Team USA Scholarship – Syndication Server

Jack Sullivan: Now the real work begins

Well, it’s the time that always comes after an awesome trip – the time of reflection. I had a smooth trip back home to Hamilton, Ohio accompanied by my dad, Uncle Terry and my friend, Scott, whom I met a few years ago back in my karting days, who came out to support me. Being his first time out of the U.S., he had a great time and got a very solid experience of England and racing in the UK.

I’ve taken a few days to rest to get accustomed to my regular day-to-day life and I’m happy to be back home with my friends and family. Looking back, I have to say, that was the most amazing six weeks of my life and I already miss the excitement of our busy time in the UK, from our tours to Bath, London and Ireland to our experience at the Formula Ford Festival and the Walter Hayes Trophy, touring four different F1 team factories and getting a day in a GB3 car. I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend my six weeks.

I’d like to start by talking a bit about my week at the Walter Hayes Trophy. It was a very wet five days of track time. In qualifying, the stewards made a very questionable call only allowing us one green-flag lap due to the weather and I qualified fifth. In my heat, the rain picked up and we had little to no visibility. Every corner I had to guess where I needed to brake, then after downshifting, I had to lift my fogging visor and pull down my fogging glasses to be able to see at all. Coupled with that I had cars all around me racing for positions. It was one of the scariest experiences of my life but incredibly fun, nonetheless. Moving onto the Semi-Final, I started in ninth and quickly made up six positions on the first lap, but a gradual engine problem saw me lose all of those positions and eventually the engine died, and my weekend ended early.

I said before I was even picked for the scholarship this year, that there would be a vast amount of learning experiences, and that was a massive understatement. This was my first experience living away from home, especially being almost 4000 miles away, which added a bit of uncertainty, since most of the time you are within driving distance of your parents if you ever need help with anything and we weren’t even within a day’s trip. Luckily, I had Ayrton [Houk] as a roommate, and we had [Ammonite Motorsport team principal] Andy [Low] to help the both of us. It was good to learn some life skills like cooking and learn just overall independence and taking care of all your belongings and keeping everything in order.

I learned so much during the 16 days we spent at five different circuits. On track, the biggest change from my previous experience was the tire difference. The Avon tire requires a good amount of slip angle, meaning to get good corner exits, you must have the rear end sliding, which took a while to get comfortable with and break the old habit of fully correcting the slides. This also means your driving style must be incredibly precise, which helps not only with raw speed but also helps a lot with the consistency of your driving lap after lap.

Another challenge was rising up to the skill level at which my competitors were at. Everyone within the top 10-15 was always on the absolute limit lap after lap and hardly ever made mistakes. Coupled with the lack of slipstream compared to the US F1600 cars, that meant overtakes needed to be made within the first two laps and you needed to be on it from the get-go. Comparing the aggression, generally in the US, you find that the aggression isn’t calculated and a lot of the time, you end up with incidents that should never happen whereas in the UK, they are more aggressive, but a lot smarter and you’ll see the pass completion ratio is a lot higher in the UK.

A change that suited me was the standing starts, I have always had a struggle with timing rolling starts but the standing starts are the same for everyone. Getting used to the RPMs was easy when I would compare them to musical notes. Like I said in one of my previous quotes, the best starts I’ve had, have all been by making the engine hit a certain note rather than a number, then all it is from there is to nail the clutch release which I understood after a bit of practice.

On the off-track side of things, I got my first experience with interviews, I made a lot of very important connections, and my social media skills and promotion have improved a lot. All of these learning experiences have played a crucial role in my development as a driver. Now the real work begins. My plan for the 2024 season is to move up to the slicks and wings categories, with the GB4 series in the UK or the USF2000 series in the US. I am working on finding partners and supporters, interested in helping me move up the motorsports ladder to my goal of becoming a professional racing driver.

To close out this blog, I’d like to give my utmost thanks to the people who made these six weeks possible, Jeremy Shaw, Andy Low, all of our Team USA Supporters, Ammonite Motorsport, and my friends and family.

Until next time,
Jack

Ayrton Houk: Onward and upward

The Walter Hayes Trophy event at Silverstone has ended and I have just returned home to Indiana after some of the most thrilling weeks of my life. My most recent race weekend did not go exactly as planned, yet I learned immensely from it. The Team …

The Walter Hayes Trophy event at Silverstone has ended and I have just returned home to Indiana after some of the most thrilling weeks of my life.

My most recent race weekend did not go exactly as planned, yet I learned immensely from it. The Team USA Scholarship Ammonite Racing Ray Formula Ford had amazing pace and I was up to fourth in my semi-final before a competitor knocked me back to 16th. Because of this, my starting position for the final was set at 31st. I believe that position provided a new opportunity for me. Being so far back on the grid, I was able to learn how to drive conservatively yet aggressive to make up 17 positions and bring back the car safely.

Throughout the weekend I improved my knowledge on assertive yet safe driving and how to manage traffic while staying clear of other cars. I have uploaded a highlight reel to my YouTube channel that can be found at this link.

