Hayes Wins Inaugural Ladies Race of Champions at American Speed Festival

Shift Up Now Athletes Laura Hayes, Pippa Mann, Taylor Ferns and Megan Meyer competed in the inaugural Ladies Race of Champions (LROC) - with Hayes bringing home the victory - at the fifth-annual American Speed Festival at M1 Concourse (Pontiac, MI) on October 4-5, 2025.

The LROC was part of a new, multi-event partnership between M1 Concourse and the Shift Up Now Foundation, culminating on October 25th with the foundation’s second-annual fundraising event, “A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation.” In addition, Hayes was awarded $10,000 for her victory, which goes directly to the mission of providing funding and opportunities for talented female racers.

Fellow Shift Up Now Athlete Loni Unser was also invited to participate but had to withdraw due to illness.

The competition consisted of four 20-minute sessions, pitting the racers from various disciplines against the clock. Hayes’ portfolio includes SRO GT4 America and the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, where she was named the “fastest woman up the mountain.” In addition to being a seven-time Indianapolis 500 competitor, Mann has also raced the Nurburgring 24H and Barcelona 24H. Ferns has competed in Short Track Midget and Sprint cars, and Meyer is a drag racing specialist.

With support from Team Stradale, the Athletes competed on a 1.5-mile, 10-turn road course in Radical SR3 race cars. The ultra-light construction and aerodynamics of the Radical SR3 allow it to pull more than two Gs of lateral grip, and deliver an exceptional power-to-weight punch.

The four sessions of competition took place over two days, with Saturday’s schedule featuring sessions one and two, followed by three and four on Sunday.

Hayes immediately set the pace in session one on Saturday morning. Having run against other American Speed Festival entries with much higher horsepower outputs, she made a statement early by posting one of the fastest times of the weekend to that point. Mann was right on her heels, while Ferns and Meyer worked to learn the course and the Radical race cars, honing their road course technique and gaining speed with each lap.

Later that afternoon, warmer weather and higher track temperatures made for more challenging race conditions, but Hayes wasn’t phased as she bettered her time from the first session. Once again, Mann was second-quickest, with Ferns and Meyer showing continuous improvements.

On Sunday morning, the quad of Shift Up Now Athletes hit the track again, with Hayes leading the charge in LROC, and running second-fastest overall. Coupled with Mann’s second-place LROC run, the two secured the top two podium spots for the weekend. However, Ferns and Meyer continued to gain confidence with each lap, battling for position and leaving the final podium spot up for contention going into the final round.

Sunday afternoon featured the fourth and final session, under light cloud cover. Hayes led the pack, matching her time from the morning session and just shy of her best lap of the weekend. Meanwhile, Mann ran her best laps of the weekend in the Radical, closing the gap to just 0.5 seconds between her and Hayes. Ferns and Meyer also had their best runs of the weekend, with each dropping another second from their previous personal-best times, set earlier that day.

For Hayes, fresh of a GT4 America win less than a month ago, the dominant weekend proved just how versatile she truly is.

“I can’t say enough about the incredible experience I had with my Shift Up Now sisters at the M1 Concourse Club,” said Hayes. “We had an absolute blast driving the Radical SR3s - learning, finding speed and enjoying such a fun platform.

“I want to give a huge thank you to Team Stradale for a first-class experience. Also, thank you to Iris Frase for the inception of the inaugural LROC event, and to Paul [Zlotoff] and his team at M1 for their warm hospitality, and support of the Shift Up Now mission. This was so much fun and I can’t wait to come back next year!”

Francesco D’Avola, owner and founder of Team Stradale noted, “Working with the four women from LROC - each coming from a different discipline of motorsport - was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had. They brought unique perspectives, pushed each other naturally, and before long, they were all faster and more comfortable together. Their mutual support, curiosity, and competitive spirit turned what could’ve been a challenge into pure synergy.”

About her experience at the inaugural event, Meyer said, “Coming into the Ladies Race of Champions, I didn’t know what to expect. I knew I had a lot to learn from my lack of experience on a road course. The Stradale team and staff at M1 Concourse have been very welcoming and incredibly helpful making me feel comfortable behind the wheel of the Radical car. I am improving with each session and growing confident in my driving skills here, which transfers into me being a better driver overall. We’ve had an amazing experience, and the M1 facility and the American Speed Festival have exceeded my expectations.”

Ferns echoed these sentiments, saying, “This entire LROC experience has been amazing and completely unexpected in the most positive way. Coming from a generally sprint-car based background, I have very minimal road course experience. The challenge of learning the car and track, shift and brake points, and car placement, among other things, presented a unique and and exciting challenge to do within a couple days, but it was worth every second. I look forward to applying a lot of what I learned to my genre of motorsports and staying connected with everyone we met. I also want to give a massive thank you to the M1 Concourse group, Team Stradale, and Shift Up Now for having us. They were first-class throughout the entire event, and I hope to do it again!”

Fans and supporters can learn more about M1 Concourse and the American Speed Festival HERE. To attend the upcoming, second-annual Shift Up Now Foundation event, purchase your ticket for “A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation” HERE.

First All-Female Win in Class for AE Victory Racing at Utah

Shift Up Now Athletes Sarah Montgomery, Alana Carter and Ashley Freiberg made history by claiming their first-ever World Racing League (WRL) victory - and the first all-female victory in the GTO class - during the second race of the “Crossroads Endurance Challenge” event weekend at Utah Motorsports Campus (Burt Brothers Motorsports Park) on September 26-28, 2025.

