Archives for F4 U.S. Championship

PEDERSEN CELEBRATES THIRD COTA WIN AT THE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX DEBUT

PEDERSEN CELEBRATES THIRD COTA WIN AT THE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX DEBUT

F4 U.S. Championship drivers Kyle Kirkwood and Dakota Dickerson complete podium

AUSTIN, TEXAS  (October 21, 2017) – The Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda drivers showed Austin, Texas, and the rest of the world how exciting junior-open wheel racing can be with an action-packed race from start to finish. Thousands of fans were on their feet cheering as Benjamin Pedersen of Copenhagen, Denmark, passed pole-sitter and F4 U.S. National Champion Kyle Kirkwood of Jupiter, Florida, for the lead in the final moments of the race. The cheers and gasps continued as Dakota Dickerson, who had chased Braden Eves of Gahanna, Ohio, for most of the round, made a calculated sling-shot pass on the inside to claim the last spot on the podium.

“The fan support here at COTA has been amazing. I could hear the fans cheering through my helmet over my Honda engine,” said Pederson, who has won three of the last four races at COTA. “To hear the Danish national anthem play after my win was amazing and to be on the top spot of the F1 podium was even better.”

Benjamin Pedersen, Kyle Kirkwood, and Dakota Dickerson celebrate their F4 United States Championship Powered by Honda results on the same podium the winner of the Formula 1 US Grand Prix will celebrate on (Photo Courtesy of SCCA Pro)

Pedersen shared the front row with Kirkwood. Kirkwood’s car launched from the F1-style standing start like a rocket ship, leaving Pedersen to play catch up. The pair zoomed around the red, white and blue COTA corners, creating more than a second gap between Eves, Brendon Leitch of Invercargill, New Zealand, and Dickerson. Finally, the Global Racing Group driver wore down Kirkwood and made a pass on the outside of Turn 5. Pedersen held off advances from Kirkwood until he took the checkered.

“Pedersen raced me clean the entire race,” said Kirkwood. “He’s extremely calm and has been the best driver to race against in the championship.”

Dickerson, who started P5, was patient most of the race, waiting for Eves to wear the rubber off his Pirelli PZero tires. After passing his Kiwi Motorsport teammate Leitch, Eves was next on Dickerson’s hitlist. Eves defended his racing line as Dickerson tried multiple overtakes, but one wide turn in T20 from the Jay Howard Motorsports Driver Development driver left just enough room for Dickerson to whip inside on the penultimate lap.

“I am so thankful for the opportunity that SCCA Pro Racing and F4 U.S. has given us,” Dickerson said. “Being on the F1 podium was unexpected and was a dream of mine my entire life. I will remember this moment forever and hopefully tomorrow the U.S. national anthem will be played as I collect my first win of the season.”

The win from Pedersen jolted him from fifth place in the national championship to third, respectively. Unofficially, Forcier still holds second with Dickerson in fourth. Jordan Sherratt of Durban, South Africa, dropped to fifth in standings but only trails Pedersen by 12 points and Dickerson by two.

Benjamin Pedersen of Copenhagen, Denmark celebrates his third F4 United States Championship Powered by Honda win of 2017 (Photo Courtesy of SCCA Pro Racing)

The F4 U.S. field returns to COTA today at 11:20 a.m. CT for the season finale. Full results can be viewed on F4USChampionship.com.

A new American open wheel series announced – F3 Americas

A few TSO Ladder Notes from Steve:

We’ll come back and look at this announcement and it’s possible impact on the American open wheel ladder in much more detail next week, but here are a couple of quick notes:

  • TSO had a chance to talk to Marc Sours, senior manager and chief engineer at Honda Performance Development at Gateway Motorsports Park in August. We discussed manufacturer’s commitment to grassroots racing at all levels, and also their plans for F4 United States Championship Powered by Honda (F4) and whether they would make the jump to the next level, Formula 3 (F3)
  • While this announcement has been long rumored, quite honestly, I expected the series to debut in 2019.
  • There is a good chance that this well be seen as an attack on the Mazda Road To Indy presented by Cooper Tire (MRTI). There is no doubt that is a valid perspective, but if you ask Honda Performance Development, their aim is to solely increase the number of people participating in motor sports. One of the ways of accomplishing that is to keep costs as low as possible.
  • With 34 F4 entries at Circuit of the Americas this weekend, it appears that entry level budgets that have not yet reached $200,000 are attractive. We’ll compare F4 and USF2000 budgets in more detail (as well as the positives and negatives of each series), at a later time.  (for a little reference, a yearly F4 budget is at minimum 40% lower than a yearly USF2000 budget.)

