INDIANAPOLIS (June 16, 2024) – With Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas) competing in their second race of the weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Ryan Shehan (No. 66 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) pulled ahead of the competition to claim the victory on Sunday morning. Entering the day in a heated points battle with his Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport teammates Patrick Woods-Toth (No. 27 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) and Titus Sherlock (No. 31 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3), Shehan had to overtake both on his way to the Winners Circle.
Notes of Interest:
- Ryan Shehan scored his second win of the season with today’s victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
- Jett Bowling earned his best-career finish and first podium with today’s runner-up result at the Brickyard.
- Nicole Havrda has finished third in three of the last four races.
- Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport swept the podium today at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Recording the fast lap in yesterday’s race, Woods-Toth led the field down the starting grid with Shehan to his outside. Starting in the third position, Sherlock pulled to the inside and drove deep into Turn 1 to stay tight in the race for the lead. On Shehan’s gearbox as they raced down the Hulman straight, Sherlock looked to the inside in Turn 7 to race wheel to wheel with Shehan through the esses before overtaking the second position. With Woods-Toth just ahead, Sherlock took advantage of an early safety car period, which regrouped and brought him back to Woods-Toth’s gearbox. As they raced through Turn 7, Sherlock overtook Woods-Toth, and Shehan stayed tight on Sherlock’s tail while looking to earn the runner-up position. Contact between Woods-Toth and Shehan in the esses resulted in a spinning Woods-Toth, relegating him to 12th in the running order. A few turns later, Sherlock slowed as they exited Turn 14, which allowed Shehan to inherit the lead and sail away from the field.
Fourth-place starter Jett Bowling (No. 02 Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F3) had been quietly logging laps, but was able to capitalize on the misfortune of others to work his way up to second, where he continued to click off consistent times.
Just behind him, there was a battle underway for third. Justin Garat (No. 17 Speed Factory Ligier JS F3) initially held the position, but close racing led to a spin by the Speed Factory driver in Turn 7, allowing Nicole Havrda (No. 6 Valley Kitchens Ltd / Colonial Countertops Ltd Ligier JS F3) to pick up the spot. Havrda had pressure from behind with Hayden Bowlsbey (No. 22 IGY6 Motorsports / Save22 Ligier JS F3) and Nicolas Ambiado (No. 55 TLink / Allegro Ligier JS F3) just behind her rear wing. Already up to sixth, Theodor Jensen (No. 1 JENSEN Global Advisors Ligier JS F3) was on the move after spinning on the first lap—and the Danish driver had another chance at forward progress when a full-course caution slowed the field near the race’s halfway point.
When the race resumed, Shehan once again took a commanding lead, as Bowling followed in second. With Havrda third, Ambiado pulled side by side with Bowlsbey on the restart, completing the pass and leaving Bowlsbey to come under pressure from Jensen, who also made the pass. Havrda, Ambiado and Jensen ran nose-to-gearbox with less than a second separating the three drivers as they fought for the third and final podium position. Ambiado tried to sneak by Havrda as they entered Turn 1 on the final lap. Braking late to initially jump ahead, the Chilean locked up a wheel and spun, allowing Harvda back around. Jensen looked to make a move in Turn 7, but Havrda held off the challenge as they raced toward the checkered flag.
Crossing the line of bricks, Shehan led the field, with Bowling in second and Havrda rounding out the top three.
READ MORE: Race 2 Official Results
“It was an interesting race,” said Shehan. “I got a better start yesterday when I cleared Patrick by Turn 1, but today I had to fight on the outside. We saw yesterday that didn't really work for Titus , so I was a bit worried about it, but I held on for a second. Titus got me initially, but I was able to get back to the lead after the restart. I’d like to thank the whole Crosslink Kiwi team, my parents, my sponsors—Harrison Noel, Goose Creek, Sabelt—and of course, my engineer Steven. Big thanks.”
FR Americas will wrap up its weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the third and final feature race at 2:30 p.m. ET. The race will be live streamed at YouTube.com/SpeedTourTV, with live timing and scoring available on the Race Monitor app. Additional news and updates from the weekend will be posted on the series’ social channels: Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Photos by Gavin Baker Photography.
