SCCA Pro Racing

Track Facts:
Circuit: Barber Motorsports Park
Length: 2.38 miles / 17-turn road course
Race Direction: Clockwise
Podium: West side of Race Control Building 

FR Americas Championship
Practice:                       Friday, October 17 at 8:30 a.m. and 11:25 a.m. CT
Qualifying:                    Friday, October 17 at 2:10 p.m. CT
Feature Race 1:             Saturday, October 18 at 10:15 a.m. CT
Autograph Session:       Saturday, October 18 at 11:40 a.m. CT
Feature Race 2*:           Sunday, October 19 at 1:10 p.m. CT

F4 U.S. Championship
Practice:                       Friday, October 17 at 10 a.m. and 12:50 p.m. CT
Qualifying:                    Friday, October 17 at 3:10 p.m. CT
Feature Race 1:             Saturday, October 18 at 12:40 p.m. CT
Fan Walk:                     Sunday, October 19 at 11:15 a.m. CT
Feature Race 2*:           Sunday, October 19 at 12:00 p.m. CT

Ligier Junior Formula Championship
Practice:                       Friday, October 17 at 10 a.m. and 12:50 p.m. CT
Qualifying:                    Friday, October 17 at 3:10 p.m. CT
Autograph Session:       Saturday, October 18 at 11:40 a.m. CT
Feature Race 1:             Saturday, October 18 at 2:35 p.m. CT
Feature Race 2:             Sunday, October 19 at 8:00 a.m. CT

All races will be live streamed at SpeedTour.TV. Races noted with an asterisk (*) will also air live on SPEED SPORT 1.

 

Barber SpeedTour

 

Champions Crowned at Barber
Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas), Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) and Ligier Junior Formula Championship (Ligier JFC) contest their final round of the 2025 season at Barber Motorsports Park this weekend. With Ligier JFC making their series debut at the 2.38-mile facility, both FR Americas and F4 U.S. will return to the circuit for the first time since 2020. The three championships will be joined by the Trans Am Series, Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) and International GT (IGT) for three days of non-stop racing action. Kids 12 and under are admitted free all weekend, while adult tickets are available now at SpeedTour.net. 

 

Meet the Drivers of FR Americas, F4 U.S. and Ligier JFC
Fans will have two opportunities to meet the drivers of FR Americas, F4 U.S. and Ligier JFC during the Barber SpeedTour weekend. On Saturday at 11:40 a.m. CT, the drivers of FR Americas and Ligier JFC will host an autograph session at the SpeedTour Sim Trailer in the Paddock. Then, on Sunday, fans will have the opportunity to meet the drivers of F4 U.S., as they host a special pre-race fan walk on Pit Lane at 11:15 a.m. CT.

 

Watch Live on SpeedTour.TV
Catch all the action from Barber live on SpeedTour.TV. Award-winning broadcaster Ralph Sheheen returns to the booth as lead announcer, joined by guest commentators from across all three championships. Viewers at home can watch by visiting SpeedTour.TV, or subscribing to the SpeedTour TV YouTube Channel.  

In addition, SPEED SPORT 1 (SS1) will broadcast a special live block on Sunday, including the final races of the season for both F4 U.S. and FR Americas. Coverage kicks off at 10:30 a.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. CT with the Trans Am Series’ TA/GT Race, followed by F4 U.S., IGT, FR Americas and the CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series. SS1 is available worldwide on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Roku, Pluto TV, Sling, STIRR and more.  

 

2026 Schedule Revealed
FR Americas, F4 U.S. and Ligier JFC unveiled their 2026 race schedules, mixing some of the most iconic circuits in North America with some of the best training grounds for young talent. Serving as America’s Road to F1, each championship’s calendar will focus on driver development and competition, as FR Americas contests a total of 21 rounds at eight tracks, F4 U.S. provides drivers 18 rounds at seven tracks, and Ligier JFC offers 16 rounds at six tracks. The eight-month season provides young drivers ample track time to develop their skills, while the near-monthly cadence allows their families to balance life on and off the racetrack. Likewise, operating at the lowest cost per mile in North America enables participating drivers to further spread their resources, giving them more opportunities to hone their skills in testing programs while working with some of the top race teams in North America. Ligier JFC, as well as the FIA-certified F4 U.S. and FR Americas, combine to form a powerful driver development ladder. Graduates of the championships have consistently advanced their careers, with alumni among the starting fields of the Indianapolis 500, INDYCAR, FIA Formula 3, IMSA, NASCAR, Super Formula, INDY NXT and more. 