Here a few images of the Honda powered Ligier Crawford chassis, developed by Onroak – note that it does have a halo cockpit protection device similar to what will appear in Formula 1.

 

Here is the press-release from F4 United States Championship Powered by Honda.

PRESS RELEASE: Save The Date–Details of F3 Americas series to be announced Thursday, October 19th at Circuit of the Americas, in Austin, TX

(INDIANAPOLIS, IN – September 16th, 2017) Another step toward alignment with a globally recognized racing development structure will become much clearer on October 19th in Austin, TX, when the details of the new F3 Americas racing series will be announced, featuring an all-new F3-FIA* spec race car.

With the phenomenal growth of the Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda that debuted in 2016, F4 series competitors are looking forward to the next level of open-wheel competition that continues affordability, modern technology, and the ability to obtain FIA Super License points. The F4 U.S. series’ final two races of 2017 will run during the F1 weekend activities at COTA, and the series champion will be invited to attend the Formula 1 Awards banquet.

This new F3 race car will feature an all-new, state-of-the-art, U.S.-designed and built Ligier Crawford chassis, developed by Onroak, and will be powered by a 270-horsepower Honda Performance Development version of the new Honda Civic® Type-R® turbocharged K20 motor (a non-turbocharged version is used in the F4 U.S. Championship). The new F3 Americas series will continue running on proven Pirelli tires developed for this series.

The F3 Americas series aligns with the global FIA development ladder philosophy of using common components to provide a cost-efficient, reliable, and powerful racing structure as drivers ascend through the levels on their way to U.S. or global racing success. The announcement event on October 19th will unveil the F3 car and provide preliminary vehicle specifications, as well as information on vehicle availability and ordering information.

“SCCA Pro Racing’s introduction of an FIA F3 race series is a great opportunity for our partners and SCCA Pro Racing to reset the current paradigm of open wheel racing in North America,” said Steve Oseth, Vice President/General Manager of SCCA Pro Racing. “Its introduction, combined with the steps above and below the F3 series, will work to greatly lower the running costs of open-wheel race cars.”

Art St. Cyr, President, Honda Performance Development, adds: “Our grassroots racing engines have provided the basis for many top-level racers and we’re excited to continue offering the affordable and reliable Honda K20 Type-R engine as part of this series. It also helps to showcase the ability of our grassroots racing programs to support racing skills development, as the competitors progress through higher levels of engine power.”

Max Crawford, General Manager of Onroak Automotive North America, notes that “The F3 race series will feature the next generation of all-new FIA race cars, the Ligier Crawford JS F3, designed and manufactured in the United States, at Onroak Automotive North America’s headquarters in Denver, North Carolina.  The Ligier Crawford JS F3 is the next step up from Onroak Automotive NA’s successful F4 car. The ability to design, manufacture and service the cars in the U.S. has always been part of Onroak Automotive NA’s commitment to the F3 series. The design team in Denver, NC, has worked comprehensively with the FIA on implementing all the requirements for the new generation of F3 cars, and this has enabled us to produce the new car at a level of performance and safety that leads the world.”

Orazio Mastracchio, NAFTA Motorsport Manager for Pirelli NA states: “With more than 100 years of Pirelli motorsport experience and development for the drivers of powerful sports cars, sports coupes and high performance luxury sedans, we’re excited to be a part of this new F3 series, which directly ties into the learning and success we’ve had at the premier levels of motorsports.”

*Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile

LONE STAR LE MANS WEEKEND BREAKS ENTRY RECORD FOR F4 U.S

34 Cars Registered for Penultimate COTA Event

 INDIANAPOLIS  (Sept. 13, 2017)- Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda will make history this weekend as it enters its largest field since its 2016 debut. Thirty-four cars will take the track at the prestigious Circuit of the Americas for the FIA World Endurance Championship Lone Star Le Mans Aug. 14-16.

