Event preview: FR Americas, F4 U.S. and Ligier JFC at NJMP

Track Facts:

Event: New Jersey Lottery Racing America at New Jersey Motorsports Park
Circuit: New Jersey Motorsports Park, Thunderbolt Course
Length: 2.25-miles / 12-turn road course
Race Direction: Clockwise
Podium: Victory Circle, located at the rear of the Race Control Tower

FR Americas Championship

Qualifying:                      Saturday, August 1 at 9:30 a.m. ET
Feature Race 1:              Saturday, August 1 at 2:25 p.m. ET
Feature Race 2:              Sunday, August 2 at 9:30 a.m. ET
Feature Race 3:              Sunday, August 2 at 1:40 p.m. ET

F4 U.S. Championship
Qualifying:                      Saturday, August 1 at 12:00 p.m. ET
Feature Race 1:              Saturday, August 1 at 4:55 p.m. ET
Feature Race 2:              Sunday, August 2 at 12:00 p.m. ET
Feature Race 3:              Sunday, August 2 at 4:10 p.m. ET

Ligier Junior Formula Championship
Qualifying:                      Saturday, August 1 at 10:30 a.m. ET
Feature Race 1:              Saturday, August 1 at 3:40 p.m. ET
Feature Race 2:              Sunday, August 2 at 10:45 a.m. ET
Feature Race 3:              Sunday, August 2 at 2:55 p.m. ET

As the summer heats up, so, too, does the competition in Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas), Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) and Ligier Junior Formula Championship (Ligier JFC) with all three series entering the second half of their season. Joining Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) for the New Jersey Lottery weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP), the event brings fans an action-packed weekend with two full days of racing, open paddocks and the Hagerty Cars and Caffeine Car Show powered by Gearhead Coffee. Tickets are available now at RacingAmericaTickets.com.

FR Americas Championship
With a $100,000 championship prize awaiting the 2026 FR Americas champion, every point matters as the season enters its second half. Evagoras Papasavvas (No. 71 Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F3) continues to lead the championship standings, but Brady Golan (No. 40 Toney Driver Development Ligier JS F3) tightened the gap after sweeping all three races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) last month. The title contenders are now separated by just 10.5 points and have combined to win all but two races this season.

Cooper Shipman (No. 10 Driven Dynamix / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) remains firmly in contention in third. Last year’s F4 U.S. Champion, Shipman scored his lone victory of the season in Round 3 at NOLA Motorsports Park, and has backed it up with five podiums to stay within striking distance of the leaders.

Kekai Hauanio (No. 29 N-E-Where Transport / Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F3) sits fourth in the standings after winning Round 7 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. While he trails Papasavvas by 60 points, there’s still plenty of time to make up ground on his Crosslink Motorsports teammate before the championship reaches the season finale at Barber Motorsports Park in October.

At the end of the year, the championship-winning driver will be awarded $100,000, while the Vice Champion will earn $20,000, and the Third-Place Champion will receive $10,000.

Intensity building for Masters Cup
The Masters Cup Championship fight is heating up as three different drivers claimed victories across the IMS triple-header weekend. Whitney Strickland (No. 21 TF Companies / Hillenburg Motorsports Ligier JS F3) added his seventh victory of the season to maintain his lead in the championship standings. Anthony Autiello (No. 07 Hope For The Warriors / Momentum Motorsports Ligier JS F3) rebounded after missing the Road America and Mid-Ohio rounds to capture his second win of the season and remain firmly in championship contention despite sitting third in the standings.

Kevin Janzen (No. 24 US Power Group / Data Center Solutions / Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F3) closed out the weekend with his first victory of the season. While it was a breakthrough win, consistency has been key for Janzen’s campaign, as he continues to rank second in the standings after seven podium finishes.

TDD vs. Crosslink
The battle for the 2026 Team Championship couldn’t be any tighter. With 11 races complete, just two points separate Toney Driver Development (TDD) and Crosslink Motorsports, setting the stage for what could come down to the final checkered flag.

TDD currently holds the advantage after its drivers combined for five victories and 11 podiums. Close behind, Crosslink Motorsports has kept pace with four wins while leading the series with 13 podiums, proving the value of consistency. With every race carrying championship implications, neither team can afford to let up.

Can Shipman repeat NJMP magic?
After capturing the 2025 F4 U.S. title and earning the FR Americas scholarship, Cooper Shipman (No. 10 Driven Dynamix / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) returns to one of the circuits that helped propel him to the championship a year ago. Already a race winner this season, Shipman looks to return to the top step of the podium at a track where he’s enjoyed considerable success after sweeping F4 U.S. competition last year.

