The battle for the USF2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires title is over with a close fight to the finish at Portland International Raceway this past weekend. Third runner-up in the championship, driving for Jay Howard Driver Development (JHDD) in the #6 entry was Evagoras Papasavvas, who scored three top-ten finishes, a pair of top-five results, and a podium in the final event weekend of the 2023 season.
With the championship battle for second and third place in the standings up for grabs, and only a few points separating four drivers, Evagoras was determined to move up the rankings after entering the weekend fifth in the championship. Evagoras started his last race weekend off strong as he climbed to the second step on the podium in race one after qualifying on the inside of row three in the fifth position. By the end of race one, Evagoras had climbed one spot to fourth place in the championship as it was looking like a promising weekend, and on track to achieve his task. However, just prior to the start of race two, things were not going his way.
Evagoras’ engine was found to be down on power due to cylinder compression issues. With no other option, the #6 was set to start his race on a subpar powerplant. Remarkably, Papasavvas kept it consistent and maintained a fifth-place finish despite the engine power deficit, claiming valuable championship points. Although the power unit was replaced for race three, the pace was not as strong and he was unable to push for a podium finish and the win, claiming a sixth-place result when the checkered flag dropped for the final race of the season. With the weekend results, Evagoras placed fourth in the 2023 USF2000 Presented by Cooper Tires championship standings.
“I’m sad to see this season end, but also disappointed we were not able to achieve the weekend results we needed due to engine issues,” explained Papasavvas. “But, I’m looking forward to what 2024 will bring. I’ve learned so much from the JHDD team this year, and I think I’ve made huge improvements in my first full season of open-wheel racing. I’ll be carrying all that knowledge with me heading into the new year and a new season. I am so thankful to Jay, the entire team, my family, and my generous sponsors and partners for helping me along the way. Without them, none of all this would have been feasible!”
Overall, Papasavvas earned six trips to the podium paired with his first win of the USF2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires at his home event in Ohio.
Papasavvas added, “I hope to have my 2024 plans confirmed and announced soon so we can move forward with our offseason test program.”
Evagoras Papasavvas would like to thank several new and returning partners for their support this 2023 season including Maison Mavrommatis, Attikouris Enterprises, BodyWise, Tiger Natural Gas, Ares Elite, D1 Cincinnati North, HLB Investments, and GutsWear.
Papasavvas has not announced any plans yet for the 2024 season. Stay tuned to his social media accounts for news, information, and updates during the off season.
For more information on Evagoras Papasavvas, please contact Nektarios Papasavvas via email to evagoras71p@gmail.com or visit him online at www.EvagorasRacing.com. Be sure to follow Evagoras Papasavvas on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for news, results, information, and photos from the event. Find us by searching “Evagoras Papasavvas”.
Photos: RTD Media / Gavin Baker Photography