Group-A Racing returns to Circuit of The Americas for the Untied States Grand Prix Nov. 1-3 with Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda. Rejoined by Austin-native Shehan Chandrasoma, three Group-A Racing machines will run alongside Formula One for a weeklong celebration of horsepower and motorsports.
Driving the red and yellow No. 29 CentexTickets.com/Berli’s Body & Fine Auto Finishes/Hudson Fine Dining Group-A Racing car, Chandrasoma returns to the top operation to join teammates David Dalton Jr. and Robert Torres for the Championship’s series finale.
“It’s always a great compliment when a driver returns to your program” stated Group-A Racing team manager Jonathan Scarallo. “It’s a true testimony to the top level our program is from all aspects: driver coaching, engineering, car prep etc. I enjoyed having Shehan last year. He has very good natural ability. He really wants to learn and apply everything he is getting taught, which is why he progresses every time he’s in the car. On top of that he is a nice kid to have around, gives back to the community a lot.”
Chandrasoma, a 16-year-old born and raised in the Austin, Texas, area, started racing spec Miata at the club racing level. Chandrasoma earned a podium result at the NASA National Championships last year in the Spec Miata class which took place at COTA.
Following that, Chandrasoma joined Group-A Racing to make his pro debut in the F4 U.S. Championship last season during the 2018 USGP at COTA. He completed a successful start to his professional racing career, applying all the coaching to progress each session and completing every lap.
From there he has taken a small hiatus to focus on school, but is back with Group-A Racing again. Chandrasoma will use this event to further his driving development and relationship with the team to race full time in 2020.
“I am excited to join Group-A Racing again this year,” said Chandrasoma. “They have the equipment ready, take the time to coach and mentor me all throughout, before, during and even after the races. I am looking forward to the F4 races at COTA, meeting other drivers and experiencing another great F4 race at Circuit Of The Americas. I want to be focused and be determined to finish the best I can. Also, I am thankful to many people from my parents, coaches, Group-A Racing, especially Jonathan, SCCA, F4 sponsors and to everyone who continues to support and offer me opportunities to pursue my racing career. I know I can’t do it alone it, takes a team.”
Off track Chandrasoma is heavily involved in his community, giving back in any way he can. He gives back through his passion of racing and cars with TheFerrariKid.org charity. Chandrasoma is the ambassador for the Austin chapter of the charity which provides exotic car experiences for kids with illness. On top of that, he is on the Boy Scouts International Committee. He has completed his eagle scout project through messengers of peace. Lastly a top pianist & cellist.
Group-A Racing is already aggressively scheduling numerous test days at its winter home of MSR Houston. The team will be testing immediately following the last race at COTA, wasting no time to get prepared for the 2020 season to be better than ever. Drivers interested in testing and 2020 race seat information, contact Jonathan Scarallo 631-974-4379 info@GroupARacingTeam.com. Parties interested in sponsorship opportunities with Shehan Chandrasoma can contact Group-A Racing as well.
Group-A Racing Leads Laps, Scoring Three Top-10s With Porcelli
Group-A Racing showed tremendous pace during the Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda season opener at Road Atlanta April 11-13, leading laps and scoring points in all three rounds of the debut event with returning driver David Porcelli.
“I am really happy with how everything went this weekend” said Group-A Racing team manager Jonathan Scarallo. “It was a last minute thrash coming into this weekend, with no testing for David and no testing for us, with the car or on the new Hankook tires. We ran up front all event, lead a bunch of laps in race 2 and scored points in all three races with basically a rookie driver. David did a great job taking all the coaching, and the crew and engineering team did an awesome job, giving him a great piece as usual.”
Official race weekend kicked off on Thursday with the first official practice of the season in the morning. Group-A and Porcelli, who drove for the team last in a one-off event at New Jersey Motorsports Park, came out of the gate strong with fifth quickest time. As the session was ending, Porcelli was collected by the ultra-fast Turn 1 in a single car incident that left the car in pieces. Group-A Racing put in a heroic effort to get Porcelli back out for final practice just three hours later. In the end, Porcelli finished Practice 1 in seventh and Practice 2 in 11th.
The next morning F4 US Championship teams experienced thunderstorms and flash floods in the Braselton, Georgia, area. This resulted in qualifying being cancelled and the grid for Race 1 set on practice times. Based on his best practice time, Porcelli lined up seventh.
Race 1 was tricky conditions with the track dry in some sections, but still very wet in others. Series officials called it a rain race, mandating all cars start on Hankook rain tires. Porcelli showed good pace in his Group-A Racing machine, defending his seventh-place spot for majority of the race until sliding back to ninth near the race closing. With that, he stayed focused and pushed forward to hold onto that position at the finish. On the last lap of the race, Porcelli laid a flying lap to place him third on the grid for Race 2.
