North American Racing – Page 4

Dumas wins overall at Pikes Peak for the fifth time

Sports car racing veteran Romain Dumas continued to expand his résumé as a hill climb racer, too, by winning his fifth overall title at the 102nd running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Once again, he did it in an EV, but not without a …

The Frenchman, who still holds the all-time Pikes Peak record of 7m57.148s set in an electric Volkswagen ID.R in 2018, overcame a slow start due to a technical issue with his Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck to complete the 12.42-mile route to the summit of “America’s mountain” in 8m53.563s. That was enough to best the second-fastest time, set by Unlimited class winner Christian Merli, by nearly 11 seconds. Merli ran a 9m04.454s with his Wolf Aurobay GB08 2.0 HP..

“The run was very difficult,” recounted Dumas. “I don’t know what happened at the start — the car just switched off completely on its own, it never happened before. I didn’t panic, I just looked at the numbers and everything was looking OK, I made a power cycle on my own and was able to restart. On the radio they were telling me there was a red flag, because I assume they saw that I was stopped on track, but I already restarted so I didn’t know if I should stop or not — there was a little bit confusion! At the first split I saw that I was 26 seconds slower compared to my provisional (time) so I knew that OK, I need just to push and it should be OK. But this is Pikes Peak, you cannot predict anything!”

Other class winners included Dani Sordo (Exhibition), at 9m30s.852s, Cole Powelson (Open Wheel) at 9m33.222s, David Donohue (Time Attack 1) at 9m49.029s and Laura Hayes (Pikes Peak GT4 Trophy by Yokohama) with a 1020.487s run.

Click here for full results.

Watch the winning run below.

Shehan grabs total FR Americas shutout at Mid-Ohio

With a victory in Sunday’s second race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Ryan Shehan (No. 66 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) swept the weekend in Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas). The 19-year-old Texan entered the Mid-Ohio …

The race remained fairly calm, with drivers hitting their marks and logging laps until a full-course caution slowed the pace with 10 minutes left on the clock. Landan Matriano Lim (No. 73 739Racing Ligier JS F3) appeared poised to have one of the best finishes of his career, spending the majority of the day running in the fifth position, however, a spin in Turn 9 resulted in him getting stuck in the gravel and requiring a tow from safety crews. A quick retrieval allowed the race to resume with just over three minutes left on the clock, giving the drivers one last chance at mixing up the running order.

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Shehan timed his restart perfectly, keeping Ambiado in his mirrors. Woods-Toth stayed just off the Chilean’s rear wing, with just one second separating the top three drivers. By the time they reached the checkered flag, Shehan beat Ambiado across the line by just 0.452s, while Woods-Toth finished third.

“We’re on the racing line on the outside, so I think that helped quite a bit,” said Shehan from the top step of the podium. “I just got a good start and was able to hold it around the outside of Nico [Ambiado]. It was a good race after that, but it was pretty stressful. The track was pretty slick after the rain this morning, and the tires weren’t too happy. So, it was stressful, but I was able to hold on. I have to thank the whole Crosslink Kiwi team, my engineer, my mechanic, my parents and my sponsors.”

FR Americas is back on track next month at New Jersey Motorsports Park for the New Jersey Lottery SpeedTour, July 25-28. Live timing and scoring for the event can be accessed on the Race Monitor app, and additional news and updates will be posted on the series’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

RESULTS

Hauanio wins JS F4 races 2 and 3 at Mid-Ohio

Kekai Hauanio (No. 29 N.E.Where Transportation / New’T Racing Ligier JS F4) won a thrilling Race 2 in the Ligier JS F4 Series (JS F4) at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Sunday morning. Rain in the area washed out some of the early morning races and led to tricky conditions for JS F4’s opening competition of the day. Race Director Scott Goodyear declared the event a “wet race,” requiring all teams to start on Hankook rain tires. Hauanio led the field down the starting grid, but dropped back in the running order during the early laps and let the race come to him. Lots of side-by-side racing and intense battles filled the race, which stayed green from lights to checkers.