Driving the No. 119 Toyota Supra GT4 for AE Victory Racing (AEVR), the trio first hit the track on Thursday for the Max Track Time event, where they worked on car setup and adjustments. The WRL weekend would be Montgomery’s and Freiberg’s first outing on the 3.048-mile, 15- turn outside track, so practice time was also spent learning the layout.

By Friday’s qualifying session, the Shift Up Now Athletes were prepared and confident. Freiberg’s season-best qualifying run on her Yokohama tires put the team in third place for race one, starting from the inside of the second row.

Saturday’s eight-hour competition began with Freiberg behind the wheel. The AEVR team ran most of the race in podium contention, however a mechanical issue just past the halfway point forced their Supra into the garage. After more than an hour of repairs, they returned to the track for several testing laps. Ultimately, they opted to retire the car and begin preparation for race two on Sunday.

The following morning, Freiberg was behind the wheel once again for the drop of the green flag, this time starting from fifth for the seven-hour race. During the first stint, she advanced to the second-place spot, then Carter took over to continue executing a steady strategy before Montgomery took the wheel.

When the lone full-course caution flag flew, the field was reshuffled. After losing a lap to a competing team, AEVR gained it back when that team received a two-lap penalty. Montgomery held her second-place position and closed the gap to within 16 seconds of the leader as they crossed the finish line.

After the race, the leader was disqualified when they didn’t pass tech due to altitude. This moved AEVR to the top of the podium, continuing their podium streak and awarding them a history-making victory.

Team owner Erin Vogel commented, “This victory is a testament to our team’s persistence, preparation, and trust in one another. We had a lot of challenges, but we never gave up and I’m really proud of the incredible effort everyone put forward.” With this promising result, AE Victory Racing solidifies their place as one of the most exciting teams in WRL and sets the stage for continued success.”

Next up, the AEVR team has a quick turnaround as they head to New York in just a couple weeks for the next round of the WRL championship, at Watkins Glen International Raceway on October 17-19, 2025.

Season-Best Finish for Cook at IMS Continues Top-Ten Streak

Shift Up Now Athlete Sabré Cook earned a season-best, seventh-place finish to kick off round six of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America presented by Solairus Aviation at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) on September 18-20, 2025.

Cook, a Hagerty-sponsored athlete, piloted the No. 37 PenFed / privé 992 Porsche Cup Car for JDX Racing in the Pro Class.

The weekend began with two practice sessions on Thursday, under sunny skies that would continue throughout the entire weekend. Cook ran in the top ten for both sessions and was satisfied with her car as she prepared for qualifying the following morning.

On Friday, qualifying took place at 9:35am ET on the historic 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course. Cook laid down a 1:26.054 on her Yokohama tires and qualified 12th for both of the weekend’s 40-minute races.

Ahead of the first competition, race control warned drivers that it would be strict in regard to cars deemed to cause incidents, which would prove to be advantageous later that afternoon.

At 2:55pm ET, climbing temperatures caused a slick racing surface for the start of the first race. Cook was lined up on the outside of row six as cars ran two-by-two to the green flag.

After the start, the front of the field fanned out to four wide down the front straight. They briefly returned to two-by-two into turn one, before going three-wide again on the exit of one.

The competitive racing caused light contact between several cars and stayed clean overall, until turn seven when the cars directly behind Cook came together, causing the first full-course yellow before the end of the first lap.

After a lengthy cleanup, 23 minutes remained in the race and Cook maintained her 12th-place position for the single-file restart. Knowing that tire wear can sometimes factor in at IMS, Cook was cautious to protect her equipment.

On the restart, the full field made it through the first half of the lap cleanly. On the second half however, two cars ahead of Cook made significant contact, sending both spinning and one into the wall. This advanced Cook into the top ten as cleanup began for the second full-course yellow.

Only 12 minutes were left when the green flag fell again, and Cook ended up crossing the finish line in ninth. However, as promised, race control issued penalties for two cars that had caused contact. This promoted Cook to seventh-place, her best finish of the season so far, and continued her top-ten streak.

On Saturday morning, race two began at 10:45am ET under sunny, blue skies. In a repeat of the day before, Cook was once again lined up on the outside of row six as the race went green.

One of the cars ahead checked up, causing another car to spin. Cook avoided the melee, gaining positions and advancing into the top ten at the end of the first lap. She and the car behind took to the front straight, with Cook cleanly defending her spot into turn one.

She held her 10th-place position until nine laps remained in the race, when a mechanical issue caused her anti-lock breaking system (ABS) to fail. This locked her rear tires and sent her car into a spin. She was able to make it back to pit lane safely, but was forced to retire the car.

Next up, Cook heads to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for the penultimate event of the season, round seven of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America presented by Solairus Aviation championship, on October 8-11, 2025.

Mazda Motorsports Provides Impactful Support for “A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation”

Shift Up Now is proud to announce that Mazda Motorsports has stepped up with a generous donation to the upcoming annual in-person event, “A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation,” on Saturday, October 25, 2025 at the Tom Wood Aviation Hangar and event space at the Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport in Fishers, IN.

