Podium Finish for Hayes in GT4 America Season Opener at Sonoma

Shift Up Now Athlete Laura Hayes earned a third-place finish with teammate Ed Killeen, driving for Dome Motorsport in the AM class during round one of the Pirelli GT4 America 2026 season at Sonoma Raceway on March 27, 2026.

Hayes and Killeen piloted the No. 37 Junaid Foundation Mercedes AMG GT4 among more than 30 cars in the field for the season-opening weekend, which featured two 60-minute races.

The field also included three other Shift Up Now Athletes, driving for Kellymoss in the Silver class: Loni Unser and Ashley Freiberg—both supported by Mobil1, Acumatica and PenFed Credit Union—driving the No. 24 “Be Your Own Hero” Porsche Cayman GT4, and Erika Hoffmann—with teammate Jack Parriott—driving the No. 73 Coverly Home Protection and Kaufmann de Suisse Montreal Porsche Cayman GT4.

The Sonoma weekend began with testing on Wednesday and Thursday on the 2.52-mile, 12- turn road course. Sunny skies gave the Shift Up Now Athletes perfect track conditions to get up to speed in their new series, and specifically for Hayes with both a new car and her new team.

Qualifying took place on Friday morning with new rules for the 2026 season: Only one driver qualifies the race car to determine the starting position for the first race. Then the other driver’s fastest lap from the first race is used to determine the team’s starting position for race two.

Unser was behind the wheel of the “Be Your Own Hero” No. 24 for Kellymoss, with Hayes qualifying the No. 37, and Parriott for the No. 73. Unser brought her tires up to temperature and pressure fast for a strong start, but later dropped behind cars that set their fastest times late in the session. Hayes took a little longer to generate heat in her tires, but set the 17th-fastest time, putting her next to Unser on the starting grid. Parriott’s qualifying time put him and Hoffmann in row 12 for the start of race one.

The season opener began at 2pm PST on Friday under sunny skies. GT4 America rules stipulated a maximum of 35 minutes behind the wheel per driver.

Hayes, Unser and Parriott lined up on the starting grid. After one formation lap, debris on the track caused an additional lap, but the race clock started. The next lap after the green flag flew from the starter's stand, the field ran side by side up the hill from lefthand turn one into the righthand turn two. When several cars came together near the front, Hayes, made a move and gained several positions.

Unfortunately, Unser suffered contact from the car next to her as the cars compressed into the tight second turn, damaging the Cayman GT4, and leaving her and Freiberg to battle handling issues for the remainder of the race.

After a lengthy full-course caution, 41 minutes remained as the field lined up for a single-file restart. Hayes had advanced to 10th and began putting the ninth-place car (second in class) under pressure.

When the pit window opened a couple laps later, Parriott dove into the pits and handed the No. 73 car over to Hoffmann. Hayes and Unser elected to stay out, and both set personal-best times.

Unser was the next to pit, giving the wheel to Freiberg. Then one lap later, after setting another personal-best lap and advancing the car to the lead in class, Hayes passed the car to Killeen. He would go on to cross the finish line third in class, to give the team their first podium of the year.

Freiberg and Unser finished seventh in class (16th overall), and Hoffmann and Parriott gained valuable experience as they completed their first-ever GT4 race, finishing eighth in class (22nd overall).

Race two began at 1:00pm PST on Saturday, once again under sunny, California skies.

Freiberg, Hoffmann and Killeen were behind the wheel for the start. After one formation lap, the green flag flew and the field ran two-by-two through the first few corners. This time, there were no major incidents and the entrants settled into a mostly single-file pack. With tight lap times from 10th through 22nd place in the 30-plus car field, it was tough for Freiberg to make significant progress after her early-race passes.

Just before the halfway point, the pit window opened and Killeen passed the car to Hayes.

Freiberg stayed out for several more laps, setting fast times in clean air. Coupling that with a clean pit stop paid off for the team, moving them into the top five in class (and top 20 overall).

Slightly further back in the pack, Hayes made a pass to advance to the top five in the AM class, and immediately started to lay down some fast laps.

With just over 10 minutes left in the competition, a single-car crash caused a full-course caution, which put the field behind the safety car until the checkered flag. Unser and Freiberg ended up fifth in the Silver class, with Hayes also earning a fifth-place spot in the AM class.

