Kiwi Motorsport concluded its 2026 racing campaigns with three victories and multiple podium finishes at Barber Motorsports Park, bringing a successful season across the Formula Regional Americas Championship (FRAC), Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) and Ligier Junior Formula Championship (Ligier JFC) to a close.
Clemente Huerta Raab completed a clean sweep of the two F4 U.S. races, while Cooper Shipman secured victory in the final FRAC contest. Meanwhile, Jack Speth added another Ligier JFC win before finishing runner-up in the Gen. 2 Drivers’ Championship. The results also confirmed several important championship positions, with Caleb Campbell securing second in F4 U.S. and Shipman completing the FRAC season third overall.
The performances brought Kiwi Motorsport’s season tally to 54 podium finishes across its three programmes, complementing the F4 U.S. Teams’ Championship the outfit had already secured at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR).
Huerta Raab completes F4 U.S. sweep at Barber
Kiwi Motorsport entered the season finale with the F4 U.S. Teams’ Championship already secured, but several of its drivers remained involved in battles for the remaining Drivers’ Championship positions. Campbell led the team’s challenge after qualifying on pole position for Race 1, with Huerta Raab securing second and Ayden Kohut completing the leading five.
Huerta Raab converted his front-row starting position into his maiden F4 U.S. victory, overcoming the challenges of the opening race to finish ahead of reigning champion Gastón Irazú. Kohut also delivered an important result, claiming his first podium in the championship with third place, while Campbell finished fifth after starting from pole.
The Chilean continued his impressive form in Sunday’s finale, leading from the start to secure his second consecutive victory. Having established an advantage during the opening laps, Huerta Raab maintained control throughout the race to complete the weekend sweep.
Reflecting on his performance, Huerta Raab acknowledged the importance of maintaining consistency during the final contest.
“I managed to keep the car in first the whole race.”
The victories provided a fitting conclusion to his season, particularly after securing two podium finishes during the penultimate round at VIR.
Campbell secures F4 U.S. runner-up honours
While Huerta Raab dominated the final weekend, Campbell also delivered an important result in the battle for second in the Drivers’ Championship. The Canadian entered Barber trailing teammate Zach Fourie but remained within reach of the runner-up position, with two races still available to overturn the deficit.
His opening race proved challenging despite starting from pole, as he finished fifth while Huerta Raab and Kohut collected podium finishes for Kiwi Motorsport. However, Campbell recovered during Race 2, finishing third behind Huerta Raab and Crosslink Motorsports’ Fernando Rivera.
The result delivered Campbell’s ninth podium of the season and secured second in the final Drivers’ Championship standings with 232 points. Fourie, who did not compete at Barber, finished third with 223, while Huerta Raab climbed to fourth with 206 following his double victory.
Kohut experienced contrasting fortunes across the weekend. After celebrating his maiden F4 U.S. podium in Race 1, he retired seven laps into the finale and ultimately completed the championship seventh overall.
Kiwi Motorsport therefore concluded its championship-winning F4 U.S. campaign with three drivers inside the leading four positions, underlining the team’s strength throughout the season. Its performances also built on an impressive Canadian Tire Motorsport Park weekend, where Fourie secured his maiden victory.
Shipman converts strong FRAC qualifying into podium finish
Kiwi Motorsport also enjoyed a competitive final weekend in FRAC, with Cooper Shipman and Harbir Dass representing the team in the final two races of the championship.
Shipman arrived at Barber holding third in the Drivers’ Championship, although he remained within reach of runner-up Evagoras Papasavvas. Dass, meanwhile, entered the weekend seventh overall and aimed to strengthen his championship position after a season of consistent performances.
Both drivers demonstrated competitive pace during Friday’s practice sessions, with Shipman setting the fastest time in the opening session. The American subsequently qualified third for Race 1, while Dass secured fourth on the grid.
Saturday’s opening race saw Shipman maintain his starting position to claim another podium, finishing behind Brady Golan and Kekai Hauanio. The race was shortened following an early Safety Car intervention, resulting in half championship points being awarded.
Dass narrowly missed a podium, finishing fifth to collect another valuable result for Kiwi Motorsport.
Shipman’s third-place finish kept him in contention for second in the championship, while his fastest lap also earned pole position for Sunday’s finale. With another opportunity to challenge for victory, the Kiwi Motorsport driver entered the final race determined to end the season on a high.
Shipman claims third FRAC victory in season finale
Shipman produced one of his strongest performances of the year during Sunday’s FRAC season finale at Barber, converting pole position into his third victory of the 2026 championship.
The Kiwi Motorsport driver made a strong start and established himself at the front while several of his championship rivals encountered trouble behind him. Papasavvas and Golan made contact during the opening lap, compromising their races and allowing Shipman to focus on maintaining his advantage.
A later Safety Car intervention brought the field back together, providing Golan with another opportunity to challenge for the lead. However, the newly crowned champion spun following the restart, leaving Shipman to control the remaining laps and cross the finish line first.
