Formula Regional Americas (FRAC) produced three different winners from three teams during Round 5 at New Jersey Motorsports Park, as Luke Powers, Cooper Shipman and Evagoras Papasavvas shared the victories across Rounds 12, 13 and 14.
Powers claimed his maiden FRAC and single-seater victory after post-race penalties transformed the Race 1 classification. Shipman then returned to the top step for the first time since NOLA Motorsports Park in Race 2, before championship leader Papasavvas recovered from his opening-race retirement to win the all-green finale.
The weekend also delivered first Formula Regional podiums for Alejandro Bobadilla and Powers, while Harbir Dass returned to the rostrum in Race 3. Meanwhile, Whitney Strickland won the opening two Masters Cup contests before Anthony Autiello took the class victory in the finale.
Papasavvas inherits Race 1 pole after Shipman penalty
Shipman recorded the fastest lap during Qualifying around New Jersey’s 2.25-mile Thunderbolt Course, setting a 1:14.523 to lead Papasavvas and championship rival Brady Golan.
However, officials handed Shipman a three-place grid penalty for impeding Golan’s Qualifying effort. The sanction moved Papasavvas onto pole despite his 1:14.678 lap and placed Golan alongside him after the Toney Driver Development driver completed a 1:14.704. Harbir Dass inherited third, while Shipman dropped to fourth.
Kekai Hauanio retained fifth ahead of Powers and Christian Bogle. Bobadilla qualified eighth, while Aidan Schuh started ninth after officials removed his fastest lap because he caused a suspension of the session.
The penalties also affected the Masters Cup order. Strickland set the fastest class time but carried a three-place grid penalty for causing a collision, leaving Autiello and Kevin Janzen ahead of him on the grid. JENSEN newcomers Aiden Zelaya and Robert Arana Jr completed the order after Race Control instructed both drivers to start from the rear.
2026 FRAC | NJMP | Qualifying/Race 1 Official Grid | Results
- Evagoras Papasavvas (R) — 1:14.678
- Brady Golan — 1:14.704
- Harbir Dass (R) — 1:14.848
- Cooper Shipman (R) — 1:14.523
- Kekai Hauanio (R) — 1:14.895
- Luke Powers (R) — 1:15.425
- Christian Bogle — 1:15.495
- Alejandro Bobadilla (R) — 1:15.525
- Aidan Schuh (R) — 1:15.696
- Anthony Autiello (M) — 1:18.348
- Kevin Janzen (M) — 1:19.692
- Whitney Strickland (M)(R) — 1:17.666
- Aiden Zelaya (R) — 1:18.803
- Robert Arana Jr (R) — 1:20.453
Fastest Qualifying lap: Cooper Shipman — 1:14.523
Qualifying penalties
- Shipman received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Golan.
- Schuh lost his fastest lap after causing a suspension of the session.
- Strickland carried a three-place grid penalty for causing a collision.
- Race Control instructed Zelaya and Arana to start from the rear.
Hauanio issue forces aborted Race 1 start
Drama started before Race 1 had properly begun when Hauanio encountered an issue on the original starting grid. Race Control aborted the start and sent the field around for another formation lap before switching to a two-by-two rolling start.
Hauanio managed to restart his car and regained fifth before the field formed up again. However, Golan immediately seized the advantage when racing began and accelerated ahead of polesitter Papasavvas before the pair reached the start-finish line.
Hauanio quickly demonstrated strong pace behind the championship rivals and challenged Golan for first during the opening phase. However, Papasavvas soon suffered a mechanical issue, which ended the championship leader’s race after 12 laps and removed him from contention.
Powers had started sixth but took advantage of the early exchanges to climb to third. The Toney Driver Development rookie remained there for much of the contest as Golan and Hauanio controlled the first two positions.
Powers attacks Hauanio during final restart
A late caution created a one-lap sprint to the chequered flag and completely changed the complexion of the race.
Powers immediately attacked Hauanio around the outside of Turn 1 and completed the move to take second. Behind them, Shipman also challenged the Crosslink driver, and the pair ran side-by-side through much of the final lap.
