Ojibwe Forests Rally Marks Third Consecutive Podium for Tabor in ARA

Shift Up Now Athlete Madelyn Tabor earned her third consecutive second-place finish in class with co-driver Naila Deen (filling in for regular co-driver Sophia McKee) in Ojibwe Forests Rally, the sixth event of the 2026 American Rally Association National Championship, in Bemidji & Detroit Lakes, MN on August 28–29, 2026.

Driving the No. 209 Madelyn Tabor Racing / Matrix Motorsports Ford Fiesta Rally 3 nicknamed “Jellybean” in the National L4WD class, Tabor is supported by Shift Up Now, WIMNA, Steven Redd Racing, and Tabor Accounting Group.

This year's Ojibwe Forests Rally event featured the largest field since 2021 with 48 teams, and the stages spread across the sandy-based forest roads of the Northwoods. The event is known for fast, flowing gravel, blind crests, and big jumps — the organizers build the route to echo Rally Finland, and the roads deliver on it.

On Thursday, the team completed pre-event recce ahead of the weekend. Recce gave Tabor and Deen their first look at the stages together — 16 stages of fast, flowing, sandy-based Northwoods gravel that ruts with the weather and every passing car. Ojibwe's forest roads are genuinely fast: high-speed crests, rhythm sections through the pines, and a surface that rewards commitment. The pair used recce to build their pace notes and establish communication rhythm ahead of competition, but the first shot at race pace happened Friday morning.

Friday opened with two passes each of Crossroads (10.09 miles) (SS1/3) and Steamboat (SS2/4) (17.79 miles) — the long, fast Northwoods stages that set the tone for the weekend. Tabor’s approach going into the event was clear: play the long game. The forest stages here reward rhythm and consistency, and with 16 stages across two days and a new co-driver alongside her, building that rhythm was the priority from stage one.

The day closed with two back-to-back passes at Soo Pass Ranch. At just 0.42 miles each, the Soo Pass Ranch stages are sprint-format: flat-out, crowd there to see the cars up close. Tabor, running second, earned her first class stage win and was fourth overall in the stage time.

On Saturday, the event returned to the forest, however one stage was canceled. Tabor noted the cancellation interrupted her rhythm at a moment when she was building flow, however her mid-day check-in was a deliberately-strategic approach to the championship: play the long game, enjoy the shorter stages, and stay in a rhythm while avoiding any issues with the car.

The strategy worked, and the rally closed with two street stages at the Sanford Center in downtown Bemidji — 0.59 miles each. Both runs were top five overall times.

Tabor left the weekend second in the National L4WD championship with 62 points, just 10 behind the leader. Two rounds remain with a maximum of 108 points still available.

"I’ve competed at Ojibwe three times previously, so I felt very familiar with these roads and its characteristics, but with a first time co-driver,” said Tabor. “It felt like a completely new event that I needed to approach differently. Thankfully we played the long game and benefited from attrition.

“The car and crew performed perfectly all weekend. We came into this weekend fourth in the championship and we're leaving second. We’re just points from the lead with two rounds left. Dad always says 'to finish first, first you must finish’, and that's exactly what we did. I want to send a huge thank you to Naila, the entire Tabor Racing Team volunteer crew, Matrix Motorsports, Shift Up Now, WIMNA, and Steven Redd Racing. Being the first rally athlete recognized and funded by Shift Up Now means everything, and this result is for all of them.”

Next up, Tabor heads to Newport, Tennessee for the seventh event of the 2026 American Rally Association National Championship, the 2026 Overmountain Rally Tennessee on September 18-19, 2026.

Top Five Finish for Lahlouh in GT World Challenge at Road America

Shift Up Now Athlete Therese Lahlouh earned a fourth-place finish in the Pro-Am field, and a sixth-place finish overall in round five of the GT World Challenge America powered by AWS season at Road America on August 28-30, 2026.

Driving the No. 242 Porsche GT3 R car with teammate Thomas Merrill for Wright Motorsports, and sponsored by Byers Auto Group, Mobil1, and PMNA, Lahlouh prepared for a full weekend of track activity, starting with three practice sessions over Friday and Saturday.

