The Shift Up Now Foundation is proud to announce a new, multi-event activation partnership with M1 Concourse, including the American Speed Festival and the inaugural Ladies Race of Champions (LROC), taking place on October 4-5, 2025 at M1 Concourse in Pontiac, MI. As part of the partnership, M1 Concourse has also been named Platinum Sponsor of “A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation” on October 25, 2025.
M1 Concourse is the premier destination for automotive enthusiasts. From high-performance on-track experiences, sophisticated events, family-friendly activities, or the largest automotive festivals, M1 Concourse offers an unparalleled environment for enthusiasts to celebrate their passion for cars.
One of the highlights of this year’s American Speed Festival will be the very first Ladies Race of Champions, a charitable event featuring five female racers from different disciplines. The 2025 driver lineup includes Shift Up Now Athletes Pippa Mann (IndyCar, Nurburgring 24H race), Taylor Ferns (Short Track Midget and Sprint Cars), Megan Meyer (Drag racing) and Loni Unser (Porsche Sprint Challenge and Pikes Peak) and Laura Hayes (SRO GT4 America and Pikes Peak).
Testing will take place on Friday, with time trials on Saturday and Sunday. All drivers will compete against one another in identical Radical SR3 race cars, and the winner will be awarded a $10,000 check for the Shift Up Now Foundation.
“We support the mission of Shift Up Now, so we wanted to provide an exciting platform for some of their professional racers to publicly demonstrate their skills in a fun and exciting competition format,” says Paul M. Zlotoff, Owner and CEO of M1 Concourse. “Our American Speed Festival presented the perfect opportunity to do this. Some of these young ladies will be stepping outside their comfort zones to compete since they’re not all road racers. Their participation in other activities during the festival only reinforces the professionalism and commitment to all aspects of motorsports of Shift Up Now athletes.”
On Saturday evening, the LROC drivers will attend the Checkered Flag Ball, with an “Indy” theme. The Checkered Flag Ball is the annual charitable event benefiting M1 Concourse’s affiliated nonprofit organization, the Checkered Flag Challenge. Funds raised will go toward M1 Mobility, which aims to provide equitable transportation options for the greater Oakland County community in Michigan.
During the American Speed Festival weekend, the LROC drivers will also participate in a meet- and-greet with the 2025 girl and women champions from Michigan's short tracks as recognized by the Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club.
Tickets for the American Speed Festival can be purchased HERE.
In keeping with an unforgettable month for motorsports enthusiasts, M1 Concourse will be the Platinum Sponsor of “A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation,” which raises funds for 2026 racing grants. These grants award opportunities to female racers believed to have the talent and aptitude to succeed in motorsports, giving them access to more competitive equipment, seat time for testing and practice, and resources to help grow their careers.
“I’m thrilled that the Shift Up Now Foundation is partnering with M1 Concourse for both of these incredible events this fall,” said Shift Up Now CEO Pippa Mann. “It will be so exciting to bring together several of the Shift Up Now Athletes from different disciplines for their first-ever LROC event, and the Radical race cars will be the perfect vehicle for the event.
“I want to thank Paul Zlotoff and M1 Concourse for the invitation, giving our racers the chance to compete, and I love the fact that the winner will be presented with a check to the Shift Up Now Foundation, which means funds raised from this event will provide even more opportunities for talented female racers in 2026 through our grant program!”
Tickets for “A Night with the Shift Up Now Foundation” can be purchased HERE.
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.
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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.
About M1 Concourse
Located in Pontiac, Michigan along historic M1 (Woodward Avenue), M1 Concourse is the preeminent motorsports experiential venue, with something for everyone. The 87-acre property features a 28,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art event complex, a 1.5 mile performance track, 255 private garages, and a full schedule of exhilarating signature events. M1 celebrates all things automotive – past, present, and future – in the Motor City where a passion for cars is in overdrive. Find out more at m1concourse.com.