The entire experience of racing in the UK has greatly improved my racing skills as well as my personal skills. I had amazing opportunities including interviews and meetings with many professionals in the racing industry which strengthened my conversational skills and increased my self-confidence.

Over the past couple of months, I have been exposed to a whole new lifestyle. Living on my own in a different country took some getting used to. I had an amazing time learning how to be independent and adapting to a different type of racing.

Many aspects of racing carry over from my experience in the States; however, there was still much to adapt to. For starters, the tires took the longest to feel out. At our first race at Silverstone finishing off the BRSCC National Formula Ford season, I found myself struggling to understand the extended slip angle that the Avon tires allowed, and needed, to be quick. Secondly, the standing starts were a completely new concept to me. Those were not as difficult to grasp, though. Although the use of racing simulators, especially with some great practice at RaceCraft1 in Indianapolis, has greatly prepared me for starts, I would still find difficulties finessing the engine rpms and clutch release perfectly to get off the line with the utmost efficiency.

Lastly, were the field strengths at these events. The competition played a pivotal role in my development while I was abroad. Racing against so many talented drivers inspired me to continue pushing for those last couple of tenths every session. Because of these new experiences, I believe that I have developed immensely as a driver and as an ambassador.

Currently, my eyes are set on the 2024 season with a strong desire to jump into the USF Pro Championships in a USF2000 car. Along with that, I have been in contact with a team running a Porsche in the Grand Sport class with the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. I am fully dedicated to making it into the USF Pro Championships next season and am currently looking for supporters that would be interested in a motorsports partnership to help me achieve my dream of becoming a professional racing driver.

On the first day of my journey over to the UK I remember thinking about how long we had ahead of us, “seven weeks will feel like forever away from home.” Now that time has come to an end and all I can think about was how quickly it went. In the time I was abroad I was blessed with amazing experiences. From touring four Formula 1 teams, driving in two of the largest and most historic Formula Ford races in the world, to testing a rocket ship of a GB3 car at Donington Park, representing my country with the Team USA Scholarship has been an opportunity of a lifetime and I want to thank Jeremy Shaw, Sparco for the incredible new gear, Styled Aesthetic for the sweet merchandise, and every other supporter behind the program for supporting me throughout this trip.

– Ayrton

Houk rises from 31st to 14th in Walter Hayes Trophy Grand Final

A dramatic final day to the 23rd Walter Hayes Trophy event at Silverstone brought substantially improved weather conditions but no major difference in the fortunes of Team USA Scholarship drivers Ayrton Houk and Jack Sullivan. Both made tremendous early progress in their Semi Final round, rising into the top four positions before Sullivan experienced a mechanical failure and Houk lost ground following an incident at Brooklands.

With Sullivan unfortunately on the sidelines, Houk upheld team honor impressively in the 15-lap Grand Final, rising from 31st on the grid to a strong 14th-place finish.

Sullivan lined up ninth and Houk 11th for this morning’s Semi Final, with bright sunshine and clear skies having replaced the deluge of Saturday. A tremendous start saw Sullivan rise briefly as high as third at Brooklands on the opening lap. However, the engine soon began to lose power and he eventually pulled off the road to retire.

Sullivan and Houk both moved forward in the Semi Final.

“The Semi Final was looking good until it wasn’t,” said Sullivan, 17, from Hamilton, Ohio. “After a cracking getaway off the line, I was able to make up a few spots and after an incident in Brooklands on lap 1, I was up into fourth from my ninth-place starting spot. I felt the engine start to slowly lost power over the next three laps until it finally stopped, ending our weekend. It’s just super unfortunate after all the hard work everyone has put in over the last few days and weeks to get us up to pace and well prepared for the two big races so it’s a difficult way to end the trip.”

Houk also made up ground, including an incisive pass for fourth place on the seventh lap before he was assaulted from behind under braking and forced into a spin. He recovered to finish 16th, earning him a position on the 16th row of the grid for the Grand Final.

Houk immediately began to charge forward in the climax of the weekend which honors Walter Hayes, one of the founding fathers of Formula Ford. He made up 10 positions during the opening four laps, and continued his charge after a red-flag stoppage following a variety of incidents. Houk took the checkered flag as the highest finishing American (out of seven who began the event) in 14th.

Englishman Andy Middlehurst claimed a popular and hard-earned victory in his Bernard Dolan Racing Van Diemen following a sequence of strong finishes in recent years. Michael Eastwell, who led much of the Final, had to settle for the runnerup placing for the second straight year.

“Heading into the final, I knew I would have some work ahead of me,” said Houk, 20, from McCordsville, Ind. “Starting 31st was quite intimidating but as the lights went out all bets were off. I managed to make up two spots off the line and was quickly met with a wall of competitors ahead of me. As the field spread out four almost five wide down the back straight I had a tough time deciding where to go. I settled with an outside line and made up a few more spots just on the first lap. A few more laps were in the books before a red flag came out bringing a standing restart.