Notes of Interest:
Kekai Hauanio earned his third win of 2024 with Race 2 at Mid-Ohio on Sunday morning.
Teddy Musella has finished on the podium more than any other driver in JS F4. His second-place result marked his sixth podium finish of 2024.
Maite Cáceres earned her fourth podium of the season with a third-place result.
Three teams were represented on today’s podium, as Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport won the race with Kekai Hauanio, Scuderia Buell finished second with Teddy Musella, and International Motorsports came in third with Maite Cáceres.

When the lights went out to start Race 2 on Sunday morning, Hauanio jumped to the lead as the field raced toward Turn 1, but it didn’t take long for Teddy Musella (No. 25 Scuderia Buell Ligier JS F4) to start applying pressure. Pulling to the inside of Hauanio as they reached the Keyhole, Musella emerged from the corner with control of the race. Behind them, third-place starter Bacon Zelenka (No. 45 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) was under siege by Maite Cáceres (No. 6 Abitab / Supermatch Ligier JS F4), who had rolled off fourth. The quartet of drivers was giving an early preview for what fans could expect during the closing laps of the race.

The wet track was starting to dry with a full field of JS F4 cars on it, leading to more challenges for the drivers as they picked their line around the 2.258-mile circuit. Hauanio opted to fall back in the running order, allowing the first four cars past him as he got acclimated to the track conditions. Out front, Cáceres pulled up to challenge Musella for the lead, cutting the gap to as little as 0.164 seconds by the race’s halfway point. Behind them, Hauanio had already made his way around Hayden Bowlsbey (No. 83 IGY6 Motorsports / Save22 Ligier JS F4) for fourth, and was focused on overtaking Zelenka. With a gutsy move diving to the inside of Zelenka in Turn 9, Hauanio completed the pass to move into third with just 12 minutes left on the clock. A few laps later, Hauanio dove to the inside of Cáceres, catching the curbing and bouncing a wheel as they entered the Keyhole. Completing the pass, Hauanio continued to pull ahead as they raced down the backstretch.

With less than 10 minutes left on the clock, Hauanio kept his full focus on Musella and the race lead. Just one lap after passing Cáceres in the Keyhole, he pulled next to Musella in the same turn. The two raced side by side through several corners, but Hauanio completed the pass as they exited Turn 7.

The final six minutes were filled with intense racing, as the top-four drivers were all separated by mere tenths of a second. Hauanio held the lead, as Musella, Cáceres and Zelenka all jockeyed for position, with Musella briefly dropping back to third, but quickly working his way back in to second.
As they crossed the line, it was Hauanio, followed by Musella and then Cáceres.

“That was a fun race,” said Hauanio atop the podium. “I fell back there at the beginning, but then I got to watch the other drivers and see what line they were racing. I slowly got the pace, and then I was able to run it back down for the win. I’d like to thank all my sponsors who helped me get here, my grandpa, N.E.Where Transport, and of course, Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport for giving me the best car.”

Race 2 Official Results

Kekai Hauanio (No. 29 N.E.Where Transportation / New’T Racing Ligier JS F4) earned his second Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) win of the day, and second win of the Mid-Ohio SpeedTour weekend, on Sunday afternoon. Starting the race from the pole, Hauanio survived multiple restarts to claim his fourth win of the 2024 season.

Notes of Interest:
Kekai Hauanio entered the weekend with just two victories this season, but raised that number to four, winning both of Sunday’s races.
Teddy Musella earned his seventh podium of the season with his runner-up finish.
Jake Pollack tied his career-best result with a third-place finish on Sunday afternoon.
Jacob Lawter earned his career-best finish with a fourth-place result at Mid-Ohio.
Roman Felber finished sixth, marking his best result in his JS F4 debut weekend.

Cash Felber finished ninth to earn his first-career JS F4 championship points.
Heavy rain passed through the area just before the scheduled start of JS F4’s Race 3, causing flooding in some areas and rivers to flow across the track in others. Track crews worked to dry the surface, and Race Director Scott Goodyear declared the race a “wet race,” requiring all drivers to start on treaded Hankook rain tires. Hauanio led the field down the starting grid with Jake Pollack (No. 1 JENSEN Ligier JS F4) in second. Third-place starter Bacon Zelenka (No. 45 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) immediately jumped up next to Pollack for the runner-up position, while Maite Cáceres (No. 6 Abitab / Supermatch Ligier JS F4) was challenged by Teddy Musella (No. 25 Scuderia Buell Ligier JS F4) for the fourth spot. With Zelenka and Musella both winning their battles, the field slowed seconds later, as Cáceres and Zelenka both spun in separate incidents. Cáceres was stuck in the Turn 11 gravel trap, while Zelenka regrouped to rejoin the race in the second-to-last position.

