American open-wheel racer and multi-series champion Simon Sikes, and Indiana-based short track promoter and team owner Brad Hayes, join Will Marotti on this week’s “The Pits Are Open” show Thursday at 6pm ET on SPEED SPORT 1.
Simon Sikes is an American open-wheel race car driver who has progressed through the U.S. driver development ladder toward IndyCar. A standout in grassroots formula racing, Sikes captured the 2020 SCCA National Championship Runoffs in Formula F and the 2021 Runoffs in Formula Continental, along with the 2020 F1600 Championship Series title. He rose to national prominence by winning the 2023 USF2000 Championship with Pabst Racing, earning a scholarship to advance to USF Pro 2000. Known for consistency and technical feedback, Sikes has multiple wins and podiums in Road to Indy competition and continues developing as a top American open-wheel prospect.
Brad Hayes is an Indiana-based short-track racing promoter and team owner, best known as the owner-operator of Brad Hayes Racing and for his leadership role with the Kenyon Midget Series, a developmental open-wheel racing series tied to the legacy of midget racing legend Mel Kenyon. Hayes has spent more than a decade involved in grassroots driver development, helping prepare young racers for advancement into midget, sprint car, and other open-wheel categories. Based largely around the Indianapolis Speedrome, he oversees team operations, car preparation, and series organization, contributing to one of the Midwest’s long-standing entry points for emerging midget racing talent.