“I focused on getting clean off of the line and I made up a spot heading into Copse Corner and made a deep lunge down into Maggotts for two more. The rest of the final was managing traffic and staying clean.

“Overall this whole week has been an amazing experience and I have learned so much. I truly believe my racecraft has developed tremendously in the time I have been over in the UK racing.”

Sullivan leaves the UK with a wealth of new knowledge and experience.

Sullivan, too, has benefited enormously from the wide range of experiences gained over the past month and a half.

“This trip has been the most incredible few weeks of my life,” he said. “From getting my first experience running with a professional team, living on my own, touring Formula 1 factories and racing the two most prestigious Formula Ford races in the world, it was just such an awesome time through and through and I’m really sad it’s coming to an end. I want to thank Jeremy Shaw, the Team USA Scholarship, Andy Low, all the boys and girls at Ammonite Motorsport, all of our Team USA Scholarship supporters and partners, and all of my family and friends who have supported me and made this amazing opportunity possible.”

Team USA drivers progress directly to Walter Hayes Trophy semis

The 23rd Annual Walter Hayes Trophy, named in honor of one of the founding fathers of the venerable Formula Ford category, kicked off Saturday in diabolically wet conditions at Silverstone. The traditional knockout format began with over 90 competitors split into four eight-lap heat races. Ultimately, Team USA Scholarship drivers Jack Sullivan, from Hamilton, Ohio, and Ayrton Houk, from McCordsville, Ind., qualified easily, although perhaps not not comfortably, for the Semi Final round to be held on Sunday morning.

Heavy overnight rain continued unabated for the majority of the day, ensuring the Silverstone National Circuit was more akin to a skating rink than a race track. Both Americans were drawn together in Heat Three, and their predicament worsened when the majority of their 12-minute qualifying session was run, rather bizarrely, behind a Safety Car.

“The weather made sure to keep us all on our toes, as the conditions were quite tricky,” related Houk. “Heavy rain paired with low visibility brought a safety car out after only three laps of qualifying. We remained pacing for the duration, causing us to only have set laps quick enough to place seventh and eighth respectively for our Heat. Fortunately, due to some penalties for drivers not conforming to the yellow-flag conditions, Jack and I were bumped up to fifth and seventh for the official grid.”

Formula Ford veteran Michael Eastwell splashed home to a comfortable victory, leaving both Team USA cars to be involved in an entertaining tussle for the minor places. An incident on the last lap and a subsequent penalty allowed Sullivan and Houk to salvage fifth and sixth places, which will translate into fifth and sixth row grid places for tomorrow’s Semi Final round.

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“That was the most treacherous race I’ve ever been in,” declared Sullivan. “The visibility was absolutely zero. For the first two laps the only problem was the immense amount of spray that comes here at Silverstone. All of a sudden my visor and glasses fogged all at once and for the rest of the race it was all about survival. I guessed where to brake into every corner and after I could go down through the gears, I had to flip up my visor to see the corner and then once I had a better idea of where I was in the corner, I could finally drive with some confidence and then try my best to get a good exit. I know that if I would have seen where I was going, I definitely had some more speed and I would have fought up front. Still, a solid result puts me on the fifth row for the Semi Final. The car has been strong all throughout testing and once we get some nicer conditions, the pace will be where it needs to be.”

“Coming into our Heat race I knew I was in a transfer position for the Semi Final from my grid spot and focused on running a clean race to move on to the Semi Final tomorrow, when the weather should be a little better,” added Houk. “Heavy rain again brought extremely low visibility and I found myself driving based more off of the rain lights in front of me than any track markers as I could not see much of anything else! My eyes are set on tomorrow and fighting my way up through the pack for my grid position in the Final.”

Michael Moyers (Medina Mk.2), Jason Smyth (Ray GR) and Formula Ford Festival champion Rory Smith (Medina JL18) were the other heat winners.

Sullivan and Houk enjoyed an extensive interview during today’s live stream coverage (just over 33 minutes into the broadcast), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL1CJB_TwgE. Coverage will resume Sunday with the Progression race, followed at 11:25 a.m. local time by the first of two 12-lap Semi Final races from which the top 18 finishers in each race will qualify for the 15-lap Grand Final. The start time is slated for 3:15 p.m., although the schedule is subject to change. The Sunday live feed can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi47TXd-_Ho , with live timing at https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/234456.

Jack Sullivan: Testing, touring and learning to cook

The day after the Formula Ford Festival, my family (mom, dad, aunt, uncle), Ayrton and I all packed onto a flight to Ireland. After landing in Dublin, we found our seven-seater rental car and headed on our way across the country to the Cliffs of Moher. The drive started smoothly being on the motorways but once we got off onto smaller roads, it got a bit bumpy. Literally. Each road got smaller and smaller until we managed to get on a road that was wide enough for only one car with stone walls on each side and cars coming at us from the other direction. Super scary to say the least.

