FRP Features Multiple Close Finishes and First-Time Podium Finishers at Road America
Formula Race Promotions (FRP) traveled up north to Road America for the last weekend of June where over 40 open-wheel drivers combined for yet another weekend filled with track records, photo finishes, and movement in the evolving championship race. Taking place at the 4.014-mile Elkhart Lake facility, the FRP program live-streamed three races to broaden the overall viewership for the most affordable open-wheel race program in the country.
Fans got the chance to watch select FRP races live on SpeedTour TV’s YouTube channel, which streamed the first F2000/Atlantic race and the final two F1600 races of the weekend. Fans also got the chance to experience the cars up close as the series traveled to Elkhart Lake in support of the Trans Am series, with an open paddock and various on-site amenities, including a free hot lap challenge on racing simulators.
A testing day on Thursday allowed teams to get a chance to experience the track before official practice sessions kicked off on Friday. Racing began on Saturday afternoon and continued through Sunday, with beautiful sunny skies all weekend and temperatures above eighty degrees.
Weekend Racing Recap:
F1600
QUALIFYING (OVERALL):
- Wesley Gundler – 2:22.512
- Gabe Cahan – 2:22.893
- Parker Gill – 2:23.111
- Ayrton Cahan – 2:23.198
- Phil Kingham (M) – 2:23.668
QUALIFYING (MASTERS):
- Phil Kingham – 2:23.668
- Robert Perona – 2:23.970
- David Adorno – 2:24.419
- Scott Rubenzer – 2:24.540
- David Livingston – 2:24.949
RACE 1 (OVERALL):
- Gabe Cahan
- Wesley Gundler
- Ayrton Cahan
- Robert Perona (M)
- Michael Dowden
RACE 1 (MASTERS):
- Robert Perona
- David Adorno
- Bob Reid
- Gary Gecelter
- Greg Peluso
RACE 2 (OVERALL)
- Wesley Gundler
- Ayrton Cahan
- Parker Gill
- Gabriel Cahan
- Cooper Travis
RACE 2 (MASTERS):
- David Adorno
- Phil Kingham
- Robert Perona
- Scott Rubenzer
- Bob Reid
RACE 3 (OVERALL):
- Gabriel Cahan
- Robert Perona (M)
- Wesley Gundler
- David Adorno (M)
- Phil Kingham (M)
RACE 3 (OVERALL):
- Robert Perona
- David Adorno
- Phil Kingham
- David Livingston
- Robert Gross
Race 1 Recap
The top four drivers in F1600 finished just over a tenth of a second apart as Gabe Cahan took his third win in the past five races in a dramatic photo finish.
It was two-by-two across the line as Cahan followed his brother Ayrton, who took home third position. Alongside Gabe Cahan in second was Wesley Gundler, who finished in second place, being pushed by F1600 Masters winner Robert Perona.
“I’m very thankful to have really great competitors, really kind competitors, and really clean competitors,” said Gabe Cahan. “It makes it more entertaining from our standpoint and for the viewers as well.”
Gabe’s win cuts into the 28-point lead in the standings that Ayrton held entering the weekend. Additionally, it was a big points day for David Adorno whose second-place finish moves him closer to the top of the Masters standings with championship rivals Scott Rubenzer and David Livingston both not finishing the race.
Race 2 Recap
In a caution-shortened race, Wesley Gundler was able to take advantage of a fantastic restart to build the gap necessary to take his second win of the season and his sixth consecutive podium as he continued to close the gap to his F1600 championship rivals ahead.
Gundler started the race from eighth but held with the pack to get toward the front of the field. Twelve minutes into the race, amidst a shuffling top pack, Gundler made a move to the outside on the front straight to make the move to take the lead, and eventually the race win.
“I just had to time my passes right,” said Gundler. “It went really well for us, and I got a great restart, so I can’t be upset with that.”
Gundler was joined on the podium by championship leader Ayrton Cahan and FRP debutant Parker Gill, who had a fantastic race after bringing his Brian Graham Racing car from 12th to 3rd and secured the top starting position for the next race.
In the master’s class, David Adorno continued his dominant run with his third master’s victory in the past four races by just beating out overall pole sitter Phil Kingham. Adorno came home to finish the race in sixth position.
Race 3 Recap
In the last F1600 race of the weekend, a late-race caution put an end to a three-way battle where Gabriel Cahan, Wesley Gundler, and Robert Perona all came across the line within two hundredths of a second of each other.
Cahan ended up on top at the second the caution came out due to an incident between Chace Supplee and Scott Rubenzer, giving the series rookie Cahan his series-leading fourth victory of the season.
Throughout most of the race, a pack of nine cars jousted for position but began to break up as the top three began to pull away after pole sitter Parker Gill had to recover himself from heading off the course in turn 12.
Perona’s second-place finish marked the best finish for a F1600 Masters driver in the overall classification for a race in 2025. It was also his second top-five finish, after finishing fourth in the opening race of the weekend.
F2000
QUALIFYING:
- Nick Palacio – 2:13.906
- Sebastian Newberg – 2:16.610
- Glenn Cordova – 2:16.827
- Carter Sheets – 2:16.829
- Bob Wright – 2:17.204
RACE 1:
- Carter Sheets
- Glenn Cordova
- Sebastian Newberg
- Bob Wright
- Arshia Akhtar
QUALIFYING 2:
- Nick Palacio - 2:13.888
- Carter Sheets - 2:16.969
- Glenn Cordova - 2:18.119
- Bob Wright - 2:17.559
- Arshia Akhtar - 2:24.541
RACE 2:
- Nick Palacio
- Carter Sheets
- Bob Wright
- Arshia Akhtar
- Glenn Cordova
Race 1 Recap
It was a big day for Layke Motorsports’ Carter Sheets at Elkhart Lake as the second-year driver picked up his first-career win in the F2000 class at Formula Race Promotions.