The race restarted with Hauanio still in the point position. Running second, Pollack was under fire with Musella tight on his gearbox. Musella got a good run on the backstretch and was able to make his move in Turn 4 to complete the pass. The pressure wasn’t over for Pollack, who next found Brad Majman (No. 95 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) filling his mirrors. Side by side in Turn 9, Majman went wide forcing Pollack off the racing surface as he took third.

With another competitor getting stuck in the gravel, the red flag was displayed to stop the clock and give drivers the best chance at a run to the checkered flag. Hauanio held on through another restart, with Musella just behind him. Majman and Pollack continued to duke it out for third.
The damp track with wet spots throughout proved to be tough conditions, with multiple drivers slipping and sliding over the racing surface. Another full course caution ensued, with the race ultimately finishing under yellow-flag conditions. Hauanio was the first to take the checkered, with Musella in second and Majman in third.

After the race, the stewards reviewed an incident involving Majman and Pollack, determining that Majman forced the No. 7 of Pollack off the track, and issued a five-second penalty. As a result, Majman dropped to eighth in the final results, with Pollack being promoted to third.

Race 3 Official Results

“It was a pretty good race,” said Hauanio. “I wish we got to race more, but I’ll take it. I’d like to thank all my sponsors who helped me get here, my grandpa, N.E.Where Transport, and of course, my amazing team at Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport.”

Next, JS F4 takes on New Jersey Motorsports Park for the New Jersey Lottery SpeedTour, July 25-28. Tickets for the event at available at SpeedTour.net. Live timing and scoring can be accessed on the Race Monitor app, and additional news and updates about Ligier JS F4 are available on the series’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Stati, Musella take JS F4, US F4 wins at Mid-Ohio, Shehan wins FR Americas

Stati wins F4 U.S. Race 1 Nicolas Stati (No. 15 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) became the first repeat winner in Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) this season, earning his second-career win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on …

Stati wins F4 U.S. Race 1

Nicolas Stati (No. 15 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) became the first repeat winner in Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) this season, earning his second-career win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Saturday afternoon.

Notes of Interest:

Nicolas Stati earned his second win in just four F4 U.S. starts with today’s race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
Daniel Quimby brought home his third podium of the year. The Australian previously earned a first- and second-place result at Road America last month.
Alex Crosbie earned his first-career podium with his third-place result in Race 1 at the Mid-Ohio SpeedTour.

In just its second weekend of competition, the Ligier JS F422 chassis and Ligier Storm engine once again proved to be powerhouses, with drivers racing nose to tail and engaging in intense battles throughout the course of the event. Stati led the field from flag to flag, but his run was not without challenge. Taking the green flag with second-place starter Daniel Quimby (No. 24 Cruise America / MIR Raceline / FIJI Airways / GalvanizeIns Ligier JS F422) to his outside,

Quimby initially jumped to the point position as they entered Turn 1. However, Stati had the preferred position as they entered the Keyhole, and was able to retake the race lead as they exited the corner, while Pablo Benites Jr. (No. 44 Scuderia Buell Ligier JS F422) was tight on his bumper to challenge for second. As the field spread out, Stati took control of the race, and Benites Jr. trailed in second. However, it wasn’t long before Quimby pulled back to the gearbox of Benites Jr., looking for the right opportunity to make the pass. Nearly 10 minutes into the race, Quimby finally got his opportunity, pulling side by side with Benites Jr. as they raced down the frontstretch and completing the pass as they rushed through Turn 1.

With Quimby sailing by for second, Benites Jr. was under fire from Alex Crosbie (No. 41 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422), battling for the third position. Engaged in side-by-side racing, it wasn’t long before Connor Roberts (No. 46 ApexSpeed.com / Entropy Cellars Ligier JS F422) pulled up to join the fight. The race was near its halfway point when Roberts pulled three wide, racing toward the Keyhole to overtake fourth. Still wheel to wheel as they entered Turn 4, Roberts was to the outside of Benites Jr. when the two made contact, sending Roberts rolling into the gravel trap.