“I am very pleased to have so many cars entered for our first COTA event. We anticipate that number to grow even more for the season finale with F1,” said SCCA Pro Racing Vice President Steve Oseth. “This type of participation emphasizes the value F4 presents to all of our teams and competitors. We continue to remain the most cost-effective professional open-wheel championship in the United States.”

Among the 34 entries are new and familiar faces like Braden Eves of Gahanna, Ohio, who will return to the F4 U.S. lineup under Jay Howard’s Motorsport Driver Development for the first time since scoring two podiums and a top-five finish in Event 2 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“I’m extremely excited to be returning to the F4 U.S. Championship for both the COTA events,” said Eves. “Having the experience from Indy now, I am looking forward to getting back in the car and will be pushing hard to get the top spot.”

MDD team principal Jay Howard also promoted Dalton Peak of Taylorsville, Kentucky, from the MDD karting program to compete in his first F4 U.S. race at COTA. The series newcomer raced for MDD in 2016 in the karting program, managing great results throughout the season. In the 2017 season, Peak raced in the Lucas Oil Formula Car Series earning a third-place finish, and scored strong results throughout the season. After testing with the team earlier this season, Howard decided Peak was ready for the next step in his racing career.

Indy Motorsport Group filled its Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh No. 35 machine with former Indy Lights driver Nick Andries of Pinellas Park, Florida. Andries has served as the driving coach for IMG pilot Vincent Khristov of Delray Beach, Florida, since the beginning of the F4 U.S. season.

“It will be double duty this weekend as I will still be coaching Vincent,” said Andries. “I’m looking forward the most to watching his progress. I really enjoy that side of coaching. I still have to prepared for the event like a coach does, watching video, looking over data, understanding how to get the most out of car on this specific circuit. As for the actual event, it will be a challenging physical transition for me since as a coach I don’t need to be in peak physical condition. COTA is a great track, the F4 car is fun and the field is very competitive. It’s going to be a great weekend.”

Global Racing Group and Group-A Racing expanded their rosters for the penultimate event, both adding additional cars. GRG signed 24 Hours of Le Mans veteran and European Le Mans Series champion Pierre Thiriet of Epinal, France, to fill its fourth F4 U.S. seat, while, Group-A Racing added a driver on the other end of the experience spectrum. Competing in his fourth race ever as a driver, Group-A Racing’s newest pilot Russ McDonough IV of Little Rock, Arkansas, makes his F4 U.S. debut this weekend in an effort to jump-start his 2018 campaign with the team.

Kyle Kirkwood of Jupiter, Florida, could clinch the F4 U.S. Championship title this weekend. The Cape Motorsports driver claimed seven pole positions and ten podium finishes, eight of those being wins, so far this season. He leads in standings by 91 points and needs two wins to capture the title.

The 2017 F4 U.S. season championship winner receives a $25,000 cash grand prize and an invite to the Formula 1 Prize Giving Ceremony in Europe.

F4 U.S. will participate in two practices on Thursday. Qualifying, Race 1, Race 2 and an autograph session will be held on Friday. Event 6 wraps-up on Saturday with the final race of the weekend. Fans can follow live timing and scoring on F4USChampionship.com.

Top-10 Standings

Standing Competitor Team Points
1 Kyle Kirkwood Cape Motorsports 251
2 Raphael Forcier Indy Motorsports Group 160
3 Timo Reger JDX Racing 124
4 Jordan Sherratt Crosslink Racing 122
5 Jacob Loomis Global Racing Group 90
6 Brendon Leitch Kiwi Motorsport 90
7 Dakota Dickerson Kiwi Motorsport 87
8 Skylar Robinson  Momentum Motorsports 81
9  Baltazar Leguizamon MVL Motorsports 74
10 Mathias Soler-Obel Cape Motorsports 60
       

 

Full Standings

About the SCCA Pro Racing F4 U.S. Championship:

FIA F4 is designed as entry-level open-wheel racing for participants, around a contemporary, modern, cost conscious formula. SCCA Pro Racing and its chosen partners that embrace these ideals and support this vision with appropriate technology and products. The selected F4 powerplant is a production based engine currently powering the Honda Civic® Type R® recently launched in Europe, tuned to meet FIA-mandated output of approximately 160 Hp. The engine and the ECU are sealed to provide parity and compliance.