The result secured Shipman’s third victory and tenth podium of the season, completing an impressive first full FRAC campaign. His performance also reduced the gap to Papasavvas to just seven points, although the Crosslink Motorsports driver retained second in the final championship standings.
Shipman ultimately finished third with 234.5 points, while Dass secured seventh overall after completing the final race in sixth.
Kiwi Motorsport also finished third in the Teams’ Championship with 357.5 points, behind Toney Driver Development and Crosslink Motorsports. The final FRAC standings confirmed the team’s competitive position following a season featuring three victories from Shipman.
Speth keeps Ligier JFC title hopes alive with Barber victory
Jack Speth entered Barber as Kiwi Motorsport’s sole Ligier JFC Gen. 2 representative, facing a decisive championship battle against MLT Motorsports’ Edward Kennedy. The American arrived 13 points behind his rival, with the final two races determining the Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships.
After qualifying second in class, Speth produced an impressive opening race to claim his fourth victory of the season. Kennedy initially controlled proceedings and established an advantage of more than five seconds, but a late Safety Car intervention brought the field back together.
Speth capitalised on the restart, applying pressure throughout the final lap before completing a decisive overtake at Turn 6. The move secured victory and reduced his championship deficit to six points heading into Sunday’s finale.
The Kiwi Motorsport driver explained his approach to the decisive overtaking opportunity after the race.
“I sent it into the hairpin and it stuck.”
The victory continued Speth’s remarkable consistency throughout 2026, with the American having collected two further podium finishes at VIR during the penultimate weekend.
His performance also ensured the Gen. 2 championship remained undecided until the final race, providing Kiwi Motorsport with another opportunity to challenge for an individual title.
Speth finishes runner-up after final Ligier JFC title battle
Sunday’s finale brought another closely contested battle between Speth and Kennedy, with just six points separating the championship rivals.
Kennedy started from pole position in the Gen. 2 class, but Speth remained close throughout the race and repeatedly searched for an opportunity to take the lead. He attempted an overtake at Turn 5 but could not complete the move, allowing Kennedy to maintain control.
The pair continued fighting through traffic during the closing stages, although Speth ultimately had to settle for second place. Kennedy’s victory secured the Gen. 2 Drivers’ Championship by 13 points, while MLT Motorsports also claimed the Teams’ title.
Nevertheless, Speth completed the season with four victories and a podium finish in every race, demonstrating the consistency that had kept him in championship contention throughout the year.
His runner-up result represented another important achievement for Kiwi Motorsport, particularly given the strength of Kennedy’s campaign. The MLT Motorsports driver secured 11 victories, but Speth’s performances ensured the championship remained competitive until the final round.
The result completed Kiwi Motorsport’s Ligier JFC campaign with another race win, two Barber podium finishes and second in the Drivers’ Championship.
Larsen praises Kiwi Motorsport’s 54-podium campaign
The results at Barber provided a successful conclusion to a season in which Kiwi Motorsport competed across three junior single-seater championships. With victories in F4 U.S., FRAC and Ligier JFC, the team demonstrated its competitiveness across multiple levels of the North American motorsport development ladder.
Its achievements included the F4 U.S. Teams’ Championship, Campbell’s runner-up finish, Fourie’s third place and Huerta Raab’s fourth-place championship result. Meanwhile, Shipman secured third in FRAC, with Dass seventh, and Speth completed the Ligier JFC Gen. 2 standings in second.
The team had already entered Barber targeting further championship honours, having accumulated 46 podium finishes before the final weekend.
Team Owner Teena Larsen expressed her satisfaction with the organisation’s achievements and the performances delivered by its drivers.
“I’m incredibly proud of the entire team and what we’ve accomplished this season,”
“To finish the year with wins across our programs and so many strong championship results is a great reflection of the work everyone has put in.”
Larsen also acknowledged the collective efforts of the team’s drivers, mechanics, families and partners throughout the campaign.
“Fifty-four podiums on the 2026 season is a great achievement to accomplish as a team.”
Kiwi Motorsport concludes successful 2026 season
Kiwi Motorsport’s Barber performances brought an impressive 2026 campaign to a close, with the team securing three victories during the final weekend and adding further championship honours across its junior single-seater programmes.
Huerta Raab’s F4 U.S. sweep highlighted the team’s race-winning potential, while Campbell’s runner-up finish and Fourie’s third place confirmed its strength throughout the championship. Meanwhile, Shipman’s final FRAC victory and Speth’s closely contested Ligier JFC title battle provided additional achievements during the closing weekend.
Although the team narrowly missed out on further individual championships, its combination of victories, consistent podium finishes and strong final standings demonstrated its competitive performances across all three categories.
With 54 podium appearances and the F4 U.S. Teams’ Championship secured, Kiwi Motorsport now concludes 2026 with a substantial collection of results to build upon as preparations begin for the next season.