After a cleanup, the race resumed for a one-lap shootout to the checkered flag. Lincoln Day (No. 54 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422) dropped two wheels off the racing surface coming to the green flag, sending him into a spin, as did Barrett Wolfe (No. 13 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422), who had to react quickly behind him. Out front, the battle continued, with Quimby tight on Stati’s gearbox and looking for a chance to get around. With Quimby unable to complete the pass, it was Stati who led the field across the finish line. Quimby finished second, and Crosbie took third.

“It was a tough race,” said Stati. “The guys caught up to me in the second phase of the race, and then the safety car brought everyone back together. We had a one-lap dash to the checkered flag, but we were able to hold them off. I’d like to thank AGI and Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport—thanks for the awesome car.”

Race 1 Official Results

F4 U.S. will run a doubleheader tomorrow, with Race 2 scheduled for 8 a.m., followed by Race 3 at 2 p.m. ET. This weekend’s feature races from the Mid-Ohio SpeedTour will be live streamed at YouTube.com/SpeedTourTV. Live timing and scoring can be accessed on the Race Monitor app, and additional news and updates will be posted on the series’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Third win of JSF4 Series for Musella

Teddy Musella (No. 25 Scuderia Buell Ligier JS F4) sailed away with the victory in the Ligier JS F4 Series’ first race of the Mid-Ohio SpeedTour on Saturday afternoon. Overtaking the polesitter Kekai Hauanio (No. 29 N.E.Where Transportation / New’T Racing Ligier JS F4) on the second lap, Musella kept his focus forward, opening a gap behind him and driving away toward the checkered flag.

Notes of Interest:

Teddy Musella earned his third win of the season by taking the victory in Race 1 at the Mid-Ohio SpeedTour.
Kekai Hauanio’s runner-up result marked his third-consecutive podium after winning Round 5 and finishing second in Round 6 at Road America last month. In total, Hauanio has recorded four podiums this season.
Bacon Zelenka’s third-place finish marks his fifth podium of 2024. He is tied with Musella for the most podium finishes this season.

When the lights went out, the field jumped out to a clean start. Polesitter Hauanio initially led the way, but Musella stayed tight on his rear wing, looking for the right opportunity to get around. By the time they reached Turn 9 on the second lap, Musella found his opportunity, diving to the inside of Hauanio and claiming the point position as they exited the corner. The two stayed nose to stern for the opening 10 minutes of the race, with less than a second separating them on the leaderboard. Behind them, battles were on, with Bacon Zelenka (No. 45 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) facing pressure from Maite Cáceres (No. 6 Abitab / Supermatch Ligier JS F4), Brad Majman (No. 95 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F4) and Drew Szuch (No. 28 Szuch Racing Ligier JS F4).

As things got sorted, the contests appeared to be Zelenka vs. Majman for third, and Cáceres vs. Szuch for fifth. Szuch slowed on the track, allowing Cáceres to easily claim the fifth position, while Zelenka and Majman continued to race wheel to wheel in front of her. With the clock ticking down, Majman pulled to Zelenka’s gearbox as they raced down the backstretch, before darting outside in Turn 4 to give himself the preferred position to race through Turn 5. Claiming the third spot, less than a half second separated the two, but that all changed two laps later when Majman lost control and spun on the exit of Turn 9 to give Zelenka back the position.

With the field spread out, Musella, Hauanio, Zelenka and Cáceres all raced toward the checkered flag. Their pace, however, was slowed with just three minutes left on the clock when a competitor spun in Turn 11, getting stuck in the gravel trap and bringing out the full course caution.

As they crossed the finish line, Musella led, with Hauanio and Zelenka in his wake.

“That was a good race,” said Musella. “My car was better at the beginning with Kekai [Hauanio], but I tried to maintain the pace throughout the race. At the end, I saw Kekai gaining. I pushed, but he had a better pace. I just want to thank everyone—my team, Scuderia Buell, my dad, and all the sponsors for helping me get to this point.”

