Victory for Johnson in Top Alcohol Dragster at NHRA JEGS Allstars

Shift Up Now Athlete Melanie Johnson earned a victory in her very first appearance at NHRA JEGS Allstars at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, TX, on October 16-18, 2026.

Driving the Speedster McPhillips Racing Top Alcohol Dragster, Johnson earned the win with a a 5.218 ET at 278.90 mph and holeshot over Jackie Fricke in the finals.

The NHRA JEGS Allstars program allows the best racers in ten categories from each of NHRA’s three geographic regions (East, Central and West) to compete for individual honors and share of the $124,000 purse. Racers accumulate points for the event at NHRA Lucas Oil divisional races prior to the competition.

Johnson represented the Central Region in the Top Alcohol Dragster division, awarding the Central Region the team win for the JEGS Allstars Top Alcohol classes.

In addition, she earned the No. 1 qualifying position in Q1 on Friday, with a 5.236 ET at 275.97 mph. She then secured the No. 2 qualifying position based off of Friday’s Q1 run. In Q2 on Friday, Johnson ran a 5.274 ET at 277.42 mph.

She advanced to the JEGS Allstars Finals on Saturday, where she defeated Joey Severance in round one with a 5.230 ET at 278.14 mph. In the semifinals, she defeated Jamie Noonan with a 5.174 ET at 277.35 mph before her victory in the finals.

“It’s unbelievable to be here,” said Johnson. “The JEGS Allstars program is awesome to be a part of. Texas Motorplex is an incredible place to race and I’m out here with a ton of great racers. It feels like such a huge accomplishment to come out with my team and do so well.

“We pretty much dominated last weekend in the regional race and lost in a close final. We lost another close race in first round this weekend, so to come out and win this race, it means everything.

“I’m so proud of my guys. They’ve had this hot rod running quick all weekend. This win goes to them. Thank you to McPhillips Racing, Speedmaster, and AJPE (Alan Johnson Performance Engineering) for powering this car. We got a new bullet put in last week and it’s hauling.”

Next up, Johnson will be back behind the wheel of the Speedmaster McPhillips Racing Top Alcohol Dragster in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals October 30-November 1, 2026 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Victory, Eastern Championship, and Double Podium for AEVR at Sebring

Shift Up Now Athletes Alana Carter, Michele Abbate and Hannah Grisham won the second race of a double-header World Racing League (WRL) weekend for in the No. 120 AE Victory Racing (AEVR) entry at Sebring International Raceway on October 15-18, 2026.

In addition, fellow Shift Up Now Athletes Ashley Freiberg, Sarah Montgomery and Brenna Schubert finished second in both races, giving AEVR four podium finishes across its two entries.

The team also secured a 1-2 qualifying result, with the No. 119—driven by Freiberg, Montgomery, and Schubert—earning its first pole position. The results continued the momentum of the team’s two-car Toyota Supra GT4 EVO2 program, with both entries demonstrating competitive pace and the driver lineup putting its driver development, racecraft and fuel-management skills to work across the two races.

Both AE Victory Racing entries showed strong pace from the outset, qualifying well and positioning themselves to contend at the front of the GTO field. The No. 119 proved particularly strong throughout the weekend, while the No. 120 continued to demonstrate its ability to recover positions and remain in contention.

Saturday’s race brought changing conditions that ultimately influenced the final results. Rain began falling in the final hours of the race, and the team elected to stay on its existing tires rather than switch to grooved rain tires. As the rain continued and intensified, the decision became increasingly consequential.

AEVR’s drivers continued to manage the wet conditions and maintain competitive pace, bringing both cars home on the podium. The No. 119 finished second, followed by the No. 120 in third.

The race also provided valuable evidence of the drivers’ continued progress. Schubert delivered quick, consistent stints and showed improved confidence navigating traffic, while Carter adapted quickly to the Sebring circuit and maintained her pace over longer stints without significant fatigue.

AEVR returned Sunday with a strong performance from both its drivers and crew. Several competitors challenged the team during the opening stages, but mechanical issues among rival entries changed the competitive picture as the race progressed.

With its cars running consistently and its pit crew executing clean stops, AEVR established a gap over the field. The team’s pit-lane performance was a defining factor, allowing both entries to maintain their positions at the front while managing fuel requirements over the race distance.

As the race entered its final stages, fuel strategy became the deciding factor in the battle between the two AEVR cars.

The No. 119 had held the lead, but its pace through the middle portions of the race increased its fuel requirements. With no late caution to provide an opportunity to reset the strategy, the team determined that the car would need to make an additional fuel stop. The No. 120, meanwhile, was able to conserve fuel through the closing stint.

