Kiwi Motorsport continued its strong 2026 FRAC campaign with two podium finishes and six top-10 results at IMS. The Chip Ganassi Racing Driver Development programme fielded Cooper Shipman and Harbir Dass for the fourth round of the season at the iconic road course.
Shipman led the team’s charge with third and second-place finishes across the opening two races before completing the weekend in fourth. Meanwhile, Dass produced one of his most competitive rounds of the season with 10th, fourth and sixth-place results. Together, the two drivers collected valuable championship points and maintained Kiwi Motorsport’s momentum as the season progressed.
Shipman opens IMS weekend on the 2026 FRAC podium
Shipman entered the IMS round as one of the leading contenders in the FRAC title battle. He immediately maintained his front-running form in Race 1, fighting near the head of the field before crossing the line in third. The result gave Kiwi Motorsport its first podium of the weekend and added another strong points finish to Shipman’s campaign.
Dass also contributed to the team’s total in the opening contest. He secured 10th place and began a consistent three-race run inside the top 10.
The two finishes gave Kiwi Motorsport a solid start to the weekend. However, both drivers found further performance when FRAC returned to the circuit for Race 2.
Shipman takes second as Dass challenges for podium
Race 2 produced Kiwi Motorsport’s strongest combined result of the IMS weekend. Shipman once again fought among the leading drivers and improved on his opening result with second place. His second consecutive podium reinforced the speed and consistency that have kept him near the top of the championship standings.
Meanwhile, Dass climbed into contention for his first podium of the event. He delivered one of his strongest performances of the season and crossed the line in fourth, narrowly missing a top-three finish.
Nevertheless, the result represented a significant step forward. It also gave Kiwi Motorsport two cars inside the top four and strengthened the team’s championship position.
Both drivers maintain consistency in final race
Kiwi Motorsport completed the weekend with another pair of top-10 finishes in Race 3. Shipman remained among the leading group and secured fourth place. Although he narrowly missed a third podium, he concluded the round with three top-four finishes and another substantial haul of championship points.
Dass followed closely behind in sixth. As a result, he finished every race inside the top 10 and capped one of his most consistent weekends of the campaign.
Across the three contests, Shipman secured two podiums and three top-five finishes. Dass complemented those results with fourth and sixth-place finishes alongside his 10th-place result from the opener.
Larsen praises team’s IMS execution
Kiwi Motorsport left IMS with two podiums, six top-10 results and further evidence of progress across its two-car line-up. Shipman continued to produce the consistency required for a championship challenge, while Dass demonstrated improved pace and converted it into his strongest collection of results this season.
Teena Larsen praised both drivers and highlighted the work the team completed throughout the weekend.
“Indianapolis was another strong weekend for our FR Americas drivers,” expressed Teena Larsen to Formula Regional Americas Championship. “Cooper continued to show the speed and consistency that has kept him near the top of the championship standings all season, and Harbir put together one of his strongest weekends of the year with several excellent results. The entire team executed well from start to finish, and it’s rewarding to see all the hard work paying off. We’ll take the positives from Indianapolis and carry that momentum forward.”
The team’s performance reflected that consistency. Shipman remained in podium contention throughout the round, while Dass continued to close the gap to the front and delivered three points-scoring finishes.
Kiwi Motorsport maintains 2026 FRAC momentum with IMS success
The IMS round strengthened Kiwi Motorsport’s position as the FRAC season moved beyond its fourth event. Shipman’s two podiums allowed him to continue building his championship campaign without recording a finish outside the top four. Dass also gave the team an important second scoring presence through his consistent top-10 results.
Furthermore, the team extracted strong performances from both cars at one of the most recognised venues in American motorsport.
Kiwi Motorsport will now aim to carry that form into the next round. After securing multiple podiums and valuable points at IMS, Shipman and Dass have provided the team with further momentum for the remainder of the 2026 FRAC campaign.