Providing opportunities for women in motorsports is at the heart of everything Mazda Motorsports believes in as an organization, brand and motorsports group. The Irvine, CA company leads the industry in support of talented female racers, from scholarships to championship prize money and per-race payouts.

In addition to debuting the “First to the Finish” docuseries on Amazon Prime this year, the 2025 season marked the sixth year of Mazda Motorsports’ Women’s Initiative Scholarship. The scholarship which was birthed by the desire to bring more women into the MX-5 Cup driver’s seat, and ultimately, into sports car racing. Mazda Motorsports believes that, although women have been part of the MX-5 Cup competition over the last 20 years, they are underrepresented.

The scholarship is valued at $100,000 and offers a combination of cash, consumables (tires, entries, fuel), marketing support, race equipment (firesuits), and B2B relationships for connection and sponsorship opportunities. Four of the five scholarship winners to date are Shift Up Now Athletes: Laura Hayes (2022), Heather Hadley (2023), Sally Mott (2024), Ashlyn Speed (2025).

This perfectly aligns with the mission of Shift Up Now, as both the for-profit and non-profit sides work in tandem to provide opportunities and funding for talented female racers.

The goal of the second annual “A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation” event is to raise funding for Shift Up Now Foundation grantees for the 2026 season. Last year, the inaugural event raised more than $80,000, and the Foundation awarded more than $250,000 in grants for 2025.

Mazda Motorsports’ donation will go toward the overall grant total for 2026.

“Mazda is honored to partner with Shift Up Now as two organizations that practice what we preach,” said Jonathan Applegate, Senior Manager at Mazda Motorsports. “It is our hope that by partnering with Shift Up Now, we will be a contributing factor in transforming motorsports. Shift Up Now has a proven track record in being the change agent needed within the motorsports industry, broadening and deepening the awareness of inclusivity and opportunities for girls around the world. To be intentional, all the while knowing there’s organizations like Shift Up Now and Mazda that would humbly accept the opportunity to support their ambitions.

It is my hope that we see not just an influx in female drivers, but in all areas of the sport: mechanics, engineers, crew chiefs, team owners, pit crew, executive leadership, etc. I believe this is the future that we’re helping to shape, and we are honored to do so.”

Mott, the 2024 scholarship winner echoed the importance of the partnership saying, “It’s amazing to see Mazda Motorsports, a brand that already does so much for women in racing, teaming up with the Shift Up Now Foundation. The Mazda Women’s Initiative Scholarship is the reason I got my start in the MX-5 Cup, and that opportunity completely changed the trajectory of my career. Racing at this level has challenged me and helped me grow in ways I never imagined.”

She added, “Now, being selected as a Shift Up Now Foundation grantee means I get to continue chasing this dream with Mazda’s support behind me. It’s hard to put into words how much that means, but I’m so grateful to be part of it.”

In addition to the donation, Mazda Motorsports will also host a drivers’ panel during “A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation” event. Shift Up Now Athletes - and Mazda MX-5 Cup drivers - Sally Mott and Ashlyn Speed will participate, sharing their stories of how Mazda’s support has significantly impacted their careers.

Tickets are on sale now for the event HERE, and 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.

Lastly, fans who are not able to attend the event but still want to participate should watch for information in the coming months about the silent auction, which will also be available online.

About Shift Up Now Foundation, Inc.

Shift Up Now Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping talented female racers in motorsport. By providing financial support to females in motorsport through corporate giving, gifts, donations, and grants, the foundation aims to create opportunities for women in motorsport to succeed and thrive.

Victory for Hoffmann, Second in Championship for Unser at Road Atlanta

Shift Up Now Athletes Erika Hoffmann and Loni Unser left their mark on the record books during a history-making Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on September 11-14, 2025. Not only did Hoffmann secure her first victory, Unser clinched second place in the championship and the duo earned the first female one-two finish in series history.

Unser, fresh on the heels of a win in Watkins Glen, piloted the No. 4 “Be Your Own Hero” car for Kellymoss Racing. Hoffmann drove the No. 21 entry, also competing for Kellymoss.

Thursday’s schedule included two official practice sessions in preparation for qualifying the following morning. The Shift Up Now drivers were familiar with the 2.55-mile, 12-turn track, with both having competed there previously in the World Racing League (WRL). Their experience showed, with Unser running in the top five and Hoffmann in the top ten for both sessions.

Friday morning’s qualifying session was the first time that the Porsche Sprint Challenge series was running the newest iteration of the Cayman GT4 RS. Track temperatures were cool, and Hoffmann capitalized on the optimal track conditions - coupled with the grip from her new Yokohama tires - to run her best qualifying performance yet in the series. She set the second- fastest time to start on the outside of the front row for both races.

Meanwhile, Unser also had a strong run, qualifying fourth and starting on the outside of row two.

Later that afternoon, the field lined up two-by-two for the drop of the green flag. After a clean start, Hoffmann held her second-place position while Unser got a great run on the outside into turn one. She held her line up the hill toward turn two, changing to the inside where the track changes direction, and then cleanly completing the pass into turn three.

Taking the third-place spot set up a cat-and-mouse race between Hoffmann and Unser that would continue through the remainder of the 35-minute-plus-one-lap competition. The gap between them rarely exceeded half a second as the teammates raced hard and cleanly.

