Prize Fund to Present New Opportunities, Support for Talented Racers; Strengthens Ladder That Includes Scholarships for F4 U.S. and JS F4 Champions

CHARLOTTE (November 14, 2024) – Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas) has announced a new scholarship program for its 2025 season, awarding up to six drivers in the highly-contested championship with cash prizes to assist in the next step of their racing career. With incremental prizes given to each of the top-five drivers, as well as the top-finishing rookie, the 2025 Driver Champion is set to be awarded $100,000 cash.

“We’re excited to launch the prize fund for FR Americas in 2025,” said Race Director Scott Goodyear. “Looking to build on a very successful 2024 season, which saw us take the series into Canada for the first time while racing in front of 35,000 fans, we feel this program will strengthen the championship even more—attracting new drivers from around the world, and giving them valuable prizes to further their career. Most importantly, the prize fund continues to increase the depth of our ladder system, allowing drivers to move from karting to cars and use our scholarship prizes to take the next step in their racing career. With graduates among the starting grids of the Indianapolis 500, INDYCAR, FIA Formula 3, Super Formula, IMSA, NASCAR, INDY NXT and more, our open-wheel ladder has a proven trajectory for success.”

The year-end awards, with a total prize fund of $160,000, will be distributed among as many as six drivers. The FR Americas Driver Champion will be awarded $100,000, while the Vice Champion will receive $25,000 and the Third-Place Champion will collect $15,000. Prizes will extend throughout the top five, as the driver finishing fourth in the point standings will be awarded $10,000 and the driver finishing fifth will receive $5,000. In addition, the top-finishing rookie will also be awarded a $5,000 year-end prize.

While the prize fund is set to reward drivers in the top level of Parella Motorsports Holdings’ (PMH) open-wheel ladder, drivers competing in the junior levels will also compete for scholarships to assist in their forward progress in a career in motorsports on the Road to F1.

The 2025 Driver Champion in Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) will receive a scholarship to step up to the next level—FR Americas—in 2026. The winner will be provided the use of a JS F3 chassis from Ligier Automotive, an F3 engine developed, engineered and provided by Mountune, tires supplied by Hankook Motorsports, and race entry fees from PMH.

In the Ligier JS F4 Series (JS F4), the 2025 Driver Champion will win a scholarship to compete in F4 U.S. the following season, which includes the use of an F4 U.S. chassis and Ligier Storm engine from Ligier Automotive, tires supplied by Hankook Motorsports and race entry fees from PMH.

The scholarships, paired with additional contingency awards given to the Champion, Vice Champion and Third-Place Champion, present a significant prize package for drivers competing in both F4 U.S and JS F4. Both scholarship prizes cover the cost of the season, excluding testing, team costs and travel. With the additional value added by product and contingency prizes, the F4 U.S. awards carry a total value of $295,280, while JS F4’s prizes combine for a value of $197,680.

All three series on the PMH open-wheel ladder continue to provide the lowest cost per mile compared to other professional racing series in North America, as well as the other Formula 4 and Formula Regional championships around the globe. The low cost, paired with impressive wheel-to-wheel competition, position the championships as a superb training ground for young drivers.

The 2025 season for FR Americas, F4 U.S. and JS F4 will open March 27-30 at NOLA Motorsports Park. An integral part of SpeedTour events, the championships will compete side by side with The Trans Am Series, Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA), International GT and Prototype Sprint Series Association (PSSA) at some of the most iconic road courses in North America. In 2025, all races will be live streamed on SpeedTour.TV. Prospective drivers looking to learn more about each championship should visit the respective series’ website: FRAmericas.com, F4USChampionship.com and JSF4Series.com.

About Formula Regional Americas Championship & Formula 4 United States Championship: The FIA-certified Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) & Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas) are designed as entry-level open-wheel racing series offering young talent the opportunity to demonstrate their skills on an international platform while keeping affordability and safety as key elements. The Championships align with the global FIA-development ladder philosophy of using common components to provide a cost-efficient, reliable and powerful racing structure as drivers ascend through the levels on their way to U.S. or global racing success. The 2025 F4 U.S. driver champion will be awarded a scholarship to compete in FR Americas in 2026, while the 2025 FR Americas Champion will be awarded a $100,000 year-end prize.