Race 2 presented a great opportunity for Porcelli and Group-A Racing team, lining up inside of second row. The New Jersey native got a fantastic start to jump to the lead. Putting his head down, and on cold tires, Porcelli built a gap over the rest of the field in the opening two laps, while the rest of the field battled with one another. As the pack calmed down, cars teamed up to run down the leading Group-A Racing car. After showing so much promise leading a good chunk of the race, Porcelli finished ninth following a minor mistake that allowed a freight train of cars to pass at once.
Porcelli started a bit farther down the pack in 19th for Race 3. Yet again, he got a great start to move up two positions. The next lap, he gained another position, moving him to 16th by the end of the second lap. He started running down the pack in front of him when a full course yellow came out to help bunch up the field. On the restart, Porcelli cut through the field, gaining five positions in a lap and a half, before another yellow slowed his speed. Porcelli got another great start in his Group-A Racing car, gaining two more positions. The checkered flag fell the following lap, driving from a 19th place start to finish ninth.
“Heading into the first event at Road Atlanta I was anxious to see where Group-A-Racing and I would end up in the field” said Porcelli. “I am really happy with solidifying three finishes in the points and leaving my mark on the championship leading laps in race two. I was truly honored by the work put in by Group-A-Racing. Plus, with my wreck, I drove different cars throughout the weekend! Group-A put in all the work necessary to give me a consistent racecar and keep me out on track and in a position to succeed. I now know that we are in a position to fight for this championship and we fully intend on improving our results in Pittsburg and continue to bring the fight to this competitive F4 field.”
Group-A Racing has a seat available for the remainder of the season for part time or full season scenarios. Interested parties contact Jonathan Scarallo info@GroupARacingTeam.com 631-974-4379.
David Porcelli Returns to F4 U.S. with Group-A Racing
After a very promising debut event at New Jersey Motorsports Park during 2018, Group-A Racing re-signed David Porcelli for the 2019 Formula 4 United States Championship Series Powered by Honda season.
After being out of a car completely for three years, Porcelli joined Group-A last September in a one-off drive at the F4 NJMP event. Despite competing in one of the most competitive series and being out of a car for so long, Porcelli showed tremendous progress each session during the event. Constantly working with team lead engineer Alain Clarinval and driver coach Jonathan Scarallo, the New Jersey native soaked everything in to improve. When the checkered flag flew at the end of the weekend Porcelli earned an eighth-place result.
“Since my stellar rookie performance in 2018 at NJMP with Group-A-Racing I have been working nonstop to get back into the car for Round 1 at Road Atlanta” stated Porcelli. “I have raced on Road Atlanta more than any other track and I have multiple podiums and wins under my belt. Now that I have had some experience in the F4 U.S. car powered by Honda and working with Group-A-Racing I am very excited to see what we can do when we join the pace race from the start of the season. We have placed ourselves in a position to contend for the Formula 4 United States championship. I truly believe that Group-A-Racing is the optimal fit for myself as a driver. All my hard work to get back on track over the past two years is finally paying off and I can’t wait to see what we can do together as a team.”
Porcelli continued to work hard with Group-A Racing team in the off season, obtaining funding from new and returning sponsors to return to the team in F4. Porcelli will drive the No. 93 Group-A Racing/Brain Forest Enhancement Training/New Life Independent Distributor/RaceCraft1/Turnkey/Stuffed Burger Ligier JS F4 car.
“Having David back with us puts a big smile on my face” said Group-A Racing manager Jonathan Scarallo. “Whenever a driver returns to your program it’s a big compliment to show the type of program we run. On top of that, I have known David and been working with him for years. It was already great to have a good result in a one-off last year, now to having him back for more events is incredibly rewarding. It’s come together a bit late with no pre-season testing for him, but we will all be working very hard together to catch up quickly.”
Group-A Racing has another seat available for testing and part time/one-off race programs. Interested parties contact the team via 631-974-4379 info@GroupARacingTeam.com
Group-A Development Driver Cameron Tedder Finishes Runner-Up In Lucas Oil Series
Lindenhurst, New York, (November 2, 2018) - After a hard-fought yearlong battle Group-A Racing Development Driver Cameron Tedder finishes runner up in the 2018 Lucas Oil Formula Series. The result comes in Tedder’s second year in the series, which is also his second year of racing ever.
Tedder has been involved with Group-A Racing essentially from the start of his racing career in February 2017. Getting a late start, and not having years of karting experience underneath his belt like most drivers at this stage of his career, makes his accomplishments even more impressive. Cameron competed in the Lucas Oil Formula Series last year for his racing debut under the Group-A Racing Development banner, finishing 11th in the final points standings with consistent improvement throughout the year. That winter he got the opportunity to sample the next step up with Group-A Racing in an F4 U.S Championship Series car as a way to continue his development before returning to Lucas Oil Series full time in 2018.