In turns five and six, Unser’s car appeared to have more speed as she looked for the inside pass several time, but Hoffmann withstood the pressure.

With just two minutes left in the race, the leader’s car had an issue and came to a stop on track. This promoted the Shift Up Now Athletes to a battle for the lead. When the stranded car caused a full-course caution, the running order was frozen for the final laps. Hoffmann earned the first win of her rookie season while Unser’s second-place marked her eighth consecutive podium, and both drivers celebrated history in the making with the series’ first-ever all-female one-two finish.

“I couldn’t be happier to get my first win in Porsche Sprint Challenge,” said Hoffmann. “This season has been a huge development year for me and to cap it off with a win feels amazing. I want to give a big thank you to the whole Kellymoss team - they have been incredibly supportive and encouraging all season long. I can’t say enough good things about the people, the level of excellence and the atmosphere. Racing with Kellymoss has honestly been a dream come true.

“This weekend was a big step forward for me, and I wouldn’t be here without my family and the amazing support of my sponsors: Coverly Home Protection, SWBC, Kaufmann de Suisse, Solairus Aviation, Mobil1 and Shift Up Now.”

Race two began on Saturday morning at 8:30am EST under sunny skies. Similar to Friday’s qualifying session, temperatures were cool, creating ideal track conditions. Both Hoffmann and Unser were lined up in the same starting grid positions as the day before, second and fourth respectively.

After two pace laps, the green flag flew. The Shift Up Now drivers were each challenged from the different drivers behind them but maintained their spots in the order. But before the end of the first lap, chaos ensued when the fifth-place car made a run at Unser’s position. The two made side-by-side contact at the apex of turn one, causing the other car to get loose on cold tires and get collected by another car, bringing out the first full-course caution.

The race restarted with 20 minutes - plus one lap - remaining. The leader got a great restart and the field stretched out heading into the first turn. On the next lap, the third-place car made the pass to get ahead of Hoffmann into turn 10. She tucked in behind at the apex, knowing the pass was for overall position and not in class.

The resulting lineup became a continuation of the previous day’s battle, as the Shift Up Now Athletes and Kellymoss teammates raced each other for the podium spots in class. Hoffmann and Unser crossed the finish line second and third in the ProAm class.

Unser initially thought her championship prospects were more dire due to early-season incidents. However, her 11th podium finish of the season - and ninth in a row - awarded her a spectacular comeback to finish second in the points.

“Going into the weekend, I was tied for second in the championship,” said Unser, “so I knew I had to be on my game and finish higher than the driver I was tied with. I couldn’t be happier to say that I did just that with the help of my amazing team and partners - Speedway Motors, Acumatica, Mobil1, Yokohama Tire, SVA Consulting and Shift Up Now.”

Just because the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama season is over, the action isn’t done! Shift Up Now fans are invited to come out to M1 Concourse to watch Unser compete against the clock in the upcoming American Speed Festival Ladies Race of Champions competition. The fastest female driver in one of M1’s fleet of radicals will be awarded a $10,000 check for the Shift Up Now Foundation. Get your tickets HERE!

Victory in Class and Pole Position for Hayes in GT4 America at Barber

Shift Up Now Athletes Laura Hayes, Hannah Greenemeier and Hannah Grisham competed in rounds 10 and 11 of Pirelli GT4 America at Barber Motorsports Park on September 5-7, 2025, where Hayes brought home a class win on Sunday.

Driving for Thunder Bunny Racing (TBR), Hayes and teammate Allen Patten piloted the No. 606 BMW M4 GT4 (G82) EVO in the Am class. “The Hannahs” competed for Heart of Racing (HoR) in the No. 26 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO in the Silver class.

The Barber weekend featured a unique schedule due to the first race from the previous event weekend at Road America being rained out. It was then added to the Barber racing schedule, with the starting grid set from the Road America qualifying results.

On Thursday, cars took to the track for the first time for testing and practice one. Practice two then took place on Friday morning before the rescheduled race later that day.

For HoR, Greenemeier was lined up on the outside of row six - in 12th place - for the 3:35pm CST start time. Hayes was behind the wheel first for TBR, starting on the inside of row nine.

At the drop of the green flag, the field had a clean start and Hayes immediately went into attack mode, picking up a position on the first lap. She was in a nose-to-tail chain with the two class leaders on the 2.38-mile, 17-turn road course where passing is notoriously difficult.

For most of her stint, Hayes battled with the class leaders, looking inside and outside for opportunities to pass. The three cars were separated by inches but raced clean for her entire stint.

Meanwhile, Greenemeier had her sights set on making the pass for 11th. She made her move and then began chasing down the 10th-place car.

In the battle for the lead in the Am class, the two front cars made light contact at the esses, causing the leader to spin into the barriers. Hayes, now running second in class, reacted immediately and pulled into the pits in anticipation of the caution. When the yellow flag flew, she was on pit lane at exactly the right moment.

The HoR team also had a good stop, gaining several positions overall as Grisham took over the car. Twenty minutes remained when green flag racing resumed and Grisham picked up where Greenemeier left off, setting fast times and picking off competitors one at a time. She crossed the finish line in sixth overall.

Patten was behind the wheel for TBR in the second half of the race. Despite a chaotic stint, the team took the checkered flag third in class to earn their third podium of the season.

With the Road America makeup race in the books, it was time to focus on qualifying and the two regularly-scheduled, one-hour races at Barber.