 

Alumni On The Move
Five alums of the PMH Open Wheel Ladder have recently announced signings for the 2026 season. In INDYCAR, David Malukas, 2020 FR Americas Vice Champion, will join Team Penske as the driver of the No. 12 machine in a multi-year agreement. He’ll face off against Kyle Kirkwood, 2017 F4 U.S. Champion and 2018 FR Americas Champion, who will return to Andretti INDYCAR for the 2026 season. 2022 F4 U.S. Champion Lochie Hughes returns to Andretti’s INDY NXT program for the 2026 season, and in addition, the Australian will serve as the team’s INDYCAR reserve driver. Also returning to INDY NXT is Jordan Missig, who is back with ABEL Motorsports for his sophomore season. Missig competed in FR Americas during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, first visiting Victory Lane at VIRginia International Raceway in 2021. The newest driver announced to join the INDY NXT paddock is Nicolas Stati, the 2024 F4 U.S. Vice Champion and a 2025 FR Americas podium finisher. The Australian will join the newly-rebranded Cusick Morgan Motorsports for his rookie campaign.

 

FR Americas Championship

 

Three Enter With a Chance, One Crowned Champion
Continuing his momentum after a weekend sweep at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in August, Titus Sherlock (No. 31 Rayne Nutrition / Ronald McDonald House Charities / Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F3) was able to capitalize on a strong weekend at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) to overtake the championship points lead as FR Americas races toward its final round. Holding a 13.5-point advantage over Nicolas Ambiado (No. 55 Velox USA / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3), Sherlock left the race weekend as the points leader for the first time since Round 6 at Road America in May. In third, just seven points behind Ambiado and 20.5 points out of the lead, Bruno Ribeiro (No. 01 Alfa Cem / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) remains in the title fight, making it a three-man battle. The stakes are high, as the 2025 FR Americas Driver Champion will be awarded a $100,000 cash prize, while second place receives $25,000 and third place takes home $15,000.

> > SEE MORE:  2025 FR Americas Driver’s Points Championship Standings

 

Kiwi Locks in Third FR Americas Team Championship
Kiwi Motorsport has locked in their third-consecutive FR Americas Team Championship, though the 2025 title marks their first operating as a solo entity, separate from former partner Crosslink Motorsports. Having won both the team and driver championships in 2023 with Callum Hedge, and 2024 with Patrick Woods-Toth, Kiwi Motorsport hopes to do the same in 2025 by claiming the driver title with either Nicolas Ambiado or Bruno Ribeiro. However, to do so, either driver will have to outperform Titus Sherlock, who hails from the Crosslink Motorsports camp.

> > SEE MORE:  2025 FR Americas Team’s Points Championship Standings

 

Masters Championship Comes Down to Final Round
With just three points separating Anthony Autiello (No. 07 Hope For The Warriors / Momentum Motorsports Ligier JS F3) and Kevin Janzen (No. 24 US Power Group / Data Center Solutions / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3), the fight for the Masters Championship title will come down to the final round at Barber Motorsport Park. Autiello currently tops the standings, but it’s been a tight battle all season between the two drivers, as Autiello’s six top-10 finishes perfectly matches Janzen’s effort, as he has also amassed six top-10 finishes. Already a two-time Masters Champion, Janzen is hoping to bring home his third-consecutive title, whereas Autiello is fighting for his first.

 

Shipman Moves Up, Prepares for Scholarship Season
Having locked in the F4 U.S. Driver Champion title last month at VIR, Cooper Shipman (No. 14 Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) is advancing to FR Americas for the final race of the year in hopes of getting a jumpstart on his 2026 season. As the F4 U.S. champion, Shipman earned a full scholarship to compete in FR Americas next season, including the lease of a chassis from Ligier Automotive, an engine from Mountune USA, race tires from Hankook Motorsports and race entries from Parella Motorsports Holdings, for a prize valued at more than $295,000.

 

Day Returns to the Grid
Lincoln Day (No. 95 Toney Driver Development Ligier JS F3) is back in the driver’s seat, piloting the No. 95 for Toney Driver Development for the first time since Road America in May. Making six starts so far this season, Day has a career-best finish of fifth, which he recorded in the 2025 season opener at NOLA Motorsports Park.

 

Roberts Returns to Site of First Win
In 2020, Connor Roberts (No. 46 Apexspeed.com / Entropy Cellars / Atlantic Racing Team with Team Roberts Ligier JS F3) earned his first car win while racing a Spec-Racer Ford 3 at Barber Motorsports Park. This weekend, he’ll make the 120-mile trek from his home in LaGrange, Ga., with the hope of earning his first FR Americas win. Roberts’ best finish this season is third, which he has recorded three times.