"Wrapping up the opening rounds at Sonoma still feels a bit surreal,” said Hayes. “This opportunity came together just a week before the event thanks to Oore Jewelry and Dome Motorsport, so to come away with a podium alongside Eddie was an incredible bonus.

“The team welcomed me in immediately, and I felt right at home with both the crew and the car. There are still a few details to refine to unlock more pace, but considering the unknowns heading into the weekend, I’m proud of what we accomplished. Dome Motorsport offers a fantastic program with an even better group of people, and I’m truly grateful to be part of it as a Shift Up Now athlete."

Next up, Hayes, Unser, Freiberg and Hoffmann head to Texas for round 3 of the Pirelli GT4 America championship, at Circuit of the Americas on April 24-26, 2026.

Cook Matches Best-Ever Finish to Kick Off Porsche Carrera Cup Season

Shift Up Now Athlete Sabré Cook tied her best-ever result with a sixth-place finish during race two of the double-header season opener Porsche Carrera Cup North America presented by Solairus Aviation, the support race leading up to the 12 Hours of Sebring, at Sebring International Raceway on March 18-20, 2026.

Driving the No. 37 911 Cup Car for JDX Racing, Cook debuted her updated 992.2 chassis and new, all-white livery as long-time partner privé products stepped into the title sponsor role.

The weekend began on Wednesday, with two practice sessions on the 17-turn, 3.74-mile road course with hot track temperatures under sunny skies. Cook’s session times for the new chassis on Pirelli tires eclipsed those of the previous generation, and she picked up right where she left off in the 2025 season, by running in the top ten for both sessions.

Notably, Cook also set her best track times to date during both practices, and posted fifth- and third-fastest sector times in tricky parts of the racetrack: the infamous turn one, and the final corner, Sunset Bend.

Qualifying took place on Thursday morning, and Cook delivered one of her best Carrera Cup qualifying sessions to date. Her fastest lap earned her a ninth-place spot on the starting grid for race one, with her second-fastest lap time slotting her into eighth for race two. Despite the impressive performance, Cook mentioned she felt her car was capable of a top-five qualifying position, had she not been stymied by traffic during the flying laps on her second set of Pirelli tires.

The 3:00pm ET start on Thursday under sunny, blue skies caused high track temperatures and notoriously slick conditions for the first 40-minute race. Cook lined up on the inside of row five for one pace lap before the 27-car field—running two-by-two—took the green flag, which happened to be waved by privé products CEO and founder, Shay Hoelscher.

Before reaching turn one, the field briefly ran four-wide. Cook was still on the inside lane in turn three, then made an arond-the-outside pass at the hairpin (turn seven) to advance into eighth. She then spent almost the entirety of the race trying to find a way to pass the seventh-place car ahead.

With just minutes to go, the two made contact, and Cook was forced to retire. Her competitor was later assessed a blocking penalty for moves made during the competition, but Cook was already out of the race, and classified 25th.

The following day, the second 40-minute race began at 5:45pm ET. This time, Cook started on the outside of row four and the field completed another clean start. She repeated the turn-seven pass that worked for her the day before, and moved up to seventh on the opening lap.

Before the second lap began, she got a solid run onto the back straight and through the final corner, allowing her to make a late pop to the inside heading into turn one. This moved her into sixth, where she remained for most of the race, keeping within just a couple seconds of the fifth-place car.

Cook set the fifth-fastest lap of the race on her way to match her best-ever Carrera Cup finish of sixth.

“I’m thrilled to have matched my best finish in the Porsche Carrera Cup series this past weekend at Sebring,” said Cook. “It’s been an incredible effort from the entire JDX Racing team, and I’m so grateful to all my partners for their unwavering support. It’s exciting to see all the preparation, hard work, and consistency are paying dividends on track. Moments like this make all the challenges and long hours worth it, and I can’t wait to build on this momentum in the races ahead.”

Next up, the 2026 Porsche Carrera Cup North America presented by Solairus Aviation season continues on the Long Beach Street Circuit on April 17-19, 2026.

Shift Up Now Foundation Awards $300,000 in Grants to Female Racers for 2026 Season

Indianapolis, IN - March 18, 2026 - The Shift Up Now Foundation is proud to announce that it is celebrating Women’s History Month by awarding just over $300,000 in grants this season to more than 15 talented female drivers who are making history across 10 different racing series.