The first practice took place on Friday afternoon in dry conditions. Unfortunately, the team’s gearbox went down, which turned the session into more diagnosis than the testing Lahlouh had hoped for, having never been to Road America with this car prior.

On Saturday, Wright Motorsports used half of the first session to break in the new gearbox and rebuilt  differential. Later that day, weather for the final practice was rainy, and Lahlouh took the opportunity to gain some experience in the wet conditions.

Qualifying took place on Sunday morning. Although Lahlouh felt “behind the eight ball” after lacking sufficient practice time, she was still able to shave a second off her time and lay down a 2:09.6 qualifying lap.

The field for Sunday afternoon’s race consisted of 24 GT3 cars, and the Pro-Am field was stacked with 17 of them.

The three-hour competition began at 2:00pm CST with dry weather conditions. Lahlouh was behind the wheel first for the No. 242 team, and lined up on the inside of row 11. After one pace lap, the field ran two-by-two up the steep hill to the starter’s stand on the 4.048-mile, 14-turn permanent road course.

The pole-sitter had a relatively late acceleration at the start, then the entire field was fanned out 2-3 wide on the run into turn one. Lahlouh held the inside line for a clean start and held her position.

The first full-course caution emerged when one of the cars ahead slid into a spin at the exit of turn six. Lahlouh was able to avoid the spinning car and only lost one position in the melee.

Because of a lengthy caution period that followed, the Wright Motorsports team and several other competitors decided to go off strategy and take an early pit stop. Taking advantage of the time behind the safety car, they effectively got a free stop and were able to catch up to the back of the field.

When the green flag flew again, the restart initially looked clean, however a large incident involving several cars at the exit of The Kink immediately brought out another full-course yellow. And for the second time, Lahlouh’s heads-up driving allowed her to pick her way through without damaging the car.

After the second restart, she advanced into the top 15 overall, and the top 10 in the Pro-Am class. The race then settled into a long green-flag rhythm and the team’s strategy calls began to pay off. Lahlouh kept putting in fast laps, moving up the order one car at a time, until she was in sixth overall as pit stop cycles continued.

Merrill then took over just before another full-course yellow with just over an hour to go in the competition. This packed the field up again and Merrill was running in 10th overall at the restart. Just like Lahlouh, he focused forward and began to quietly pick off competitors as the race stayed green.

When the checkered flag fell, the No. 242 car crossed the finish line fourth in the Pro-Am class, and sixth overall to earn the team their second-best run of the season. In addition, the duo passed a combined 15 cars during the race, giving them the Hard Charger Award.

“I’m very proud of my Wright Motorsports team and co-driver Thomas Merrill, for their incredible work at Road America,” said Lahlouh. “Together we were able to overcome so much adversity and chaos, and bring home a solid haul of points and a clean car. It’s not easy coming back after a long break and I’m thrilled we’re able to carry this momentum to the Alabama rollercoaster next.”

Next up, Lahlouh and Merrill head to Alabama for round six of GT World Challenge America presented by AWS, at Barber Motorsports Park on September 25-27, 2026.

One-Two Finish for AEVR at Watkins Glen to Strengthen Championship Lead

Shift Up Now Athletes Sarah Montgomery, Charlotte Traynor, Hannah Grisham, Michele Abbate, and Alana Carter strengthened AE Victory Racing's position at the top of the World Racing League (WRL) GTO National Championship this weekend at Watkins Glen International, earning a 1-2 finish in Saturday's eight-hour race before adding another podium finish Sunday. With both Toyota Supra GT4 EVO2 entries delivering valuable championship points while providing another showcase of the team's all-female driver development program.

The No. 120 Toyota Supra GT4 EVO2, driven by Montgomery, Traynor, and teammate Flame Airikkala, took the overall victory Saturday, followed by the No. 119, driven by Grisham, Abbate, and Carter, in second. The result marked a strong start to the weekend for the team, which entered Watkins Glen holding the top two positions in the GTO National Championship.

