The 2026 Formula Pro USA Western Championship heads to new territory this weekend as Lucas Hand and the Kiwi Motorsport team travel to Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, California for Rounds 5 & 6. Located in the heart of the Sacramento Valley, Thunderhill's East circuit stretches 4.61 kilometers and features 15 exhilarating turns, with natural elevation changes that keep drivers on their toes and long enough straights to reward precision and bravery in equal measure. It will be Lucas's first time competing at the circuit, presenting a fresh challenge for the young Calgary-based driver — and a chance to prove that his dominant start to the season is no fluke.
Lucas arrives at Thunderhill as a clear championship frontrunner, having swept Rounds 1 and 2 at Sonoma Raceway with back-to-back pole positions, race wins, and fastest laps — followed by continued strong performances through Rounds 3 and 4. A new track brings unknowns, but Lucas has shown throughout this season that he adapts quickly, performs under pressure, and delivers when it counts. Practice kicks off Friday, May 15, with races scheduled for Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17.
This past Tuesday, Lucas Hand swapped his race suit for a coaching role as a guest driver and coach at a Road to Racing track day event held at the spectacular Area 27 motorsport complex in Oliver, British Columbia. Joining fellow drivers Mac Clark, Thaden Van Wong, and Sydney Cassels, Lucas worked alongside the Area 27 instructors to guide a group of eager participants through one of Canada's most challenging and visually stunning road courses. Attendees brought their own private vehicles or took the wheel of rental Camaro's, putting themselves and their cars to the test on Area 27's demanding layout with the guidance of some of Canada's most promising young racing talent.
The day was a tremendous success, giving participants a genuine taste of what motorsport is all about — the precision, the focus, and the thrill of finding the limit on a real race circuit. For Lucas, the event offered a chance to showcase not just his on-track ability but also his maturity and communication skills as a coach and ambassador for the sport. Road to Racing's mandate of developing the next generation of Canadian motorsport talent was on full display throughout the day, and events like this are a reminder of why the program is such an important part of Lucas's journey. With the 2026 Formula Pro USA season already off to a perfect start, it's clear that Lucas is growing not just as a racing driver, but as a complete professional in the sport he loves.
What a weekend. Formula Pro USA Rounds 3 and 4 at Sonoma Raceway delivered every emotion imaginable — a jaw-dropping race win decided by the blink of an eye on Saturday, and a hard lesson in the unpredictability of racing on Sunday. Through it all, Lucas showed the grit, skill, and sportsmanship that have defined his 2026 season from the very first lap.
Lucas put the #191 Kiwi Motorsport machine on pole once again, and immediately set about building an advantage when the race went green. An early yellow in Turn 1 bunched the field back up, but once racing resumed Lucas pulled a gap of nearly a second and a half before lapped traffic let Erik Doan of World Speed Motorsports close back in. From there, the race became a wheel-to-wheel battle that had the crowd on its feet.
For the final three laps they traded the lead — clean, committed, absolutely electric. On the last lap, navigating lapped cars while fighting for the win, Lucas found himself second into the final corner, Turn 11. He made an inside move, grabbed the lead, and held on through a drag race to the flag. The margin of victory: 11 thousandths of a second. A testament to two drivers who raced each other as hard as it gets while keeping it completely fair and clean.
Sunday was a different story. Doan got by in lapped traffic on Lap 3, with Lucas right on his gearbox looking for a way through. On Lap 7, two separate incidents brought out a full course yellow, and with too many cars spread too far across the circuit, the race concluded under caution — Doan leading, Lucas second. Post-race review determined both had made a pass under the yellow, dropping Lucas to 7th and Doan to 6th. Unfortunate, but accepted with class. No one was hurt, and the positives from the weekend far outweigh the setback.
En route to Sonoma last week, Kiwi Motorsport suffered a devastating fire that destroyed one of their racing trailers — a car, tools, spare parts, equipment, and gear, gone. For most teams, that ends the weekend before it starts. Not Kiwi. They scrambled, regrouped, and put on a flawless program for every driver on their roster. One of the most remarkable demonstrations of resilience and perseverance we've ever seen in a paddock, and the Hand family could not be more grateful or more proud.