Several of the highlighted grant recipients include:

In addition, the Shift Up Now Foundation collectively decided to add both a winner and runner up for the Loni Unser Karting Scholarship. This will be the foundation’s first time awarding funds to kart racers, with Ashlyn Taylor chosen as the winner, and Maddie Grace in the runner-up spot.

The Shift Up Now Foundation was launched in December 2022 and lives alongside the Shift Up Now for-profit business. The foundation continues to strive for gender equality for female athletes in motorsport, and contributes to furthering the mission by accepting tax-deducible gifts, donations and grants.

This year marks the foundation’s fourth round of grants, and the funds distributed for 2026 will take the total number to more than $750,000 since the Shift Up Now Foundation was launched.

“Women’s History Month is a powerful reminder that progress for women in sport happens when opportunity meets investment,” said Ariel Ream, CEO of the Shift Up Now Foundation. “With this year’s grants, the Shift Up Now Foundation will have distributed more than three-quarters of a million dollars since our launch in 2022—an important milestone that reflects our deep commitment to opening doors for talented female drivers. We’re proud to support athletes competing across an expanding range of racing disciplines, from sports cars to rally and drag racing, and to continue building a stronger, more equitable future for women in motorsport.”

The 2026 racing season is already underway. Fans and supporters can follow along by checking out the Shift Up Now racing calendar to find out when the various Athletes will be on track. 

Want to join the movement and help the foundation continue providing opportunities to talented female racers? Donations can be made to the Shift Up Now Foundation at ShiftUpNow.org.

Double Podium for AE Victory Racing to Kick Off 2026 Season at Barber

Shift Up Now Athletes Hannah Grisham, Michele Abbate, Sally Mott, Sarah Montgomery and Ashley Freiberg, along with AE Victory Racing (AEVR) Shootout winner Brenna Schubert, brought home a pair of podiums for AEVR in the 2026 World Racing League (WRL) season opener at Barber Motorsports Park on February 26 - March 1, 2026.

The race weekend would mark AEVR’s first-ever competition as a two-car, all-female-lineup team. Both entries were Toyota Supra GT4s, with Montgomery, Freiberg and Schubert piloting the No. 119, and Grisham, Abbate Mott driving the No. 120.

For the first time ever at Barber, max track time was available on Thursday for WRL teams. However, intermittent rain throughout the day meant minimal laps run. The AEVR teams used the time to focus on driver-change practice and initial car evaluation.

On Friday, the first practice session ran under damp track conditions, but by the second session and qualifying later that day, it had dried out, allowing for a highly-competitive qualifying session.

Strategic tire management and traffic decisions made the difference for the AEVR teams. At the end of the qualifying session, the No. 119 was third with a lap time of 1:32.59, and the No. 120 was fifth, with a lap time of 1:33.05. However, post-session penalties for another car advanced each car one spot, to second and fourth on the starting grid.

The first eight-hour race of the season began on Saturday, with Freiberg behind the wheel of the No. 119 car on the outside of row one in class, and Grisham in the No. 120 car on the outside of row two.

Both cars had strong first stints, with Freiberg leading laps through the pit stop cycles, and Grisham keeping the No. 120 in the top five for her entire stint, running as high as third. On lap 80, a full-course caution flew, just two hours into the race. Both AEVR cars elected to do their next stop and driver changes. Freiberg handed the car over to Schubert in second place, and Grisham handed it over to Abbate in fourth.

Schubert and Abbate continued the clean, strong run before the final driver changes happened on lap 174. Montgomery and Mott got behind the wheels to drive the final stints full of fast- paced laps. During the last hour of the competition, Mott advanced the No. 120 team into fourth place, while Montgomery held position to give the No. 119 their first podium finish of the season.

On Sunday, the seven-hour competition took place under blue skies, and included a one-hour break for church services. Once again, Freiberg would start for the No. 119 team, with Grisham taking the green flag in the No. 120. Each drove a triple stint to take their teams into the top five before the enforced break.

At the restart, Mott was behind the wheel for a huge stint, putting in almost three hours as she drove to the front of the field in the No. 120, taking the lead before handing the car over to Abbate.

In the No. 119 Supra, Schubert continued to execute in her first-ever GT4 weekend. The two teams were on different pit strategies but Schubert moved herself into the final podium position before Montgomery took the wheel for the final time.