Sunday brought another seven hours of competition, with the No. 120 finishing third and the No. 119 fifth. The combined results added another significant haul of championship points as AE Victory Racing continues to lead the GTO National Championship with both entries.

The weekend began with both Supras immediately showing pace, leading the charts during Thursday's practice sessions despite intermittent rain and high humidity. With the cars performing well straight out of the box, the drivers and engineering team used the available track time to experiment with setup and build confidence ahead of the weekend's endurance races.

Watkins Glen also marked a significant milestone for Flame Airikkala, who made her U.S. racing debut with AE Victory Racing after stepping in to fill 2026 Shootout winner Brenna Schubert’s shoes for the weekend. She approached the weekend methodically, learning the Toyota Supra and the 3.54-mile circuit while steadily improving her lap times throughout the weekend.

Friday's qualifying session saw the AE Victory Racing entries initially qualify sixth and 10th. Following post-qualifying disqualifications for two cars ahead, the team moved up to fourth and sixth on the starting grid.

Saturday's race quickly developed into a strategic battle. Hannah Grisham started the No. 120, while Sarah Montgomery started the No. 119. After early contact from a competitor involving the No. 119, both cars settled into a consistent rhythm as the crew managed several Code 35 periods and worked through the eight-hour race.

Fuel reserves became a key part of strategy as much of the field had already made fuel stops before both AE Victory Racing entries had to come in early on.  Late in the race, when a code 35 came, both cars were able to pit for fresh fuel and return to the track in strong positions for a sprint to the finish.

The strategy, combined with strong driver performances and efficient pit work, gave the team a 1-2 finish. Charlotte Traynor delivered an exceptional stint as noted by several teammates, while Michele Abbate was recognized by the World Racing League broadcast team as Driver of the Day.

Sunday's race presented a different challenge, with three red-flag stoppages interrupting the seven-hour event.  Once again, the team's driver changes were executed cleanly and efficiently, with the crew carefully managing track time to maximize each driver's contribution. The No. 120 ultimately secured its second podium finish of the weekend in third, while the No. 119 finished fifth after running as high as fourth late in the race.

The No. 119 was in position to challenge for fourth in the closing stages, with Traynor behind the wheel, but a red flag restart landed a prototype between the Supra and the fourth-place competitor, and limited the time available for a final push. 

Despite the interruptions, both cars finished strong, a testament to the consistency of the drivers, engineering team and pit crew. The weekend also provided another opportunity for AE Victory Racing's development drivers to build experience at one of North America's most demanding circuits.

Carter continued to show significant improvement in pace compared with her performance at Watkins Glen last year, while Traynor's strong stints demonstrated the value of the seat time and mentorship provided through AE Victory Racing's program. For Airikkala, the weekend represented an opportunity that began with the team's January Driver Shootout and has now taken her to her first U.S. race.

"To finish first and second on Saturday and then come back with another podium on Sunday is a great result for this team," said Erin Vogel, Team Owner of AE Victory Racing. "More importantly, we saw so many of the things we are trying to build through this program. I’m really proud of our team this weekend both for their performances and their willingness to continuously learn from and teach one another. These are the kinds of weekends that build championship results while also creating real opportunities for our drivers."

With four podium finishes across the two races, including a 1-2 sweep on Saturday, AE Victory Racing leaves Watkins Glen with valuable championship points and momentum as it continues its pursuit of the World Racing League GTO National Championship.

The results also reinforce the team's larger mission: to provide women drivers with the seat time, mentorship and professional opportunities necessary to compete at the highest levels of endurance racing.

Next up, WRL heads to the Utah Motorsports Campus for the eighth event of the season on September 25-27, 2026.

Melanie Johnson Races to Runner-Up Finish at NHRA Brainerd Nationals

Shift Up Now Athlete Melanie Johnson captured her first career NHRA national event runner-up finish in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Brainerd Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. Returning to action after a seven-week break, Johnson powered the Speedmaster A/Fuel dragster through eliminations to set up an all-teammate final round against Anthony Troyer.