Grisham managed her fuel consumption effectively, bringing the No. 120 to the checkered flag without an additional stop. The fuel light came on during the final lap, underscoring how closely the team had calculated its remaining fuel.

Montgomery also delivered strong pace in the No. 119, but the additional stop cost the car its lead. The two entries remained ahead of the third-place competitor, finishing as the only cars on the lead lap.

The No. 120 took the overall victory, with the No. 119 finishing second. The result also secured AEVR the Eastern Championship, with the No. 120 finishing first and the No. 119 second in the Eastern Championship. The team’s Sunday performance highlighted its ability to combine speed with strategic decision-making and execution under pressure.

AEVR’s Sebring performance adds to a season that has included strong results from both Toyota Supra GT4 EVO2 entries. With the Eastern Championship secured in first and second place, the team also continues to lead the National Championship standings.

The team remains focused on its broader goal of creating meaningful opportunities for women in motorsport through funded seat time, professional coaching, mentorship and education. Its Driver as CEO curriculum expands that approach beyond on-track performance, helping drivers develop the skills and knowledge needed to manage their careers as professional athletes.

With the Eastern Championship secured, a Sunday victory, four podium finishes across the weekend and continued progress throughout its driver lineup, AEVR leaves Sebring with another strong result to build on as it works toward the next stage of its development program.

Tabor Earns Championship Runner Up Spot in Impressive 2026 ARA Season

Shift Up Now Athlete Madelyn Tabor trailed the championship leader by only two points to close out an exceptional 2026 American Rally Association National Championship season with a fourth-place L4WD class finish at the Lake Superior Performance Rally (LSPR) on October 9– 10, 2026.

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

LSPR, based in Marquette, Michigan, was the eighth and final round of the ARA national championship. Known as one of the most demanding events on the calendar, it brings competitors to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for fast forest roads, sandy surfaces, changing grip, and unpredictable fall weather.

Tabor entered the season finale leading the National L4WD championship after earning max points and her first-ever L4 class win at Overmountain Rally Tennessee.

Tabor and teammate Sophia McKee completed pre-event recce on Thursday, ahead of the competition, giving them the opportunity to write and refine their pace notes for LSPR’s Upper Peninsula roads. Compared to the tight, rocky roads of Overmountain, LSPR presented a different challenge: fast forest roads, sandy surfaces, rhythm changes, and weather-dependent grip.

The race began on Friday under sunny skies over the very fast, flowy Upper Peninsula roads. Early in the first loop, the No. 209 team developed a mechanical issue inside the car when a nut backed out and caused the shift linkage to become loose. Tabor and McKee sourced a replacement nut from another competitor, but that one also backed out. To keep the car going, a zip tie was added to hold the shift linkage in place before the final stage of the first loop as a temporary fix.

The third stage of the first five-stage loop was canceled, and despite the shift-linkage issue, Tabor and McKee continued to manage the car and work through the day with the championship picture still in mind.

The second loop brought another major challenge: dust. Visibility issues caused significant time loss and made it difficult to attack the roads with confidence. As conditions worsened, and with safety in mind, the final two stages of the five-stage loop were canceled.

On Saturday, the duo continued the race, focusing on clean execution, trusting the notes, and using the more technical road character to rebuild confidence and speed. The tighter Saturday stages suited their approach better, allowing them to find flow and continue pushing within the limits of the rally and the car.

The final Power Stage, SS16 Al’s Playground, was 7.73 miles. Tabor and McKee set an SS16 time of 7:42.6, finishing 11th overall on the Power Stage and 3rd in LN4/L4WD power-stage position.

Ultimately, “Jellybean" crossed the finish line with a total time of 1:31:26.4, placing Tabor and McKee 16th overall and 4th in National L4WD.

When the numbers were calculated, Tabor ended the season with 95 points, just two behind the ARA championship winner.

“I’m obviously disappointed we weren't able to secure the championship here, and to lose it by two points certainly stings,” said Tabor, “but I am still proud of what we were able to accomplish here at the Lake Superior Performance Rally.

“It’s been an exciting year filled with growth and so many amazing things to celebrate! This season has been all about learning, building, and continuing to grow with the Rally3. We earned our first L4 class win, fought for the championship until the final round, and proved that this program belongs in that fight.

“Huge thank you to Sophia, the entire Tabor Racing Team crew, Matrix Motorsports, Shift Up Now, WIMNA, Steven Redd Racing, Tabor Accounting Group, and Fox Marquette Ford. Being the first rally athlete recognized and funded by Shift Up Now means so much to me, and their support has helped make this year of development possible. We gained a lot this season and I’m excited to keep building from here."