Despite it only being his second year in racing, Cameron took a big leap forward this season, instantly running at the front, and leading laps from the very first race out in the Lucas Oil Formula Series under the guidance and coaching of the Group-A Racing Development Program. Tedder earned 3 wins (NOLA, Thompson & Road America) along with 9 podiums (Autobahn, NOLA, Thompson, NCM, Road America, Sebring) during the season resulting in a 2nd place finish in the points standings.
“To say I am incredibly proud of how far Cameron has come in such a short time would be an understatement” commented Jonathan Scarallo who has been Cameron’s driver coach as part of his Group-A Racing Driver Development Program. “To think where he is today and the first time he ever drove anything was only a year and a half ago is pretty amazing. He has always been a really hard worker, putting in extensive work with me, both on and off the track to keep improving every time out. It’s truly been a lot of fun to be part of his development and look forward to the next chapter with him.”
“It’s been an incredible year in the Lucas Oil Formula Series. The amount of progress I’ve made in such a short amount of time has surprised even myself. It was difficult coming from no background in racing and no experience. Jonathan and Group-A Racing have worked extensively with me to refine my skills and build my confidence. No season is perfect, but they were prepared for everything that was thrown at me. Whether I’d just had a perfect weekend or had just had a bad session, Group-A always had something to help me grow and develop further. I’ve learned so much more than how to drive fast, but how to focus, bounce back from setbacks, and most importantly how to think like a championship winner.”
Work has already been under way for Cameron to take the next step in his career, moving up to professional racing competing in the FIA Formula 4 United States Championship powered by Honda with Group-A Racing. For further information regarding Cameron Tedder, Group-A Racing Development Program or Group-A Racing Formula 4 team interested parties contact info@GroupARacingTeam.com 631-974-4379.
Group-A Racing’s David Porcelli Scores Points In F4 Debut At NJMP
Lindenhurst, New York, (September 25, 2018) - After a two-year hiatus, Group-A Racing’s David Porcelli made his return to racing during the fifth Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda round an New Jersey Motorsports Park Sept. 14-16. Driving the No. 44 Group-A Racing/Turnkey/RaceCraft 1/Stuffed Burger machine, Porcelli charged his way to ninth place finish despite starting 26th, scoring points in his debut event.
“To say I am ecstatic for David would be an understatement” said team manager Jonathan Scarallo. “He’s worked incredibly hard to get back in a car and has worked hard all weekend to really do a fantastic job in the incredibly competitive field. Every session he’d come in to debrief, taking in all the feedback, asking questions, studying everything with me, then go back out and improve every single session. The car was perfect off the trailer, we never made a single change all weekend, he just kept working, taking the feedback on what to fix the next session and made constant improvement. I am really proud of him. To score points in this series is hard enough, let alone when you’ve never driven one of these cars, never been to the track and have not driven anything in over 2 years! Great job by him, and great job by everybody in this Group-A Racing team giving him the equipment he needed to just focus on his driving.”
The weekend started off with three much needed 30-minute practice sessions on Friday for Porcelli to familiarize himself with the new car. Mother nature caused havoc with the rain from Hurricane Florence persisting throughout the day, causing mixed track conditions which didn't allow Porcelli to test the car's full potential.
Saturday morning qualifying presented the first proper conditions for Porcelli to properly sink his teeth into his Group-A Racing F4 US machine with dry sunny conditions. He put in a very good effort in his first effort back, qualifying 21st in the ultra-competitive 33 car field. The first race saw David cautiously move his way forward in the caution free affair, moving up three positions to finish 18th.
Sunday presented good weather again and the early morning second race saw David starting 20th. Sadly, an early spin put him behind, but he managed to rebound to finish 23rd. The final race of the weekend had Porcelli starting in 26th, but he quickly started moving forward. Passing an average of 1 car per lap, David charged his way forward in his Group-A Racing machine to finish 9th in the final race of the weekend, just .027 of a second behind the 8th place finisher. It was a very emotional result for both David and his family, scoring points on debut, after the long period away from the cockpit of a car.
“This weekend at NJMP with Group-A-Racing will certainly be one to remember. Despite the weather conditions on Friday seriously hindering my practice time, I got up to pace quickly to compete with this massive field. Because I still needed practice heading into qualifying and the first two races I was aiming to acclimate myself to this car and track through those sessions to prove my level of talent in race 3. Thanks to the hard work from Group-A-Racing and The United States Formula 4 series, I was able to display my capabilities and I couldn’t be happier with my results. My first weekend back in a car in two years and I scored two championship points with a true photo finish alongside P8 with just .027 seconds between us. I’ve returned home with the goal of putting together a season for 2019 to compete for the championship next year”
While Group-A Racing has all its race seats filled for the remainder of the year the team has already aggressively started scheduling off season testing in preparation for the 2019 season. Drivers interested in testing with the team to race in 2019 can contact them via 631-974-4379 info@GroupARacingTeam.com.
