SCCA Pro Racing

Track Facts:
Circuit: Road America
Length: 4.048-miles / 14-turn road course
Race Direction: Clockwise
Podium: Victory Circle 

FR Americas Championship:
Practice:                       Friday, May 17 at 8:50 a.m. CT
Qualifying:                     Friday, May 17 at 2:10 p.m. CT
Feature Race 1:             Saturday, May 18 at 9:30 a.m. CT
Feature Race 2:             Saturday, May 18 at 5:25 p.m. CT
Fan Walk:                      Sunday, May 19 at 12:00 p.m. CT
Feature Race 3:             Sunday, May 19 at 12:40 p.m. CT 

F4 U.S. Championship: 
Practice:                        Friday, May 17 at 11:40 a.m. CT
Qualifying:                      Friday, May 17 at 5:20 p.m. CT
Autograph Session:       Saturday, May 18 at 11:30 a.m. CT
Feature Race 1:             Saturday, May 18 at 3:40 p.m. CT
Feature Race 2:             Sunday, May 19 at 10:25 a.m. CT
Feature Race 3:             Sunday, May 19 at 4:15 p.m. CT

Ligier JS F4 Series:
Practice:                       Friday, May 17 at 10:20 a.m. CT
Qualifying:                     Friday, May 17 13 at 3:50 p.m. CT
Autograph Session:       Saturday, May 18 at 11:30 a.m. CT
Feature Race 1:             Saturday, May 18 at 1:50 p.m. CT
Feature Race 2:             Sunday, May 19 at 9:05 a.m. CT
Feature Race 3:             Sunday, May 19 at 2:20 p.m. CT

FR Americas Championship

Three Winners in Three Races
The 2024 Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas) season kicked off at NOLA Motorsports Park last month with three winners taking the checkered flag in each of the opening three races. Cole Kleck (No. 11 ddAutosports / International Mechanical Ligier JS F3) earned his first-career victory less than a year after joining FR Americas, while Patrick Woods-Toth (No. 27 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) took the win in Round 2 during his debut weekend. After winning the opening two races at NOLA last season en route to finishing second in the championship, Ryan Shehan (No. 66 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) returned to the Winner’s Circle in Race 3, climbing atop the podium for the third time in his career.

SVRA Experience Pays Off for Ambiado and Garat
Both Nicolas Ambiado (No. 55 TLink / Allegro Ligier JS F3) and Justin Garat (No. 17 Speed Factory Ligier JS F3) spent the 2023 season getting acclimated to the Ligier JS F3 chassis while competing in Sportscar Vintage Racing Association’s (SVRA) Group 9 with their Speed Factory team. With just one weekend of official competition under their belts, it seems their patience and preparation paid off, as both drivers had solid showings at NOLA Motorsports Park. Garat recorded three top-10 finishes, with a career-best result (sixth) recorded in Race 3, while Ambiado earned his first-career FR Americas podium with a third-place result in Race 1.

FR Drivers Coming off a California Adventure
During the break since the season opener, several drivers took on WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the first FR Americas Invitational event during the Mission Foods Laguna Seca SpeedTour weekend. With rain washing out the first race of the weekend, drivers had just one shot at victory. Titus Sherlock (No. 31 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) took the win, as Ryan Shehan (No. 66 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) overtook Jett Bowling (No. 02 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) during the final minutes of the race to claim second. With Bowling finishing third, Landan Matriano Lim (No. 73 739Racing Ligier JS F3) rounded out the 1-2-3-4 sweep by Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport.

Masters Champion Experiences F1
Earlier this month, Kevin Janzen (No. 24 US Power Group / Data Center Solutions Ligier JS F3) was treated to a champion’s experience at the Miami Grand Prix with the Haas F1 Team. The 2023 FR Americas Masters Champion was welcomed into the Formula One World Championship Paddock at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium and into the Haas F1 Team garage for a behind-the-scenes F1 experience. Janzen’s day was filled with a slate of meet and greets with everyone from Haas F1 drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg, to reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi and team engineers. He was also given a team headset and invited into the Haas F1 Team garage to observe Free Practice 1, where he was able to watch the collaboration between the drivers and team as they prepared for Sunday’s main event.