Victory for Hayes in GT4 America Season Finale at IMS

Shift Up Now Athlete Laura Hayes ended the 2026 Pirelli GT4 America season with an Am class win in the second of two races, competing for Dome Motorsport at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) on October 8-11, 2026.

Fellow Shift Up Now Athletes Ashley Freiberg, Loni Unser, and Erika Hoffmann were also there competing in the Silver class in Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport entries for Kellymoss. Freiberg and Unser piloted the No. 24 “Be Your Own Hero” entry supported by PenFed and Acumatica, while Hoffmann made her return after missing the prior event at Barber Motorsports Park, and competing with teammate Eric Filgueiras in the No. 73 Coverly Home Protection | Connect Invest entry.

The race weekend took place alongside the Indy 8 Hour event on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn IMS road course, where Freiberg had previous raced in 2023 when she wrapped up the Porsche Sprint Challenge 991.2 Cup Championship. Unser had also previously competed in vintage races in 2018 and 2019, however this would mark her professional racing debut at the track.

The first practice took place on Thursday afternoon. The No. 24 car continued with the quick speeds from previous race weekends, running immediately inside the top 15 overall among the 35-car field. Hayes and Hoffmann, who were both running at the famed Brickyard for the first time, focused their efforts on learning the course and getting up to speed.

On Friday morning, the second practice would prove to be one of the most important sessions of the weekend. Filgueiras placed the No. 73 car inside the top 10, with Freiberg and Unser again in the top 15, and Hayes finding speed in the top 20.

Later that afternoon, qualifying initially went to plan. Unser was first in the No. 24 for Kellymoss, and she had one of her strongest qualifying sessions of the season, putting up the 13th-fastest time on the overall time sheets. Meanwhile Hayes was first qualifying driver in the Dome Motorsport entry, and set her personal best time of the weekend to be fourth in the Am class, and inside the top 20 overall, with the top 25 cars separated by less than 2 seconds. Hoffmann was the nominated first driver in the No. 73, and set the ninth-fastest time in the Silver Class.

However a timing and scoring issue caused each teams’ second qualifying attempt to be abandoned, and the series decided that the grid for the second race would be set from the second driver’s fastest times in the second practice session.

The green flag would fly for the first race at 10:00am EDT on Saturday morning in cool, crisp conditions. After two pace laps, the field lined up two-by-two as they approached the Yard of Bricks. All Shift Up Now Athletes were lined up on the inside row, with Unser in the seventh, Hayes in the ninth, and Hoffmann a few rows further back.

Unser was initially boxed in behind a slow BMW and was forced to drop inside the turn one curb to avoid what looked like an inevitable incident, which unfortunately earned her a time penalty from race control that would have to be served at her pit stop.

To further the frustration, an early full-course yellow at the end of the first lap kept Unser from moving forward or making a gap to minimize the penalty. The race only went back to green for one lap before the pit window opened, then Freiberg took over for the second half of the race. The duo would finish eighth in the Silver class and 17th overall.

On the same strategy, Hoffmann stopped early in the pit window, where Filgueiras took over. Together, the pair went from 33rd position at the start to a 12th place overall finish at the checkered flag.

Meanwhile Hayes and teammate Ed Killeen combined for a 10th place in class.

On Sunday morning, Killeen announced that he was under the weather. As a result, GT4 America officials gave Hayes special dispensation to compete as a solo driver for this one race. However, this also meant she would have to serve a longer pit stop than her competitors as part of the penalty for being a single driver.

The green flag flew at 10:25am EDT with damp track conditions. With a dry line just starting to emerge in several periods of the track, the entire field elected to start on slick dry weather tires, knowing that the first laps would be treacherous.

After two pace laps, the back several rows of the field were still stretched out, and in a chaotic formation with uncharacteristic gaps as the field came to the green. Filgueiras was behind the wheel first, starting in sixth. Freiberg rolled off from 12th, and Hayes ended up getting caught farther back behind some of the straggling cars.

The slippery race track created several moments of contact before a spinning car in the front of the pack caused havoc halfway through the first lap. Freiberg avoided all incidents and picked her way through without damage, and into 10th place. Similarly, Hayes used the compressed pack to gain lost time and make passes through the field.

As the field crossed the line at the end of the first lap, and the caution flew for the clean up, Hayes had gained more than 10 positions overall, claiming her spot in the top 20 overall. Once the race went green again, she continued her forward progress, moving into the top five in class before pitting early in the window and reemerging in clean air.

Meanwhile, Freiberg ran into the middle of the pit stop window before handing over the No. 24 to Unser and running just outside the top 10. Filgueiras opted to run longer into the pit window before Hoffmann then took over.