 

F4 U.S. Championship

 

Hauanio and Popow Fight to Finish for Vice Championship
Following a record-setting nine-consecutive victories, Cooper Shipman was able to lock down the F4 U.S. Driver Championship with one round to spare. The accomplishment enables the 17 year old to advance to FR Americas for the final round of the 2025 season, to get experience ahead of his expected 2026 campaign. Meanwhile, Kekai Hauanio (No. 29 N-E-Where Transport / Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F422) and Alex Popow (No. 55 Dr. Michael Thompson MS DDS PPLS / MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422) face off against each other in the fight for the Vice Championship, with just 10.5 points separating the rivals. The two drivers have been mainstays at the front of the field since the opening weekend at NOLA where Hauanio won Round 1, followed by Popow taking Rounds 2 and 3. Since then, Hauanio has earned two additional wins and 11 podiums, whereas Popow has notched 10 podiums. With just 50 points left in the season, the Vice Championship is likely to stay undecided until the final checkered flag waves.  

> > SEE MORE:  2025 F4 U.S. Driver’s Points Championship Standings

 

Kiwi F4 U.S. Team Champions for Seventh Time
Kiwi Motorsport has clinched their seventh Team Championship title in F4 U.S. competition, marking the third time that the organization has clinched both the driver and team championship in the same season. While Joshua Car (2019) and Patrick Woods-Toth (2023) have carried the flag for dual-championship runs in years past, it was Cooper Shipman who led the charge this season. Shipman combined with teammates Clemente Huerta Raab (No. 17 Velox USA / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) and Oliver Savoie (No. 88 YXE Auto / Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) to earn Kiwi Motorsport nine wins and 18 podiums to date in 2025. This year will mark the first time Kiwi Motorsport earns the championship as a solo organization, as they’ve partnered with Crosslink Motorsports to bring home each of their previous six titles.

> > SEE MORE:  2025 F4 U.S. Team’s Points Championship Standings

 

Fourie and Paschetta Level Up to F4 U.S.
Ligier JFC alums Zach Fourie (No. 15 Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) and Augusto Paschetta (No. 27 Scuderia Buell / Sport West / Bruno Maquinaria / Brapax Ligier JS F422) will both graduate to F4 U.S. for the season finale at Barber. Fourie has 10 starts in Ligier JFC this season, competing under both the JENSEN and Kiwi Motorsport banners. His career-best sixth-place finish came in Round 7 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course during his Kiwi Motorsport debut. After six Ligier JFC starts this season, Paschetta and his Scuderia Buell team will take on F4 U.S. The races at Barber will mark Paschetta’s first in America since the Road America SpeedTour in May, when he matched his career-best fourth-place effort in Ligier JFC competition.

 

Cottrill Joins MLT
After making his F4 U.S. debut at VIR last month, Jonathan Cottrill (No. 54 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422) will join MLT Motorsports for the season finale at Barber this weekend. Looking to improve on his career-best finish of seventh, Cottrill joins Alex Popow (No. 55 Dr. Michael Thompson MS DDS PPLS / MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422) as teammates under the MLT banner.

 

Like Father, Like Son… Popow Looks for Barber Victory
Following in his father’s footsteps, Alex Popow (No. 55 Dr. Michael Thompson MS DDS PPLS / MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422) hopes to visit Victory Lane at the same track where his dad has also claimed a win. Popow’s father, Alex Popow, Sr., enjoyed a successful sportscar career, racing in the American Le Mans Series, Rolex Sports Car Series and IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, while obtaining a class victory in the 12 Hours of Sebring, overall wins in the Brickyard Grand Prix and a second-place overall finish in the 24 Hours of Daytona, in addition to winning the 2012 championship in the American Le Mans Series’ LMPC class.  

 

Powers Goes From the Track to the Open Road
While Luke Powers (No. 51 Corporate Commercial Group / Toney Driver Development Ligier JS F422) has enjoyed the thrill of speed on the racetrack this season, he has yet to experience the thrill of the open road. All that will change on Monday, October 20, when the driver finally celebrates his 16th birthday, making it legal for him to drive off the racetrack.

 

Ligier Junior Formula Championship

 

Irazú and Szuch Go Head to Head for F4 U.S. Scholarship
Two drivers remain in the hunt for the 2025 Ligier JFC Driver Championship as the series enters its final round of the season—Gastón Irazú (No. 42 Elia Group / Baly / Canal 4 / Ancap / Champagne Racing Ligier JS F4) and Drew Szuch(No. 28 Trend North / TEAM Concept Printing / Berg Racing Ligier JS F4). Szuch won Race 1 at VIR last month to keep his championship hopes alive, while Irazú faced a myriad of obstacles in the event, including a spin while running third and a penalty for a false start. In Race 2, the rivals were involved in the same opening-lap incident, bringing an early end to both of their races and ensuring the championship couldn’t be decided before the final weekend of the year at Barber. With just two checkered flags left, 23 points separate the drivers as Uruguayan Irazú tops the leaderboard and sophomore driver Szuch trails in second.