New look for New Jersey
Whitney Strickland (No. 21 TF Companies / Hillenburg Motorsports Ligier JS F3) will debut a new livery at NJMP. The Masters Cup competitor enters the round reenergized and refocused after missing the final race of the IMS weekend due to heavy contact sustained in Race 2. Over the last few weeks, his Hillenburg Motorsports team spent the break meticulously repairing and refreshing Strickland’s No. 21 machine, giving him a whole new look as the series kicks off the second half of the season.

Bobadilla dominant run Continues in F4 NACAM
Heading into the second weekend of back-to-back races, Alejandro Bobadilla (No. 8 Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F3) arrives at NJMP with plenty of momentum after a dominant performance in F4 NACAM at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez last weekend. Demonstrating the same speed that has defined his season, Bobadilla took the pole position and converted it into victories in Races 1 and 2 of the triple-header weekend. With seven wins already this season, he continues to lead the F4 NACAM standings and looks to carry that momentum into the FR Americas weekend at NJMP.

Schuh welcomes VIP guest at NJMP
Aidan Schuh (No. 14 Homes For Our Troops / Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F3) will welcome a military veteran as a VIP guest of Crosslink Motorsports this weekend at NJMP through his partnership with Homes For Our Troops (HFOT). The guest will have the opportunity to experience a race weekend from inside the team, highlighting the ongoing relationship between Schuh, Crosslink and HFOT in recognizing those who have served.

One last race during the summer break
With the academic year just around the corner, drivers will enjoy one last race before they have to start juggling life at the track with that in the classroom. As recent high school graduates, Brady Golan (No. 40 Toney Driver Development Ligier JS F3) and Evagoras Papasavvas (No. 71 Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F3) will embark on their freshman year of college. Golan will move on to the University of Texas at Austin campus while studying economics at Austin Community College through a transfer program. Meanwhile, Papasavvas will just need to travel across town as he begins his studies at the University of Cincinnati.

Likewise, Harbir Dass (No. 9 Northcoast Medical Group / Alpha Micron / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) finished his undergrad in the spring, but returns to Georgia Institute of Technology this fall to start work on his Masters Degree. The Kiwi Motorsport driver will continue his studies in mechanical engineering.

F4 U.S. Championship

Heading into the second half of the 2026 season, the intensity is building in the fight for the F4 U.S. title and the FR Americas scholarship that accompanies it. So far, Caleb Campbell (No. 68 Steele Auto Group / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) and Gastón Irazú (No. 27 Elia Group / Baly / Canal 4 / Ancap / Champagne Racing Ligier JS F422) have combined to win every race this season. Campbell has claimed four victories to Irazú’s three, but it has been the consistency – not just the speed – that has given the Canadian the upper hand. A podium in every race, combined with Irazú’s non-points finish in Round 2, has allowed Campbell to build a 28-point advantage.

Lurking just behind the frontrunners is Zach Fourie (No. 15 Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422). The South African has been a model of consistency himself, missing the podium only once this season. Sitting 37 points behind his teammate Campbell, Fourie remains firmly within striking distance for the top prize.

Huerta Raab rejoins Kiwi Motorsport
Clemente Huerta Raab (No. 17 Velox USA / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) returns to familiar surroundings this weekend, as he reunites with Kiwi Motorsport for the remainder of the 2026 season. The pair enjoyed plenty of success together in 2025, as Huerta Raab earned six podiums for the team, including a career-best runner-up finish. NJMP was one of their strongest venues, with the Chilean finishing on the podium in both races earning a pair of third-place results. Now back with Kiwi Motorsport, Huerta Raab and the team look to pick up where they left off.

Irazú chasing another New Jersey sweep
Gastón Irazú (No. 27 Elia Group / Baly / Canal 4 / Ancap / Champagne Racing Ligier JS F422) enters the weekend with something no one else in the F4 U.S. field can claim—a perfect record at NJMP. Last summer, the Uruguayan swept the Ligier JFC races at the 2.25-mile circuit on his way to the championship. It marked his only weekend sweep of the season and proved to be a vital moment in his title-winning campaign. Now, Irazú returns to one of his most successful tracks looking to turn last year’s dominance into another standout weekend as the fight for the 2026 F4 U.S. title heats up.

New looks for Kohut and Campbell
Kiwi Motorsport teammates Ayden Kohut (No. 18 The Builders Source / The Genie Company / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) and Caleb Campbell (No. 68 Steele Auto Group / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) will debut fresh looks as the second half of the season gets underway at NJMP. Kohut will unveil a brand-new livery on his Ligier JS F422, while Campbell will introduce a new custom-painted Bell Helmet honoring two of his 2026 partners—Steele Auto Group and Kids Help Phone.