As the two cars ahead of Hayes fought and slowed each other up, her heads-up driving helped her make the most of a mistake from the leader, following the second-place car for a pass. Now running in second, she immediately started to put significant pressure on the new leader in the second half of the same lap. Then on the following, she made the pass in the first couple of corners to take the class lead.

Unchallenged for the rest of the race, Hayes finished first in the Am class, and 16th overall.

"What an incredible way to wrap up the GT4 America season with a double win for Dome Motorsport!" said Hayes. "I’m absolutely ecstatic for the entire team. We showed so much promise throughout the season, but circumstances never quite seemed to go our way. To finally put it all together and take home wins in both Pro-Am and Am was the perfect way to close out the year.

"Coming into this season, I honestly didn’t think I’d have the opportunity to compete in this series again. But at the eleventh hour, Eddie Killeen and Oore Jewelry stepped up and gave me an incredible opportunity to continue learning and growing, and show what I can do. I’ll never be able to thank them enough for believing in me and making this season possible."

Hoffmann finished out the season with a top 15 overall, just in front of Hayes on the race track, and sixth in the Silver class. Meanwhile Freiberg and Unser combined for fifth place in the Silver class, and in the top 15 overall.

“The Hannahs” Finish Fourth in IMPC Championship in Rookie Season

Shift Up Now Athletes Hannah Greenemeier and Hannah Grisham matched their season-best finish, coming home in sixth—and simultaneously securing fourth place in the championship— for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on September 30-October 2, 2026.

Piloting the Heart of Racing No. 26 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 Evo on the 2.54-mile, 12 turn permanent road course, “The Hannahs” hit the track for the first time Wednesday for practice one. Picking up where they left off during the last event at IMS, they showed strong pace immediately, with Grisham putting the duo in the top 10 on the time sheets.

On Thursday morning, practice two began at 8:35am EDT. Mist hovering over the track made for challenging conditions, but Greenemeier matched Grisham’s pace from the day before. By the end of the session, they were eighth on the time sheets.

Later that day, qualifying took place at 6:45pm EDT. Following the same driver order as the previous event at IMS, Greenemeier was behind the wheel. She set her best time of the weekend to put the team fifth on the grid for Friday’s race.

The two hour competition that would close out the Hannahs’ rookie season began at 11:40am EDT. The field ran two-by-two to the start with Greenemeier starting in the No. 26 on the inside of row three.

She had a solid start, but the car on the outside got a strong run into turn one and she dropped back to sixth. She maintained her line through turn one and completed the pass to take her fifth place spot back by turn three.

Within the first 10 minutes of the competition, Greenemeier was looking racy and setting her sights on fourth place. She made the move with an over/under pass exiting the turn 10 chicane, then began pulling a gap.

One lap later, she was on the tail of the third-place car. She looked to the inside, applied pressure and got a strong run on the back straight with a tow heading down to turn 10. Her competitor defended, so she went to the outside, looking to repeat the over/under move. When it didn’t work out, she held her position, but attempted the same maneuver again on the following lap.

In the three-wide moment that followed, the third-place car tried to defend against another competitor, slowing them both down and allowing Greenemeier to take over the third-place position.

When the first pit stop window opened approximately 42 minutes into the race, she briefly cycled into second place before pulling the Aston Martin into pit lane for the driver change, fuel, and tires.

Grisham took off to continue the momentum but also full-course caution emerged almost immediately for debris on the track. The field packed up behind the safety car, with Grisham running fifth for the restart.

Just like Greenemeier, she looked fast and repeated her teammate’s move on the back straight, getting a solid run off turn seven and trying to make the pass for fourth into turn 10.

After three attempts to pass her competitor in turn 10, she repeatedly slotted back into fifth place. However the fourth time was the charm. She got the run from turn 10, and the two competitors gave each other the bare minimum amount of space. Grisham got slightly nudged onto the dirt once again, but this time she completed the over/under pass described by the commentators as “forceful but clean driving,” and held the inside line into the infamous final corner onto the front straight.

Now running fourth in the GT4 field, she began to hunt down third place, closing the gap a few tenths at a time until she was within a second.

With 50 minutes remaining, the first of the lead cars pulled in for their final pit stop. To ensure Grisham would be able to finish the race without having to save fuel, the Heart of Racing team elected to keep her on track for a couple more laps, which cycled her to the lead of the race.

After the team’s final pit stop, Grisham still maintained her spot in a net fourth place when accounting for the cars still needing to make their final stop. She got a strong run out of turn seven, setting her focus on the final podium position. The net third-place car battled back while she kept the pressure on before eventually making the pass on the run down the back straight.

The second-place car became Grisham’s new target and she looked to the outside of turn six. Her competitor defended, and in a repeat of earlier, Grisham threw elbows with the car ahead on the entry to turn 10. Two light touches occurred, but she emerged in net second place.