Their fight culminated in contact at Turn 10. Bobadilla recognised the opportunity and slipped through to claim third on the road, while Golan crossed the line first ahead of Powers.
However, the Stewards subsequently investigated two incidents that transformed the final classification.
Crosslink protested Golan’s initial rolling start on behalf of Papasavvas. After reviewing the footage, the Stewards determined that Golan accelerated before Papasavvas and before reaching the first start-zone sign. They added five seconds to Golan’s race time, dropping him from first to fourth.
The Stewards also held Hauanio predominantly responsible for his final-lap collision with Shipman and added 10 seconds to his time. That penalty dropped him to 12th.
Consequently, Powers inherited his maiden FR Americas victory and his first win in a single-seater. Bobadilla moved to second for his first Formula Regional podium, while Bogle inherited third and recorded his fourth rostrum appearance of the campaign.
Strickland takes eighth Masters Cup victory
Strickland recovered from his grid penalty to lead the Masters Cup runners at the chequered flag.
The Hillenburg Motorsports driver finished ninth overall and secured his eighth class victory of 2026, further strengthening his position at the top of the Masters standings.
Autiello followed in second in the class from 10th overall, while Janzen completed the Masters Cup podium in 11th.
2026 FRAC | NJMP | Race 1 | Official Results
- Luke Powers (R) — 18 laps
- Alejandro Bobadilla (R) — +2.199s
- Christian Bogle — +2.724s
- Brady Golan — +2.937s
- Harbir Dass (R) — +3.018s
- Cooper Shipman (R) — +3.078s
- Aidan Schuh (R) — +3.304s
- Aiden Zelaya (R) — +7.801s
- Whitney Strickland (M)(R) — +8.286s
- Anthony Autiello (M) — +8.863s
- Kevin Janzen (M) — +9.649s
- Kekai Hauanio (R) — +12.369s
- Robert Arana Jr (R) — 5 laps behind
NC: Evagoras Papasavvas (R) — 12 laps
Fastest lap: Evagoras Papasavvas — 1:15.811
Margin of victory: 2.199 seconds
Race 1 penalties
- Golan received a five-second penalty for a false start with an advantage gained, dropping him from first to fourth.
- Hauanio received a 10-second penalty for causing his collision with Shipman, dropping him to 12th.
Papasavvas rebounds to lead Race 2
Despite his Race 1 retirement, Papasavvas recorded the fastest lap before his mechanical issue and therefore started Race 2 from pole. Shipman joined him on the front row after showing strong pace throughout the opening day.
Papasavvas retained first when the race began and immediately built an advantage of more than one second. However, Shipman settled into a rhythm behind the Crosslink driver and gradually reduced the gap as his car improved through the opening half.
As the clock approached halfway, Shipman moved close enough to attack and completed the pass for the lead. Once ahead, he quickly created breathing room and appeared to have the race under control.
However, debris forced Race Control to deploy the caution and removed Shipman’s advantage. The field prepared for another short sprint when racing resumed with fewer than five minutes remaining.
Shipman holds off Papasavvas after late caution
The restart immediately produced action throughout the leading group.
Papasavvas drew alongside Shipman and attempted to reclaim the lead into Turn 1. Behind them, Powers, Golan and Hauanio went three-wide as each fought for the remaining podium place.
Hauanio eventually backed out, while Powers moved ahead of Golan. Shipman successfully resisted Papasavvas and led the field around the final lap, crossing the line 1.172 seconds ahead.
The victory marked Shipman’s second of the season and his first since the opening weekend at NOLA. It also continued his success at New Jersey after he swept the F4 U.S. races at the circuit during his 2025 championship campaign.
Papasavvas recovered from his Race 1 retirement with second, while Powers followed his maiden victory with third. Golan finished only 0.034s behind Powers in fourth, while Hauanio and Dass completed the top six.
Shipman reflected on finally returning to the top step after several difficult weekends.
“[The win was] definitely a long time coming,” said Shipman after climbing from the car. “We had a rough stretch these past couple of weekends, but it’s good to finally reward the team for their hard work and come away with a win. It was a tough race in the heat; there was a lot of dirty air, but I was finally able to get around Evagoras [Papasavvas] and come away with a win.”