Abbate in the No. 120 dropped back to second place behind the BMW GT4 car and was hoping for a code 35 as she saved fuel, but ultimately had to stop for a splash to make it to the checkered flag. This promoted the No. 119 to second place, giving AEVR a second-third finish, with both cars on the podium, to end the weekend.

“What a first weekend for AE Victory Racing,” said Montgomery. “Very grateful for all the team’s preparation and hard work including all of the drivers. Thank you to TeamOne Logistics and Erin Vogel for making this possible!”

Freiberg commented, “For both cars to earn podium finishes on our first race weekend is an incredible accomplishment and a testament to the strength of this entire team. I’m so proud of how everyone executed, especially with the rain washing out our first day on track and adding an extra layer of challenge. Every single team member stepped up and the results truly reflect that effort.”

Schubert said, “I am so thankful to be a part of this team. I would say it’s hard to believe we scored three podiums on our debut weekend, but after seeing the top notch that Erin has put together in action, it’s not hard at all! Everyone worked so hard and put in effort needed to get us results. I am honored to be a part of it and I can’t wait to come back even stronger at Thunderhill, striving for the top step this time!”

Grisham added, “What a great first weekend with AE Victory Racing at Barber Motorsports Park! Both cars did well and it was an incredibly strong way to start the season. Huge credit to my teammates Sally and Michele who did an amazing job all weekend and made our P3 result possible. Proud of the teamwork and already looking forward to carrying this momentum into Thunderhill.”

Abbate said, “I am so incredibly proud of our entire team as a whole. We had a killer first event and every aspect of it was such an honor. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the season has in store!”

Mott commented, “This was such an amazing way to start the season. I couldn’t be happier with a double podium. Driving the AE Victory Racing Supra to P1 was seriously so much fun and I’m really proud of how quickly everything came together. The synergy with the team felt natural from the start. Everyone was locked in and working toward the same goal. There’s always more to find, but I think this weekend gave the team a lot of confidence heading into the rest of the season. I’d absolutely love to come back and do it again with this group.”

Next up, the AEVR teams head to Thunderhill Raceway Park for the second event of the 2026 season, taking place on April 3-5, 2026.

 

Hoffmann, Freiberg and Unser Announce 2026 Plans with Kellymoss

Shift Up Now Athletes Erika Hoffmann, Ashley Freiberg and Loni Unser announced today that they will be racing for Kellymoss in the 2026 Pirelli GT4 America season.

Erika Hoffmann, a Porsche Sprint Challenge rookie standout, is teaming up with Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West Cayman Pro-Am champion Jack Parriott to join the GT4 America grid. Parriott's strong progression and racecraft have demonstrated his readiness for a new challenge, while Hoffmann continues to build good momentum early in her professional career.

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to compete in GT4 America with Kellymoss this season,” Hoffmann expressed. “I love this team and I’m thankful to be back with them for 2026. Continuing with Porsche while moving into open competition is an exciting challenge, and I’m looking forward to growing as a driver throughout the season.”

In the Silver class, Porsche Female Driver Program representatives Freiberg and Unser are joining forces and making their return with the highly recognizable Be Your Own Hero livery. Intentionally designed to resonate with young fans, the livery’s impact extends beyond the track through a dedicated merchandise line in which one hundred percent of proceeds are redistributed into diversity initiatives to help grow the sport for future generations.

Notably, Freiberg claimed the 2023 Porsche Sprint Challenge 991 title, and advanced to the Porsche Carrera Cup North America championship last season. As she pursues this next endeavor, Freiberg enters the season backed by longtime partners Mobil 1, Radius Drive, and WOW Carwash. Meanwhile, Unser secured third in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Cayman class standings in 2024 before going on to finish as vice-champion in 2025.

“I’m truly honored and excited to be racing with Kellymoss this season alongside Loni Unser,” exclaimed Freiberg. “Loni and I have worked together for several years through Radius Drive, and it has been incredibly rewarding to watch her hard work translate into such strong performances in the Porsche Cayman GT4 over the past few seasons. I’m looking forward to competing alongside her and building on that momentum together.”

“Victoria Thomas has been an incredible source of support and inspiration for me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to join her and the entire Kellymoss crew for what promises to be an exciting season in SRO GT4 America,” she continued. “We’re putting in the work this off-season and are committed to showing up prepared, focused, and ready to compete at a high level. I can’t wait to get started.”