About SCCA Pro Racing:

SCCA Pro Racing a division of Sports Car Club of America, Inc. — a 65,000-member organization dedicated to motorsports. SCCA Pro Racing provides full-service organization, operation and sanctioning for numerous professional racing series such as Trans Am® and Formula E.

F4 U.S. RETURNS TO MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE WITH DOUBLE THE FIELD

Ohio native J.P. Southern Jr. set to compete at Mid-Ohio

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug 10, 2017)- The Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda returns to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, Aug. 11-12 with more than double its grid size from its two inaugural season events held at the Honda road-course in 2016. Thirty-two F4 U.S. drivers, including Ohio native John Paul (J.P.) Southern Jr., are slated to compete in the mid-season event.

“We are very excited to show the fans here at Mid-Ohio how much our championship has grown since we visited last season,” said SCCA Pro Vice President Steve Oseth. “I think they will be quite impressed with the pool of talent this year. The F4 U.S. drivers always put on an exciting, competitive show.”

Southern is coming off his best F4 U.S. event of the season, earning his first points at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The Jay Howard’s Motorsports Driver Development rookie tested with the team and practiced on the simulator to prepare for his home-state debut.

“I am really looking forward to representing Ohio at my home track,” Southern said. “This is the first time my sponsors and supporters will be able to see me race the F4 U.S. car in person. I really hope to impress all of them. It means a lot to me knowing that they are in the stands cheering me on which gives me an extra boost of confidence.”

Last season during the F4 U.S. Championship world debut, Konrad Czaczyk of Jupiter, Florida, set the F4 U.S. Mid-Ohio track record with a 1:26.463 fast time in the second round and was the first competitor to ever sweep an event. The following Mid-Ohio weekend, Kyle Kirkwood of Jupiter, Florida, Skylar Robinson of Augusta, Georgia, and Cameron Das of Baltimore all scored their first wins of the season.

“The second Mid-Ohio event last year was my first time competing in an F4 U.S. car. Momentum Motorsports and I had a very successful weekend with two podium visits,” Robinson said. “Our goal is to replicate that success this weekend.”

Benjamin Pedersen of Copenhagen, Denmark, Jim Goughary Jr. of Jupiter, Florida, Austin Kaszuba of Burleson, Texas, and Raphael Forcier of Montreal also visited the podium over the course of their back-to-back Mid-Ohio campaigns in 2016.

Earlier this week, two F4 U.S. teams added drivers to their line-ups, creating an even stronger grid for the Mid-Ohio Challenge. Jay Howard’s MDD expanded its season roaster to five cars with karting champion Colin Mullan of Danville, California, and Miller Vinatieri Leguizamon Motorsports confirmed that second-generation open-wheel driver Chandler Horton of Zionsville, Indiana, would pilot its fourth car for Rounds 10-12.

Serving as the support series to Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli and the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the Mid-Ohio Challenge, F4 U.S. will participate in qualifying, two races and an autograph session on Friday and finish-out the weekend early Saturday with the final round. Fans can visit F4USChampionship.com for a complete schedule, entry list and a to view live timing and scoring.

 

F4 U.S. Schedule for Mid-Ohio Aug. 11-12

Friday

8 a.m.-8:30 a.m. – Qualifying

1:05 p.m.-1:45 p.m. – Race 1

2:15-2:45 – Driver autograph session

5:10 p.m.-6 p.m. – Race 2

Saturday

11 a.m.-11:45 a.m. – Race 3

 

About the SCCA Pro Racing F4 U.S. Championship:

FIA F4 is designed as entry-level open-wheel racing for participants, around a contemporary, modern, cost conscious formula. SCCA Pro Racing and its chosen partners that embrace these ideals and support this vision with appropriate technology and products. The selected F4 powerplant is a production based engine currently powering the Honda Civic® Type R® recently launched in Europe, tuned to meet FIA-mandated output of approximately 160 Hp. The engine and the ECU are sealed to provide parity and compliance.