I feel that I should’ve been driving since my dad was never fully used to driving on the “other” side of the road. We had a few close calls where he would accidentally pull out in front of traffic not realizing right turns are the equivalent of left turns in America. Anyway, no harm no foul, and we safely made it to the Cliffs, which were absolutely stunning, and we were lucky enough to have great visibility with a beautiful sunset.

We then made a trip to our first Irish pub where we got the best fish and chips I’ve ever had, and my dad got what he wanted most: a real Irish pint of Guinness. From there we walked to our house to get a good night’s sleep after a very long day. Another early morning came, and we made the four-hour drive back to Dublin to catch our flight back to England, then to our hotel and rested up for the following day, which we spent sightseeing in London.This past week we also got some awesome tours at the McLaren Technology Centre and at Mercedes F1. Starting off with McLaren, we got to see a few of their most famous cars. The history associated with each and every car was absolutely astounding. It was surreal to visit the MTC since I had seen all the McLaren “Tooned” Cartoons as a kid where Jensen Button and Lewis Hamilton voice acted themselves in the cartoon and it made for a very funny and cool series all based in the MTC.

Moving onto Mercedes F1, we started by having a look at Lewis Hamilton’s Abu Dhabi 2021 car which hasn’t been touched since it left the track. We then moved on to where they have some of their manufacturing with over 20 massive CNC machines that can produce just about anything on the car that isn’t carbon. These machines are also sometimes what make molds for carbon parts. The separate composite shop had five separate autoclaves.

We then moved into the testing room where they do stress testing on components from just single components to sub-assemblies, or even a fully assembled car. To conclude the tour, we walked around the engineer’s offices where they draw all the components on CAD software and test them with CFD software. Lastly, we saw the race bays where the cars are put together before each race weekend and they do most of the component test fitting there. We also saw one of the at-track performance engineers, Andrew Shovlin, aka “Shov,” do his “weekend debrief” YouTube video.

We took a day to go to the Queen’s Park Rangers vs Leicester football match in London. I’ve never seen such dedication to a sports team in my life. All the chanting and yelling and screaming was very intense but certainly made the spectator experience a lot better. It was during this trip that we got a very unexpected text from Andy Low. He told us we’d be testing a GB3 car the next day at Donington Park Circuit.

Upon arrival back in Brackley, we went to check on the boys while they were packing everything up. Before we got there, the motor for the trailer’s tail lift failed and the replacement spun the wrong way, so we looked to be out of luck. Fortunately, Andy was able to find someone to rent him a trailer at 9:30 p.m. the day before the test. The morning came and everything went smoothly with the new trailer, and we made it to a drying Donington Park.

After waiting for it to be fully dry, I got my first laps in a winged car, and it was the most mind-boggling sensation I’ve ever experienced. The experience of hitting the apex at the “Old Hairpin” at 120 mph with all the downforce making the car stick through the turn is unmatched by anything I have ever done before and I’m determined to make that a regular sensation in the upcoming season.

Daily life has been great during our stay in Brackley. Most days Ayrton does the cooking, and usually, we eat a steak and some rice, but we decided to end our stay at our Airbnb with a nice Beef Wellington. We decided that I should help and do most of the prep and Ayrton would do the searing of the beef and the baking of the pastry. Neither of us eats mushrooms so we had to switch out the mushroom for a thyme crepe. We ended up with a triangular slab of beef which made cooking it a bit difficult, but it turned out quite good, especially with a side of a nice chunk of garlic bread.

This weekend we’ll be on track for the last time of our trip at Silverstone for the Walter Hayes Trophy. Testing has gone well, with most of our running in wet or damp conditions, and we are excited to start out tomorrow tomorrow with qualifying and then our Heat races. We have been been drawn into Heat Three, for which qualifying is slated for 9:44am and the race at 1:08pm.

You can watch a live stream over the course of the weekend on YouTube with these links:
Saturday link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL1CJB_TwgESunday Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi47TXd-_HoThere will also be live timing and scoring at https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/234456. Please note that the races can start early….After looking at the forecast, it seems we’re going to have a wet Saturday and a dry Sunday so the racing should be entertaining, and I feel very confident that we can come away with some strong results in both conditions.I would like to thank Jeremy Shaw, Andy Low, all the Team USA partners and supporters, and my family who have supported me and worked so hard to give me all the opportunities and experiences during this trip.– Jack

Ayrton Houk: Sights set

Over the past few weeks, I have been given some amazing opportunities and participated in one of the most historic Formula Ford races in the world, the Formula Ford Festival. It was my first time at Brands Hatch, and I immediately loved the track. …

Over the past few weeks, I have been given some amazing opportunities and participated in one of the most historic Formula Ford races in the world, the Formula Ford Festival.