With 35 minutes remaining in the season finale, the Heart of Racing car suffered a technical glitch and momentarily lost power in a high-speed portion of the race track. Grisham was able to get the car back up to speed again but fell back to tenth place.

Undeterred, Grisham focused forward and began making passes. With 15 minutes remaining, she was back up to eighth in the GT4 class, then caught up to the group running fourth through seventh with 10 minutes to go.

She made her now-signature move, with a big run coming off turn seven to take over the seventh-place position, then moved into sixth just a couple laps later. She was less than one second behind the fifth-place car with three minutes to go, when a massive incident on the front straight brought out the full-course caution. The race would finish under yellow, and Grisham crossed the finish line in sixth, securing the Hannahs’ fourth-place spot in the championship standings for their rookie campaign.

"Road Atlanta was another close but not close enough weekend for us," said Greenemeier. "We had the pace, we had the pit stops, we had strategy, we just didn’t have the luck once again. It’s hard having that electrical gremlin take away what I believe would have been a win for us but that’s how racing goes sometimes.

"I’m super proud of Hannah Grisham for how she handled that in the race and went straight back on the charge. I’m super proud of the whole Heart of Racing team for all their hard work this year and to see how all of us have grown to be a force to be reckoned with. Although we wanted the win getting P4 in the championship for our rookie season is something we can all be proud of. Thank you to the whole Heart of Racing team for a great year and everyone around me for pushing me to be better both on and off the track."

"Road Atlanta was a bit of a mixed bag to close out the season," added Grisham. "We had a really strong car and were in a great position—it felt like it was our race to win until an unfortunate electrical gremlin caused the car to shut off mid-race. It’s frustrating to end the season that way, especially knowing the pace and potential we had, but I’m proud of the fight we showed and everything we accomplished this season. A huge thank you to my entire team, The Heart of Racing, and everyone who supported me throughout the year. Finishing P4 in the championship in our rookie season is something we can all be really proud of."

Pair of Top-Ten Finishes for Cook in Porsche Carrera Cup at Road Atlanta

Shift Up Now Athlete Sabré Cook earned back-to-back ninth-place finishes in round seven of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America presented by Solairus Aviation championship at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on September 30-October 2, 2026.

Driving the all-white privé products No. 37 911 Cup Car for JDX Racing, Cook began the penultimate event of the season (also the support race for Petit Le Mans) with two practice sessions on Wednesday.

The first session was successful, with Cook running in the top ten on the time sheets from the start on the 2.54-mile, 12 turn permanent road course. However, an issue in the second practice hindered her pace and JDX Racing team’s ability to adequately prepare for qualifying.

On Thursday morning, qualifying took place at 9:50am EDT. Despite the setback the day before, Cook set the ninth-fastest time and had the ninth-fastest of the second fastest laps in the session. She would start both of the weekend’s races on the inside of row five.

Later that day, the first of the weekend’s two 40-minute races began at 5:25pm EDT. After one pace lap, the 22-car field ran two-by-two to the green flag and onto the front straight.

Cook had a strong, clean start. The car on the outside of row five immediately tried to challenge for position heading into turn one, but she held her ground all the way up to the steep hill into turn three before the field settled into single file formation.

The race ran green from start to finish, and Cook spent a majority of her time within one second of the eighth-place car. When the checkered flag flew, she held the ninth-place spot she had started in.

Race two took place on Friday at 3:55pm EDT. In a repeat of the day before, Cook started from the inside of row five and had a strong start. This time, she took the inside line on the car one row ahead, making it three wide into turn one. However, the loss of momentum from being on the tighter line into the corner meant she was unable to complete the pass, and slotted back into her ninth-place spot.

The field then settled into a single-file line as the first half of the race mirrored the day before. Cook kept on the heels of the eighth-place car but this time, as the race went on, her tire grip started to wane. Nevertheless, she held her position and finished in ninth.

“Road Atlanta was definitely a challenging weekend with some car issues and not feeling 100%, so it wasn’t quite the weekend we wanted. But I’m proud that we were able to stay focused and bring home two clean 9th-place finishes," said Cook. "There are definitely positives to take away, and I’m excited to regroup with the team, get healthy, and keep building toward COTA. A huge thank you to everyone at JDX Racing and all of my partners for their continued support. I’m really grateful to have such a great group behind me, and I’m looking forward to getting back in the car and giving a great performance at COTA.”

Next up, the Porsche Carrera Cup North America presented by Solairus Aviation series heads to Circuit of the Americas (COTA) for round eighth round and 2026 season finale on October 23-25, 2026.