Qualifying took place on Saturday morning, with Hayes behind the wheel first for TBR. The Wilton, California native put the car on pole for the first race, and eleventh overall. Then teammate Allen qualified second in class for race two.

A technical issue with the HoR Aston Martin forced the team to bring the car back to pit lane after only a couple laps, putting them on the back of the starting grid for both races.

Saturday afternoon, the field lined up for the start at 4:50pm CST. Hayes rolled off from the inside of row six and had a strong start again, flying side-by-side with the 10th-place car through the first several corners.

When the technical issues continued for the HoR team, Grisham had to pull the car into the pits and retire after just a few laps.

Hayes kept pace with the lead group, leading her class, and fighting cleanly and fast inside the top ten. She was 3/4 of the way through her stint when the car’s left front tire began to lose air, causing handling issues and a loss of pace.

Just one lap before the pit window opened, the tire gave up. Hayes’ five-second lead in class disappeared as she limped the car to pit lane for a tire change. Because the stop was outside the pit window, TBR also wasn’t allowed to switch drivers, so the additional stop only a few laps later put the team down one lap for the remainder of the race. They would finish 18th overall and third in class.

On Sunday, the start of Barber’s race two began at 11:10am CST, with Patten behind the wheel for TBR in 15th, and Greenemeier starting for HoR from the back of the field.

After a clean start, two mid-pack cars made contact heading into turn 13. Greenemeier took advantage and picked up multiple positions. By the end of the first lap, she had advanced to 16th, then moved to 15th within a few more laps.

Just ahead of her, Patten was maintaining his position in 12th overall, and second in class.

When the pit window opened at the halfway point, teams held off as long as possible in case of a yellow flag. Both TBR and HoR had clean, quick pit stops and driver changes before debris from a competitor’s blown tire caused a full-course yellow as the pit window closed.

After a short caution period, 18 minutes remained in the race. During a frantic restart, two lead cars made contact, causing an accordion effect for the rest of the pack and sending another car off track in turn four. Hayes and Grisham were in the middle of the action but kept their cars clean.

By the end of the first green-flag lap that followed, Hayes was running behind the leader in class. She got a run to make the pass into turn one and take the class lead, running 10th overall. Grisham was able to follow her through and slotted into 11th overall, and fourth in the Silver class.

For the next several laps, Hayes and Grisham raced closely and cleanly. The two Shift Up Now Athletes were knew they weren’t racing each other in class, but aware that Grisham was aiming to advance further up the field overall while Hayes maintained her lead buffer.

On the penultimate lap, the car in front of Hayes spun at the bottom of the corkscrew. She narrowly avoided contact and a loss of momentum while holding her position in the lead of the class.

In the first turn of the final lap, Grisham ran slightly wide, allowing the second place in Hayes’ class through and onto her tail for a last-lap showdown for the win. Hayes withstood the pressure and crossed the line as the victor, finishing ninth overall, and just 0.4 seconds ahead of second place.

“I’m really happy to wrap up our SRO season with the win,” said Hayes. “We know we’ve had the potential to bring home victory many times this season, so the validation felt great. We’ve learned a number of lessons along the way and I’m excited to take that into next year.

“I’d like to send a big thank you to the TBR crew, Oore Jewelry, Shift Up Now, and everyone who kept fighting alongside Allen and I. We can’t wait for the 2026 season!”

The season finale for Pirelli GT4 America is next on the calendar as the series heads to the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway for rounds 12 and 13, on October 16-19, 2025.

Second-Place Podium for Carter in TC America Debut at Barber

Shift Up Now Athlete Alana Carter earned a second-place finish during her SRO debut driving for Ricca Autosport in Touring Car America powered by Skip Barber Racing School. Rounds 12, 13 and 14 of the championship took place at Barber Motorsports Park on September 4-7, 2025.

Driving the No. 74 Hyundai Elantra N1 TC EVO, Carter was returning to the 2.38-mile, 17-turn road course for the second time this year. In February, she raced in the World Racing League (WRL) with AE Victory Racing, after winning the team’s annual shootout. In July and August, the 26-year-old driver then showcased her versatility by competing in four different cars and series - Toyota GR86, Toyota Supra GT4, Dirt Track Late Model and running in the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto Grand Prix in the Emzone Radical Cup Canada.

With no testing ahead of the event, Carter hit the track for the first time on Thursday for two practice sessions. She used her time wisely to get up to speed with her new car and team.

Friday’s track schedule was packed with qualifying and two the first two 25-minute races. After qualifying, Carter noted that she was thrilled with the fourth-fastest time in her best session of the weekend so far.

This put her on the outside of row two for the start of the race one. The field ran two-by-two toward the drop of the green flag at 12:10pm CST. Carter had a strong start for her TC America debut race, keeping pace in turn one and then setting herself up on the inside for a pass in turn two. By the end of the first lap, she had advanced to second place.

For most of the competition, Carter’s teammate kept the pressure on, threatening passes for her position, but she created separation in the last part of the race and crossed the finish line in second place. Her podium finished also awarded her the top-finishing Hyundai.

“My first weekend in TC America with Ricca Autosport was nothing short of incredible," said Carter. "I had three very different races but all were fun and brought their own unique challenges, plus it was awesome to take home some hardware. Ricca Autosport was such a dream to work with and I’m so grateful to them and Hyundai for this opportunity."