Johnson opened the weekend qualified third with a season-best 5.193-second effort. She advanced past Jim Lamb in round one with a 5.265 at 272.23 mph. In the quarterfinals, Johnson recorded a 5.305 at 267.69 mph to defeat Todd Bruce. She then secured her final-round appearance in the semifinals after opponent Angelle Sampey fouled at the starting line with a red-light start; Johnson capitalized with a solid, straight-down-the-groove 5.319 at 269.89 mph pass.

In the final, Johnson posted a competitive 5.250 at 274.00 mph, just falling short of Troyer's winning 5.220 at 276.63 mph.

The event held added family significance as her father, 14-time Top Fuel Championship-winning crew chief Alan Johnson, shared the spotlight by winning the Top Fuel title with Doug Kalitta on the same day.

"We've made a 180 since our last race 7 weeks ago," said Johnson. "During that time, Pops and Richie [McPhillips] took the car out for testing in Indy and were able to get it straightened out. A final round with both McPhillips Racing dragsters is a testament to their hard work. I'm so proud of all the guys that worked on these two cars this weekend. I'm feeling very confident going into the second half of our season and with Indy coming up soon, I hope the stars align to get that first win at such a special track! I wish I could have doubled up with my dad today, but I'll take a runner-up finish. I think we'll double up at some point, it's just a matter of time."

Johnson won't have to wait long to carry her momentum back onto the track. Up next, the team travels to Bowling Green, Kentucky, for the NHRA Regional race at Beech Bend Raceway, August 28–30, 2026.

This success is made possible through the invaluable support of primary partner Speedmaster, alongside Alan Johnson Performance Engineering (AJPE), ARP (Automotive Racing Products), NGK Spark Plugs, and Lucas Oil. 

Bell Techlogix Joins the Shift Up Now Foundation in Race to a Million

The Shift Up Now Foundation is proud to announce that Indianapolis-headquartered Bell Techlogix has pledged its support of women in motorsport by sponsoring “A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation” presented by PenFed Credit Union and Tom Wood Porsche on November 7, 2026, and joining the Race to a Million campaign.

Bell Techologix is a leading global information technology managed services and AI solutions provider headquartered in Indianapolis. The company’s first foray into motorsports was in 2019, sponsoring Pippa Mann, a seven-time Indianapolis 500 competitor. Since then, Bell Techlogix has continued to support Mann throughout her career, including a partnership at the 24h race at the Nurburgring Nordschleife this year.

Further, Bell Techlogix was an early adopter of Shift Up Now support before the foundation even existed, and a sponsor of Loni Unser’s 2023 program. Unser is also the featured guest at this year’s “A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation” event.

From sponsoring Mann as the only woman in the field at the 2019 Indianapolis 500 to supporting Shift Up Now’s efforts and female athletes in other sports such as golf, Bell Techlogix continues to take intentional action to advance equity for women pursuing excellence in traditionally male-dominated spaces. That commitment extends beyond motorsport to the technology industry and the communities where Bell Techlogix lives and works.

“Talent deserves opportunity and we’re proud to support organizations that are creating more of those opportunities for women,” said Ron Frankenfield, CEO of Bell Techlogix. “Our relationship with Pippa has given us a firsthand look at the work Shift Up Now is doing to help talented women build sustainable careers in motorsport. We’re excited to expand our involvement and support the Foundation’s mission.”

Mann added, "I’m thrilled that Bell Techlogix has become one of the first Indianapolis-based companies to join the Race to a Million. Their support was instrumental at the Indy 500, and they were one of my first partners to step up and start supporting more women in motorsport through Shift Up Now. I loved being able to bring them to the 24h race at the Ring with me this year, and I think it’s so incredible that they’re now going to be part of the Shift Up Now Foundation’s annual event. Because of Bell Techlogix, our goal of raising a million dollars for grants before the Foundation’s fifth birthday next November is even more achievable.