Top-Five Finish for Freiberg and Unser in GT4 America at Barber

Shift Up Now Athletes Loni Unser and Ashley Freiberg earned a fifth-place finish in the Silver class (and top 15 overall) during rounds 10 and 11 of the 2026 Pirelli GT4 America Championship at Barber Motorsports Park on September 25-27, 2026.

Fellow Shift Up Now Athlete Laura Hayes also competed on the 2.38-mile, 17-turn natural-terrain road course in the No. 37 Junaid entry for Dome Motorsport with teammate Ed Killeen.

Driving the No. 24 “Be Your Own Hero” Porsche Cayman GT4 RS for Kellymoss in the penultimate event of the season, Freiberg and Unser are both supported by PenFed Credit Union, Acumatica, Mobil1, Speedway Motors, Radius, and Pagid.

The race weekend began with two test sessions and the first official practice on Thursday. Unser and Freiberg rolled off the truck looking racy and running in the top 15 overall on the time sheets for each session. Meanwhile, Hayes and Killeen hovered just outside the top 20 for the three sessions.

After one final official practice on Friday morning, the Shift Up Now Athletes were ready for qualifying. Unser and Hayes were behind the wheel of their respective cars to start the session.

Hayes put together her best lap of the weekend, slotting the Dome Motorsport entry into the 12th spot for the start of race one. Unser came within a couple of tenths of her personal best time of the weekend, and qualified in 23rd for the first race.

Next up, Freiberg took the wheel in the Kellymoss car for the second qualifying session to set the grid for race two. She repeated her strong form from the practice sessions, putting the No. 24 car in the 13th spot for the start of the second race.

On Friday afternoon, the first one-hour race began at 3:30pm CDT. After two pace laps, the field lined up side-by-side with Hayes on the outside of row six and Unser on the inside of row 12.

The start was clean, despite a late green flag and a slightly slow pace that bunched up the field. Hayes advanced to ninth in the first corners, taking her place in the class lead. Meanwhile, Unser, who had been on the inside for the first corner, got trapped on the outside through turns two and three, being forced to concede a position she had just gained.

A long green-flag run followed, and continued until the first pit stop window opened. Hayes held fast to her class lead (ninth overall) while Unser advanced to just outside the top 20.

The No. 24 car was one of the first to dive into pit lane when the window opened, while Hayes in the No. 37 car stayed out on the opposite strategy, and cycled to the overall lead. The excitement was short-lived though, when she was punted into a spin by a competitor on the entry into turn five.

Despite being able to get back into the race, the damage was done. Hayes and Killeen would later go on to cross the finish line just outside the top 20, and sixth in class.

In the meantime, Freiberg had taken over for Unser in the No. 24 car, and began making moves to advance into the top 20. When the checkered flag flew, the duo had earned a fourteenth-place overall finish, and seventh place in class.

Race two began on Saturday at 1:35pm CDT. Just like the first race, the one-hour competition began after two pace laps, this time with Freiberg starting in the No. 24 and Killeen in the No, 37.

After a clean start, the field held their two-by-two formation throughout the pack and into the first several turns. Freiberg got boxed in at turn five, leaving her vulnerable to an outside move from her competitor and going three-wide into turn seven. Then down through the corkscrew and into Museum Turn, she was side-by-side with another car before being forced to concede the position at the high-speed esses.

Once again, green-flag racing continued through the first pit stop window. Freiberg stayed inside the top 15, and stayed out when the window opened, aiming to work her way into the top 10.

And once again on the opposing strategy, the No. 37 Dome Motorsport entry was one of the first cars in pit lane. Hayes took over with the team running just outside the top 20. Unser was now behind the wheel of the No. 24 car, running in 13th place.

With 20 minutes remaining in the race, a full-course caution flew for a damaged car. After a short, five-minute cleanup, the field packed up for the restart. Side-by-side racing took place throughout the field. Unser held her position in the chaos and Hayes began making passes to move up in the order.

At the checkered flag, Unser crossed the finish line in 11th overall and fifth in class. Hayes was able to climb to 19th overall, just one place off the podium in class.

“I’m really happy with our performance as a team this weekend at Barber,” said Freiberg. “We have been showing improvement each weekend and so I’m excited to see where this takes us for the next event in Indy. I know that everyone has been working really hard and we are hungry to continue pushing forward. I’m so grateful to be a part of this crew at Kellymoss!”

Unser added, ”I am proud of the progress we made and grateful to Kellymoss, our partners, and everyone at Shift Up Now for their continued support. Now we’re focused on carrying this momentum into the season finale at Indianapolis."

Next up, Unser, Freiberg, and Hayes head to Indianapolis for the season finale (rounds 12 and 13) of the Pirelli GT4 America championship, at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway on October 8-11, 2026.

