SCCA Pro Racing

Teens Nominated by New Castle Motorsports Park for Opportunity to Drive F4 U.S. Car

CHARLOTTE (November 29, 2023) – Radford Racing School and Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) continue to name scholarship recipients attending this weekend’s Radford Racing School F4 U.S. Scholarship Award School, with Eli Warren and Luke Powers as the latest two drivers announced. Nominated by New Castle Motorsports Park (NCMP), Warren and Powers have both earned club championships and won marquee regional and national races, despite still not being old enough for a valid U.S. driver’s license.

“We’re excited to have Eli and Luke join us at this year’s Radford Racing School F4 U.S. Scholarship Award School,” said Scott Goodyear, F4 U.S. Race Director. “New Castle Motorsports Park is one of the finest karting facilities in the country; every major karting series visits the track and drivers from all over the world travel there to showcase their talent. For Eli and Luke to have caught the eye of Mark Dismore Sr. [owner, NCMP] and Mike Adams [track manager, NCMP], they are certain to be great talents.” 

“This is a great opportunity for young karters to experience driving a racecar,” said Mark Dismore Sr., accomplished racer and owner of NCMP. “I’d like to thank Radford Racing School, F4 U.S., Parella Motorsports Holdings and Scott Goodyear for putting this program together, and for including New Castle Motorsports Park. Driving a kart teaches you race craft and how to be smooth behind the wheel—all attributes you need to drive a racecar. I’m excited for both Luke and Eli to have the opportunity to drive an F4 car.”

At just 15 years old, Warren has won at every level, taking a WKA Grand National win in one of his final cadet class races, and going on to earn an international title with the Cup Karts North America Grand National Championship in 2022. After what was arguably the biggest win of his career so far, Warren moved up to the senior class in 2023 and went on to win a national race as a rookie. All in all, he’s achieved nine club championships and over a dozen marquee regional and national wins in just seven years of competition.

“I am so very grateful to be recognized by my friends at New Castle for this chance,” said Warren. “I love racing and dream of a future where I can continue doing that professionally. The people around me like Mike Adams and Mark Dismore Sr. have gone out of their way to help me find opportunities like this to help further that dream. I am going to do all I can to make them proud and soak up as much knowledge as I can during this weekend.”

14-year-old Powers started his karting career just three-and-a-half years ago at NCMP. Earning a club championship in his first year of karting, the Indiana native went on to secure his first national pole and his first national win during just his second season of racing. Despite being so young, Powers moved up to the senior ranks in 2023 and has already proven to be competitive while racing against the best senior-class karters in the nation. 

“Receiving this scholarship is a dream come true,” said Powers. “I would like to thank my home track, New Castle Motorsports Park, for the nomination, as well as Radford Racing School and F4 U.S. for this opportunity. I have been wanting to drive an open wheel car for quite some time, and this will be a big step for my racing career. I am excited to get a strong foundation of open wheel fundamentals for the future.”

A “karts to cars” style program, the Radford Racing School F4 U.S. Scholarship Award School is designed to help scholarship winners acclimate to a racecar, while teaching them the basics of handling and car control. Nominated by some of the world’s best karting programs, scholarship recipients travel to Radford’s facility to participate in the program, which utilizes the same combination that last year’s F4 U.S. competitors used on the track—a Ligier JS F4-16 chassis, a Honda 2.0-liter engine and Hankook racing slicks. With ground school, skid control, lead-follow sessions, braking, shifting and handling drills, the program is uniquely designed to account for the fact that participants are some of the top karters in the world. The scholarship includes a two-day school, with some participants adding on a third “lapping” day.

Warren and Powers will join Nolan Bower, who was nominated by Motomaster Ron Fellows Karting Championship. Additional scholarship recipients will be announced in the coming days. The Radford Racing School F4 U.S. Scholarship Award School opens this Friday in Chandler, Ariz.