AUSTIN, Texas (November 1, 2024) – Titus Sherlock returned to Victory Lane for the fourth time this season in Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas) competition. In the opening race of the COTA SpeedTour at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), Sherlock led from lights to flag to take the victory in dominating fashion.
Notes of Interest:
- Titus Sherlock earned his fourth win of the 2024 season when he took the checkered flag in Round 18 at COTA on Friday afternoon.
- Jett Bowling tied his career-best finish with a second-place result on Friday afternoon. The finish marked his eighth podium in 18 races this season.
- Cole Kleck returned to FR Americas for the first time since the opening race weekend at NOLA. In four starts this season, Kleck has finished on the podium in each one, including today’s third-place result.
- It was an all-Texan podium with Prospect, Texas native, Titus Sherlock, taking the win, Dallas’ Jett Bowling finishing second and San Antonian Cole Kleck finishing third.
- In his FR Americas debut, Bruno Ribeiro finished fourth at Circuit of The Americas.
- Competing in her first open-wheel race, Hailie Deegan finished 10th in FR Americas on Friday afternoon. The former NASCAR and off-road star will be racing in INDY NXT during the 2025 season.
- For the eighth time this season, Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport swept the podium with Sherlock, Bowling and Kleck all racing under their banner.
Winning the pole during yesterday’s qualifying session, Titus Sherlock (No. 31 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) led the field down the grid to start Race 1. As the lights went out, Sherlock immediately jumped ahead of the field, while they spread out two and three wide behind him. Jett Bowling (No. 02 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) and Bruno Ribeiro (No. 3 IGY6 Motorsports / Save22 Ligier JS F3) started second and third, but by the time they reached Turn 1, both were under pressure from Cole Kleck (No. 11 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) and Brady Golan (No. 80 Toney Driver Development Ligier JS F3), who had started in fourth and fifth. Bowling was forced wide through Turn 1, relegating him to fifth as the field raced toward the esses. Golan initially fell in line behind Sherlock, but Kleck continued to apply pressure, overtaking second as they entered Turn 1 on the second lap.
Opening up a 1.408-second gap during the first 10 minutes, Sherlock’s advantage was erased by a full-course caution as Jake Pollack (No. 1 JENSEN Ligier JS F3) came to a rest in Turn 1 after suffering a mechanical issue. Just before the caution flag waved, Golan ducked behind the wall as he suffered a mechanical failure racing through the esses. As safety crews worked to clear the circuit, Sherlock continued to circle around behind the safety car with his mirrors filled with Kleck, Ribeiro, Bowling and Hayden Bowlsbey (No. 22 IGY6 Motorsports / Save22 Ligier JS F3), who completed the top five.
When the race resumed, Sherlock was under intense pressure, with Kleck pulling side by side as they entered Turn 1. Sherlock locked the brakes, which should have given Kleck the advantage, but the NOLA winner went wide on exit, instead allowing Bowling to sneak by for second. The pressure didn’t stop there as Bowling and Kleck swapped the runner up position at least two more times.
As the checkered flag waved, Sherlock was the first one across the finish line with a 3.442-second advantage. Bowling followed in second, and Kleck crossed the line in third.
“The safety car made it a little tough with that close restart, but I still got it done in the end,” said Sherlock after climbing from the car. “We had a good restart, and I had a fun battle with Cole—it was pretty intense. I was able to get away and get the win, so I’m super happy with that. I just want to thank the team at Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport, Oscar, my engineer, my mechanic, Frenchie, and my whole family watching at home.”
FR Americas will contest their final race of the 2024 season tomorrow at 1:15 p.m. CT. The race will be preceded by a fan walk, where fans are invited to join the cars and stars of FR Americas on COTA’s Pit Lane at 12:40 p.m. CT. Fans at home can stream the race live on SpeedTour.TV, or follow live timing and scoring on the Race Monitor app. Additional news and updates will be posted on the series’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
