G3 Argyros, from Newport Beach, Calif., maintained his recent run of form by finishing second for Pabst Racing ahead of Peru’s Andres Cardenas for JHDD powered by ECR.

After qualifying was canceled due to the entire event starting a day later than originally planned, today’s grid was determined by championship points, and in the enforced absence of championship leader Leonardo Escorpioni due to visa issues, it was Jeffers who started on pole position with Argyros alongside on the front row.

A clean start saw Jeffers maintain his advantage into Turn Six at the end of the long back straightaway, although behind, Cardenas, who started fifth, managed to sneak past VRD Racing’s Frankie Mossman , from Newport Beach, Calif., for third. A little farther back, Mossman’s teammate Teddy Musella, from Orlando, Fla., overtook TJ Speed Motorsports’ Thomas Schrage, from Bethel, Ohio, in Turn Seven.

After a brief early caution to remove some debris from the race track, the race resumed with the leading positions unchanged. Jeffers never really looked under threat in the lead as the next few runners soon began to spread themselves out a little and the main interest focused on a back-and-forth tussle for sixth between Schrage and New Zealander Sebastian Manson (Turn 3 Motorsport).

Colin Aitken, from Jacksonville Beach, Fla., brought out the Safety Car again when he lost control and collected the wall in Turn Four on the 10th lap, and following the cleanup there was time for just a two-lap dash to the checkered flag.

Jeffers withstood immense pressure from Argyros at the restart, then cut loose on the final lap when he recorded the fastest lap of the race to ensure another pole position for Race Two tomorrow.

Cardenas, in third, crossed the line close behind Argyros with Mossman also in contention. A dust-up in the midfield saw Schrage emerged in fifth ahead of Turn 3 Motorport’s Brady Golan, from Austin, Texas, and Manson, who also claimed the Tilton Hard Charger Award after having started 10th.

Exclusive Autosport co-owners Josh Cooley and Michael Duncalfe earned the PFC Award as the winning team owner. 

Tomorrow’s concluding race of the Continental Tire Grand Prix of Markham weekend is due to see a green flag at 10:25 a.m.

Provisional championship points after 13 of 18 rounds:

1. Jack Jeffers, 283

2. Leonardo Escorpioni, 278

3. G3 Argyros, 258

4. Andres Cardenas, 214

5. Frankie Mossman, 212

6. Thomas Schrage, 194

7. Michael Costello, 166

8. Teddy Musella, 162

9. Brady Golan, 162

10. Colin Aitken, 144.

Jack Jeffers (#92 USF Pro Championships/Exclusive Autosport Tatuus IP-22): “I would say the track is pretty racy. There's a lot of open corners, a good amount of passing opportunities. The hairpin gets a little sketchier, a little nerve wracking when you have a whole stack of cars behind you but, honestly, it’s an awesome facility. I wish we got to be on it yesterday and get more track time, but they did a great job here. It’s a good track, good for racing and it kind of has a little bit of everything. It's been a long time since we've been at this top step, so it feels good to give it back to the team and put us back where we belong. A huge thank you to Exclusive Autosport and Braden Eves, my coach and engineer, who's been working with me nonstop all year long to just keep getting better and better and keep working.”

G3 Argyros (#18 Positive Beverage/Elephant Cooperation-Pabst Racing Tatuus IP-22): “The race was a dash to the end and with having almost no track time, only the short practice, it made it a lot of learning on the fly. My team owner Augie Pabst got on the radio after the first lap and went, all right, well now we know where we're faster and where they’re faster. Let's go to work. I kept him [Jack Jeffers] honest and kept him under pressure. It’s an awesome facility. I'm glad that we're able to come to this amazing event and continue racing in Canada as we have for so long. Toronto used to be one of the highlights of my year, but I think that if we get it done in the next race, this will be a new favorite.”

Andres Cardenas (#6 Java House/Splenda-JHDD powered by ECR Tatuus IP-22): “It's always very fun being on a street circuit. I really didn't expect to come here [due to visa issues] but I am here, and to have a third position is really good and I am grateful for everything that has happened.”