It was my first time at Brands Hatch, and I immediately loved the track. We had three days of testing on the shorter Indy circuit, and a series of 45-minute test sessions resulted in countless laps to get accustomed to the track layout in a wide variety of weather conditions from heavy rain, damp, drying, and fully dry. I qualified fourth for my heat race and managed to finish third. I was looking to ride my momentum into Sunday; however, a hiccup in the semifinal set me 19th on the grid on Sunday afternoon. A hard-fought race resulted in a 14th-position finish in the final.

Overall, the experience was amazing, and the entire Ammonite crew provided top-notch equipment for me and my teammates. Throughout the week, I improved my race craft tremendously and learned about the importance of consistency, especially in wet conditions. It was also great to see my parents come over for the weekend as well since it had been almost six weeks since I had seen them last!

After the Festival, I was invited to join the Sullivan family for a quick trip to Ireland. We left the following day and flew into Dublin, then drove west to the Cliffs of Moher. I immediately noticed that many of the roads were much smaller than the roads that I have been accustomed to over in the United States. There were many points where a two-way road only had space for a single car and we found ourselves pulling over quite often to manage traffic. After a few hours we safely made our way out to the coast of Ireland and were met with a gorgeous landscape. I was awestruck by the beauty of the cliffs. The sun was setting and the sky was clear. It was an amazing sight to experience in person.

In the evening, we grabbed some fish and chips at a local pub and stayed in a quaint bed and breakfast before heading out the following morning for the airport.

Shortly after returning from Ireland, Jack and I were granted the opportunity to tour the McLaren Formula 1 shop. Driving in and getting to see the amazing facility, I was met with a sense of awe; getting to experience a place that I have grown up wishing to get the opportunity to see. We were welcomed very generously to see many of the influential cars throughout the history of McLaren. I was even able to see Ayrton Senna’s 1988 championship car the MP4/4! Along with multiple Formula 1 cars I observed production cars like the 750LT, the McLaren F1 and even a Speedtail. In addition, we were shown their vast trophy collection holding trophies from the beginning of McLaren Racing. It was an exciting day and a long-time dream of mine to visit the McLaren Technology Center.

The following day, Jack and I experienced an English Football League Championship match in London at the Queens Park Rangers stadium, Loftus Road. The Rangers were hosting Leicester City. The environment was lively, to put it mildly, and the fans were very passionate. I had a great time as it was the first football game that I have been able to see in person. Leicester City ended up beating QPR 2-1, but the game was tense down to the last minute!

Our hectic schedule saw us on the road again just one day later when we were able to gain the taste of a GB3 car with Ammonite Motorsport at Donington Park. It was stellar. Our day was set up with two sessions each, split with a lunch in between. The car felt like a raging bull! The acceleration was unmatched by any car I have been in before, and with the downforce I felt as if I was glued to the track. The track felt amazing to drive and flowed incredibly well.

The second session felt much smoother, as I was starting to feel more at home with the car and learn just how much grip it really had. Taking Old Hairpin at over 115 mph was quite the experience! Not just corner speeds, but the brakes were also incredibly powerful. I remember being thrown into my belts after stabbing the brake pedal. It was a dream come true to drive the GB3 car, and I want to thank Team USA and the Ammonite crew for making it a possibility.

My sights are currently set on the Walter Hayes Trophy coming up this week. Testing begins in just a couple of days’ time, and the weather is looking wet most of the week; however, I am excited for rain! We have been quick in the rain sessions at Brands Hatch, and I look forward to carrying that into Silverstone. With only one and a half weeks left, I have had an amazing experience in the UK so far, and I look forward to capping it off strongly this coming weekend.

– Ayrton

Sullivan ninth, Houk 14th in Formula Ford Festival thriller at Brands Hatch

Team USA Scholarship drivers Jack Sullivan and Ayrton Houk were embroiled in the thick of the action during an enthralling 20-lap Grand Final to the 52nd annual BRSCC Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch on Sunday. Sullivan ultimately finished ninth, moving up one position from the start, while Houk overtook fellow American Porter Aiken, the winner of the FRP F1600 Championship Series in North America, on the final lap to take 14th after starting 19th.

Englishman Rory Smith claimed his second Formula Ford Festival title for B-M Racing, narrowly ahead of teammate Jamie Sharp and Chris Middlehurst after a typically hard-fought race which also featured two-time winner Niall Murray, who took the lead on two different occasions before cruelly suffering an engine problem with just three laps remaining.

The day dawned in an entirely different fashion to the majority of the preceding week, with bright sunshine greeting the teams and drivers as they assembled at the historic Brands Hatch Circuit for Finals Day.

First order of the day was a pair of Semi Final races, the first of which saw Houk and Sullivan line up fourth and sixth on the grid respectively.

After the first two attempts at a start were aborted for various reasons, the race was shortened from 14 laps to nine. Unfortunately, not long after the green lights finally flickered on, Houk understeered through the gravel at Clearways and fell back to 13th on the opening lap. Sullivan, meanwhile, profited to run fifth, where he remained until the checkered flag. After a Safety Car period following an incident farther down the order, Houk recovered to finish 10th to ensure both young Americans qualified comfortably for the Grand Final later in the afternoon.