 

 

About SCCA Pro Racing:

SCCA Pro Racing Ltd. is a division of Sports Car Club of America, Inc. — a 65,000-member organization dedicated to motorsports. SCCA Pro Racing provides full-service organization, operation and sanctioning for numerous professional racing series such as Formula E United States events and Trans Am®.

F4 U.S. TO COMPETE AT 2017 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX

F4 U.S. TO COMPETE AT 2017 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX

SCCA Pro extends F4 U.S. schedule to include USA Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas

 

INDIANAPOLIS (June 20, 2017)- The Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda added another monumental event to 2017, extending its six-event schedule to seven to conclude at the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, Oct. 20-22.

This will be the first time that F4 U.S. cars have appeared alongside the F1® cars as a supporting race which is a major boost for the FIA’s United States’ junior open-wheel series.

“The addition of the F4 U.S. Championship to the USA Grand Prix weekend signifies our place as one of the primary destinations for young drivers who have karting or other racing experience and wish to refine those skills, both on- and off-track,” said SCCA Pro Racing Vice President Steve Oseth. “This series is only in its second season, and has seen significant growth as we are expecting 35 cars at our finale. We are thankful that Formula One Management Limited has afforded us the opportunity to bring our series and announce our second champion at the F1® event.”

F4 U.S. was previously scheduled to end its season with the FIA World Endurance Championship at COTA in September. That event will now serve as a prelude to the season championship in October.

The F4 U.S. schedule will include one practice, one qualifying session and two races which will be held in between F1® practice and qualifying sessions.

“Motorsports competition is at the core of the Honda brand and having the Honda powered F4 U.S. Championship join the Formula 1 event in Texas is an excellent demonstration of that commitment,” said T.E. McHale, Manager, American Honda Motorsports Communications.

The F4 U.S. cars are powered by the Honda Civic Type-R engine, detuned to meet F4 specifications, which provides a reliable, powerful and economical motor to ensure affordable competition throughout the season.

“Last year’s successful inaugural F4 U.S. Championship season demonstrated the need for a competitive and affordable open-wheel development series,” said Art St. Cyr, President, Honda Performance Development. “Honda and HPD are pleased to participate in the amazing growth in the 2017 season, and joining the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at COTA shows the growing prestige of the F4 Championship.”

The SCCA Pro series is part of worldwide FIA F4, using the USA manufactured Onroak Automotive Crawford F4-16 car.

“This a huge accomplishment for SCCA Pro to get the final race of the F4 U.S. Championship race at the USA Grand Prix,” General Manager of Onroak Automotive North America Max Crawford said. “The FIA has promoted F4 as a stepping stone to Formula 1, and this is a great opportunity for the F4 drivers to race in front of the F1® teams.”

Each F4 car is equipped with four PZero Pirelli tires. To contain costs, competitors are allotted eight tires per three-race weekend to use from qualifying to the last race.

“As the successful sole supplier of tires to both the F1® Championship and F4 U.S. Championship, Pirelli is glad to see current and future motorsports champions join together at this event,” said Rafael Navarro, Pirelli Tire North America Vice President of Communications and Media Relations.

The top-three Championship point leaders will be awarded more than $40,000 in total cash prizes during the annual F4 U.S. Champions’ Banquet following the F1® race on Sunday, Oct. 22.

Last year, the 2016 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix broke COTA records with more than 269,000 people from all around the world in attendance, setting the stage for F4 U.S. drivers to compete in front of their largest live audience to date.

For more information on F4 U.S. joining F1® at COTA, visit F4USChampionship.com.

Source: F4 United States Championship Powered by Honda PR

LEGUIZAMON RECEIVES JRI SHOCKS HARD CHARGER AWARD AT IMS

 

INDIANAPOLIS  (June 15, 2017) – In a tough battle that lasted through the last laps of the final Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda round at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Baltazar Leguizamon of Buenos Aires, Argentina, emerged victorious as the JRi Shocks Hard Charger.

Leguizamon finished the three-race weekend with a combined 27 forward positions changes, earning him the $500 cash award from JRi Shocks.