"When you want to be the best, you have to surround yourself with the best,” stated Unser. “That's why I couldn't be more excited to race for Kellymoss for the third year in a row.”

“What excites me about this lineup is the balance,” stated Andy Kilcoyne, Principal and Chief Technical Officer. “ Each pairing is very intentional. We have drivers continuing to sharpen their racecraft, stepping into deeper manufacturer competition, and aligning in ways that accelerate one another’s growth. That combination creates a powerful environment for development."

The 2026 Pirelli GT4 America season takes place across a total of 13 rounds at seven different venues, kicking off at Sonoma Raceway on March 26th - 29th.

Alana Carter Announces 2026 Season with Radical Academy Canada

Shift Up Now Athlete Alana Carter announced today that she will be part of a two-car, all-female lineup for the 2026 season with Radical Academy Canada for the 2026 FEL Motorsports Emzone Radical Cup Canada season.

The team will field two Radical SR3 entries driven by Alana Carter and Sydney Cassels. The 2026 season represents another step forward in the Academy’s mission to develop drivers while expanding female representation in Canadian motorsport.

Returning for the full season, Carter continues her progression as one of Canada’s most versatile drivers. In 2024, she became the first woman to compete with Radical Academy in the Radical Cup Canada, and went on to secure a class podium in her TC America debut at Barber Motorsports Park. Her career includes success in competitive driver shootouts, participation in historic all-female podiums and an overall win in World Racing League GTO competition with AE Victory Racing. Carter returns not only as a contender, but as a mentor within the program.

“I’m incredibly excited to be back racing with Radical Academy in the Emzone Radical Cup Canada this year,” said Carter. “Radical Academy played a huge role in the development of my career back in 2024 and it’s super exciting to return to a team and series I know and love. Being involved as a mentor for Sydney and the other girls this year gives me purpose beyond my own racing program, and I’m thrilled to help the next generation of racers.”

Carter will be joined by seventeen-year-old Cassels of Coldstream, British Columbia, who will make her first full-season car racing debut in 2026. Currently completing her senior year of high school, Cassels transitioned into a Radical SR3 in 2025 and now steps into her first complete championship campaign in national-level competition.

Team Principal April Burgess believes the two-car lineup reflects the Academy’s broader purpose, “We’re proud to field Alana and Sydney in our Radical sister cars this season,” said Burgess. “Alana brings leadership and experience, while Sydney represents the future.

Radical Academy Canada is about more than results. It’s about creating real opportunity for women in motorsport.”

As the only all-female team on the Emzone Radical Cup Canada grid, Radical Academy Canada continues to combine competition with community, building meaningful pathways for young women in racing.

AE Victory Racing Selects Brenna Schubert as Development Driver Following Successful 2026 Female Driver Shootout

AE Victory Racing is proud to announce that Brenna Schubert has been selected as one of the team’s Development Drivers for the 2026 season following the conclusion of its highly successful 2026 Female Driver Shootout at Inde Motorsports Ranch in Willcox, Arizona.

The two-day Shootout took place January 29th and 30th and brought together five standout finalists —Reagan Thomas, Siena Ashby, Emy Kissick, Flame Airikkala, and Brenna Schubert — for an intensive evaluation program designed to assess on-track performance, coachability, mindset, and team fit.

Participants took part in a full schedule of track walks, short and long on-track stints, in-depth data review, PR training, mindset coaching, and team meals that emphasized connection and collaboration.

The all-female competition took place at Inde Motorsports Ranch, a demanding 2.75-mile, 21-turn road course known for its technical complexity and constant challenges for drivers. The team benefited from sunny, crisp spring weather and exceptional hospitality from the staff at the Ranch and the local Willcox community. The finalists bonded with each other while learning from an accomplished coaching staff that included AE Victory Racing team owner Erin Vogel and professional drivers Sarah Montgomery, Ashley Freiberg, Laura Hayes, and Hannah Grisham.

After careful evaluation, the team unanimously agreed that Brenna Schubert had earned the Development Driver seat.

“The shootout is really about getting to know each candidate and seeing who would be the best fit for the entire team,” said team owner Erin Vogel. “Brenna was consistent as a driver, coachable as a student, and a team player all around. She seemed really present with her coaches and thoughtful about her learning experience. We’re thrilled to have her with us.”

