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!