“Indy was an amazing experience,” said Miller Vinatieri Leguizamon Motorsports pilot Leguizamon. “IMS is a new track for me. We started as the fastest on Friday in practice. Then for Race 1, we had a set back with a 10 grid spot penalty that carried over from the first F4 U.S. event, but we didn’t let that stop us from moving forward. We did a very good job overtaking as many cars as possible to get championship points and to receive the JRi Shocks Hard Charger Award. Now we are looking forward to being at the top at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.”

Advancing to the final round in Indy, Leguizamon was trailing Jonathan Scarallo of Smithtown, New York, by one pass. Scarallo started the race off strong, leaving little room for Leguizamon to capture the $500 prize. However, midway through the race, Scarallo mistimed a pass, causing him to spin, lose position and ultimately finish the race 10 places lower than he started. Driving the No. 45 Motorola red, white and blue car, Leguizamon capitalized off the mistake and patiently overtook his F4 U.S. competitors one car at a time. The final run would add 8 forward passes to his weekend tally, beating Scarallo by 18 total forward position changes.

Leguizamon completed his run at IMS with two top-10 finishes, a top-10 fast-lap time in qualifying and the fastest lap in the first practice session.

The JRi Shocks Hard Charger Award is determined by the F4 U.S. Championship competitor who overtakes the most cars with the most forward progression from his starting position during the three-race event weekend. One competitor during each event is recognized in victory circle at the end of the weekend’s final race. Rookie Jordan Sherratt of Durban, South Africa, was the inaugural recipient of the award at the first F4 U.S. event of the season in Homestead-Miami Speedway.

F4 U.S. returns to action at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park July 7-9.

 

Leguizamon in overtaking JP Southern

 

About the SCCA Pro Racing F4 U.S. Championship:

FIA F4 is designed as entry-level open-wheel racing for participants, around a contemporary, modern, cost conscious formula. SCCA Pro Racing and its chosen partners that embrace these ideals and support this vision with appropriate technology and products. The selected F4 powerplant is a production based engine currently powering the Honda Civic® Type R® recently launched in Europe, tuned to meet FIA-mandated output of approximately 160 Hp. The engine and the ECU are sealed to provide parity and compliance.

 

 

About SCCA Pro Racing:

SCCA Pro Racing a division of Sports Car Club of America, Inc. — a 65,000-member organization dedicated to motorsports. SCCA Pro Racing provides full-service organization, operation and sanctioning for numerous professional racing series such as Trans Am® and Formula E.

 

STRONG ENTRY LIST FOR F4 U.S. HEADING INTO INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Chris Gumprecht joins the fight for the Championship

INDIANAPOLIS (June 5, 2017)- The asphalt has barely cooled from the 101st Indianapolis 500 as the open-wheel stars of tomorrow compete in the second Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway June 10-11 during the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association Open Wheel World Challenge.

After its season debut race in April, the F4 U.S. field still holds strong with 30 cars slated to compete.

“I am very pleased to have 30 cars entered for Indianapolis. Three of our drivers are unable to participate in Indy due to unforeseen circumstances but will return to the grid for the remainder of the season,” said SCCA Pro Racing Vice President Steve Oseth. “This type of participation emphasizes the value F4 presents to all of our teams and competitors. We continue to remain the most cost-effective professional open-wheel championship in the United States.”

Chris Gumprecht of Stanfordville, New York, is the newest F4 U.S. entry. While the No. 97 pilot will make his first F4 U.S. appearance at IMS competing under C.G. Racing/Company Motorsports, he is not new to open-wheel competition. Gumprecht started competing in various open-wheel programs in 2005. He quickly transitioned to the F2000 Championship Series in 2007 before making the jump to F4.

“I am really looking forward to racing in a new U.S. Formula series with a large grid and stout competition,” said C.G. Racing team owner and driver Gumprecht. “I’m excited to race this season and hope to have some great success.”

Single-car team C.G. Racing/Company Motorsports will have some ground to make up in the points battle. Two wins and a second-place finish from Timo Reger of Houston, and two top-10 finishes from Ben Waddell of Denver at Homestead-Miami Speedway, jolted JDX Racing to a comfortable 42-point lead over first-year team Indy Motorsport Group.