“I also want to take a moment to personally thank Ron Frankenfield for his friendship, advocacy and support. While so much of what we do at Shift Up Now has a theme of women supporting women, our male allies are so incredibly important to our mission to drive change, and equity in motorsport.”

There are several options for fans and supporters who want to get involved.

First, sponsorship opportunities are still available for companies and brands that want to support the Shift Up Now Foundation and its mission. Please reach out to foundation@ShiftUpNow.org to learn more.

Second, tickets are on sale HERE but already 50% sold out, so act fast to reserve your spot. Members of The Inside Track by Shift Up Now should log into their dashboard to claim their 2026 ticket discount code.

Lastly, fans who want to join the ‘Race to a Million’ but are not able to attend the event can donate HERE.

Pole Streak Continues for “The Hannahs” at Road America

Shift Up Now Athletes Hannah Greenemeier and Hannah Grisham earned their third consecutive pole position—two in a row for personally for Grisham—in the Motul Sports Car Endurance Grand Prix at Road America on July 30-August 2, 2026.

Competing in the eighth event of the 2026 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (IMPC) season, “The Hannahs” piloted the Heart of Racing No. 26 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 Evo on the 4.048-mile, 14-turn permanent road course.

The first practice took place on Thursday afternoon. The track was dry and Greenemeier’s time put the duo just outside the top ten. The following morning, cool temperatures and overcast skies provided ideal track conditions, and The Hannahs laid down significantly-faster lap times. Of the pair, Grisham was quickest, with the six-fastest lap time of the session.

Later that day, qualifying took place under overcast skies. Grisham was behind the wheel of the Heart of Racing entry, continuing to alternate qualifying duties with Greenemeier. Grisham set the fastest time of the session, claiming pole by less than one tenth of a second - marking the third pole in a row for the talented duo.

The two-hour competition began on Saturday afternoon. Rain and gloomy weather caused wet track conditions that had commentators speculating on the teams’ various strategies.

After two pace laps, Grisham led the field to green in a two-by-two formation. She had a strong start and went unchallenged into the first turn, then developed a one car-length lead by the run down into turn five. Just a couple laps into the race, she was running 1.5 seconds ahead of the second-place car.

The rain ceased and the track began to dry about 10 minutes into the race. Grisham’s lead to the second placed car decreased, however the two cars in front already had a full five-second lead over third place.

On the run down to turn five, the second-place car used a tow to pop out on the inside into the brake zone. Simultaneously, Grisham’s right side wheels caught the white line under braking, putting her GT4 car into a lurid slide as they approached the corner. She regrouped with minimal time lost, and got to work chasing the new leader.

Grisham ran cleanly for the remainder of her stint, building a 10 second gap to the third place competitor, and prepared to pit approximately 40 minutes into the race. Just before the pit window opened, a full-course caution flew for a beached car in the gravel, which eliminated the advantage Grisham and the leader had built over the rest of the field.

When the pit window opened, the entire GT4 field dove in for driver changes and dry-weather tires. A slightly-slower pit stop put The Hannahs in fourth as Greenemeier left pit lane.

The race restarted with a single-file line and just over one hour on the competition clock. Greenemeier had a strong start, and was looking to pass for third in Canada Corner. Slight contact cost as the pair then ran side by side up over Billy Mitchell corner, cost her momentum and several spots, dropping her back to sixth.

Undeterred, Greenemeier focused on making the pass for fifth. As she attempted the pass, the car ahead defended into turn one, so she moved to the outside. The two made contact at the corner apex. Once again, the loss of momentum cost her a couple places in the tightly-packed field.

A second full-course caution flew with 49 minutes remaining in the race, and most of the lead pack pitted for their final stop. This time, having taken more fuel relative to several competitors at the prior stop, the Heart of Racing Aston was able to take a little less, saving time and advancing several positions in the pits to emerge in sixth place, net third place of those who had pitted for fuel.

Another single-file restart took place with 38 minutes on the clock, and rain beginning to fall again. Greenemeier had another strong start and gained a position t0 5th. She and the car behind then began a side-by-side battle in the slick conditions. When the seventh-place car attempted to go three-wide with them, more contact ensued and pushed Greenemeier off on the outside as they came over the crest in turn six, costing her several positions.