Race 1 Official Results

JS F4 will contest a doubleheader tomorrow, with Race 2 scheduled at 9:40 a.m., followed by Race 3 at 3:10 p.m. ET. Feature races from this weekend’s Mid-Ohio SpeedTour will be streamed on YouTube.com/SpeedTourTV, with live timing and scoring from all sessions on the Race Monitor app. Additional news and updates will be posted on the series’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Shehan takes third win of the year in FR Americas

Ryan Shehan (No. 66 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) scored his third win of 2024 on Saturday afternoon, winning Formula Regional Americas Championship’s (FR Americas) Race 1 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Beating his teammate Patrick Woods-Toth (No. 27 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) by just 0.461 seconds, the two continue to be in a heated battle for the championship.

Notes of Interest:
• Ryan Shehan earned his third FR Americas win of the season, and first at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

• With his runner-up finish, Patrick Woods-Toth recorded his seventh podium in 10 races.

• After earning his first-career podium at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last week, Jett Bowling has now finished on the podium in each of the last three races.

• Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport swept today’s podium, with Shehan finishing first, Woods-Toth in second, and Bowling in third.

Patrick Woods-Toth led the field down the grid after setting a new track record during this morning’s qualifying session. With Shehan to his outside, a slow jump by Woods-Toth off the starting block gave Shehan a clear lead as the field raced toward Turn 1. Third-place starter Nicolas Ambiado (No. 55 TLink / Allegro Ligier JS F3) also snuck around Woods-Toth to temporarily claim second; however, Woods-Toth got a run down the backstretch and pulled to the inside as they raced through Turn 4 to retake the runner-up spot.

With Shehan nearly two seconds ahead, Woods-Toth was in chase mode, focused on hitting his marks and chipping away at the gap. The top four strung out nose to stern, as Nicole Havrda (No. 6 Valley Kitchens Ltd / Colonial Countertops Ltd Ligier JS F3) and Hayden Bowlsbey (No. 22 IGY6 Motorsports / Save22 Ligier JS F3) engaged in a spirited multi-lap battle for fifth. Bowlsbey ultimately emerged with the position, overtaking Havrda as they raced through the Turn 4-5-6 complex. Justin Garat (No. 17 Speed Factory Ligier JS F3) snuck up on the two as they raced side by side during the earlier laps, and was able to stay tight on Bowlsbey’s rear wing to also pick up a position.

Meanwhile, Woods-Toth and Ambiado continued to gain on Shehan, with the gap down to just over half a second as the race neared its halfway point. A few minutes later, Ambiado began to slow on the course. The Chilean driver was able to limp around to pit lane, allowing the race to continue under green-flag conditions as the checkered flag neared. Jett Bowling (No. 02 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) had been quietly racing in the fourth position all afternoon, but was able to sneak into the third and final podium position as Ambiado came down pit lane.

“I had a really good start,” said Shehan. “I just tried to stay consistent and not make any mistakes. Thankfully, I was able to bring it home. I’d like to thank the whole Crosslink Kiwi team, my engineer, my mechanic, all my sponsors, my parents—big thanks to everyone.”

Race 1 Official Results

FR Americas returns to the track tomorrow at 11:05 a.m. ET for their final race of the weekend. The race will be live streamed at YouTube.com/SpeedTourTV, with live timing and scoring accessible on the Race Monitor app. Additional news and updates from the Mid-Ohio SpeedTour will be posted on FR Americas’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Woods-Toth sets pole for FR Americas at Mid-Ohio

Patrick Woods-Toth (No. 27 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) took the pole for Saturday’s Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas) race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. With a lap time of 1m18.643s, Woods-Toth was 0.261s quicker than his championship rival and teammate, Ryan Shehan (No. 66 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3), who recorded a 1m18.904s lap. Nicolas Ambiado (No. 55 TLink / Allegro Ligier JS F3) was third, also just 0.277s behind the leader.

FR Americas was on track Friday with two practice sessions, where Shehan and Ambiado each took a turn at the top of the leaderboard.

In first practice, Shehan led the way, recording a fast time of 1m19.135s to hold off his teammate Titus Sherlock (No. 31 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) by 0.011s. Just behind them was Woods-Toth, who rounded out the top three with a 1m19.236s lap.