The 30 final protagonists treated an appreciative crowd to one of the most memorable races in the event’s storied history. Smith, who started from the pole, traded places with Murray several times, including a spectacular move by Murray around the outside at the notorious Paddock Hill Bend, before misfortune struck.

A little ways in arrears, Sullivan and Houk also were involved in fierce battles of their own. Sullivan maintained his position at the start and then scrapped for virtually the entirety of the race with British Formula Ford regulars Tom Nippers and Brandon McCaughan. Sullivan fought his way past Nippers on lap nine, but was unable to shake off McCaughan, who slipped through into eighth with just three laps remaining.

“What a race,” exclaimed Sullivan. “My first Formula Ford Festival is in the books and I have to say that it was the most intense race I have ever taken part in. Coming from where we were on the test days, a ninth-place finish is phenomenal. After a solid getaway using an A-sharp engine note this time(!), I managed to hold onto my 10th place starting position, and after the first few laps, I finally found my groove and made a move for ninth. Unfortunately, in doing so, I lost the draft in front of me.

“I fought very hard for 15 laps and unfortunately lost ninth the place with three laps to go and ran out of laps to try and pass back. I’m super grateful for all the help the team has given me to bring me up to speed and for giving me such a great car here at the festival. I’d like to thank Jeremy Shaw, all of our Team USA partners and supporters, all of the Ammonite Team, and all of my family for their support and belief in me. I can’t wait for what the Walter Hayes Trophy has in store for us in just two weeks time.”

Houk was similarly busy in a tussle with the two Team Canada Scholarship cars of Logan Pacza and Alex Berg, who had started 11th and 13th, Aiken, who started 15th, and David MacArthur. Pacza edged Berg in a photo-finish for 12th, with Houk hot on their heels after sneaking ahead of Aiken on the final lap.

“The second lap of the Semi Final brought me a bit of a hiccup after going off in Clearways,” related Houk. “I knew that I was out of a transfer spot so I put my head down and drove back up to a transfer position of 10th. Coming into the Final I knew I would have a ton of work ahead of me starting in 19th. I was able to manage two or three passes off the start and spent most of my race battling in 16th, and coming down to the line I had my eyes set on a fellow American racer Porter Aiken. I was able to make a last lap move deep into Paddock Hill Bend to get alongside of him and finish the pass up the hill into Druids. Overall I had an amazing learning experience this week, racing close and hard with great talent and believe that my skill set has been amplified. I cannot wait to get back after it at Silverstone in the Walter Hayes Trophy.”

Houk, Sullivan qualify comfortably for Formula Ford Festival semis

Team USA Scholarship drivers Ayrton Houk and Jack Sullivan finished third and fourth in their respective 12-lap Heat races as the prestigious Formula Ford Festival kicked off today at Brands Hatch. Both young Americans secured automatic qualification for the pair of Semi Finals races to be run on Sunday morning which will set the grid for the Grand Final later in the day.

Heavy overnight rain ensured Sullivan ventured out onto a fully wet track during qualifying for Heat One first thing this morning. He briefly ran at the top of the timing charts before ultimately earning fourth position on the grid. The race also was held in wet conditions, which posed its own challenge for the 17-year-old from Hamilton, Ohio.

“I actually based my start off the musical note of the engine rather than rpm,” related Sullivan. “I used to play piano and I’ve retained a bit of the ‘perfect pitch’ that comes with it, meaning I can recognize certain musical notes. I watched a video of a previous start in the wet and I recognized a B note, and I adapted it to the wetness of my session and used an A note and it was the best start I’ve ever had.”

Sullivan immediately gained one position off the line, only to be shuffled down a couple of places at Paddock Hill Bend. He was stuck behind Jason Smyth for the first seven laps, until the Irishman was pressured into a mistake at Clearways. Sullivan then matched the pace of the leaders to finish fourth.

“Overall, I feel good about my heat but I still feel a podium was possible had I not made those mistakes in the first corners,” he said. “Now I’ll be preparing for the upcoming semifinal tomorrow morning where I hope to put myself in a solid starting spot for the final.”

The race was won by former Castle Combe Circuit champion Lewis Cooper from Festival veterans Chris Middlehurst and two-time Festival champion Niall Murray.

Qualifying for Heat Two also was held in wet conditions, with Houk, 20, from McCordsville, Ind., similarly snaring fourth on the starting grid behind Ammonite Motorsport teammate and fellow American Nolan Allaer, British Formula Ford championship winner Jordan Kelly and established front-runner Jordan Dempsey.

2020 Festival winner Rory Smith leapt ahead of Houk at the start, but after some early jockeying for position, Houk recovered to finish third behind Allaer, who led the entire 12-lap distance to secure a stylish first UK victory, and Smith.