The third full-course caution then emerged, and the additional yellow laps started to play into pit stop strategy, as cars who had elected not to stop earlier might be able to make it without the additional stop.

The final green flag flew with just over 20 minutes remaining. Greenemeier was running in ninth and had another solid start, challenging the car ahead in turn one, then settling back in line.

At the end of the first green lap, she was back up to seventh place. The battle that followed over the next few laps would see her drop back to eighth, advance to seventh again, then drop to ninth in the tightly packed field. When a massive incident in the Kink brought out another full-course caution with nine minutes to go, the race would go on to finish under yellow.

"It was definitely a challenging race with the wet conditions at the start," said Grisham. "My focus was on staying clean, making smart decisions and handing the car over to Hannah Greenemeier in one piece. I was very happy with the pace we had, and felt like we made the most of the conditions. It's tough that Hannah got caught in some contact in the second half of the race as I think we had the potential for an even stronger result. Overall there are a lot of positives to take away from this weekend, and I want to thank the Heart of Racing for once again giving us a great car."

Next up, “the Hannahs” head to Virginia International Raceway for the ninth event of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series, the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR, on August 21-23, 2026.

Career-Best Porsche Carrera Cup Finish for Cook at Road America

Shift Up Now Athlete Sabré Cook earned a fifth-place finish—her best finish yet in Porsche Carrera Cup North America presented by Solairus Aviation—during the third race of a triple-header weekend at Road America on July 31-August 1, 2026.

Driving the all-white privé products No. 37 911 Cup Car for JDX racing, Cook’s race weekend began with two practice sessions and qualifying on Thursday.

Track temps were cooler and conducive to fast laps for the first practice session, which gave teams helpful data for the first and third races of the weekend. But with warmer temps looming that afternoon for qualifying, most teams chose not to run new tires during the first practice.

Later that day, Cook and her Carrera Cup competitors used the second practice to dial in the speed for qualifying. Cook was fourth-fastest in the session, posting top-five sector times in each sector of the 4.048-mile, 14-turn permanent road course.

To cap off the day, Cook completed one of her strongest qualifying sessions of the season, running the seventh-fastest lap time to start seventh in race one, and the sixth-fastest second- lap time, to start sixth for race two. She would also start sixth in the third race—a makeup round from the rained-out Miami weekend—based on her second fastest lap from Miami qualifying.

Friday’s schedule featured two races in order to accommodate the third on Saturday. Race one began Friday morning under overcast skies that commentators described as “iffy.” The 40- minute competition began after one pace lap, with Cook starting on the inside of row four.

The field ran two-by-two up the steep front straight to the flag stand, and as Cook tried to defend the inside line into turn one, the driver from the outside of row four swept around the outside of her. The two battled side-by-side through turn two and three, then onto the back straight, where Cook’s competitor had the inside line into turn five.

She got a better run up the hill into six and was ahead entering seven, however on the run from turn seven into eight, a car ahead was defending on the inside. This forced Cook to also take the inside line, putting her competitor side-by-side with her again on her outside. He then had the clearer run off the corner and the inside line into the carousel, dropping Cook back to eighth. She spent the rest of the race trying to pass with no avail, and would cross the finish line in seventh.

Later that day, race two began on Friday afternoon. Due to the overcast conditions in race one, creating lower track temps, some drivers were able to better their second-fastest times from qualifying, which reordered the grid and put Cook on the inside of row four again.

Once again, the field lined up two-by-two after one pace lap as they came up the hill to the starters stand. Unlike the first race, the action in turn one was much messier with contact at the very front of the field, and two of the contenders running wide into the track’s paved run off area outside turn one.

Cook avoided the chaos and kept the car clean, picking up three positions to advance to fourth. But the first-lap contact continued as several cars came together on the run down to turn five, and a full-course caution flew before the field had cleared turn eight.