About Ligier JS F4 Series: Sanctioned by Parella Motorsports Holdings (PMH), the Ligier JS F4 Series provides an entry point to the ladder system that leads to the top levels of open-wheel competition. A step between karting and the wheel-to-wheel racing of Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.), the Ligier JS F4 Series focuses on laying a proper foundation for race craft and education, as much as it does on track competition. Open to drivers as young as age 14, the series utilizes a cost-efficient model to further develop driver’s skills with a lower cost of entry. The 2025 Ligier JS F4 Series driver champion will be awarded a scholarship to compete in F4 U.S. in 2026.

The 21-year-old Floridian earns a spot on the team’s junior driver program

MILLVILLE, NJ (November 14, 2024) – PT Autosport’s mission statement is simple: provide a path into professional motorsports for deserving young drivers who might not otherwise have had the opportunity. The team’s successful Porsche Carrera Cup North America and Toyota GR Cup campaigns highlight its commitment to young talent development – exemplified by its annual Aspiring Driver Shootout.

After three days of intense on and off-track evaluations at New Jersey Motorsports Park, PT Autosport has chosen Zach Hollingshead as the team’s 2024 Aspiring Driver Shootout winner. Hollingshead, 21, from Lake City, Fla., earned the nod after the most competitive Shootout to date.

Hollingshead will receive a driver partnership worth up to $250,000 (with $50,000 guaranteed). Liam Crystal, 22, finished in second place and earned $10,000 toward a racing school or coaching program, while Max Stallone, 18, came in third position to take home a $5,000 racing school scholarship or equivalent coaching package.

“This means the world to me,” said Hollingshead. “I thought it would be a tossup between any one of us. It feels awesome – it means that everything I’ve been doing for the past three years has finally come to light, that all the hard work has paid off. I get to represent an amazing team, and I hope to show them what I can do. It took a while to get rolling this week, as I’d never driven anything mid-engine. It definitely took a few sessions to get used to, but in the end, I think I handled it pretty well and put down a few good laps. For the qualifying sim, everything came together, and I was able to just lock in. A huge thanks to PT Autosport for this amazing opportunity.”

Hollingshead grew up karting in Florida, finishing third in Rotax Junior in the 2017 Florida Winter Tour. He then joined the legendary Ocala Gran Prix team, racing against drivers such as Kyle Kirkwood and Oliver Askew. Moving into cars this year, Hollingshead contested two Mazda MX-5 Cup races – and two Toyota GR Cup races with Copeland Motorsports. Hollingshead has worked with Copeland as a mechanic this season alongside his father, earning the seat at the VIRginia International Raceway doubleheader.

“This has definitely the closest field we’ve had,” said Sedgwick, PT Autosport’s Porsche Carrera Cup North America driver and driver development coordinator. “Everything was so close, even with so many assessments and so many attempts to split them up as far as talent was concerned. It’s been a very difficult decision, they’re all deserving in one way or another. Zach’s story is very cool, since he’s been working in racing, getting an opportunity to drive this year as a thank you for all of that hard work. He did a good job during that race weekend and ultimately, when it came down to it this week, he was the one who delivered. He’s the right choice for here and now we know we also have a second and third that warrant more investigation and more time, and with more development they’re going to be very, very strong.”

The finalists were tested on a variety of fronts, including fitness, media, simulator work, and of course, driving, led by the team’s stellar quartet of driver coaches: Porsche Driving Specialists Ric Collins and Anton Spires, race and rally instructor Cameron Davies, and veteran racer and coach Moh Ritson. Sedgwick managed operations and driver development, overseeing all aspects of the Shootout, while 2022 Shootout winner Henry Drury – the 2024 Toyota GR Cup rookie of the year – also handled coaching duties, while also managing data from each car.

Monday’s fitness test gave the coaches a chance to see each finalist’s strengths and weaknesses, through a rigorous set of presses, crunches, sprints and reaction analyses. The media test was broken into two parts: a five-minute prepared presentation detailing each finalist’s background, and a subsequent Q&A.

Finalists were then judged on their sim abilities running iRacing’s Toyota GR Cup car at NJMP. Each finalist worked with a driver coach in advance, then were graded on progression over the sim session, focusing on their ability to balance speed and car control.