“It was still quite damp for our heat race,” said Houk. “I knew a big portion of my finishing position would come from minimizing mistakes and staying on track. I focused on hitting my marks and holding my position from a hard charging Jordan Kelly and Jordan Dempsey. I was able to find most of my time through Clearways sliding the car all the way to the outside almost like I was back in my dirt midget again! I am extremely pleased with my P3 finish in the heat and looking forward to continuing my momentum into the Semi Final and Final tomorrow.”

2021 Festival winner Jamie Sharp led throughout Heat Three, followed by American Jeremy Fairbairn.

Houk will line up fourth and Sullivan sixth on the grid for the first Semi Final, which is slated for the green flag at 10:30 Sunday. Allaer will start on pole position. Cooper will take up pole position for the second Semi Final with the top 14 progressing directly into the Grand Final.

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The races will be live streamed on the BRSCC’s YouTube channel. Live timing will be available at https://www.tsl-timing.com/Event/234230.

Both Team USA cars carry a “TD3″ decal in recognition of long-time Road Racing Drivers Club member and five-time SCCA National Champion Tom Davey, who passed away earlier this week at age 81. A staunch advocate of Formula Ford and the Team USA Scholarship, Davey, an accomplished writer and filmmaker, directed and produced the entire library of SAFEisFAST.com videos – a free online resource originated by Davey and fellow RRDC member Jim Mullen which has benefited countless aspiring racing champions over the past 12 years.

Houk, Sullivan set for Brands Hatch Formula Ford Festival

Well over 50 drivers, including Team USA Scholarship representatives Ayrton Houk, 20, from McCordsville, Ind., and Jack Sullivan, 17, from Hamilton, Ohio, are set to tackle the historic Brands Hatch circuit in the 52nd annual BRSCC Formula Ford Festival. The event officially kicks off on Saturday morning with qualifying for three 12-lap Heat races to set the grids for the Semi Final round on Sunday morning.

Houk and Sullivan are following in some illustrious footsteps. The Team USA Scholarship is supported by a wide range of entities from the United States motorsports community, which has been providing opportunities for talented youngsters since 1990. Jimmy Vasser was the inaugural scholarship recipient, while reigning Indianapolis 500 champion Josef Newgarden was the first American to win the Formula Ford Festival — carrying Team USA’s distinctive patriotic colors — in 2008.

“I am very excited to kick off the 2023 Formula Ford Festival tomorrow morning here at Brands Hatch,” said Houk, who finished third in this year’s FRP F1600 Championship Series in the U.S. “Coming off of three solid days of testing I am confident and ready to see how Jack and I stack up against the field in qualifying.

“The past three days have been a great experience running in full wet, damp, drying and full dry and really getting to understand how the balance of the car changes for each. The track itself looks simple from the outside; however, it is quite tricky to drive as each corner presents unique challenges. Altogether, I have had a amazing time testing at this historic track and cannot wait to get racing in the next couple of days.”

“Testing was great,” added Sullivan, who took third in the FRP series in a car entered and prepared by himself and his father. “It was awesome to finally get on track at Brands Hatch and it was great to have had three days to get adjusted. It was a bit difficult to find pace at first but finally in the very last session I was able to find a good rhythm. I’m super excited for qualifying and the heat race tomorrow after the great finish to our Friday.

“My initial impression of Brands Hatch was the elevation of Paddock Hill Bend and Hailwood Hill. I don’t think pictures really can capture how steep the hill really is. When I hit the compression at the bottom of the hill, I feel my eye lids and cheeks being pushed down by the G-forces. With the rain, it becomes a whole different animal with Surtees and Clearways having absolutely no grip and to be fast, you have to be on the very outside of Clearways, just inches from the gravel trap. This place is just incredible.”

Houk and Sullivan will drive a pair of Ray Formula Ford cars run by the Ammonite Motorsport team. They are joined this weekend by a strong U.S. contingent, including teammates Nolan Allaer, who after running for the entire season in the UK, recently returned home to score a fine victory in the SCCA National Championship Runoffs at VIRginia International Raceway, and Hugh Esterson, whose brother Max carried Team USA colors in 2021 and last year returned to score a proud victory in the Formula Ford Festival. In addition, Festival veteran Jeremy Fairbairn has shown strong pace during the latter part of the UK season, while FRP champion Porter Aiken and 16-year-old Isaac Canto da Silva also will be making their UK debuts.

Sullivan has been drawn in Heat One and will be first onto the track tomorrow at 9:00am for qualifying. His Heat race is set to start at 11:40am. Houk will venture out for Heat Two qualifying at 9:50am, with his race due to start immediately after the lunch break at 12:55pm. The schedule is subject to change. The events will be live streamed on the BRSCC’s YouTube channel.

Andre Castro: Jumping in the deep end

Hello everyone! This update is definitely overdue, and I’m happy to be writing another blog for the first time in a while. Although I’ve only competed in three race events this season, it’s been a year full of learning, surprises and unforgettable …

Hello everyone! This update is definitely overdue, and I’m happy to be writing another blog for the first time in a while.

