FR Americas Championship

Dickerson, Kaszuba, Cusson and Vaccaro advance to F3 Americas from F4 U.S.

More than a dozen talented drivers from around the world will debut in the second season of F3 Americas Championship Powered by Honda, supporting NTT IndyCar Series for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama April 5-7. More than a dozen cars are slotted for the Barber Motorsports Park two-round event, doubling the size of the championship’s inaugural season-opener less than a year ago.

Designed as the next step in the Honda open-wheel championship progression from Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda, several drivers on the roster will make the transition into F3 Americas from F4 this weekend.

Reigning F4 U.S. Champion Dakota Dickerson will compete under Global Racing Group’s expanded F3 program, using the F3 Americas scholarship valued at $230,000 he earned last season to aid in his FIA ladder progression.

“First and foremost, I have to thank all of the series partners for their support in getting me to this point. Without Honda/HPD, Ligier Automotive, Phillips 66, Redline, Hankook Tire and SCCA Pro Racing and all their partners, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to contest the F3 Americas Championship," said Dickerson, who holds the record for most consecutive races with points scored in F4. "Looking ahead to this season, I am very excited to run with Global Racing Group. They were fierce competitors last year in F4 and as the 2018 vice champions of the F3 Americas Championship, I know they have the right people and processes in place for us to grab another championship. I have some great teammates and I know the competition will be fierce, but I feel more ready than ever to hit the track at Barber Motorsports Park.” 

 After a hugely successful 2018 season, F4 U.S. team champions Kiwi Motorsport called up its veteran F4 driver Austin Kaszuba to field its first F3 entry. In his three years as an F4 U.S. pilot, Kaszuba claimed dozens of top-10 results and multiple podium finishes.

“I am very excited to transition into F3 with Kiwi Motorsport,” Kaszuba said.  “The Ligier JS F3 is a phenomenal car and SCCA Pro Racing has created an enticing F3 platform with great competition. I am looking forward to competing this weekend especially with the visibly that an IndyCar weekend brings.”

Canadian driver Logan Cusson will also make the jump from F4 to F3 Americas this weekend. Wheeling the No. 99 Echelon Wealth Partners Peerage Capital Jenson Racing Advisors car, Cusson will compete against F3 drivers from six nations on the 16-turn, 2.38-mile picturesque circuit.

“I can’t wait for Barber to get started,” said Cusson, who contested in the F4 West Coast Championship supported by SCCA Pro Racing Winter Series. “The addition of aero, and the turbocharged Honda engine, has made driving the Echelon Wealth Partners Ligier JS F3 super exciting.”

Kent Vaccaro leveled up from F4 to F3 Americas, diligently testing in the off-season to prepare for his F3 Americas debut with Momentum Motorsports. He is joined by W Series driver Shea Holbrook, completing the roster for the New York-based squad. Holbrook is the first female to enter the FIA-supported championship.

"It has been a whirlwind few months and I am super excited to get behind the wheel of a Momentum Motorsports F3 at Barber Motorsports Park,” Holbrook said. “Though the deal was put in place rather quickly, I have complete confidence in the team, its equipment and could not have asked for a better program to partner with."

After a successful American debut last season in Formula Pro Racing’s F2000 Championship, James Roe Jr. of Naas, Ireland, will continue his open-wheel development, confirming his F3 Americas seat with Global Racing Group. Roe, the nephew of CanAm Championship winner and Irish Motorsport Hall of Fame driver Michael Roe, finalizes the grid for the inaugural vice team champions, joining series veterans Baltazar Leguizamon and Benjamin Pedersen.

"I am extremely excited to be racing in F3 Americas this year with Global Racing Group. It is going to be a big step up driving a car with much more power and down force than I am used to, however I am really looking forward to the challenge,” Roe said. “I have to thank Max Crawford from Ligier Automotive for his support, Christian Pedersen from Global Racing Group for assigning its European Driver scholarship to me and of course my sponsor John Campion along with everyone at CJJ Motorsports."

Series newcomers Velocity Racing Development will enter Mathias Soler-Obel, Parker Locke and Masters Cup driver Dominic Cicero for the opening two rounds of F3 competition.

"The F3 car is a proper racing machine. From the horsepower, to the aero package to everything in between, it allows engineers like myself to really get to work,” said VRD team manager and engineer Dan Mitchell. “At the end of the day, you need to have a driver that can pilot the car around the track, and I am confident that the three that we have in our VRD camp will turn heads this weekend."

Abel Motorsports captured the 2018 Driver and Team championship in the inaugural season and looks to defend that title this season with Jacob Abel, who earned fourth in the final F3 Americas 2018 standings.

“The field for F3 Americas keeps getting stronger and stronger as we get ready for tomorrow, but our goal as a team remains the same,” Abel said. “I am hoping to get back on the box this weekend, hunting for that top-step.”

The fleet of Ligier JS F3 cars, powered by a 303 HP Honda Civic Type R engine and equipped with Hankook tires, kick off the weekend with two practice sessions on Friday, followed by an autograph session in the Fan Zone from 2:30-3:00 p.m. CT. Qualifying on Saturday starts at 8:05 a.m. CT with the first installment of the doubleheader weekend starting at 11:45 a.m. CT. The weekend finale commences Sunday at 8:30 a.m. CT. For more information on drivers, teams or the championship visit F3Americas.com.

F3 Americas Barber Motorsports Park Entry List

More info for Barber Motorsports Weekend