FR Americas & F4 U.S. Alums Chasing INDYCAR Dreams
With the Indianapolis 500 just around the corner, several alumni of FR Americas and Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) will by vying for a starting position in the greatest spectacle in racing. Among them are 2021 FR Americas Champion Kyffin Simpson (No. 4, Chip Ganassi Racing), 2020 FR Americas Champion Linus Lundqvist (No. 8, Chip Ganassi Racing), 2018 FR Americas and 2017 F4 U.S. Champion Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27, Andretti Global) and 2018 Third-Place F4 U.S. Champion Christian Rasmussen (No. 33, Ed Carpenter Racing). Simpson, Lundqvist and Rasmussen will also be among the seven drivers vying for top rookie honors. Qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for this weekend, May 18-19.

Experience Pit Lane Before the Lights Go Out with FR Americas
Fans are invited to join the drivers of FR Americas on pit lane for a pre-race fan walk leading into Race 3 on Sunday afternoon. Open to all spectators, fans will be welcomed on to Road America’s pit lane at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday, May 19, to meet the drivers, collect autographs and see the cars just minutes before the lights go out. A limited-edition series poster will be distributed at the event.

F4 U.S. Championship

F4 U.S. Season Opener
F4 U.S. will open its 2024 season this weekend at the iconic Road America. With a scholarship on the line to allow this year’s champion to compete full time in FR Americas in 2025, drivers will be focused on not just this weekend’s results, but on laying the foundation for a successful season-long run. Last year’s F4 U.S. champion, Patrick Woods-Toth, is already an FR Americas race winner after taking home the victory in Race 2 at NOLA Motorsports Park last month.

Debut of the Ligier JS F422
After unveiling the Ligier JS F422 at Road America last May, this weekend will mark the much-anticipated debut of the new chassis and its Ligier Storm power. The second generation of the Ligier F4, the lighter and longer Ligier JS F422 features enhanced safety innovations, including the Halo driver impact system. With reinforced protection at the front, rear and sides, the chassis features all the latest FIA specifications in terms of safety and performance. The car is powered by the new Ligier Storm engine, a 1.65-liter, V4 engine developed by Ligier Automotive’s team of engineers.

Back in the Driver’s Seat
While they will be racing a new chassis, a trio of drivers will be returning to F4 U.S. after making their first starts in the championship during the 2023 season finale at Circuit of The Americas:

• Pablo Benites Jr. (No. 44 Scuderia Buell Ligier JS F422)
• Daniel Quimby (No. 24 Cruise America / MIR Raceline / FIJI Airways / GalvanizeIns Ligier JS F422)
• Barrett Wolfe (No. 13 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422)

New Drivers Debuting in Wisconsin
Several drivers will be making their first-career starts in F4 U.S. this weekend at Road America:

• Alex Crosbie (No. 41 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422)
• Felipe da Silva Corsi (No. 10 USNG Racing Ligier JS F422)
• Lincoln Day (No. 54 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422)
• Connor Roberts (No. 46 ApexSpeed.com / Entrophy Cellars Ligier JS F422)
• Nicolas Stati (No. 15 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422)

New Teams Joining the F4 U.S. Paddock
One of the premiere LMP3 teams in IMSA sportscar racing, MLT Motorsports will join the F4 U.S. ranks beginning with this weekend’s event at Road America. The team will utilize the program to help evaluate and develop young, up-and-coming drivers, preparing them to move into its LMP3 and Lamborghini Trofeo programs. Lincoln Day will pilot the team’s No. 54 entry in F4 U.S. competition this season.

Family-owned Roberts Racing is new to the paddock with their driver, Connor Roberts. The LaGrange, Ga.-based organization has fielded cars in both SCCA and SARRC (South Atlantic Road Racing Championship), before graduating to F4 U.S. this season. The younger Roberts not only drives, but also works part time as a vehicle mechanic on the family’s team.

US NG Racing is slated to make their F4 U.S. debut this weekend at Road America. Operating as a single-car team, US NG has partnered with Ligier JS F4 Series team Scuderia Buell to develop a ladder system, helping racers progress from karting all the way to F4 U.S.  