Later that day, race two began at 4:50pm CST. Near the start of the 25-minute competition, Carter had contact with another car, causing her to lose a couple positions. When the checkered flag fell, she brought home a sixth-place finish.

On Saturday morning, race three began at 11:10am CST, and Carter was aiming for redemption after her finish in race two. Just like the first race, she was lined up on the outside of the second row for the two-by-two start.

She had another strong start but was unable to gain positions this time, despite running side- by-side multiple times during the first lap. In a reversal of race one, Carter was the one on the attack, focused on passing the car ahead for position.

Carter then set the second fastest lap of the race as she put the car ahead under pressure and looked to pass. Despite several attempts, she ceded to her fourth-place spot as rain began to fall with 10 minutes left in the competition.

When the light rainfall turned to a downpour, the entire field struggled on dry-weather tires. Even in the tricky conditions, Carter was able to maintain a pace similar to her experienced teammate and finished in fourth place, earning her third place in the Hyundai Trophy Cup.

In three weeks, Carter will be on track again in Utah, competing for AE Victory Racing again in the Mid/West Championship Finale of WRL at Utah Motorsports Campus on September 26-28, 2025.

Victory for Unser in Thrilling Triple-Header Weekend at Watkins Glen

Shift Up Now Athlete Loni Unser earned her first win on Saturday during round six of the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama championship, at Watkins Glen International Raceway on August 29-31, 2025.

Fellow Shift Up Now Athlete Erika Hoffmann also made her return to the cockpit at Watkins Glen after missing the previous event due to a lack of funding.

The unique weekend featured two regularly-scheduled sprint races on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, plus an additional make-up race on Sunday afternoon. The third race was the result of a rained-out event during the previous race weekend at Road America.

Both Shift Up Now Athletes Athletes competed in the ProAm class for Kellymoss Racing in Cayman GT4 RS cars. Unser drove the purple No. 4 “Be Your Own Hero” car, with Hoffmann behind the wheel of the No. 21 entry.

The 3.4-mile, 11-turn race track was damp but drying during the first practice on Friday, which meant some of the competitors opted not to run. Despite the tricky conditions, Unser and Hoffmann both went out, and Unser topped the scoring charts.

Later that day, the track had dried for the second practice session and Hoffmann took the spotlight when she recorded the second-fastest time.

Qualifying took place on Saturday morning with cool track conditions, which caused several drivers to make mistakes. The resulting red flags created a disjointed session, where drivers essentially had time for two flying laps to set their starting positions for both races.

For race one, Unser would start third with Hoffmann in seventh. Then for the second, Unser would start in second and Hoffmann in eighth.

Later that day, cool conditions continued for the start of race one at 12:55pm ET. Unser was lined up on the inside of row two, with Hoffmann two rows back on the inside of row four, for the 35-minutes-plus-one-lap competition.

After two pace laps, the field ran side-by-side to the green flag. Unser had an impressive start, tucking in behind the pole sitter, and then making the pass for second as they approached turn one. Hoffmann also had a solid start, advancing from seventh to sixth through the first turn.

By the end of lap one, Unser and the leader pulled away from the rest of the field, already creating a 1.5-second gap. Then on the second lap, Unser set the fastest lap of the race so far as she chased down the leader, where she would stay within a half-second as the laps ticked by.

Meanwhile, Hoffmann was involved in a turn-one incident with another car, stalling her momentum and dropping her back to ninth. She stayed focused forward and advanced back to eighth overall. With her sights set on the seventh-place - third in class - position, she attempted the pass but was given a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility, dropping her to the back of the pack. She would ultimately recover to finish 11th overall.

With ten minutes remaining, Unser was still running within a second of the leader. A full-course yellow emerged with five minutes on the clock, and after a quick cleanup, race control opted for a one-lap shootout under green.

The pace car’s lights went out with the field running single-file behind. Unser left no doubt about her intentions as she clung to the leader’s bumper. When the green flag fell, the lead car went early on the way to the final corner but Unser got the better exit out of turn one. She then had a strong run through the esses and picked up a tow heading up the hill, allowing her to pop to the inside, and make the pass to take the lead at the bus stop. She crossed the finish line as the victor, earning her first Porsche Sprint Challenge win.

“I am extremely proud to have brought home the win last weekend in the “Be Your Own Hero” livery. Myself and the whole Kellymoss team have worked so hard for this, and to do it at a historic track with my Dad by my side was extremely special. Ultimately, I couldn’t have done with without my incredible team, Kellymoss Racing and group of partners supporting me- SpeedwayMotors, Acumatica, Mobil 1, SVA Consulting, Shift Up Now, Yokohama Tire, CVSTOS and Sabelt!”

On Sunday morning, the second sprint race began at 8:30am ET under clear skies and cool conditions. This time, Unser was on the outside of the front row with Hoffmann on the outside of row four.

After the green flag, the lead cars went three-wide into turn one, forcing Unser to check up and dropping her back to third. She then spent the next 30 minutes pressuring the car ahead and maintaining just a half-second gap.

Meanwhile, Hoffmann held her position in eighth overall, and fourth in class.

Then, almost exactly like the day before, a full-course yellow flew with five minutes remaining. And after another quick cleanup, the field readied for a one-lap shootout under green. The leaders ran nose-to-tail through the bus stop.