Ambiado paced the second practice with a 1m19.982s lap, with Shehan only 0.059s behind. In third, Sherlock recorded a 1m20.405s during the session.

The lights go out for FR Americas’ first race Saturday at 6:15 p.m. ET. All of this weekend’s feature races will be live streamed at YouTube.com/SpeedTourTV, with live timing and scoring accessible on the Race Monitor app. Additional news and updates from the Mid-Ohio SpeedTour will be posted on FR Americas’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

RESULTS

Donohue, Vahsholtz lead Day 3 of Pikes Peak qualifying

Qualifying for the 102nd Running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb by Gran Turismo continued on Thursday with the Time Attack 1 and Open Wheel divisions posting their times on the lower section, although continued inclement weather higher up prevented the upper section from running once again and cancelled running in the middle section as well.

LOWER SECTION – With wet weather persisting as teams unloaded, there was a chance that running for all three sections could have been cancelled for today. Veteran drivers Codie Vahsholtz (Open Wheel) and David Donohue (Time Attack 1, pictured above) were among those tasked to scout the section and make a determination whether or not drivers should run today, or risk waiting until tomorrow with a possible rescheduling.

Shortly after the 5:00am driver’s meeting, Vahsholtz and Donohue returned to the start line and gave their blessing. While the running was slightly delayed and teams would start on wet tires, these divisions would at least have the certainty of posted times by the end of the morning. And as the track dried out, drivers were able to switch to dry tires and set more representative times.

In their first running since Tuesday’s middle section, Vahsholtz and Cole Powelson would once again go 1-2 throughout the day. Vahsholtz would set the benchmark on wets at 4m09.088s to Powelson’s 4m26.840s, and he became the first Open Wheel driver to break four minutes on the second run. Finally, on the third and final run of the day, both drivers broke the barrier, with Vahsholtz’s 3m53.022s and Powelson’s 3m59.048s first and second overall.

Donohue’s 4m05.327s topped Time Attack 1, nearly 16 seconds ahead of Kathryn Mead in the division. Jim Hall II and Katherine Legge were the top two rookies of the day.

Optional practice continues Friday, with the race set for Sunday.

Top qualifiers by division:

Merli tops Unlimited runners in Pikes Peak qualifying

Qualifying for the 102nd Running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb by Gran Turismo continued Wednesday with the Unlimited and Pikes Peak GT4 Trophy by Yokohama divisions rotating into the lower section to qualify for Sunday’s …

LOWER SECTION – Multi-time European Hill Climb champion and PPIHC event rookie Christian Merli laid down the top time for the Unlimited division from the get-go with his Wolf Aurobay GB08 2.0 HP (pictured above). He started with a 3m48.718s, and after Dan Novembre put the pressure on in the second run with a 3m50.484s, Merli responded with an even faster 3m42.689s. That time would stand, as Novembre shaved three seconds off on his next attempt but could get no closer.

In the Pikes Peak GT4 Trophy by Yokohama, times kept plummeting with every pass even as light rain began to fall. In the end, Nuno Caetano, Laura Hayes and Robb Holland were separated by under 0.7s on their fourth runs — with Caetano topping Hayes by a razor-thin 0.013s.

MIDDLE SECTION – While their sessions were weather-delayed, the Pikes Peak Open and Exhibition divisions were at least able to make multiple passes on the middle section. Top Pikes Peak Open qualifier Romain Dumas was once again the leader of the field in this section with a 2m17.780s, more than 15 seconds faster than Jimmy Ford, who qualified second behind Dumas yesterday.

All four Exhibition entries were within the overall top six in section, with the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N TA Spec machine of Dani Sordo clocking the fastest time. In a last-minute change, Randy Pobst replaced Robin Shute in the #49.

UPPER SECTION – Unfortunately, inclement weather got the best of the day’s upper section running, preventing the Time Attack 1 and Open Wheel divisions from running at speed. Competitors and organizers were met with heavy fog and ice accumulation at the summit. As with the middle section, rookies were given the opportunity to make a sighting run.

The 102nd Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is set for Sunday, June 23. Live timing can be found all week long at livetiming.net/ppihc.

