Photo credit: Gavin Baker Photography

Team bonding for drivers in motorsports is nothing new, but the offseason for Exclusive Autosport’s USF Pro 2000 drivers Mac Clark and Joey Brienza dug deeper than most.

For the two, it involved Brienza showing Clark around Indiana University, where Brienza is a sophomore. It’s a much different experience than what Clark was used to at his school, Ontario Tech University, which has a student body population one-fifth the size of Brienza’s campus in Bloomington.

“I offered him the bed, but he was sleeping on the futon,” Brienza joked. “It was just a day and night difference between the colleges, I think he loved it, and his mind was blown.”

The contrast in college life aside, the trip was a bonding experience for the two drivers. The difference in campus size and culture was just another layer to the long-running friendship between Clark and Brienza, who are now teammates in USF Pro 2000 for the first time. And while there are many ways teams form camaraderie, you’d be hard-pressed to find a time in the paddock where either of them isn’t smiling ear to ear.

Both Clark and Brienza are part of a reinvigorated Exclusive Autosport lineup, which looks poised to take a big step forward in 2025. Brienza, fresh off being crowned USF2000’s rookie of the year, and Clark, who secured two top-five finishes during the opening weekend on the Streets of St. Petersburg, are already showing promising signs of success in their new roles.

“Mac’s definitely one of my closest friends on the grid,” Brienza said. “Having that teammate dynamic where you can share information with each other and work so cohesively—it’s something nice.”

Their connection goes beyond racing as well. Clark’s younger brother, Brody, and Brienza both share backgrounds in running, another bond that allows the drivers to click both on and off the track.

As personable as racing drivers get, Clark and Brienza rarely stray far from smiles, even during autograph sessions in St. Pete where they struck up conversations with fans and embraced the start of the season.

Joining them in this dynamic trio is Carson Etter, who completes the Exclusive Autosport lineup for 2025. Like Clark, Etter is new to the team, but he and Brienza have raced together before in USF2000. The three of them may have only been together for a few months, but they’ve already created a tight-knit team atmosphere.

“I love it, man, it’s just like a family,” Clark said. “I get along with Joey and Carson, and the staff has been wicked.”

Through Clark, Exclusive Autosport has been able to hit the ground running. The 20-year-old Canadian finished fourth and then second in his first two races of the season, positioning himself in second place in the championship, just 13 points behind Max Garcia of Pabst Racing.

“I’ve been told by different people that you can’t win a championship in St. Petersburg, but you can definitely make your life harder,” Clark said. “So surviving those two races and finishing in good spots in both of them, it’s a great way to start the year and a good way to start our championship hunt too.”

Exclusive Autosport finds itself in the top half of the team standings, sitting in fourth place. And while success in racing is never guaranteed, one thing you can count on is that these drivers will face each challenge with a smile on their face.

Exclusive Autosport and the rest of the USF Pro 2000 grid will race next at NOLA Motorsports Park from April 10-13. More information can be found here.