Mazda racing ladder prodigy Ethan Lampe and CARS Tour late model racer Kaeden Ballos are this week’s guests with Will Marotti on The Pits Are Open, premiering Thursday, July 16th at 6pm ET on SPEED SPORT 1.
Ethan Lampe is an emerging American sports car racer from Hollister, California, who has quickly established himself as one of the brightest talents in the Mazda racing ladder.
After beginning in karting, he transitioned to Spec MX-5 competition, winning the 2024 SCCA National Championship Runoffs in his rookie season and following that with another Runoffs victory and the 2025 Spec MX-5 season championship, capturing eight of nine races.
Lampe earned a full-time opportunity with Advanced Autosports in the 2026 Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup. He impressed immediately with a top-five finish at Daytona before claiming his first official MX-5 Cup victory at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Known for his smooth driving style, race craft, consistency, and professionalism, Lampe is widely regarded as a rising prospect with the potential to advance into GT4..
Kaeden Ballos is an emerging fourth-generation racer from Concord, North Carolina, who has quickly established himself as one of the promising young talents in Late Model Stock Car racing. Beginning in karting at age seven, he progressed through Bandoleros and Legend Cars, capturing the 2022 INEX Summer Shootout Championship before advancing to Late Models and making his CARS Tour debut in 2026.
Ballos has earned victories at Orange County Speedway and Tri-County Speedway while complementing his stock car program with karting, open-wheel training, simulator work, and physical conditioning. He is also pursuing a degree in Motorsports Management, demonstrating a professional approach both on and off the track.
Catch this week’s episode Thursday night 7/9 at 6:00 PM ET on SPEED SPORT 1 available on Amazon Prime, Roku, Apple TV and other streaming services.