Sessions slated for the remainder of Race Week are listed below:

Practice/Qualifying Day 3: Thursday, June 20
Upper Section: Pikes Peak Open, Exhibition
Middle Section: Unlimited, Pikes Peak GT4 Trophy by Yokohama
Lower Section (Qualifying): Time Attack 1, Open Wheel

Optional Sanctioned Practice: Friday, June 21
Upper Section: Unlimited, Pikes Peak GT4 Trophy by Yokohama
Middle Section: Time Attack 1, Open Wheel
Lower Section: Pikes Peak Open, Exhibition

Dumas sets new Pikes Peak Open qualifying record

The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb welcomed 64 drivers to the 12.42-mile course, kicking off racing action with the traditional early morning practice runs Tuesday. With four days of practice, competitors in six divisions will get a crack at one of three sections of the mountain each day. All competitors qualify in the lower section to determine their start order in Sunday’s race.

LOWER SECTION – With the Pikes Peak Open and Exhibition divisions on hand, the current course record holder, Romain Dumas, set a Pikes Peak Open qualifying record with a blistering 3m32.831s during his fourth qualifying run. It marked the second year in a row that Dumas and an electric Ford Performance entry — this time a 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck — would best the previous mark. Joining him in the sub-four-minute range was Jimmy Ford, who first broke the barrier on his third run and then did so twice more.

Of the Exhibition runners, multi-time WRC event winner Dani Sordo paced the class in his Hyundai IONIQ 5 N TA Spec. Sordo’s best run came in the third session for the group, as he posted a 4m01.514s. Fellow rookie Ron Zaras was second in class in the more production-based variant of the IONIQ 5 N with a 4m28.796s.

MIDDLE SECTION – Two closely matched pairs in the Open Wheel and Time Attack 1 classes kept things interesting all morning long. The Open Wheel entries of Codie Vahsholtz and Cole Powelson each posted their top times on their final runs; Vahsholtz ran a 2m33.988s in his 2013 Ford Open, while Powelson — following a late switch to the proven 2021 Sierra Alpha –ended the morning with a 2m38.839s.

Leading a Porsche lockout of the top five overall times in TA1, David Donohue, in his 2014 911 Turbo R, set a time of 2m42.285s in the second run, and the battle was on for anyone to catch him. Raymond Guerrero came closest, posting a 2m45.167s in the fourth run in his 2019 GT2 RS Clubsport.

UPPER SECTION – European hill climb champion Christian Merli set the bar high for the rest of the Unlimited competitors in the 2024 Wolf Aurobay GB08, with a 2m32.637s in his second pass up to the finish line. That was nearly five seconds faster than veteran Dan Novembre, also in a Wolf, who posted a 2m37.265s in his final run.

In the new Pikes Peak GT4 Trophy by Yokohama division, Nuno Caetano had the best time with a 2m47.970s which came in his seventh of eight runs. Behind him, Laura Hayes and Robb Holland were separated by less than half a second, with each posting times in the 2m51s range.

The 102nd Running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo is set for Sunday, June 23. Live timing can be found all week long at livetiming.net/ppihc.

Sessions slated for the remainder of Race Week are listed below:

Practice/Qualifying Day 2: Wednesday, June 19
Upper Section: Time Attack 1, Open Wheel
Middle Section: Pikes Peak Open, Exhibition
Lower Section (Qualifying): Unlimited, Pikes Peak GT4 Trophy by Yokohama

Optional Sanctioned Practice: Friday, June 21
Upper Section: Unlimited, Pikes Peak GT4 Trophy by Yokohama
Middle Section: Time Attack 1, Open Wheel
Lower Section: Pikes Peak Open, Exhibition

Woods-Toth secures first FR Americas race win at IMS

Marking the inaugural race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas), points-leader Patrick Woods-Toth (No. 27 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) emerged victorious on Saturday afternoon. Overcoming tough competition from his championship rivals, Woods-Toth paced the field from lights to checkered in an all-green race.

Woods-Toth entered the weekend tied in points with Ryan Shehan (No. 66 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3), and the two drivers have been neck and neck ever since. With each leading one of the test sessions, Shehan paced practice, while Woods-Toth took qualifying. As Woods-Toth led the field down the grid on Saturday afternoon, Shehan lined up to his outside in second.