Victory for Tabor in ARA Overmountain Rally Tennessee

Shift Up Now Athlete Madelyn Tabor took over the American Rally Association (ARA) class championship lead when she and co-driver Sophia McKee earned their first L4WD class win at the Overmountain Rally Tennessee (OVRMTN) in Newport, TN on September 18-19, 2026.

Tabor entered this seventh event of the season tied for second in the National L4WD championship standings. OVRMTN also brought one of the deepest ARA fields of the season, including international rally talent.

The 13 stages and 100+ competition miles of OVRMTN ran through the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, including repeated runs through stages such as Low Gap, The Gulf of Tennessee, Wasp, Weaver’s Bend, and Big Clifty before closing with the Newport Speedway Super Special Stage. One of the most demanding events on the calendar, OVRMTN is known for technical gravel roads, elevation changes, tight and twisting sections, rough rocky areas, and limited room for error.

On Thursday, Tabor and McKee completed pre-event recce, making stage notes and settling into their communication rhythm.

Friday then brought hot and humid conditions for the 11:00am EST opening of the rally. The No. 209 lined up third in class (16th overall), and started out SS1 'Low Gap' with a very competitive pace, even after hitting a rock and developing a minor vibration in the car.

The next stage was SS2, 'The Gulf of Tennessee,' with almost 15 miles of tight and twisty roads. Tabor focused on managing the car and trusting the notes. SS3 continued on this same note, then the duo was able to shave 17 seconds off the last stage of the day, ‘The Gulf of Tennessee II.’ With the National L4WD championship in sight, the team’s approach was measured and intentional.

On Saturday, warm, humid conditions continued for the 9:00am EST start. This time, Tabor and McKee were starting second in class, and 17th overall.

The first loop of three stages (SS5,SS6,SS7) started out smoothly, setting down good times. By SS6, Tabor and McKee had taken over the lead in class, with the second-place car running approximately 30 seconds behind. They pushed the pace, shaving off 37 seconds on SS8 from SS5, and 17 seconds on SS9 from SS6. The SS10 and SS12 ended up being canceled.

Ultimately, Jellybean crossed the finish line 15th overall and ninth nationally, with Tabor and McKee earning their first-ever victory in the L4WD class. This win, in conjunction with Tabor’s win in the power stage (a national-only stage near the end of the rally awarding three extra points) also gave Tabor the ARA class championship lead.

“Overmountain is such a technical event, and it takes a lot of focus to manage the car, the notes, and the road conditions from start to finish,” said Tabor. “Sophia and I came into the weekend wanting to be smart, keep building confidence, and bring the car home. Earning max points and first in class was a huge push for the championship, and I'm happy to go into the final event first in class.

“This season has been all about learning, building, and continuing to grow with the car and the team. Huge thank you to Sophia, the entire Tabor Racing Team crew, Matrix Motorsports, Shift Up Now, WIMNA, Steven Redd Racing, Tabor Accounting Group, and Rusty Wallace Ford. We’ll ride this momentum to LSPR and aim to finish the season on a high!”

Next up, Tabor heads to Marquette, Michigan for the eighth event of the 2026 ARA National Championship, the Lake Superior Performance Rally on October 9-10, 2026.

Season-Best Finish and Fourth Pole Position for “The Hannahs” at IMS

Shift Up Now Athletes Hannah Greenemeier and Hannah Grisham earned their fourth pole position of the season—two for Greenemeier, two for Grisham—and matched their best finish, coming in sixth in the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) on September 18-20, 2026.

Competing in the tenth and penultimate 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 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course.

The race weekend began on Friday with two practice sessions for the field of 44 cars (31 in the GT4 class). Grisham set the sixth-fastest time in practice on Friday morning, then Greenemeier followed it up with a fifth-fastest time in the second session that afternoon.

Qualifying took place on Saturday morning, with Greenemeier behind the wheel. When her flying lap clocked in two-tenths faster than anyone else in the field, she secured her second pole of the season, and the fourth for the duo.

Later that day, the two-hour race began at 2:30pm ET with Greenemeier leading the field to green, on the inside of row one as cars ran two-by-two to the famous Yard of Bricks. Greenemeier immediately pulled cleanly into the lead heading into turn one, then she and the second-place car began to break away from the rest of the pack by the end of the first lap.

Within the first five minutes, they were still nose-to-tail, with a two-second lead over the rest of the field. But when a full-course yellow emerged for a car in the tires in turn seven, it closed the gap the two lead cars had built.

After a short cleanup, green-flag racing resumed. On the restart, Greenemeier got a solid jump on the two cars behind her that teamed up to attempt a bump draft into turn one. They nearly closed the gap by working together, but Greenemeier emerged cleanly back in the lead.