F4 U.S. Showcases its Global Appeal
F4 U.S. once again showcases its global appeal with half the field hailing from outside the United States. Among this week’s starters are Australian-born Daniel Quimby (Sydney, NSW, Australia) and Nicolas Stati (Dalkeith, WA, Australia), as well as New Zealander Alex Crosbie (Invercargill, New Zealand). Representing South America is Argentinean Pablo Benites Jr. (Rosario, Argentina).

Ligier JS F4 Series 

NOLA In The Rearview Mirror
The Ligier JS F4 Series opened their 2024 season last month with three races at NOLA Motorsports Park. Teddy Musella (No. 25 Scuderia Buell Ligier JS F4) emerged as the early frontrunner, winning both Races 1 and 3. In a near-perfect weekend, the 14-year-old finished second in Race 2, securing three podiums in the three races. In Race 2, Kekai Hauanio (No. 29 N.E.Where Transportation / New’T Racing Ligier JS F4) took the checkered flag, marking his first-career win. Maite Cáceres (No. 6 Abitab/Supermatch Ligier JS F4) returned after a year racing in F1 Academy to earn two podiums, including a career-best second-place result in Race 1. Bacon Zelenka (No. 45 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) capitalized on his off-season move to Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport by bringing home his second and third-career podiums and recording a career-best second-place finish. Christopher Parrish (No. 83 Save22 Ligier JS F4) competed in F4 U.S. last season, and earned just one top-10 finish throughout the year. At NOLA, he earned three top 10s, including a career-best fourth-place result. New to the Ligier JS F4 Series and the PMH Open Wheel Ladder, both Drew Szuch (No. 28 Szuch Racing Ligier JS F4) and Brad Majman (No. 95 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) earned their first-career top fives, with Szuch finishing fourth in Race 3 and Majman finishing fifth in Races 1 and 2.

Scholarship On the Line
Drivers competing in the Ligier JS F4 Series will be racing for a scholarship, as this year’s champion will be awarded the use of a Ligier JS F422 chassis and engine from Ligier, two sets of tires per event from Hankook Motorsports, and race entry fees from PMH to compete in the 2025 F4 U.S. Championship season. With the prize valued at $133,600, finding success in each of the series’ five rounds is pivotal, but several drivers are already off to a good start following the first round at NOLA. With his three podium results, Teddy Musella is off to an early lead in the points standings, but Bacon Zelenka and Maite Cáceres aren’t far behind, with each driver scoring two podiums during the NOLA SpeedTour. Following his first-career win, Kekai Hauanio is ranked fourth, while Christopher Parrish rounds out the top five in the standings.

Diversity on Display
PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship recipient Maite Cáceres set history while at NOLA Motorsports Park last month. The 21-year-old from Punta del Este, Uruguay, finished second in Race 1 to became the highest-finishing female in any series on PMH’s Open Wheel Ladder—FR Americas, F4 U.S. or Ligier JS F4 Series—and just the second female to podium in any of the three series.

Cáceres is one of six PMH Powering Diversity drivers slated to compete this weekend at Road America. Other scholarship recipients set to race this weekend, include:

• Justin Garat (No. 17 Speed Factory Ligier JS F3) – FR Americas
• Nicole Havrda (No. 6 Valley Kitchens Ltd / Colonial Countertops Ltd Ligier JS F3) – FR Americas
• Landan Matriano Lim (No. 73 739Racing Ligier JS F3) – FR Americas
• Harbir Dass (No. 49 Berg DMG Racing Ligier JS F4) – Ligier JS F4 Series
• Christopher Parrish (No. 83 Save22 Ligier JS F4) – Ligier JS F4 Series

Meet The Drivers of F4 U.S. and Ligier JS F4 Series
Fans are invited to meet the stars of F4 U.S. and Ligier JS F4 Series during a combined autograph session on Saturday morning. From 11:30 a.m. until 12 p.m., drivers from both championships will gather at the series’ trailer in Road America’s Main Paddock for an autograph session. A limited-edition series poster will be distributed at the event.