When the lights went out, Shehan got the jump to lead the field into Turn 1. Titus Sherlock (No. 31 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3), who started third, swept around the outside to try to challenge Woods-Toth for second, but was unable to complete the pass. With Woods-Toth gaining speed as they raced down the Hulman Straight, he had the preferred inside line as they entered Turn 7 to overtake Shehan and once again lead the field. From there, the Canadian continued to hit his marks and started to open a gap.

Behind him, the action continued to heat up. Corner workers spotted a loose rear wing on Sherlock’s machine, forcing the driver to surrender the third position as he came down pit lane. Fifth-place starter Theodor Jensen (No. 1 JENSEN Global Advisors Ligier JS F3) was on the move, overtaking fourth-place starter Nicolas Ambiado (No. 55 TLink / Allegro Ligier JS F3), and continuing to climb the leaderboard with Sherlock’s misfortune.

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As the race passed its halfway point, sixth-place starter Jett Bowling (No. 02 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) looked to make something happen. Racing nose to tail with Jensen and Ambiado, Bowling overtook fourth as Ambiado wiggled off the exit of Turn 10 with just over seven minutes left on the clock. Focused forward, Bowling was on Jensen’s gearbox the final three laps of the race, waiting for the right opportunity to make his move. With Jensen wide off the final turn coming to the white flag, the two were side by side as they passed under the starter’s stand. Regrouping himself, the Danish driver pulled back ahead as they entered Turn 1 and lapped traffic intensified their battle.

As they crossed the line, Woods-Toth took his third win of the season, with Shehan following in second. Jensen claimed the third and final podium position in his first series start.

“We had to manage the tires and the engine today,” said Woods-Toth atop the podium. “It’s really hot, so everything was just fading away as you drive. Ryan [Shehan] gave me a hard battle the whole time, keeping me on my toes, and I couldn’t relax for the whole 35 minutes. I was sweating a lot, but luckily, we came in with the win and a good day. I’d like to thank the whole team at Crosslink Kiwi. We’ve had a great car all season. They’ve been working really hard, staying late and everything, so thank you to them. Of course, thank you to my sponsors—Orlando, FSMQ, Ron Fellows—and all my family and friends back home.

FR Americas competes in their final two races of the weekend Sunday. The lights go out for race two at 10:00 a.m. ET, followed by race three at 2:30 p.m. ET.

This weekend’s races will be live streamed at YouTube.com/SpeedTourTV, with live timing and scoring available on the Race Monitor app. Additional news and updates from the weekend will be posted on the series’ social channels: Facebook, Instagram, and X.

RESULTS

Woods-Toth grabs inaugural FR Americas pole at IMS

Patrick Woods-Toth (No. 27 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) took the pole position for the inaugural Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas) race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The two-time winner recorded a 1m22.982s lap time to secure the pole by 0.063s over teammate and championship rival Ryan Shehan (No. 66 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3). The top five competitors remained within a second of the leader, as Titus Sherlock (No. 31 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) was third, Nicolas Ambiado (No. 55 TLink / Allegro Ligier JS F3) was fourth and Theodor Jensen (No. 1 JENSEN Global Advisors Ligier JS F3) was fifth.

Competitors in FR Americas had a single practice session Friday morning, which Shehan paced with a 1m23.506s lap. In an ultra-tight field, the top eight were all within one second of the leader. Sherlock followed in second, just 0.107s behind Shehan, with Jett Bowling (No. 02 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) rounding out the top three.

FR Americas will contest their first race of the weekend Saturday afternoon at 1:10 p.m. Prior to the lights going out, fans are invited to join the drivers, along with the Indy SpeedTour Grand Marshal, Lyn St. James, on pit lane for a special pre-race fan walk. Fans can meet the drivers, collect autographs, see the cars, and walk across the yard of bricks just moments before the lights go out. The fan walk begins at 12:30 p.m. ET.

Races will be live streamed at YouTube.com/SpeedTourTV, with live timing and scoring available on the Race Monitor app. Additional news and updates from the weekend will be posted on the series’ social channels: Facebook, Instagram, and X.

RESULTS