The driving portion of the Shootout began on Tuesday morning in chilly but sunny conditions in the team’s pair of SPEC Porsche Boxsters. The finalists were assessed not just on outright speed, but on consistency, car control, gear selection, progression through the sessions, and willingness to learn from their driver coach – culminating in a two-lap qualifying simulation, with Hollingshead coming out on top.

The choice was extremely difficult for all the judges, including team principal Jason Myers.

“It was the toughest decision-making process we’ve ever faced,” said Myers. “There was so much talent, and the lap times were incredibly competitive – even though that’s not what we fully base our decision on, it was helpful in the deciding factor. They’ve all been very quick, progressively learning and getting faster over the three days. In the end, it came down to four or five very highly qualified candidates that all deserved a chance at winning but in Zach, we see a lot of grit and determination. So many people talk about wanting to get into racing, but he’s been there at every GR Cup race weekend, working to make that dream come true. We believe he’ll be a huge asset to PT Autosport.”

PT Autosport would like to thank partners STEAM Sports Foundation, Classic Car Club Manhattan and New Jersey Motorsports Park for their continued support.

About PT Autosport — Discover Unique Talent. Develop Champions.

PT Autosport, based at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ, campaigns rising star Alex Sedgwick (UK) in the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup North America series with JDX Racing, 2022 Aspiring Driver Shootout winner Henry Drury (UK) in the 2024 Toyota GR Cup North America series with Precision Racing LA.

PT Autosport is dedicated to providing merit-based motorsport industry opportunities for diverse individuals with high integrity, grit, and coach-ability, achieved through a development program for young aspiring drivers, engineers, mechanics, and other professionals. The first step of this process is applying for the annual Aspiring Driver Shootout, in which aspiring drivers aged 18-23 can compete for a team racing partnership with the team.

A rigorous evaluation process of applicants determines the final competitors for the driver shootout. The winner earns financial support of up to $250,000 ($50,000 guaranteed) to pursue their racing career. The review process also provides the team the chance to identify unique talent for other roles in motorsport, including race engineers, mechanics, and professionals.

PT Autosport is building a community that fosters the development of young talent to find a place where they can make an impact in the motorsport community as a career.

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Twitter: @PtAutosport
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World of Outlaws Winner to Chase After Prestigious Events in 2025

Salisbury, NC (Nov. 14, 2024) – Niece Motorsports is bringing its Dirt Super Late Model operation back in full force through a partnership with HWH Performance. The organization has signed Max McLaughlin as its primary driver starting this weekend in the Peach State Classic at Senoia Raceway.

McLaughlin, son of former NASCAR winner, Mike McLaughlin, is a second-generation driver who hails from Mooresville, North Carolina. This year, he competed in his first full-time season in the World of Outlaws Case Construction Late Model Series coinciding with a partial schedule in the Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified tour.

Some of McLaughlin’s career highlights include race wins in the World of Outlaws, Super DIRTcar, Super Modifieds, ARCA East, and the North South Shootout. He is a past champion of the DIRTcar Nationals and STSS Super Nationals tours, winning both titles in 2021.

Niece Motorsports has occasionally fielded entries in various Super Late Model races in the past, but next year, the team plans to enter several noteworthy events throughout the country. Rather than committing to one specific tour, the team will opt to chase after some of the most prestigious races on the calendar.

The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series team will enter its 10th year of competition in 2025, marking a significant milestone year for the company.

Anchor partners Precision Vehicle Logistics and Mohawk Northeast will back McLaughlin’s efforts. Precision Vehicle Logistics has served as primary sponsor in several Truck Series races with the team this season. Mohawk Northeast has shared a relationship with McLaughlin for the majority of his racing career.

“This is something that Cody Efaw and I have been talking about trying to put together for quite some time now,” said McLaughlin. “I think it’s great to see this all come together. We have all the right people and he’s done a great job putting sponsorship together with Precision Vehicle Logistics coming on board to help us. I’m glad that I could continue my relationship with Mohawk also, and we’re really excited to get rolling together. Obviously, the organization here is high class, and we’ve got all the tools to make it a great team.”