Strickland wins again after battling Zelaya
Strickland also returned to the top step in the Masters Cup and collected his ninth class victory of 2026.
The Hillenburg driver spent much of the race fighting JENSEN newcomer Zelaya for overall position. Despite the pressure from the younger driver, Strickland retained the advantage and finished 10th overall.
Janzen and Autiello made contact during the formation lap but both continued. Janzen managed a vibration throughout the race and finished second in the Masters Cup, while Autiello completed the class podium.
Strickland praised Zelaya after their battle while crediting his own experience.
“It was fun,” said Strickland after climbing from the car. “I had one of the youngsters [Aiden Zelaya] behind me. Man, that kid’s pretty good. I think he’s going to go somewhere someday. Old age and treachery were able to get the better of him, though. I have a lot of experience being able to be as wide as possible on the track, so that helped me out. I want to thank Hillenburg Motorsports—I have one of my best buddies, Darryl Wills, that takes care of my car, and Eric Wisniewski, my driver coach.
He’s been great this weekend.”
2026 FRAC | NJMP | Race 2 | Results
- Cooper Shipman (R) — 21 laps
- Evagoras Papasavvas (R) — +1.172s
- Luke Powers (R) — +1.738s
- Brady Golan — +1.772s
- Kekai Hauanio (R) — +3.082s
- Harbir Dass (R) — +3.217s
- Christian Bogle — +3.843s
- Aidan Schuh (R) — +4.107s
- Alejandro Bobadilla (R) — +4.395s
- Whitney Strickland (M)(R) — +5.255s
- Kevin Janzen (M) — 1 lap behind
- Anthony Autiello (M) — 1 lap behind
- Robert Arana Jr (R) — 2 laps behind
- Aiden Zelaya (R) — 5 laps behind
Fastest lap: Brady Golan — 1:15.362
Margin of victory: 1.172 seconds
Golan starts Race 3 from pole
Golan’s Race 2 fastest lap put him at the front for the final contest, with Shipman alongside him. Hauanio occupied third, while Papasavvas started fourth after finishing second earlier in the morning.
Golan produced a clean launch and immediately retained first place. However, contact between Shipman and Hauanio at the exit of Turn 1 compromised both drivers and allowed Papasavvas to sweep past into second.
Dass also capitalised. Starting sixth, the Kiwi Motorsport driver launched strongly and reached third before completing the opening lap.
The early reshuffle established Golan, Papasavvas and Dass as the leading trio. Rather than separating, the three remained closely matched as the race progressed, with less than a second frequently covering them.
Papasavvas closes in on Golan
Papasavvas gradually reduced Golan’s advantage and arrived within 0.133s as the race approached its halfway point.
The Crosslink driver initially moved to the outside approaching Turn 1 before cutting back underneath Golan. He secured the inside line for Turn 2 and completed the pass to take the lead.
Dass followed Papasavvas through, temporarily dropping Golan to third. However, the Indianapolis triple winner remained close and eventually found a way back past Dass to regain second.
The leading trio continued nose-to-tail through the remaining laps. Papasavvas also lost part of his car’s endplate shortly after taking the lead, adding another challenge as he tried to protect first place.
Nevertheless, he managed the damaged car and kept Golan behind through the closing stages. Papasavvas eventually crossed the line 0.785s ahead to claim his fourth victory of the season, while Dass completed the podium 4.361s behind the winner.
Papasavvas described the battle and the concern he felt when part of the endplate separated from the car.
“That was super exciting,” said Papasavvas atop the podium. “The car felt amazing—once again, a huge shout out to the whole Crosslink Motorsports crew. I was able to gain some time on the leader and had a good hard-fought battle. I knew I had time, but just had to stay calm. Thankfully, I was able to make the over-under and get it to stick. About a lap later the end plate fell off, and I was just freaking out for a little bit because I knew I saw something fly by my head, but I had no idea what it was.
