leonardo Serravalle, from Thorold, Ont., Canada, who is the only driver to have completed all 240 laps thus far in 2026.

Kennedy once again started at the front of the field in the second race of the day, his second Continental Tire Pole Award assured by virtue of turning the best of each drivers’ second-fastest laps during the lone qualifying session on Friday. Cranston improved his qualifying time during this morning’s race to earn a starting position on the outside of the front row, and he kept the pressure firmly on during the opening eight laps until the caution flags waved following an incident for Jared Oselka (Zanella Racing), from Long Beach, Ind., at the Uphill Turn.

When the green flags waved again, Cranston had a big jump on the outside line along the main Sam Posey Straightaway, then pulled off a brilliant maneuver around the outside of Big Bend to take over the lead.

Pasiewicz had the pace to remain tucked in behind the two leaders after a fast-starting Hoogendoorn, who again made a good initial start to move up into third, made a mistake at the exit of Big Bend and fell deep into the pack.

Kennedy intensified his efforts until, with a little less than two laps to go, Cranston’s ultra-defensive move to the inside entering the braking area for Big Bend allowed Kennedy to sweep boldly to the outside and complete a fine pass for the lead. Job done.

Kennedy held on to take a deserved victory by just over a half-second with Pasiewicz a similar distance farther back in third.

Cuthbert completed a strong day with a lonely run to fourth, well clear of Florida-based Brazilian Victor Couto (Zanella Racing), who in turn had edged away from teammate Serravalle. Next up were Exclusive Autosport’s Brenden Cooley, from Mokena, Ill., who earned the Tilton Hard Charger Award after starting 15th, and Zanella’s Grant Mitchell, from Lake Forest, Ill., who capped a breakthrough weekend with another strong effort after finishing seventh this morning.

The day’s two PFC Awards went to Olivia Racing’s Dana Delgado and VRD Racing’s Dan Mitchell as the winning car owners.

Pasiewicz now holds a commanding 80-point lead in the quest for a scholarship valued at $251,516 to advance to USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire, the next step on the USF Pro Championships ladder, in 2027. With a maximum of 99 points still to be earned at the tripleheader season finale, Pasiewicz will have to wait more than two months before he has the opportunity to clinch the USF Juniors title at the spectacular Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wis., on September 24-26.

Provisional championship points after 13 of 16 races:

1. Karol Pasiewicz, 284

2. Max Mokarem, 204

3. Bex Cranston, 197

4. Olivier Mrak, 189

5. Victor Couto, 179

6. Cole Medeiros, 175

7. Ivan Machado Perez, 167

8 Edward Kennedy, 163

9. Leonardo Serravalle, 154

10. Max Cuthbert, 150

Karol Pasiewicz (#25 Olivia Racing Tatuus JR-23): “I knew that after qualifying if we didn't manage to take pole, it would be a hard race until the very end. Basically, on this track, the pole gives you a win if you do not mess it up. I tried to pass Edward at the restart, but it was impossible. There was no grip on the outside. Coming into Turn One, Dean as well tried it and went out. Obviously I feel better now getting the win and getting more points for the championship. Overall, it's a very, very unbelievable win for me and I'm really happy.”

Bex Cranston (#90 IES/Miller Motorcars/King & Spalding-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus JR-23): “Starting P5 here isn't the easiest thing in the world. This is not a track with big brake zones or anything, so making a pass is really difficult. I knew at the start I had to be aggressive. I made two moves and got up into third and kind of just sat there for the whole race. The car took a little bit to come in, but when it did we went purple and were super fast. We started closing on Karol. If I had known the leader was going to get a penalty, maybe I would have done something a little bit different. We'll take the extra points and from my side, it was a good race. I want to thank everyone at Exclusive Autosport, my engineer Zach [Leedy], Aiden [Fortney, lead mechanic], Elliot [Budzinski, driver coach], and everyone else who makes it possible and to give a big shout out to all my sponsors and all my supporters who came out.”

Edward Kennedy (#30 VRD Racing Tatuus JR-23): “The car was on fire. We pulled away from the start to the end but had an unfortunate penalty. It was my fault. I went a bit too early at the start. Hopefully, we'll recover in Race Two. We're starting on pole again, so let's go get it done.”

Edward Kennedy (#30 VRD Racing Tatuus JR-23): “The whole race we maintained our gap and then we got passed around the outside in Turn One on the restart. After that, I maintained my gap and then I snuck around Bex on the outside of Turns One and Two. It was definitely a new move. I saw Bex do it to me and I thought why not give it a try? I have nothing to lose. I'm not in the championship after missing the first two races. The last two laps, I maintained my gap but the tires were starting to fall off at the end. But apart from that, the car was amazing. Thank you very much, everyone.”

Bex Cranston (#90 IES/Miller Motorcars/King & Spalding-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus JR-23): “I was really pushing. Before the restart, he had a ton of pace and I was really just trying to hang with him and stick in the draft. I stayed there and then we went yellow. For the restart, I saw an opportunity around the outside and took it. It worked in my favor. I tried to do clean laps and maintain my pace out front. Right at the end, I started to lose the car a little bit. Obviously, 35 laps is not a short race by any means. I just lost the car a little bit at the end and he was able to make a move. I am happy to settle for second. It’s good points for the championship, but I wanted the win in front of the home crowd.”

Karol Pasiewicz (#25 Olivia Racing Tatuus JR-23): “Obviously, my strategy was just to survive the race and take as many points as I could. The start was pretty difficult as I really messed it up. I finally got up to the leaders after the safety car restart and then I was thinking about trying to go for it, for second place. But I thought I shouldn't risk it because I'm fighting for the championship. I wanted to extend my lead and now everything is focused on winning the championship.”