F4 U.S. Championships

Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda will make history this weekend as it enters its largest field since its 2016 debut. Thirty-four cars will take the track at the prestigious Circuit of the Americas for the FIA World Endurance Championship Lone Star Le Mans Aug. 14-16.

“I am very pleased to have so many cars entered for our first COTA event. We anticipate that number to grow even more for the season finale with F1,” said SCCA Pro Racing Vice President Steve Oseth. “This type of participation emphasizes the value F4 presents to all of our teams and competitors. We continue to remain the most cost-effective professional open-wheel championship in the United States.”

Among the 34 entries are new and familiar faces like Braden Eves of Gahanna, Ohio, who will return to the F4 U.S. lineup under Jay Howard’s Motorsport Driver Development for the first time since scoring two podiums and a top-five finish in Event 2 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“I’m extremely excited to be returning to the F4 U.S. Championship for both the COTA events,” said Eves. “Having the experience from Indy now, I am looking forward to getting back in the car and will be pushing hard to get the top spot.”

MDD team principal Jay Howard also promoted Dalton Peak of Taylorsville, Kentucky, from the MDD karting program to compete in his first F4 U.S. race at COTA. The series newcomer raced for MDD in 2016 in the karting program, managing great results throughout the season. In the 2017 season, Peak raced in the Lucas Oil Formula Car Series earning a third-place finish, and scored strong results throughout the season. After testing with the team earlier this season, Howard decided Peak was ready for the next step in his racing career.

Indy Motorsport Group filled its Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh No. 35 machine with former Indy Lights driver Nick Andries of Pinellas Park, Florida. Andries has served as the driving coach for IMG pilot Vincent Khristov of Delray Beach, Florida, since the beginning of the F4 U.S. season.

“It will be double duty this weekend as I will still be coaching Vincent,” said Andries. “I'm looking forward the most to watching his progress. I really enjoy that side of coaching. I still have to prepared for the event like a coach does, watching video, looking over data, understanding how to get the most out of car on this specific circuit. As for the actual event, it will be a challenging physical transition for me since as a coach I don't need to be in peak physical condition. COTA is a great track, the F4 car is fun and the field is very competitive. It’s going to be a great weekend.”

Global Racing Group and Group-A Racing expanded their rosters for the penultimate event, both adding additional cars. GRG signed 24 Hours of Le Mans veteran and European Le Mans Series champion Pierre Thiriet of Epinal, France, to fill its fourth F4 U.S. seat, while, Group-A Racing added a driver on the other end of the experience spectrum. Competing in his fourth race ever as a driver, Group-A Racing’s newest pilot Russ McDonough IV of Little Rock, Arkansas, makes his F4 U.S. debut this weekend in an effort to jump-start his 2018 campaign with the team.

Kyle Kirkwood of Jupiter, Florida, could clinch the F4 U.S. Championship title this weekend. The Cape Motorsports driver claimed seven pole positions and ten podium finishes, eight of those being wins, so far this season. He leads in standings by 91 points and needs two wins to capture the title.

The 2017 F4 U.S. season championship winner receives a $25,000 cash grand prize and an invite to the Formula 1 Prize Giving Ceremony in Europe.

F4 U.S. will participate in two practices on Thursday. Qualifying, Race 1, Race 2 and an autograph session will be held on Friday. Event 6 wraps-up on Saturday with the final race of the weekend. Fans can follow live timing and scoring on F4USChampionship.com.

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