I tried to just keep managing what I had—staying calm, cool, and doing the best I could with the pedals, and luckily, I ended up taking the win. I have to thank the whole Crosslink crew, GRIP, my family, everyone watching at home, and all my sponsors who helped me get to where I am today. Thank you.”
Dass returns to FR Americas podium
Dass’ third-place finish carried particular significance after a season in which his pace had not always translated into podium results.
The Kiwi Motorsport driver gained three places during the opening lap and remained involved in the fight for victory throughout much of the race. His third place marked his second podium of 2026.
New Jersey also holds previous significance for Dass. He claimed the first podium of his single-seater career at the same circuit while competing in the Ligier Junior Formula Championship in 2024.
Bogle finished fourth after another consistent race, while Hauanio recovered from his first-lap contact with Shipman to take fifth. Powers completed the top six after another productive weekend for Toney Driver Development.
Bobadilla followed in seventh ahead of Schuh, while Zelaya completed 24 laps and finished ninth during his FR Americas debut weekend.
Shipman endured a difficult finale despite setting the fastest lap. He completed 20 laps and finished 14th after his Race 2 victory.
Autiello ends Strickland’s Masters Cup run
Autiello prevented Strickland from sweeping the Masters Cup after an eventful Race 3.
Strickland stalled at the start, immediately surrendering the advantage he had enjoyed throughout the opening two races. Autiello then recovered from a spin of his own and eventually took control of the class.
The Momentum Motorsports driver finished 10th overall and claimed his third Masters Cup victory of the season. Strickland recovered to second in the class, while Janzen completed the podium.
Autiello summarised the unusual route to his latest victory after the race.
“A spin and win—who would have thought? But that was the formula today,” said Autiello. “It was a hot day; everybody knows the tires were absolutely shot. Two races on this set of tires—that’s tough for everybody. Everybody was fighting really hard today, and even the young guys did a great job. I have to thank everybody at Momentum—Neil, my mechanic, Phil. We had a little help from some outside engineering earlier this weekend, which helped put it all together today.”
2026 FRAC | NJMP | Race 3 | Results
- Evagoras Papasavvas (R) — 25 laps
- Brady Golan — +0.785s
- Harbir Dass (R) — +4.361s
- Christian Bogle — +9.088s
- Kekai Hauanio (R) — +10.039s
- Luke Powers (R) — +11.008s
- Alejandro Bobadilla (R) — +20.537s
- Aidan Schuh (R) — +24.541s
- Aiden Zelaya (R) — 1 lap behind
- Anthony Autiello (M) — 1 lap behind
- Robert Arana Jr (R) — 1 lap behind
- Whitney Strickland (M)(R) — 1 lap behind
- Kevin Janzen (M) — 1 lap behind
- Cooper Shipman (R) — 5 laps behind
Fastest lap: Cooper Shipman — 1:16.041
Margin of victory: 0.785 seconds
Three drivers and three teams share NJMP victories
New Jersey continued the competitive trend that has defined the 2026 FR Americas season. Rather than one driver controlling the weekend as Golan had done at Indianapolis, three different teams each claimed a victory.
Powers delivered Toney Driver Development’s first win of the weekend after the Race 1 penalties and became a first-time FR Americas winner in the process. Bobadilla also took his maiden Formula Regional podium, while Bogle continued his consistent campaign with third.
Shipman then restored Kiwi Motorsport to the top step in Race 2. After difficult recent weekends, the reigning F4 U.S. champion rediscovered the form that had produced his opening-round NOLA victory and continued his strong record at NJMP.
Finally, Papasavvas completed an important recovery after his Race 1 mechanical retirement. Second in Race 2 and victory in Race 3 allowed the Crosslink driver to respond immediately after Golan had temporarily gained ground in the championship fight.
The Masters Cup also produced two winners. Strickland extended his season total to nine class victories after taking Race 1 and Race 2, while Autiello claimed his third success in the finale.
FR Americas will next travel to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for the Labour Day Weekend Sprints from September 3–6. After the contrasting fortunes of Indianapolis and New Jersey, Papasavvas and Golan remain at the centre of an increasingly close championship fight as the season enters its final three event weekends.
