WEST ALLIS, Wis. – Turn 3 Motorsport continued its championship pursuit at the Milwaukee Mile this past weekend where Leonardo Escorpioni earned a second-place finish and fastest lap in the penultimate round of the USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire championship. After entering the weekend 33 points behind the championship leader, Escorpioni capitalized on the increased points available at the season’s final oval to cut the deficit nearly in half and leave Milwaukee just 17 points from the top of the standings with three races remaining.
Persistent rain disrupted the weekend schedule and ultimately postponed the 75-lap race until Sunday, but once competition got underway, Escorpioni wasted little time moving forward from third on the grid. The #4 driver took over second by Lap 2 and quickly began applying pressure to race leader Thomas Schrage, setting the fastest lap of the race on Lap 8 as he remained within striking distance of the lead.
Traffic provided another opportunity for Escorpioni to close in during the second half of the race, and with 20 laps remaining, he was consistently lapping quicker than the leader as the battle intensified. However, debris lodged in the #4 car’s intake ultimately hindered its performance during the closing stages. Despite the significant loss of pace, Escorpioni held on to bring the car home second and secure a valuable haul of championship points.
Behind him, Brady Golan battled inside the top 10 throughout the race after starting seventh, recovering positions following a difficult start before ultimately bringing the #44 car home in ninth. Sebastian Manson initially charged forward four positions from 16th before a steering wheel issue forced the #22 car to pit, with an additional shifting problem further compromising his race and leaving him 18th at the finish. Tyke Durst’s afternoon was also disrupted when a disconnected radio forced the #3 car into pit lane on Lap 30, with the resulting time loss leaving him 16th at the checkered flag.
Escorpioni’s runner-up finish and fastest lap reduced his championship deficit from 33 to just 17 points, setting up a decisive final weekend at Road America at the end of September. With three races making up the season-ending event, Turn 3 Motorsport will enter the finale with Escorpioni firmly in contention for the Drivers Championship.
#4 Leonardo Escorpioni // USF Pro 2000 Data Pioneer Solutions / Corix / Qwilt / Mensalize
“It was a good weekend in Milwaukee, and I’m super happy with our pace. P2 wasn’t what we wanted, but considering the issue we had toward the end of the race, we’ll take the points. We were able to close the gap in the championship, and now it all comes down to Road America. We’ll get ready and give everything we have for the fight there.”
#44 Brady Golan // USF Pro 2000 Marina
“Milwaukee was a challenging weekend, but it was great to finally get the race in after dealing with the weather. We didn’t quite get the result we were looking for, but there were some good battles throughout the race and plenty we can take away from the weekend. Now our focus shifts to Road America and making the most of the final three races of the season.”
#3 Tyke Durst // USF Pro 2000 FHI / Relay Payments / Drive Toward A Cure
“I’m really disappointed with how the weekend went. We showed up with a lot of optimism and preparation following a good showing at the series test, but unfortunately that felt like one of the only positives. We were just on the wrong foot and out of balance all weekend, and I couldn’t figure out why. Qualifying last and finishing two laps down was nowhere near my expectations. It leaves us with a lot of work to do, and we’ll just have to go all in at Road America.”
#22 Sebastian Manson // USF Pro 2000 Mansons TCLM / Maramarua Beef / Ted Manson Foundation / Express Plumbing
“It was a rough weekend with the mechanical issues, and we didn’t quite have the pace we expected in qualifying. We made a good start and were able to move forward early in the race, but unfortunately the issues set us back. Now we’ll put Milwaukee behind us and focus on finishing the season strong at Road America.”
Team Owner Peter Dempsey
“Milwaukee was a successful weekend. P2 for Leo (Escorpioni) was good for the championship points. I feel like we let the win slip away when we didn’t execute in qualifying, and starting P3 made the race more difficult than it needed to be. We had the speed to win, but it wasn’t meant to be. We are only 17 points back now though, so it’s all to play for at Road America.
“Brady (Golan) improved a lot during the race, but again a tough qualifying left his race difficult. As a team, we are fully focused on the next event, and we will give it everything we have for Road America at the end of this month.”
The USF Pro 2000 Championship will return to Road America September 24-26 for the final three races of the 2026 season, setting the stage for a championship-deciding tripleheader. Escorpioni will arrive just 17 points from the Drivers Championship lead as Turn 3 Motorsport prepares to put everything on the line in pursuit of both the Drivers and Team Championship titles.
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