Oconomowoc, Wisc. - If last year's team championship title in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda was sweet for Pabst Racing, this season must be icing on the cake for team owner Augie Pabst and his talented racing quartet. The Oconomowoc, Wisconsin-based team clinched back-to-back team championship titles with strong performances by Rasmus Lindh, Lucas Kohl, Calvin Ming, and Kaylen Frederick showing the way.
In fact, one could say that the USF2000 Grand Prix of Portland doubleheader race weekend was a microcosm of Pabst Racing's strong efforts all season long. Certainly, Rasmus Lindh and Kaylen Frederick made strong cases to win the first race at Portland before a close call in turn one on lap 21. However, Lindh and Frederick recovered to place fourth and seventh. Meanwhile, Ming drove his way to a season-best second-place finish while Kohl rounded out the top-five.
Pabst Racing nearly found the winner's circle in the USF2000 season finale. Starting on the pole and leading six laps, Lindh finished second to race winner and series champion Kyle Kirkwood. Kohl replicated his efforts from Saturday with another fifth-place effort while Ming placed sixth. Starting second and showcasing speed, Frederick's promising day was curtailed by a Lap 4 penalty for avoidable contact. Consequently, the young racer drove home to 15th at the 1.964-mile road course.
Throughout the season, 17-year-old Rasmus Lindh of Gothenburg, Sweden, led the way for Pabst Racing. In his first full-time season in a single-seater, Lindh scored five podium finishes, including a season-best second place effort at the season finale at Portland and third place results at the second race at Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Raceway, the second race at Toronto, and third race at Mid-Ohio. Overall, with seven top-fives and nine top-10 finishes, Lindh's consistency earned him a runner-up finish in the points standings.
20-year-old Lucas Kohl from Santo Cruz do Sul, RS, Brazil parlayed consistency and poise to earn a third-place ranking in the final points tally. Notably, Kohl's highlights included a pair of fifths at Portland, sixth at the first race in Indianapolis, eighth at the second race in Indianapolis, a 10th at Lucas Oil Raceway and the first race in Toronto, a trio of ninths at first race in Mid-Ohio.
Calvin Ming showcased some prowess and grit during the 14-race season. On the strength of four top-five finishes, including a runner-up at the first race in Portland, third at the first race in Mid-Ohio, fourth at the first race in St. Petersburg, and fifth at the second race in Mid-Ohio, the 22-year-old Guyanese racer drove his way to a strong fifth-place points finish.
Versatile, aggressive, and tenacious, 16-year-old Kaylen Frederick of Potomac, Maryland made some noise during the season. Frederick logged a trio of second-place efforts at Lucas Oil Raceway and the doubleheaders at Road America alongside a third at the first race in Toronto to place sixth in the championship rankings.
Knocking on the door for wins and strong, consistent podium finishes in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda, Pabst Racing's quartet of Lindh, Kohl, Ming, and Frederick showcased the team's power and potential for growth in a truly competitive series. With a second straight championship team title clinched in as many years, Pabst Racing is truly an organization that's making a name for itself and its drivers in open wheel racing.
Pabst Racing has been preparing winning racecars since 1983. The Pabst team was started by Augie Pabst Jr., former sports car racing legend from the 1950s and early 1960s who won many races and championships throughout his career. Current President Augie Pabst (former driver as well), took over the business in 1991. By 1998 Augie decided to focus on owning and maintaining a wide variety of winning racecars including SCCA Spec Racer, Shelby Can-Am, 911 Porsche, Ford Mustang GT-1 and primarily Van Diemen Formula 2000 cars. For more information please visit www.PabstRacing.com.