When the race went green again, 30 minutes remained. Almost immediately, a car ended up in the concrete barrier on the run from turn three to turn five, causing another caution flag.

Cook had a strong restart with 17 minutes to go. She was working to try and pass the car ahead of her for the final podium spot. She looked around the outside for the first couple corners, but had to tuck back in on the exit of three. She then swung back to the outside again on the run down to five as the car ahead defended.

As the pair entered turn five, Cook was dropping in behind the car ahead when an overly-ambitious move from the car behind tagged her rear corner, pitching both cars into a spin with race-ending damage. With a potential podium position on the cards, the finish was disappointing for the entire No. 37 crew.

The final race of the weekend took place on Saturday morning as a make-up race for the second Miami event earlier in the year, which had been canceled due to lightening.

Heavy rain poured down at Road America as the drivers prepared for the first race in the rain for the all new 992.2 911 Cup Cars. The 40-minute competition took place after two pace laps and a single-file start due to the amount of water on track.

Cook started sixth in the single-file line, then the field immediately fanned out, trying to find visibility, after the green flag. Cook set her sights on the fifth-place spot amid the treacherous track conditions.

As the field came to the run from turns three to five that caused so many issues in the second race, the spray behind the leaders made visibility minimal. The entire field managed to make it cleanly through, but the first caution came out at Canada Corner when two cars made contact.

Twenty minutes remained at the restart, and a mistake from a car ahead of Cook allowed her to advance into the top five. The field only got a few more laps of green-flag racing before another full-course caution flew.

Despite a lengthy cleanup, race control was able to set up a two-lap shootout to the finish on the still-rain-soaked track. With strong pace in the challenging conditions and no mistakes, Cook came home in fifth place, earning her best finish yet in Porsche Carrera Cup.

"Road America was a special weekend for me, earning my best Porsche Carrera Cup finish with a fifth place result," said Cook. "It's been rewarding to see the progress we've been working toward start translating into results, but I know there is still a lot more potential to unlock. I'm grateful for the incredible effort from JDX Racing and all of my partners who continue to support this journey, and I'm excited to carry this momentum into IMS and keep pushing for more."

Next up, the Porsche Carrera Cup North America presented by Solairus Aviation series heads to the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway for round six of the 2026 season on September 18-20, 2026.

Loni Unser Announced as Featured Guest at A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation

The Shift Up Now Foundation is thrilled to announce that fan favorite Loni Unser will be a featured guest at the third-annual “A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation”presented by PenFed Credit Union and Tom Wood Porsche, on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the Tom Wood Aviation Hangar and event space at the Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport in Fishers, IN.

Unser has been a Shift Up Now Athlete since 2020 and before the Foundation existed. After the 501(c)(3) was created, she has been awarded a grant every year.

In 2025, Unser was awarded the “fastest Porsche up the mountain” at the 103rd running of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) presented by Gran Turismo on June 22, 2025. The prize included a $1,000 donation to any organization, and she chose the Shift Up Now Foundation as the recipient.

Unser’s on-track resume is impressive, including winning the 2023 World Racing League (WRL) Eastern and National Championship in the GP1 class. In her rookie year at PPIHC, she took second place in the Porsche Trophy by Yokohama class.

In 2025, she took second place in the Porsche Sprint Challenge championship with nine podiums and one win, bettering her third-place finish in the championship from the year prior. In addition to her racing accolades, Unser is a stunt driver, professional driving instructor and keynote speaker.

For the 2026 season, Unser and teammate Ashley Freiberg are competing for female-owned race team Kellymoss in Pirelli GT4 America.

In addition to being a featured guest at “A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation” and being interviewed by Julia Landauer, Unser’s No. 24 “Be Your Own Hero” Porsche Cayman GT4, supported by PenFed Credit Union, will be on display.

“Shift Up Now has been instrumental to both my professional career and my life outside of racing,” said Unser. “It has helped amplify my mission of getting more women involved in racing. It has led me to lifelong friendships and relationships. I feel incredibly honored to be a featured guest this year, and I cannot wait to connect with old friends and make new ones. I also feel so lucky to be one of many grantees. I believe that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, and Shift Up Now has helped me and so many other realize their goals, no matter how big.”

