Photo credit: Gavin Baker Photography

Nicolas Giaffone has qualified on pole for the Freedom 75 with a time of 42.347 across two laps, setting themselves in the best qualifying position for Friday night’s shootout.

Giaffone qualified ahead of Ayrton Houk and Tanner DeFabis to cap off the top three.

Three series rookies were part of the first six cars to go out for qualifying, with reigning USF Juniors champion and DEForce Racing’s Giaffone taking the quickest time early on in the order when he set a 42.347 before holding out to finish on pole.

This year marks the first year that the USF2000 and USF Pro 2000 series will be running on the new Continental tire. Unlike on road courses where drivers have attested to the tires taking around eight laps on average to get to their full temperature. 

Multiple drivers competing across the two Carb Night Classic races have attested to the tires coming up to temperature nearly immediately on ovals, including USF Pro 2000’s Mac Clark, who said it would be a “mental game” to see how the tires last on a long run.

For full qualifying results, check out usf2000.com/results.