The winner of the 2025 Ligier JFC Driver’s Championship will be awarded a scholarship to compete in F4 U.S. next season—including a chassis and engine lease from Ligier Automotive, race tires from Hankook Motorsports and race entries from Parella Motorsports Holdings, in a prize valued at more than $197,000. 

> > SEE MORE:  2025 Ligier JFC Driver Points Championship Standings

 

It’s Not Over Yet… Team Championship Battle Comes Down to Barber
Team rivals Champagne Racing and Berg Racing have been neck and neck all season, and now the fight for the 2025 Team Championship will come down to the final round. Entering four drivers in most rounds this season, Champagne Racing has amassed seven wins and 17 podiums, with Gastón Irazú (No. 42 Elia Group / Baly / Canal 4 / Ancap / Champagne Racing Ligier JS F4), Cash Felber (No. 11 BioLongevity Labs / TownHall / Rebol / DWT / Matrix Mind Water / Phantom Fireworks / Champagne Racing Ligier JS F4) and Roman Felber (No. 73 BioLongevity Labs / TownHall / Rebol / DWT / Matrix Mind Water / Phantom Fireworks / Champagne Racing Ligier JS F4) all winning for the organization. The trio also stood atop the podium in Round 11 at New Jersey Motorsports Park to secure the organization’s first podium sweep.

On the flip side, Berg Racing has been a constant fixture, with both Drew Szuch (No. 28 Trend North / TEAM Concept Printing / Berg Racing Ligier JS F4) and Harbir Dass (No. 23 Northcoast Medical Group / Dubby Energy / Dass Psych LLC / Berg Racing Ligier JS F4) racing under their banner. While Szuch led the way with four victories, Dass also contributed with a multitude of podiums, as the organization tallied 12 top-three finishes this season. Expanding to a four-car team for the final two events of 2025, the fight is on for the Team Champion title, as just 76.5 points separate the two organizations entering the final round.

> > SEE MORE:  2025 Ligier JFC Team Points Championship Standings

 

Benites Returns to Ligier JFC
Pablo Benites Jr. (No. 44 Scuderia Buell Ligier JS F4) returns to the Ligier JFC grid at Barber looking for more hardware. Having made three starts at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course earlier this year, Benites has yet to finish outside the top five, despite having to race through the field multiple times. Steadily improving all weekend, Benites showed consistent speed, driving from 13th to fourth, then sixth to second, and finally, from fourth to first in each of the three rounds. This weekend at Barber, he looks to mix things up with the series regulars once again, as he fights for even more podiums.

 

Jacir Joins Champagne Racing
Beckham Jacir (No. 67 STONICA / BELL / OMP / P1Doks / Champagne Racing Ligier JS F4) joins Champagne Racing as the powerhouse organization’s fifth entry at Barber. Jacir has been competing in Ligier JFC since Round 4 at Road America, and with two podiums across 10 starts, he’s still searching for his first win. Joining Champagne Racing, Jacir hopes to become the fourth driver to visit Victory Lane for the Georgia-based organization this season, as points leader Gastón Irazú (No. 42 Elia Group / Baly / Canal 4 / Ancap / Champagne Racing Ligier JS F4) has won five races, and twin brothers Cash Felber (No. 11 BioLongevity Labs / TownHall / Rebol / DWT / Matrix Mind Water / Phantom Fireworks / Champagne Racing Ligier JS F4) and Roman Felber (No. 73 BioLongevity Labs / TownHall / Rebol / DWT / Matrix Mind Water / Phantom Fireworks / Champagne Racing Ligier JS F4) have each won one race for the team.

 

From Japan to Alabama, Meet Taisai Murakami
Taisai Murakami (No. 98 Berg Racing Ligier JS F4), a native of Mitaka-shi, Tokyo, Japan, will make his series debut during the Barber SpeedTour weekend. Driving for Berg Racing, Murakami will contest his first Ligier JFC race weekend, while drawing on experience racing an F1600 at places like New Hampshire Motor Speedway and New Jersey Motorsports Park.

 

Dass Hopes Spec MX-5 Experience Gives Barber Edge
Harbir Dass (No. 23 Northcoast Medical Group / Dubby Energy / Dass Psych LLC / Berg Racing Ligier JS F4) arrives at Barber Motorsports Park with a benefit that few drivers will have—race experience at the 2.38-mile facility. Having competed on the circuit with his Spec MX-5, Dass has declared Barber as his favorite track. “It’s the perfect mixture of high speed and technical,” said Dass. “I’m excited to drive it in a formula car for the first time.”