Brenna Schubert began her racing career with karting in 2009, eventually competing in The STARS Championship Series and Northeast Karting Challenge in KA100 and X30 until 2022. In 2023 she won the PT Autosport Aspiring Driver Shootout and started focusing on wheel-to-wheel racing, attending Skip Barber Racing School and competing in various shootouts and scholarship competitions over the last three years. Brenna also recently relocated to Las Vegas from her hometown of Quakertown, Pennsylvania in an effort to find more career opportunities. Reflecting on the experience with AE Victory
Racing, Schubert shared her excitement and gratitude.

“Winning the AE Victory Racing Shootout is an absolute dream come true,” said Schubert. “I am so grateful to Erin and the team for this amazing opportunity and can’t thank them enough. The shootout really helped each of us grow over the two days. The coaches gave such detailed feedback and it really helped me improve with each session. The Toyota Supra GT4 was a blast to drive, and I was grateful for the attention to detail that the crew gave to us and the car. Everyone on the team was a class-act, and I immediately felt a sense of calm and camaraderie being with an all-female team. I’m so honored to be among them this year, fighting for more wins.”

AE Victory Racing congratulates all five finalists on their outstanding performances and looks forward to building on the momentum of the Shootout as the team prepares for the 2026 season.

Shift Up Now Foundation Announces Sponsorship Grant Applications Now Open for 2026

The Shift Up Now Foundation is honored to announce that sponsorship grant applications for the 2026 racing season are now open. In addition, Shift Up Now Athlete Loni Unser is offering a $1,000 karting scholarship for 2026.

Sponsorship grants are provided to award opportunities for female racers with both the talent and aptitude to succeed in motorsports, giving them access to more competitive equipment, seat time for testing and practice, and resources to help grow their careers.

The foundation awarded its first sponsorship grant in 2023 and has since written more than half a million dollars in sponsorship grants to female racers. Recipients over the years include 20 Athletes across 14 different racing series and disciplines, proving that Shift Up Now continues to change the narrative for women in motorsport. 

A majority of the funding for 2026 sponsorship grants was raised through the foundation’s second-annual in-person event, “A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation” presented by PenFed Credit Union and Tom Wood Porsche, and generous donors who have aligned with the foundation’s mission to help fuel female athletes with the resources required for success on the race track.

Unser’s 2026 scholarship comes after she earned the “fastest Porsche up the mountain” award during last year’s 103rd running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Unser then donated the money to the Shift Up Now Foundation, and will be personally involved in selecting the winner of a karting scholarship for an up-and-coming talented female kart racer.

“I want to start by thanking all of the generous donors who’ve made it possible for us to continue providing these sponsorship grants,” said Shift Up Now CEO Pippa Mann. “We’re honored to receive so many incredible donations, both from race fans and long-standing supporters of the Shift Up Now mission.

“Through racing at the Indy 500 and working for opportunities in various racing series over the years, I fully understand the funding struggle. And although it’s frustrating that data continues to show women in sport receiving less than their male competitors, we refuse to accept that. Which is why we’re working so hard to close the funding gap for female racers.

“Our long-term goal is to help drive systematic change in motorsport, creating an environment where men and women not only compete as equals, but also receive equal opportunities. And as a foundation, we pledge to never stop driving toward that goal.”

From now until 11:59pm EST on Friday, February 13th, female racers who meet the following initial criteria are invited to apply for the Shift Up Now Foundation sponsorship grants: First, racers must be competing at a professional or semi-professional level. Second, they must already have significant sponsorship toward their 2026 season, making a sponsorship grant of up to $10,000 impactful, but not critical to her full funding plan.

For Unser’s karting scholarship, female karters below the age of 18 who are seeking to compete in the World Karting Association (WKA) or SuperKarts USA (SKUSA) are invited to apply. Applications will include a request for racing resume and online form completion.

Applications for the Shift Up Now sponsorship grants can be submitted HERE.

Applications for the karting scholarship can be submitted HERE. 

To get involved with the Shift Up Now mission, race fans and supporters are invited to make a donation in any amount via the website at https://shiftupnow.org/

Nicole Havrda Announces 2026 Season with Shopify Racing Powered by TWOth

Shift Up Now Athlete Nicole Havrda unveiled her 2026 racing season plans, joining Shopify Racing powered by TWOth for its full-season participation in the 2026 IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge season. This marks a major milestone for the organization with the launch of a brand-new program in partnership with Shopify and the debut of the Ligier JS P325.