Teams in subsequent positions are also in a tight race to the top. Only one point separates second-place Indy Motorsport Group from third-place Global Racing Group. While a tie for fourth between single-car team Austin Kaszuba Racing and Cape Motorsports along with a tie for fifth between Miller Vinatieri Leguizamon Motorsports and Primus Racing Group round-out the top seven teams.

Group-A Racing, Jay Howard’s Motorsports Driver Development and Crosslink Racing also scored team points during the first event.

Fans can view points, full schedule and entry list at F4USChampionship.com.

 

THE GREATEST SPECTACLE IN RACING HOSTS F4 U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE HONDA FAN ZONE

INDIANAPOLIS (May 23, 2017) – For the second consecutive year, the Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda car will be on display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during Indianapolis 500 weekend.

Starting on Carb Day, the freshly wrapped, red, black and metallic blue No. 14 Jay Howard Motorsports Driver Development F4 U.S. Championship car will be on exhibit in the Honda Fan Zone, located in the Fan Midway inside IMS.

“Having my car displayed for hundreds of thousands of people to see is one of the most exciting feelings I’ve had in my racing career,” said Max Peichel, 15, pilot of the No. 14 F4 U.S. car. “One day I want to travel around the world racing, and F4 is the first step in fulfilling that dream.”

The Honda Fan Zone will include a variety of Honda and Acura street and racing vehicles, including Alexander Rossi’s IndyCar, the Red Bull GRC Civic, the all-new Acura NSX, Honda Motorcycles and Honda Performance Development-powered karts. Race fans can also partake in activities like experiencing high-speed racing in the Honda racing simulators, play virtual reality games or test their racing knowledge during Honda stage contests. The Honda Fan Zone will also host several guests like Indy 500 winner Mario Andretti, F4 U.S. team owner and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Indy 500 driver Jay Howard, Oriol Servia and other Honda Racing personalities.

“The F4 car at Indy shows the depth and diversity of our open-wheel racing programs,” Honda Performance Development Commercial Motorsports manager Jeff Barrow said. “F4 is an affordable step into motorsports and what a perfect place to showcase that accessibility with other Honda-powered racecars at the center of speed during the Indy 500.”

HPD supplies all F4 U.S. Championship cars with Honda Civic Type R engines detuned to meet FIA-regulations. HPD offers teams like Jay Howard’s MDD the ability to lease engines with option to buy after the first year.  The objective is to make the F4 U.S. Championship an attainable and affordable race series with the competitor and race team in mind.

Spectators attending race weekend can take pictures by the Jay Howard MDD F4 U.S. Championship car on Friday from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., on Saturday from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and on race day starting at 6 a.m. For fans unable to attend the festivities, follow live updates on Twitter (@F4Championship) or Instagram (@F4USChampionship). Photos from each day will be available on F4USChampionship.com.

About the SCCA Pro Racing F4 U.S. Championship:

FIA F4 is designed as entry-level open-wheel racing for participants, around a contemporary, modern, cost conscious formula. SCCA Pro Racing and its chosen partners that embrace these ideals and support this vision with appropriate technology and products. The selected F4 powerplant is a production based engine currently powering the Honda Civic® Type R® recently launched in Europe, tuned to meet FIA-mandated output of approximately 160 Hp. The engine and the ECU are sealed to provide parity and compliance.

About SCCA Pro Racing:

SCCA Pro Racing Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sports Car Club of America, Inc. — a 65,000-member organization dedicated to motorsports. SCCA Pro Racing provides full-service organization, operation and sanctioning for numerous professional racing series such as the Pirelli World Challenge and Trans Am®.

GOUGHARY SHOWS UNWAVERING TALENT AS F4 U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRESSES

Jim Goughary Jr. makes another run at a perfect season

INDIANAPOLIS (May 9, 2017)- Dodging incidents, clearing traffic and crossing the finish line in the top-10 in 18 consecutive Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda races has earned James (Jim) Goughary Jr. of Jupiter, Florida, points in every F4 U.S. round since the series’ inaugural season. No other championship competitor shares this honor.

“My experience plays a large part in being able to be so consistent,” said two-time Sports Car Club of America National Champion Goughary. “My goal every time I step into a car is to win, but circumstances sometimes prevent that from happening. Making good in-race decisions to finish only comes from experience, and a bit of luck. There is no way I could race at this level without Jon Baytos, Nick Denny, Billy Wood and Derich Cutshaw from Primus Racing.”