Victoria Thomas, Kellymoss Principle and Chief Business Officer added, “Shift Up Now is an essential partner in creating meaningful and visible opportunities for women in motorsports. At Kellymoss, we believe the driver is the first and most visible domino in growing participation across the entire industry. When women see women competing at the highest levels, it expands what they believe is possible, whether as drivers, engineers, technicians, team leaders, or fans. This season, we are proud to support three female drivers competing in SRO, Loni, Ashley and Erika with the support of Shift Up Now, and to work together to build the visibility, credibility, and momentum necessary to grow our sport.”

Tickets for the event are nearly 50% sold out, so fans and supporter should act fast and reserve a spot HERE. Members of The Inside Track by Shift Up Now should log into their dashboard to claim their 2026 ticket discount code.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available for companies and brands that want to support the Shift Up Now Foundation and its mission. Please reach out to foundation@ShiftUpNow.org to learn more.

Lastly, fans who want to join the ‘Race to a Million’ but are not able to attend the event can donate HERE.

Hayes Wins Second Victory at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

Shift Up Now Athlete Laura Hayes backed up her 2024 victory with a statement win in the 104th running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 21, 2026.

Driving a Toyota Supra GT4 for TCB Racing, Hayes was supported by TCB Energy Services, Yokohama Tire, Encore Oilfield Services, Southern Transport, JTX Forged and Toyota of Colorado Springs, and was the only Supra in the GT4 Trophy presented by Yokohama class.

After missing the 2025 event, this year marked Hayes’ third attempt at “the race to the clouds.”

Practice began on Tuesday in the middle section of the notoriously unpredictable 12.42-mile, 156-turn course. With an elevation gain of 4,720 feet, racing conditions are known to be warm and sunny at the start, and ending with freezing fog or snow at the finish. Due to several delays on Tuesday, Hayes and her competitors only got three runs in, with Hayes clocking the fastest time in class.

On Wednesday, practice in the upper section began on the “Devil’s Playground,” located just above the tree line and known for its highly-technical, fast-flowing sequence of corners. Hayes’ first run took place at 5:15am in the dark. After her third run as the sun began to rise, she was second-fastest in class.

Thursday marked the start of qualifying in the lower section. With the fastest time in class—and bettering her qualifying attempt from two years ago by two seconds—Hayes earned pole position and would roll off 10th overall on race day. 

On Friday, she was back to the middle section for practice, where she and her competitors got more run time. The preparation helped Hayes learn more about what she needed to do on race day and boosted her confidence heading into Sunday.

After practicing the course in segments all week, race day is the first attempt drivers get to connect the entire course in one run. Sunday dawned sunny with clear blue skies and ideal conditions for race.

Hayes had her sights set on a second GT4 class victory, along with besting her own record for the “Fastest Woman Up the Mountain.”

The first runs took place around 7:30am MDT, with Hayes being the 10th driver—and last GT4 car—to take her turn. She set the fastest time of the day with a 10:17.583, knocking three full seconds off her previous record, and finishing fully seven seconds ahead of her nearest in-class competitor. This also put her in the top 20 overall.

Hayes’ run looked to set her up for the “Fastest Woman Up the Mountain” title again, but was bettered later in the day by Emilia Hartford driving a Corvette ZR1 in the Time Attack 1 class with a 10:11.018.

To this day, Hayes still holds the record for the only woman ever to complete a sub-ten-minute run at Pikes Peak. However, her record-breaking run was set outside of the race weekend, and with spec modifications. Nevertheless, Hayes continues to break records wherever she goes.

“Months of prep and practice, early mornings, late nights, all came down to this,” said Hayes. “I couldn’t have done it without the entire team behind me, sponsors and partners supporting me, and all of the amazing motorsport fans and community.

“It has been incredible to watch this event continue to grow, even with such a long and iconic past. This year was full of fierce competition. Congratulations to everyone who made it to the summit!”