Havrda will make an exciting transition from F1 Academy to prototype racing in the IMSA VP Challenge, representing a significant step in her career as she expands into sportscar and endurance competition. She will be joined by Travis Hill for the 2026 endurance races.

“After an incredible journey in open-wheel racing, stepping into LMP3 with TWOth Autosport is a dream come true,” says Havrda. “Doing it with a Canadian team feels like home!”

The 2026 season will be the first year of competition for the Ligier JS P325, the next-generation LMP3 platform in IMSA competition. Shopify Racing powered by TWOth will be among the early adopters of the new car, underscoring the team’s commitment to innovation, technical development, and long-term growth within sportscar racing.

For more information and updates, check out the Shift Up Now website and follow on Instagram @ShiftUpNow. 

AE Victory Racing Names 5 Finalists for 2026 Female Driver Development Shootout

AE Victory Racing (AEVR) has selected five finalists to compete in its 2025 Driver Development Shootout, taking place January 29–30 at inde Motorsports Park in Wilcox, Arizona. The two-day evaluation will determine the next development driver to earn a fully funded seat in the 2026 World Racing League season as part of AEVR’s female driver development program.

The finalists—Flame Airikkala, Siena Ashby, Emy Kissick, Brenna Schubert, and Reagan Thomas—will be evaluated through on-track sessions, data analysis, and team-based workshops designed to build both driving skill and camaraderie. The shootout reflects AEVR’s holistic approach to driver development, emphasizing performance, professionalism, and teamwork.

Applications for the program opened November 17 and closed December 7, drawing a record 43 applicants from around the world—more than double the number from the previous year. Following multiple rounds of application reviews, interviews, and extensive deliberation, team owner Erin Vogel, professional drivers Sarah Montgomery and Ashley Freiberg, and key members of the AEVR staff narrowed the field to five finalists.

About the Finalists:

Flame Airikkala, who will make the trip over from the UK, comes from a racing family including her grandfather and mother. In her application video, she attributes her love of racing to the fact that she loves to compete in nearly everything, playing competitive chess, netball and rowing as well as racing from the early age of 14.

Siena Ashby from Chanhassen, Minnesota has been competing in Go Karts for over 12 years and just completed her second season in wheel to wheel racing. Siena was an applicant last year and the team is excited to welcome her to her first shootout. Siena said the feedback she received last year has led her to implement new measurement tactics and work on her data analysis to give her a more competitive edge.

Emy Kissick lives in Olympia, Washington and got her racing license in 2023 and has maintained her own vehicle since then. Boasting a mechanical background and comfort in the garage, she says racing Spec Miata and MX-5 has made her a clean driver and develop a sense of calm in high traffic situations. But, as she says in her video with a smile, she maintains her sense of humor and energetic contributions to a team.

Brenna Schubert is located in Las Vegas and began karting in 2009 but also started competing in wheel-to-wheel in 2023. She said she has had to work very hard and take every opportunity to make racing her priority. Her resume certainly reflects this as she has participated in multiple shootouts, challenges and scholarships and also taken jobs and volunteer positions in various racing programs. She also recently relocated to Las Vegas from her hometown of Quakertown, Pennsylvania in an effort to find more career opportunities.

Reagan Thomas hails from Cayce, South Carolina and has been racing Spec Miatas and Spec E-46 for the last two and a half years. She is the second driver to proclaim that she learned a lot by even applying to the AEVR program last year and that it has pushed her to grow as a driver and a competitor. She is excited at the opportunity to compete in more endurance races as she says she enjoys the teamwork, energy and accountability that comes with it.

“I’m humbled and proud of the depth and diversity of applications we received this year, representing a wide range of motorsports disciplines from around the world,” said AE Victory Racing team owner Erin Vogel. “That level of interest speaks to both the talent that exists and the real need for programs that create meaningful opportunities for women in racing.”

Vogel developed the inaugural shootout in 2025 by drawing on her experience as a professional driver and adapting elements from existing development programs to create an evaluation process she believes truly serves developing athletes. What began as a competitive selection process has evolved into a collaborative environment that prioritizes learning, growth, and teamwork—an energy she is committed to building upon in 2026.

“Last year, every participant walked away with something valuable,” Vogel added. “I’m excited to see what this group brings to the program and confident the experience will be impactful, regardless of the final outcome.”