Although I’ve only competed in three race events this season, it’s been a year full of learning, surprises and unforgettable memories. Two of my three races have been on street courses, while one was at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And the stories behind each event couldn’t be more different! At the beginning of March, I was hustling a nimble USF2000 machine around the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, while on July 1, I muscled a 700-horsepower beast of a NASCAR Xfinity Series car around the streets of downtown Chicago.

The journey from St. Pete to Chicago was by no means straightforward, nor was my transition from open-wheelers to stock car racing. I began the season with no ride, speaking to anyone I could about potentially hopping in their race car. Thankfully, around two weeks before the NTT IndyCar Series event in St. Petersburg, Future Star Racing agreed to run me in what would be its USF2000 Presented by Cooper Tires series debut. As if spearheading the team’s first ever weekend in the USF Pro Championships wasn’t daunting enough, we would have to make do with only one day of testing, as I hadn’t gotten any track time over the winter and neither had the team itself.

Our test at Sebring was marred by mechanical issues, meaning we basically rode into St. Petersburg blind. Thanks to the expertise of veteran team members like Joey Vallone and Kelly Jones, as well as my prior experience at the track, my teammate and I qualified fifth and sixth in a stacked field. Our qualifying laps were separated by less than one thousandth of a second (0.0009)! The paddock was noticeably surprised by our strong start, and many came around our tent to share their congratulations.

Race 1 was promising, although a gear shifting issue caused me to have trouble slowing the car down in the closing stages and I finished ninth. I was set to roll off eighth in Race 2 of the weekend, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to take the start due to the recurring shifting issue.

As if ending my weekend on that note wasn’t challenging enough, I’d soon find out that would be my last opportunity to race in the USF Pro Championships for 2023. At this point I had already started planning my next move – an unorthodox plan out of left field that would take months to pull off.

Upon hearing the NASCAR Xfinity Series would be joining the NASCAR Cup Series’ Chicago Street Race, I set about contacting my alma mater, the University of Chicago, with a crazy plan: I wanted to drive a UChicago-sponsored car in the Xfinity race. Enthusiasm soon spread around some of the faculty, and with the help of UChicago Medicine, the university’s chain of hospitals, we put together a contract that would have me driving the No.34 University of Chicago Chevrolet for Jesse Iwuji Motorsports.

I knew that not only the whole city of Chicago, but the whole motorsports world would be watching to see how NASCAR’s latest ambitious idea would pan out. I wasn’t sure if my race would be a success or not, much less the event as a whole, but I knew I was on the cusp of something special. I felt even more excited for the race after I visited UChicago Medicine’s Comer Children’s Hospital and helped run a bingo show for the patients. I also distributed prizes to the winners, meeting several children and their families along the way. If there were ever a chance to effect positive change and have an impact on the community through my passion, this was it.

On race day, I had family, friends and my girlfriend cheering me on at the track, as well as 18 guests from UChicago and UC Medicine. For weeks, I had been hesitant telling them they would get to see me compete, as I knew that because of my team’s lack of owner’s points, I would have to qualify fast enough to make it into the main race. Practice and qualifying were the morning of the race, and my first laps on NASCAR’s brand new track were on wet tires, as it had sprinkled before the session started. I couldn’t think of a much more chaotic situation to debut in – and oh yeah, I had never driven an Xfinity Series car before this day. I had no testing, practice, or any other type of real-life preparation!

Needing to qualify at least 33rd out of 43 entries to make it into the show, I clocked in 28th as the checkered flag flew. A massive feeling of relief overcame me as I realized we had made it in. No matter what happened in the race, I could be proud to say I had raced in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

In the race, I clawed my way up to 18th, passing cars from several established teams, before I was left without brakes and careened into the Turn 1 tire wall. Thankfully, I was physically okay, but mentally I was shaken. As the race was cut short 10 laps later due to lightning in the area, it stung how close I came to securing an amazing finish in my NASCAR debut.

I secured sponsorship for one more NASCAR race at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. I qualified 28th again, out-qualifying Conor Daly and starting on the same row as Sage Karam; I knew I had to save my equipment to have something to fight with at the end. I made it through the first two stages and was running inside the top 25 before my power steering failed; we lost a couple of laps in the pits fixing the issue, and three laps after I was sent back out, my track bar mount broke, spelling a permanent end to our day.

So, out of the four races I competed in this year, I failed to finish three of them. However, I’m proud of how I handled jumping in the deep end with no testing for any of them, as I’ve often had to do throughout my career. It would have been naive not to expect some sort of niggles or misfortunes, as the teams I raced with were not full-time teams and I jumped in without any practice.

Now my focus shifts toward finding sponsorship for next year; I hope that I will finally obtain a full-season opportunity with a winning team, but to do this I need the support of faithful sponsors who believe in my ability to succeed. If anyone reading this blog has any suggestions or would be interested in helping in any way, please connect with me! In the future, I will update my blog more frequently as my races occur. Thanks so much for reading this long blog, and I hope to write again soon with good news about 2024.

Andre