AVONDALE, La. — Kekai Hauanio won the season-opening Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) race at NOLA Motorsports Park on Saturday morning.
Driving from sixth to first to claim the victory, Hauanio (No. 29 Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F422) returns to F4 U.S. for a sophomore season after competing in the championship during the 2023 season.
Sunday’s Race Airs LIVE on SPEED SPORT 1 at 10:00 a.m. ET.
With Cooper Shipman (No. 14 Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) in the lead as the field raced toward Turn 1, the rookie driver was under near instant pressure from two-time F4 U.S. winner Alex Popow (No. 55 Dr. Michael Thompson MS DDS PPLS Ligier JS F422), who pulled to his gearbox as they reached Turn 1. Behind them, Clemente Huerta Raab (No. 17 Velox USA Ligier JS F422) had jumped to third after starting the race in fourth. With the track still damp, some competitors struggled during the opening lap, spinning on the course before continuing along their way. Shipman, however, was flawless out front on the first lap, while Kekai Hauanio worked his way to fourth after starting the event in the sixth position. During the second lap, Hauanio continued his climb moving into the third position, while Popow overtook Shipman to claim the lead.
Shipman and Popow battled back and forth for the next couple laps before Shipman made a move in Turn 3 to retake the point and started opening a gap. Behind them, Hauanio continued his forward progress eventually closing in on the gearbox of Popow. Making his move in Turn 1 as the race passed its halfway point, Hauanio overtook second and set his sights on the leader.
Shipman had pulled ahead with a four-second lead, but all that was erased when the safety car was deployed. It was exactly the opportunity Hauanio needed, giving him another shot at the lead when the race resumed with four minutes left on the clock.
The restart lap was filled with intense battles as Shipman, Hauanio and Popow all raced toward the green flag nose to stern. By the time the reached the start/finish line, Hauanio pulled to the outside of Shipman looking for a way around as they raced toward Turn 1. Hauanio nosed ahead as the battle reached Turn 2, but by Turn 3, Hauanio exited the corner three wide with Shipman and Popow to race toward Turn 4.
Hauanio emerged with the lead as Shipman rode in his wake. Behind them, Popow had to settle for third as they raced toward the white flag. Hauanio was the first to take the checkered flag, followed by Shipman and Popow. Huerta Raab finished fourth, followed by Conor Grant (No. 54 Scuderia Buell Ligier JS F422) in fifth.
“We had a miscommunication and ended up getting a penalty to start sixth, so the plan was just to go out there and get as many points as we can for the championship,” said Hauanio from atop the podium. “The caution came out and I had an opportunity to go for a lead, so I took it.
“There’s a water puddle in the last corner, so I knew he was probably going to go right there. I just timed right and went to the outside since he was on the inside blocking. I’d like to thank N. E. Where Transport and my grandparents for always supporting me, and my Crosslink Motorsports team for the amazing car.”
Race Two
Alex Popow returned to Formula 4 United States Championship’s (F4 U.S.) Victory Lane in Race 2 at NOLA Motorsports Park on Saturday afternoon.
Marking his third-career win and first of the 2025 season, Popow (No. 55 Dr. Michael Thompson MS DDS PPLS Ligier JS F422) is teeing himself up to make a run for the championship with back-to-back podiums in the opening two races of the season.
After setting the fast lap in Race 1, Cooper Shipman (No. 14 Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) led the field down the frontstretch to take the green flag and begin Race 2. Rolling off two-by-two, the field immediately flanked out, as drivers jockeyed for position. Shipman pulled ahead to take the lead, but Popow stayed tight on his gearbox. Popow pulled to the outside as they raced around Turn 3, staying side by side and setting himself up to complete the pass as they raced through Turn 4. With Shipman going wide, Popow completed the pass and third-place starter Kekai Hauanio (No. 29 Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F422) quickly followed suit. Fourth-place starter Caleb Campbell (No. 68 LC Racing Academy Ligier JS F422) pulled wheel to wheel with Shipman, engaging in a fierce battle for third. Initially pulling ahead, the two swapped positions until Shipman ultimately took the preferred spot.
With the race falling into a rhythm, drivers focused on hitting their marks and making laps. Popow steadily worked on building a gap—first just 1.967 seconds ahead, and ultimately growing the margin to 9.722 seconds. Behind him, Shipman was steadily working on reeling in Hauanio, who had over a one-second advantage. As the race neared its halfway point, Shipman finally reached Hauanio’s gearbox before pulling wheel to wheel as they raced down the frontstretch. With Hauanio initially pulling ahead in Turn 1, Shipman continued applying pressure and was able to compete the pass, pulling to the inside in Turn 3.
The clock ticked down as the front three spread out. Behind them, Campbell and Clemente Huerta Raab (No. 17 Velox USA Ligier JS F422) put on a show battling for the fourth position. Racing nose to tail lap after lap, Heurta Raab kept the pressure on Campbell, waiting for the right opportunity to make his move. With the battle ensuing for nearly 10 minutes and just hundredths separating the two drivers, they swapped the position several times as they raced toward the checkered flag.
Crossing the finish line, it was Popow, followed by Shipman and Hauanio. Racing side by side all the way to the finish line, Huerta Raab edged Campbell by just 0.119 seconds to take the fourth position, with Campbell finishing fifth.
“It feels great to win today,” said Popow after climbing from the car. “We struggled all week, and I’ve been sick, as well. So, to be in first place is just so good. I had a really bad food poisoning earlier this week. I had an IV in my arm on Tuesday at midnight, and we drove up Wednesday morning at 4 a.m. So, it’s been a long couple of days. It’s a really physical track—really bumpy—and it’s a fast car, so we just have to make do. I really have to thank the team for supporting me and giving me a good car to go fight for the win.”