Unser had a solid run through the boot and pulled alongside the car ahead on the outside heading into turn eight. They ran side-by-side with Unser on the outside for the second-place spot. When she couldn’t make it stick, she slotted back into the final podium position as they crossed the finish line.

Hoffmann was able to gain a position in the overall standings to finish seventh at the checkered flag, and fourth in class.

Later that afternoon, the rescheduled Road America race began at 12:30pm ET. Because Hoffmann had not participated in the previous event’s competition, she was not allowed to run the make-up race.

Unser lined up on the outside of the front row in the 70-degree weather under clear, blue skies. When the green flag flew, she had a powerful start but braked late into turn one. She and the leader ran side-by-side into the corner, where she held the outside but didn’t get the same drive on the exit, so she settled back into second place as the field headed toward the esses.

At the halfway point of the competition, Unser was running about a second behind the lead car. By the time only ten minutes were left, she had closed the gap to roughly half-second, before she began to apply pressure for the lead.

In the dirty air, she reduced the lead to only two-tenths of a second as the clock showed five minutes remaining. Unser got a run heading to the bus stop, forcing the leader to defend. She kept on his bumper coming off the toe of the boot, into turn eight, and for the full next lap. On the final lap of the race, she made another big run into the esses, right on the tail of the leader as they drove through the carousel, but couldn’t quite make the pass. They crossed the line with Unser in second, just four-tenths away from a second weekend victory.

Next up, Unser and Hoffmann head to Braselton, Georgia for the seventh and final round of the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama championship at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on September 12-14, 2025.

Mott Keeps “Top Finishing Female” Streak Alive in MX-5 Cup at VIR

Shift Up Now Athletes Sally Mott and Ashlyn Speed competed in rounds 11 and 12 of the 2025 Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin at VIRginia International Raceway on August 22-24, 205.

Both Athletes recently earned the “Top Finishing Female” award during the recent Mazda race weekend at Mosport, and at VIR, Mott continued the streak with an 11th-place finish. Driving the No. 15 Iron Dames inspired livery for JTR Engineering, Mott is a Collision Careers supported athlete.

The race weekend began on Friday with two practice sessions, and was Speed’s first time on the 3.27-mile, 16-turn track. She piloted the No. 31 Whelen Engineering entry for Hendricks Motorsport.

Both practice sessions were chaotic, with an abundance of red flags that limited the amount of laps turned. As a result, Speed ran just six total laps before it was time to prepare for the following morning’s qualifying.

On Saturday, the red-flag theme continued. Before most of the 33-car field had a chance to record a flying lap, an incident and subsequent cleanup created a one-lap shootout at the end of the session.

Despite a strong lap for Mott, traffic in the final corners cost her significantly, leaving her with a 21st-place spot on the starting grid for race one. Speed suffered a similar fate, only getting to run a few laps and qualifying 26th.

Later that day, the first 45-minute race began at 5:50pm ET. After the qualifying incident, 31 cars would start the competition. Following one pace lap, the field lined up two by two for the start, with Mott on the inside of row 11 and Speed on the outside of row 13.

Mott made a good start, staying toward the inside as the field fanned out four-wide into turn one. Then, as the track switched back to the left for the NASCAR bend, she slotted in line and kept to the inside, emerging in 18th place after the first few corners.

Before the end of the first lap, a full-course yellow emerged, and after a short cleanup, Mott was immediately back to progressing through the field. During the short green flag before another yellow, she advanced to 15th.

Twenty minutes remained after the second yellow cleanup. This time, Mott got shuffled back a few spots on the restart, but maintained her spot in the lead pack as it broke away from the rest of the field. Over the next 15 minutes, she took advantage of opportunities that advanced her up to 12th place.

The final yellow flag flew with five minutes left in the race, and race control opted to throw the white flag with the double yellow flags, meaning the field would end the race on the next lap, under caution.

Mott’s 12th place made her the “Top Finishing Female,” and she advanced an additional spot to 11th after a post-race penalty was assessed to one of her competitors. In addition, her fastest lap in race one gave her an eighth-place starting position for the second race.

“I feel like I really improved my pace, mindset, race craft and aggressiveness on track,” said Mott. “I stood my ground and made up ten positions. I’m proud of my race, but not fully satisfied with the result. Every race still feels like drinking from a fire hose - I’ve got a lot to learn, but I’m getting better each time out.”

Meanwhile, Speed set her personal-best lap times of the weekend and had a strong run, advancing nine spots to finish in 17th.

On Sunday morning, race two began at 10:40am ET under bright, sunny skies. Mott started on the outside of row four, and Speed on the outside of row 13.

During the pace lap, Mott’s tire started going flat, causing her to lose the ABS before the first turn on the first lap. When the field went four-wide into turn one, contact with another car sent her into the right side of the track. The contact was reviewed and deemed to be a racing incident, but Mott was forced to retire from the race.

Speed also got caught up in the chaos when the incident in the front caused an accordion effect throughout the field. She was assessed a penalty for contact, but safety car periods allowed her to recover to the back of the pack. She made her way back to 21st before the checkered flag fell.

Next up, the Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup Series heads to Braselton, GA for rounds 13 and 14 of the championship, at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on October 8-10, 2025.