Sheets had his work cut out for him starting in the bottom half of the class grid, but utilized early-race moves to put him in a position to take victory. But after issues impacted the pole sitter Nick Palacio, Sheets picked his passes wisely to get to the front of the field. The race also marked the third consecutive podium that Sheets has picked up.
The fourth-place finish Bob Wright had from a fifth starting position allowed him to overtake the championship lead and build out a 30-point cushion going into tomorrow’s race. Sheets was also able to leap into second in the championship running in a race that eventually ended under the safety car.
Race 2 Recap
After not finishing the first race of the weekend, Nick Palacio put together a stellar performance to take victory in the F2000 class for the first time this weekend in a dominant performance which saw him put on a victory by over ten seconds.
Carter Sheets followed up his win in the previous race with a second-place finish that kept him squarely in the title fight, with Bob Wright finishing behind the two in third place to round out the podium spots. Fellow Wright Racing car Arshia Akhtar also finished in the top five, coming home in a season-best fourth place. Unfortunately for Carter, he weighed light in the post-race impound, moving Bob Wright to second, and elevating rookie driver Arshia Akhtar to third for her first career podium.
ATLANTIC
QUALIFYING (ATL - 016):
- John McAleer - 1:59.797
- Dudley Fleck - 1:59.973
- Kirk Kindsfater - 2:03.629
- Richard Zober - 2:04.211
QUALIFYING (ATL - OPEN):
- James French - 2:03.909
- J.R. Smart - 2:04.741
- R. Bruce Hamilton - 2:05.368
- Brandon Schwarz - 2:06.084
- Paulie Gatto - 2:08.475
QUALIFYING (ATL - JUNIORS):
- Gabe Cahan - 2:09.528
- Justin Di Lucia - 2:09.671
- Kaylee Countryman - 2:10.981
- Ayrton Cahan - 2:11.227
- Connor Aspley - 2:13.160
RACE 1 (ATL - 016):
- Dudley Fleck
- John McAleer
- Kirk Kindsfater
- Richard Zober
RACE 1 (ATL - OPEN):
- Brandon Schwarz
- J.R. Smart
- R. Bruce Hamilton
- Bob Corliss
- Roman McCurdy
RACE 1 (ATL - JUNIORS):
- Kaylee Countryman
- Ayrton Cahan
- Connor Aspley
- Gabe Cahan
- Justin Di Lucia
QUALIFYING 2 (ATL - 016):
- Dudley Fleck - 1:59.643
- John Mcaleer - 2:00.844
- Kirk Kindsfater - 2:02.671
- Richard Zober - 2:08.214
QUALIFYING 2 (ATL - OPEN):
- J.R. Smart - 2:05.522
- R. Bruce Hamilton - 2:06.354
- Brandon Schwarz - 2:06.943
- Paulie Gatto - 2:08.959
- Bob Corliss - 2:10.021
QUALIFYING 2 (ATL - JUNIORS):
- Justin Di Lucia - 2:11.309
- Kaylee Countryman - 2:11.336
- Ayrton Cahan - 2:12.548
- Connor Aspley - 2:12.769
- Gabe Cahan - 2:59.418
RACE 2 (ATL - 016):
- Dudley Fleck
- John McAleer
- Kirk Kindsfater
- Richard Zober
RACE 2 (ATL - OPEN):
- J.R. Smart
- Brandon Schwarz
- Paulie Gatto
- Roman McCurdy
- Charles Livingston
RACE 2 (ATL - JUNIORS):
- Justin Di Lucia
- Gabriel Cahan
- Kaylee Countryman
- Connor Aspley
- Ayrton Cahan
Race 1 Recap
In a caution-shortened race, Dudley Fleck took advantage of an opening-lap pass to get past championship leader John McAleer and take overall victory after being fastest in both of Friday’s practice sessions. It was Fleck’s first win of the year.
“I knew I had to have a good first lap,” said Fleck. “I’ve been trying to get John a little bit on the start because he’s been fast all weekend and top of the list as far as power goes.”
In a dramatic battle in the other two Atlantic classes, Brandon Schwarz made it to the front of the Open class to maintain his win streak and extend it to six races.
Justin Di Lucia and Gabe Cahan battled at the front with Kaylee Countryman for the Atlantic - Juniors class title, with Di Lucia and Cahan both ending up in separate incidents, giving Countryman her second class victory of 2025.
Race 2 Recap
After taking his first victory of the season in the previous race in the Atlantic-016 class, Dudley Fleck doubled up his win total on the weekend where he led from [pole and was able to hold off John McAleer to pick up his second win in a row.
McAleer came home in second place in the 016 class to pick up his fourth consecutive podium and extend his championship lead to over 180 points heading out of Road America.
In the open class, Brandon Schwarz’s win streak of six races came to an end as J.R. Smart was able to hold him off to take his first win of the year in the classification. Schwarz still managed to pick up a second-place finish, extending his class podium streak to all eight races of the season.
In the Atlantic - Juniors class, Justin Di Lucia held off teammates Gabriel Cahan and Kaylee Countryman to take his fourth class win in the past five races. Countryman also secured her second consecutive podium of the weekend.
Next up for FRP teams and competitors is a trip to Watkins Glen from July 11 to July 13. Visit www.RaceFRP.com to register.
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