Kyle Loh - 2021 Formula Pro USA FR Champion
Formula Pro USA came back to Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca for races 9 & 10. The weekend was relatively short. There was one practice session on Saturday, 2 qualifiers per day, and two races per day, which adds up to a grand total of 5 sessions.
I qualified in P2 behind Ryan Yardley for the Saturday race, and there was still some more speed to be found. As the cars were gridding up on the front straight, Ryan’s car suffered from a very bizarre mechanical failure, which resulted in him not being able to start the race on pole. As a result, my starting position was promoted to P1.
The green flag was waived, and everyone makes it through the Andretti Hairpin in one piece. From that point on, it was smooth sailing for us, and I built a large gap and maintained a solid pace. I crossed the finish line in 1st place and scored extra points for the fastest lap. After the Saturday race, I’ve collected enough points to clinch the championship title! Luck was on my side that day, and we took advantage of a rare on-track opportunity that I wouldn’t expect to happen again for a very long time.
On Sunday, we made a setup change to the car that didn’t quite help with the balance the way we thought it would, and I qualified in 3rd. As the green flag was thrown for the 2nd race, I then immediately saw double-yellow flags waiving for some reason as we approached the hairpin. I could have made my move for 2nd place stick, but after seeing the flags, I decided to back out and concede my position to avoid risking any potential penalties. I knew I can outpace the cars ahead, and began planning my next attack.
Shortly after the first lap, there was a fiery crash at the exit of turn 3. The race was ended early, and I finished in 3rd place. My thoughts remain with the drivers involved in the accident, and I wish them both a fast recovery. Thankfully, one driver escaped with just a couple broken ribs, and the other is in stable condition, currently receiving treatment for his burns.
A tough way to end our race weekend, but I’m very happy with my performance throughout the season, and proud of the World Speed crew for all the hard work we put into achieving our goals. Every time I climbed into the cockpit, I would adapt to the car a little more, and we would better understand the car characteristics. Looking back to my first test, I can recall feeling a little intimidated by the challenge of driving an F3 car to it’s full potential and thinking to myself “am I really prepared to drive this car, and do I have the talent to adapt to so much horsepower with so little time?”
2021 has by far been my best season, and it wouldn’t have happened without the incredible support from my friends, family, and partners:
World Speed Motorsports, Exclusive Racing, Allen Berg Racing Schools, Cambrian Academy, Torq Racewear, Racing with Autism, Ken Loh, Elsa Lay, Jeremy Morrison, Jay Horak, Tony Pechthalt, Marv Wayne, Rebecca Hernandez