Hunter McElrea leads USF2000 after sweeping Portland

California-born, Australian-based New Zealander Hunter McElrea now leads the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship after two wins in Portland, Oregon this weekend.

McElrea went into the round nine points behind leader Braden Eves, but started strong, taking pole position in both qualifying sessions, and extending his pole streak to four races.

Eves was second in both of this weekend’s 25-lap races, meaning that McElrea holds a slim lead of six points, with two race weekends left to race.

McElrea said “this was an amazing weekend.”

“To have a weekend like this – quick in all of the sessions, two poles and two wins – is so hard to come by. And to have a race like that, it’s the best case scenario. I’m so happy with where we are now to have the points lead. The competition, the teams and the drivers, are so talented.”

“To have the lead going into the final round doesn’t change anything: I’m going into Laguna Seca with the same mindset I’ve had all along, especially since Mid-Ohio. I’ll focus on my own thing and hopefully the rest keeps taking care of itself. But the Pabst team gave me such a great car this weekend, and I owe them so much.”