Why discipline wins: Day’s TEDx Talk available now
Luca Day (No. 54 Zimperium / Momentum Motorsports Ligier JS F422) has released his TEDx talk, “Why Discipline Beats Motivation at 200 km/h,” with the full talk now available to watch on YouTube. Presented during the TEDxStLaurentBlvd event at Club Soda during Montreal’s Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend, Day challenges the widely-held belief that motivation drives success. Drawing from his own experience in motorsports, Day argues that while motivation is the spark, discipline is the engine that ultimately sustains success – both on the racetrack and in everyday life.

Rivera gets breakthrough win in F4 NACAM
Fresh off his first F4 NACAM victory, Fernando Rivera (No. 16 Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F422) arrives at NJMP carrying the momentum and confidence of a breakout weekend in Mexico. Balancing campaigns in both F4 U.S. and F4 NACAM, Rivera has become one of the busiest drivers in the paddock, traveling between Mexico to the United States while gaining valuable seat time in the two highly-competitive championships.

At Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez last weekend, Rivera earned the first pole position of his career in Race 2, before capping off the weekend with a breakthrough victory in Race 3. Charging through the field from mid-pack, Rivera capitalized on a mid-race restart to take the lead, and cruised all the way to his first F4 NACAM win.

Ligier Junior Formula Championship

Collecting six of the eight checkered flags this season, Beckham Jacir (No. 7 Stonica / Bell / OMP / P1DOKS / Behind the Wheel / Champagne Racing Ligier JS F4) has been the benchmark in the Ligier JFC Gen. 1 Class. As the second half of the season begins, the sophomore driver holds a 45-point advantage over second-place Lazaro Bainotti (No. 11 Fundacion Fangio Rus seguros Cordoba deportes / Speed Factory Ligier JS F4), who is the only other Gen. 1 driver to have won races this season.

While Jacir and Bainotti occupy the top two spots, the battle for third continues to intensify. Ava Hanssen (No. 26 One Powersports / Chiropractic Center of Elkhorn / NGK / Badger Mats Ligier JS F4) has put together a consistent sophomore campaign, recording just one finish outside the top five while earning the first three podiums of her Ligier JFC career. Behind her, AJ Abdullah (No. 21 Freedom Detox / Grid State Digital / Berg Racing Ligier JS F4) and Alexander Savage (No. 33 KymaBoats.com / Triple Aim Medical Solutions / Nature Coast Health Care / G Tech Motorsports Ligier JS F4) are gaining momentum with recent podiums of their own. With seven races left on the calendar, there’s still plenty of time for drama and points shakeups, leaving the championship battle far from being settled.

Gen. 2 Championship duel moves to NJMP
The Ligier JFC Gen. 2 championship has quickly become a two-driver showdown. Edward Kennedy (No. 30 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422) came out of the gate strong, sweeping the season opener at NOLA Motorsports Park. However, when the Canadian missed the second weekend of the season, Jack Speth (No. 07 Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) capitalized with a sweep of his own at Road America to take control of the standings. When the rivals reunited at Mid-Ohio, Kennedy won the first two matchups before Speth claimed Race 3 to ensure the points remained as close as ever. Entering NJMP, Speth holds a narrow 22-point margin over Kennedy, making every point critical as they kick off the second half of the year.

Wade battling back at NJMP
Tyler Wade (No. 9 Dante’s Inferno / Perlson LLP / Berg Racing Ligier JS F4) heads to NJMP determined to put a recent ankle sprain behind him. After following a strict rehabilitation program, the Berg Racing driver is ready to return to the cockpit to continue logging miles and gaining valuable race experience in his rookie season.

Savage eyes first win after Mid-Ohio podiums
Alexander Savage (No. 33 KymaBoats.com / Triple Aim Medical Solutions / Nature Coast Health Care / G Tech Motorsports Ligier JS F4) broke through with the first podium finishes of his Ligier JFC career last month, earning back-to-back third-place results at Mid-Ohio. In his rookie season with the newly formed G Tech Motorsports, Savage has shown steady progress each round. Now, after proving he can race at the front of the field, the 14-year-old driver heads to NJMP looking to turn his first podiums into his first race win.

From baby driver to licensed driver
She’s been racing since she was four years old, but the state of Wisconsin finally agrees – Ava Hanssen (No. 26 One Powersports / Chiropractic Center of Elkhorn / NGK / Badger Mats Ligier JS F4) can drive. Celebrating her 16th birthday just two weeks ago, Hanssen passed her road test to finally earn her driver’s license. With her newfound freedom, the rising high school junior will be able to drive herself to school, to work at a local coffee shop and to school activities, including theater, chorus and DECA.