Season-Best Finish for “The Hannahs” in GT4 America at Road America

Shift Up Now Athletes Hannah Greenemeier, Hannah Grisham and Laura Hayes competed in round nine of the Pirelli GT4 America championship at Road America on August 15-17, 2025, with “the Hannahs” bringing home a season-best fifth place finish overall, and another fourth place finish in the Silver class.

Driving the No. 26 navy blue and yellow Aston Martin GT4 for the Heart of Racing Team, Grisham and Greenemeier were anxious to return to the track where they took their first Silver Class podium as teammates in 2024. The 4.048-mile, 14-turn Wisconsin road course is also where Grisham earned her first class pole in 2023, her first season with the Heart of Racing Team.

Hayes, together with teammate Allen Patten, piloted the No. 606 BMW M4 GT4 - with a new orange and black livery - for Thunder Bunny Racing (TBR) in the AM class. The car was new for the team, although both drivers have past experience in BMWs. They first won a race in the World Racing League (WRL) GTO class with a modified BMW M2 CS Racing. In addition, the first time Hayes competed at Pikes Peak it was in an M2.

The race weekend began on Friday morning with a strong practice session for all of the Shift Up Now Athletes. The Hannahs jumped into the top ten immediately, with TBR running in the top 15 overall, and second in class.

Later that afternoon, Hayes and Patten improved on their first session, showing their potential with the new platform, and running just outside the top ten overall.

On Saturday morning, qualifying consisted of two 15-minute sessions, with one for each driver. Greenemeier took the wheel first and set a 12th-place starting position for Heart of Racing position in race one. Grisham took over the car for the second session to set the grid for race two, and qualified 11th overall.

For TBR, Hayes was the first qualifying driver. Her run gave them a third-in-class spot - 18th overall - to start race one. Teammate Patten then backed up her performance by also qualifying third in class to set their spot for race two.

Race one - and round eight of the championship was scheduled for Saturday evening, but Mother Nature had other plans. One week earlier, the Shift Up Athletes running in Porsche Sprint Challenge at Road America had a race cancelled due to severe weather, and the trend continued. Torrential rain and major storms rolled in on Saturday, throwing a wrench in the plans.

The 26-car GT4 America field rolled out for pace laps behind the safety car, but the accumulation of water on track and nearby lightening immediately thwarted the effort. A red

flag was thrown to postpone the competition, and a make-up race has been rescheduled for the upcoming event weekend at Barber Motorsports Park.

Race two (round nine) began on Sunday with cool track conditions under overcast skies. Grisham was lined up on the inside of row six, with Patten on the inside of row eight. After one pace lap, the field went two-by-two to the green flag to start the one-hour race.

The start was relatively clean with no incidents, despite some side-by-side racing throughout the field. After a couple laps, Grisham had advanced to 12th place overall. Meanwhile, Patten ran in 18th overall, and within the next three laps, moved up to 17th overall (third in class).

Just as the pit window opened, an incident on track required a competitor’s car to be retrieved. However, race control deemed it to be a local yellow situation and left the pits open, causing a scramble and a crowded pit lane.

Both the Heart of Racing Team and Thunder Bunny Racing executed fast, clean stops, and mandatory driver changes.

Greenemeier and Hayes hit the track in 10th and 14th overall, respectively, and the green flag flew again with 21 minutes remaining in the competition. After the restart, Greenemeier advanced to ninth overall, and Hayes moved up to 13th overall.

Before the TBR team even had the chance to appreciate taking the lead in their class and setting the fastest lap in class, pinhole damage in the radiator from front-end contact earlier in the race forced an early retirement. Patten later reported that he spent a third of his stint driving with water spraying on the front left of his car.

Meanwhile, a full-course yellow flew when a car in the Hurry Downs area spun and hit the wall. Nine minutes remained when green-flag racing resumed, and Greenemeier moved up to eighth on the restart.

Running side-by-side with the seventh-place car, Greenemeier managed to avoid the melee when the leaders - also running side-by-side - made contact. As the chaos at the front of the pack ensued, she chose her line correctly and emerged from the skirmish undamaged, running in fifth in class.

One final full-course yellow emerged with six minutes remaining, causing the race to finish under caution. Greenemeier would cross the finish line in fifth overall - fourth in class - to give the Heart of Racing duo their best finish of the season.

"It was a strong weekend for Hannah [Greenemeier] and I, resulting in our best finish in class, fourth, and our highest overall position of this year, fifth,” said Grisham. “I think we had a shot at a podium, but the race went yellow with a few laps to go and never restarted. But overall, we made strong gains with our car and our driving this weekend. Unfortunately, race one had to be postponed due to the weather in the area, but we are looking forward to having a third race at Barber. Hopefully, we can carry this momentum into the last two race weekends of the year. Massive thanks to the entire Heart of Racing team for their continued support.”

Greenemeier echoed the sentiment, saying, “Overall it was a successful weekend. I believe Hannah [Grisham] and I showed good pace and the team gave a great car all week in every condition. Race two is a bummer just coming one spot shy of a podium but we will keep digging for more. Thank you to the whole Heart of Racing team for their effort this weekend!”

Next up, the Pirelli GT4 America series heads to Birmingham, AL for rounds 8, 10 and 11 of the 2025 championship season. Greenemeier, Grisham, Hayes and Patten will compete at Barber Motorsports Park on September 5-7, 2025.