In 2016, Goughary was the only driver to attain points in every race. The 48-year-old completed his rookie F4 U.S. season with one win at New Jersey Motorsports Park and two additional podium visits to finish fourth in the final standings.

The No. 4 Primus Racing pilot’s consistency carried over to his sophomore season. Goughary went on to score points in each of the first three rounds in the 2017 championship debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway, capturing fourth in standings, just two points behind third-place holder Austin Kaszuba of Burleson, Texas.

F4 U.S. points are calculated based on FIA rules and regulations. The top 10 drivers in each race are awarded 1 to 25 points depending on their placement. At the end of the season, the top seven drivers will be awarded FIA Super License Points to aid in their racing career advancement to Formula One. The F4 U.S. Championship is the only junior racing series in the United States to offer its competitors FIA Super License points.

“The F4 U.S. series is a tremendous challenge to any driver,” Goughary said. “Running at the front with the amount of raw talent involved, really means something to me.”

Goughary takes the track again at Indianapolis Motor Speedway June 10-11 with the goal to claim his first win of the season at the historical track.  For full standings, fans can visit F4USChampionship.com.

 

About the SCCA Pro Racing F4 U.S. Championship:

FIA F4 is designed as entry-level open-wheel racing for participants, around a contemporary, modern, cost conscious formula. SCCA Pro Racing and its chosen partners that embrace these ideals and support this vision with appropriate technology and products.

The selected F4 powerplant is a production based engine currently powering the Honda Civic® Type R® recently launched in Europe, tuned to meet FIA-mandated output of approximately 160 Hp. The engine and the ECU are sealed to provide parity and compliance.

INDYCAR DRIVER JAY HOWARD ENTERS YOUNGEST TEAM IN F4 U.S PADDOCK

Howard to use 101st running of Indianapolis 500 as learning tool for F4 U.S. team

INDIANAPOLIS (March 15, 2017) – The Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda is a youth-focused, cost-contained series serving as a building block to open-wheel racing for competitors transitioning from karts to cars. Veteran IndyCar driver and Motorsports Driver Development lead principal Jay Howard is encompassing the series mantra with full-force, entering the overall youngest team in F4 U.S.

Howard confirmed his three-car lineup with two of the three entered coming straight from his karting program. Sam Paley, 14, of Cincinnati, Ohio, Max Peichel, 15, of Edina, Minnesota, and Parker Locke, 15, of San Antonio, Texas, round out the grid for the Indianapolis-based team.

“MDD is comprised of young, experienced kids,” said Howard. “I started working with Sam when he was nine years old, Max was on the MDD karting team for a year before F4 and Parker is a completely new addition this season. I’m optimistic with the group of kids I have that we can win some races and have a Rookie of the Year.”

The MDD mission is to mentor young drivers to prepare them for the top levels of the motorsport ladder. The core of Howard’s program is taking the expertise he has gained along with his success he experienced throughout his career and translate it back into coaching each driver’s particular s­kill set.

This May, Howard will compete in the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 in the Honda No. 77 car sponsored by the Tony Stewart Foundation, and he is bringing his F4 U.S. team along for the ride.

“The F4 season has a break in May, so we are using that as a learning opportunity for the MDD competitors,” Howard said. “They are coming to the Indy 500 and I’m going to give each of them a headset. I want them to hear how I interact with engineers. Hopefully they can learn something from that, maybe even give me some pointers. It will also give them a fresh take on IMS since they will be competing there in June.”

The F4 U.S. Championship debuts at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida, April 8-9. Advanced, discount tickets are available at F4USChampionship.com.

About the SCCA Pro Racing F4 U.S. Championship:

FIA F4 is designed as entry-level open-wheel racing for participants, around a contemporary, modern, cost conscious formula. SCCA Pro Racing and its chosen partners that embrace these ideals and support this vision with appropriate technology and products. The selected F4 powerplant is a production based engine currently powering the Honda Civic® Type R® recently launched in Europe, tuned to meet FIA-mandated output of approximately 160 Hp. The engine and the ECU are sealed to provide parity and compliance.

 

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