HWH Performance, founded by Niece Motorsports CEO, Cody Efaw, will be the team responsible for preparing these efforts. The team will run cars built by Longhorn Chassis, one of the most recognizable names in the dirt world.

“Dirt Late Model racing is something that I’ve always been passionate about since I was a kid going to the track when my father raced,” said Cody Efaw. “We see some of the best talent in the country come from dirt backgrounds, and I think it’s a testament to how tough these cars are to race. We’ve worked with Max before and have been wanting to put together a program like this for a while. It’s going to be fun to take him and run the big events next year with the support of our great partners at Precision and Mohawk.”

The team/driver pairing has a brief history of running together in the past. In 2018, McLaughlin made his NASCAR national series debut driving for Niece Motorsports at Eldora Speedway. In just his first NCTS race, McLaughlin went on to secure a respectable 12th-place finish.

“Al Niece gave me my first opportunity to go NASCAR racing,” continued McLaughlin. “He’s been a big supporter of mine, and so for us to come back together at a much higher number of races is special. We ran well at Eldora and talked about doing more, but I was busy racing on dirt all the time, so now that we can hit a bunch more races next year, I’m ready to go out and compete for wins with this team.”

This weekend, McLaughlin will strap into the No. 4 Precision Vehicle Logistics / Mohawk Northeast car for his first start with the team at Senoia Raceway. Fans can tune-in live on Flo Racing to watch both Friday and Saturday night’s features and cheer on as the team chases after a large pay day in prize money.

Follow Max McLaughlin on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Visit niecemotorsports.com for all the latest news.

About Precision Vehicle Logistics: Precision Vehicle Logistics is a customer-focused group of professionals committed to service excellence in finished vehicle logistics. Precision offers a unique combination of talented experience, industry-leading software and systems, and a network of partners and resources to deliver customized solutions to the world’s leading automakers.

About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2025, Niece Motorsports enters its tenth season in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as X @NieceMotorsport.

Two-car WEC program features championship-winning roster for global schedule

DETROIT (Nov. 14, 2024) – Continuity and experience highlight Cadillac Racing’s driver roster for the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season.

Cadillac Racing has doubled its factory program entries for its third season of Hypercar competition as JOTA Sport will run the Nos. 12 and 38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R racecars for the eight-race global schedule.

Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn return as Cadillac Racing teammates for the third consecutive WEC season and fourth overall and will be joined by Sebastien Bourdais, who co-drove the Cadillac V-Series.R in three WEC races and the full IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 2024 season in which he earned two victories and two pole starts.

Will Stevens, 2009 Formula One champion Jenson Button and Norman Nato return to the team that earned a historic victory at Spa-Francorchamps for a privateer and second successive FIA Hypercar Team World Cup Championship this past season.

Driver pairings will be announced at a later date. The team will conduct a shakedown of its Dallara chassis next week at the Anneau du Rhin circuit in France.

Cadillac Racing, which recorded a podium finish in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in its inaugural WEC season, added its maiden Hypercar pole start this past season at Fuji Speedway along with front-row starts at Le Mans and Spa-Francorchamps.

The 2025 WEC season begins Feb. 28 with the Qatar1812Km at the Lusail International Circuit, preceded Feb. 21-22 by the annual Prologue.

For more than a century, racing has provided a testbed for Cadillac to transfer knowledge and technology between racecars and production vehicles, as well as a way to build a fanbase for the brand around the world.

The Cadillac V-Series.R marks the third-generation Cadillac prototype racecar and the brand’s first hybrid electrified race car. Codeveloped by Cadillac Design, Cadillac Racing and chassis constructor Dallara, the racecar represents the start of the fifth generation of the V-Series, incorporating key Cadillac V-Series production car design elements such as vertical lighting and floating blades.

Hertz Team JOTA is one of the most experienced and successful sports car racing teams in recent history, having finished on the podium in LMP2 at Le Mans10 times, including second and third overall in 2017. Owned in part by affiliates of Knighthead Capital Management, LLC and sponsored by global car rental company Hertz and seven-time champion and entrepreneur Tom Brady, the England-based team entered the Hypercar class as a privateer in 2023. Hertz Team JOTA took a historic first victory for a private team in the Hypercar class at the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in May 2024.

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.