Just then, another yellow flag flew when a car further back in the field suffered a broken suspension. Once again, cleanup was short and Greenemeier had another strong restart, this time without challenge. However, less than one lap later, in true racing fashion, the old “yellows breed yellows” adage came to fruition. Multiple cars sustained damage as the safety crew went to work cleaning up the melee.

On the third restart, Greenemeier again led the field to green. This time, she was forced to defend from a car in her tow. When it moved to the outside, the pair ran side-by-said through turns one and two. Greenemeier was then able to get her car fully ahead by turn three to maintain her lead.

Finally, sustained green flag racing ensued, and Greenemeier began pulling a gap on the rest of the field, and running more than a second ahead of the second-place car before pulling the No. 26 car into pit lane for the team’s first pit stop, driver change, and new tires.

The Heart of Racing team made an early call to “back time” from the end of the race to avoid trying to save fuel during the last stint.

Grisham was only on track for a few laps before the next full-course caution flew, bringing a majority of the field into pit lane for fuel and tires. The No. 26 team opted to come back to pit lane for a splash of fuel, effectively leap-frogging all teams doing full pit stops. With teams now on various pit strategies, Grisham cycled to fifth place.

After the restart, she began to methodically work her way forward, both through passes and alternate strategies for her competitors. By the time she came to pit lane for her final stop with just 40 minutes remaining in the race, she had advanced to second place.

As planned, the final stop was just for fuel. Grisham then went out for what would be a long green-flag run as the various strategies began to play out. With 10 minutes remaining, she was in fifth place and closing fast on several cars ahead that were trying to stretch their fuel to the end.

The plan was working until a competitor ran out of fuel on track with just six minutes to go. The full-course caution brought the entire field back together for one last restart. To add to the difficulty, rain began falling at IMS just as the field prepared for the final one-lap dash.

Caught behind another competitor who was also running out of fuel coming to the green flag, and in amongst lapped traffic, and mixed-class competition cars, Grisham was able to hold on for a sixth-place finish, matching the No. 26 team’s best IMPC finish to date.

"Ultimately it was a good week in Indy," said Hannah Greenemeier. "The car was really fast and the team did a great job. It was cool to get another pole and do it at such an iconic track. The end result wasn’t what we wanted as a car in front of us ran out of fuel as we went to go for the last restart. We will keep pushing to get the results that we know we can achieve. Huge thank you to the entire Heart of Racing team for all their hard work and the opportunity to drive for such a great team and cause."

Next up, “the Hannahs” head to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for the season finale of the 2026 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series, the Motul Petit Le Mans, on September 30-October 3, 2026.

Back-to-Back Top-Five Finishes for Carter in Radical Cup Canada

Shift Up Now Athlete Alana Carter continued her strong 2026 Emzone Radical Cup Canada presented by Michelin championship campaign with a top-five finish, which she then bested with a fourth-place finish, in the Labour Day Sprints at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on September 4-6, 2026.

Driving the No. 2 Emzone Radical SR3 for Radical Academy in the Pro Class and sponsored by Vibrant Performance, Carter hit the 2.459-mile, 10-turn track for the first time on Friday morning for practice. The weather was cool and overcast, and Carter had a solid session, running fourth-fastest on the time sheets.

Later that day, qualifying took place at 3:05pm EST. This time, the weather was warm and sunny, and Carter noted that the track was filled with lots of rubber from the other series.

She had a disappointing qualifying session when her engine blew just before turn eight. She was able to coast into pit entry and realized her previous lap was good enough to secure a 12th-place spot on the starting grid for the first race.

That night, the Radical Academy team worked hard to get a new motor in the car in time for the following morning’s race.

On Saturday, race one began at 9:30am EST under cool and overcast skies, which provided optimal track conditions. Carter lined up on the outside of row six for the green flag and fought her way through the field to cross the finish line fifth in class.

For race two on Sunday, Carter started second and was able to take over the lead in turn four of the first lap. She led the field for approximately five laps before a battle with the second- place car ensued. When the top three cars entered turn one going three-wide, Carter got pushed into the marbles and back to fourth place.

When the checkered flag flew for race two, she was running fifth. However, a post-race disqualification bumped her up to fourth to award her two top-five finishes on the weekend.

“It was a great note to end the season on for me,” said Carter. “The competition this year was steep and I learned a lot from it. Although I got so close to the podium multiple times without actually securing one, I’m so proud of the progress we made as a team this year, and myself as a driver.

“I owe a huge thank you to my car chief Anna Arkhipova and my team for getting my car ready in time, and my partners this year who helped me get on track. Emzone and Vibrant Performance played a huge role in my success this year. I’m forever grateful for their support.”