Their drivers delivered too. Mauricio Robbins claimed 3rd in FPUSA-4 in Round 3. In the Women's Racing Series, Narcisse Triano — in her very first racing weekend ever — stepped onto the Round 3 podium in 3rd, and Chloe Jade followed with a strong 2nd in Round 4. All three results a credit to the drivers and to the team that made it happen against all odds.
Kiwi Motorsport, you are the backbone of this program.
Thank you
Lucas leads the FPUSA-4 standings with 85 points — 19 ahead of Erik Doan. The pace, the pole positions, the never-say-die race craft on Saturday, and the maturity shown all weekend are signs of a driver growing with every round.
Next up: Rounds 5 and 6 at Thunderhill Raceway Park, May 15–17, 2026. A new track, a new challenge, and every reason to be excited.
Stay tuned — the best is yet to come.
Lucas Hand and the Kiwi Motorsport team head back to Sonoma Raceway this coming weekend for Rounds 3 & 4 of the Formula Pro USA Western Championship, and they do so as the driver to beat in the FPUSA-4 class. Lucas arrives at the 4.06-kilometre road course riding the momentum of a flawless season opener at the same venue in March — two pole positions, two race wins, and two fastest laps across the double-header, earning the maximum 54 points and establishing himself immediately as a championship contender. With track time already banked at Sonoma, Lucas heads into the weekend with a confidence and familiarity that few drivers in the field can match.
Rounds 3 & 4 take place April 23–26 as part of the high-profile SpeedTour and SVRA weekend, raising both the stakes and the spotlight for the young Calgary-based driver. Having demonstrated the ability to perform under pressure — overcoming a damaged front wing, a full course yellow restart, and the complexities of multi-class racing in his very first car racing weekend — Lucas has shown he belongs at the front of the field. All eyes in the paddock will be on the #191 machine as he looks to extend his championship lead and continue what has been a remarkable start to the 2026 season. The weekend schedule is as follows:
Can't make it to the track? Follow along with live timing on the Race Monitor app — it works best on your phone. Unfortunately it is a paid subscription but will be used multiple times throughout the season. It's a great way to follow Lucas' progress in real time from anywhere.
Lucas launched his 2026 Formula Pro USA campaign in emphatic fashion at Sonoma Raceway, delivering a dominant performance across the opening double-header of the Western Championship season. Driving the #191 Kiwi Motorsport entry on the demanding 4.06-kilometre road course, Lucas claimed pole position in both qualifying sessions and went on to win both Race 1 and Race 2 in the FPUSA-4 class — adding the fastest lap award in each race to complete a perfect weekend. He leaves Sonoma as the clear FPUSA-4 championship leader, sitting on the maximum 54 points. formulaprousa
What made the sweep all the more impressive was what Lucas had to overcome to get there. In Race 1, contact at Turn 2 bent his front wing and allowed a competitor to pass, yet he methodically hunted the car down and completed the pass — all while managing a car that wasn't running cleanly. When a full course yellow brought the field together with only a few laps remaining, Lucas executed a masterful restart, threading his way past six lapped cars before Turn 8 on the opening lap alone to secure his first-ever car racing victory. Race 2 brought fresh challenges in the multi-class field, including navigating a spinning Formula 3 car at Turn 2 on the opening lap, but Lucas stayed composed, built a clean gap, and drove consistent laps to the checkered flag for the sweep.
The result marks a milestone moment for the Lucas Hand Racing program — a flawless debut on the Formula Pro USA stage, competing against experienced racers on one of North America's most celebrated road courses. Kiwi Motorsport team owner Teena Larsen described Lucas as "outstanding," kiwimotorsport and the series echoed that sentiment, noting the precision and pace he displayed throughout the weekend. His coach and driver manager Jeff Bucknum put it simply: "Keep up the good work that comes naturally to you and you will continue to win races the rest of your racing career." The team now looks ahead to Rounds 3 & 4, returning to Sonoma Raceway on April 23–26 as the driver to beat in the FPUSA-4 championship.
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