MILLVILLE, N.J. — As the summer heats up, so, too, does the competition in Formula Regional Americas Championship, Formula 4 United States Championship and Ligier Junior Formula Championship (Ligier JFC) with all three series entering the second half of their season.
Joining Sportscar Vintage Racing Association for the New Jersey Lottery weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park, the event brings fans an action-packed weekend with two full days of racing.
$100,000 Championship Chase
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