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Group-A Racing Adds New Jersey-Native to NJMP Roster
David Porcelli fills third seat for Group-A Racing for penultimate F4 race
Lindenhurst, New York, (August 29, 2018) - Group-A Racing will return to a three-car line-up at New Jersey Motorsports Park for the penultimate Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda event Sept. 14-16 with the addition of its newest driver, New Jersey-native David Porcelli. Porcelli joins the New York-based squad to compete in his home state after a two-year hiatus from racing.
“It’s been long overdue to finally be able to add David to our lineup” stated Group-A Racing Team Manager Jonathan Scarallo. “I have known David for about four years now and he has been working really hard to get back in a car. We are happy to finally have him, especially at his home race. He has been out competition for two years so will have some rust to knock off, but luckily the F4 U.S. Championship provides a lot of track time during its events to help him come back up to speed.”
Starting at age 21, Porcelli got a later start than most to his racing career. After enrolling in the Skip Barber Racing School he entered its annual IndyCar Academy Shootout finishing as the runner-up. The outstanding result gave him a scholarship to compete in the race series. In his rookie year, Porcelli earned two wins and 12 podium finishes in his 21 starts, finishing sixth in the championship.
Following a successful debut season, he made the big jump to Europe, campaigning in the ultra-competitive Formula Renault under a limited program. Lack of funding cut his time short after the third event at the Monaco Grand Prix. Since then Porcelli has been fundraising to get back in a car.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the car,” said Porcelli. “Ever since my European Formula Renault partial program, I have been working to get back on track. I’ve expanded my network to establish a strong message with each race I can participate in. I have pursued my off-track training and strength conditioning now more than ever. It hasn’t been an easy road. What has made this journey worth it is the constant contact and assistance from people like Jonathan Scarallo at Group-A-Racing and Kelly Jones at Racecraft 1. They both help ensure that I continue to develop my skills. I am fully prepared and I am excited to see the results that I will yield, especially in my home state”
Last time the veteran F4 team entered three cars was to add 15-year-old Sam Paley of Cincinnati for a two-race program at Road Atlanta and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, resulting in a points-scoring weekend for the teenager in his home state.
Group-A Racing currently has one seat available for the season finale at Circuit of the Americas during the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix. It has also started to schedule off-season tests with various different competitors. Drivers interested in test and race opportunities contact the team via 631-974-4379 or info@GroupARacingTeam.com.
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Group-A Racing Development Driver Ethan Billions Steps Up To F4 US
Lindenhurst, New York, (APRIL 18, 2018) - Group-A Racing is very pleased to announce its second full season driver for the 2018 F4 US Championship Powered by Honda campaign. Ethan Billions who is part of the Group-A Racing driver development program will step up to make his pro debut this year with the team.
Billions is a 21 year old American, born and raised in Birmingham Alabama. He got a later start to racing than most, with him only competing in his first full season of competition last year in the Lucas Oil School Series. With him looking to speed up his learning process and help guide his career, Ethan joined the Group-A Racing development program after seeing similar drivers like 2016 F4 US Champion Cameron Das, Jackie Ding and many others do that to launch their racing careers.
Despite his late start, Ethan was very fast in the competitive Lucas Oil School Series. He earned his first career win in dominant fashion during the penultimate weekend at Lime Rock Park, and the last quarter of the season, he was the man to beat despite his lack of experience in comparison to many of his competitors. After the season, Ethan was rewarded with opportunity to test an F4 US machine with Group-A Racing at the team’s winter base of MSR Houston, making the step up in machinery very naturally.
“I am very excited to make my professional debut with Group-A Racing. The team worked extremely hard with me last year as a development driver, and I was more than pleased with the success we had. The team is like family to me, and I know that the performance of the car will be tremendous! I am so thankful for the sacrifices that my family and supporters have made to allow me to compete this season, and I can’t wait to hit the ground running in my first Formula 4 race powered by Honda at Virginia International Raceway!”
“I am beyond excited to have Ethan be able to step up to F4 US with us full time this season” said team manager Jonathan Scarallo. “I thoroughly enjoyed coaching him last year in the Lucas Oil Series. He has a lot of natural talent, but works very hard to continue learning and developing. There will be a lot for him to learn making the step up from school series to pro racing, but I am confident he will adapt quickly.”
Opening weekend for the F4 US Championship Powered By Honda is April 27-29 at Virginia International Raceway. Group-A Racing will continue with more full season driver announcements leading into it, along with training more drivers in their driver development program.
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Group-A Racing Signs South African Rookie Cameron O’Connor for 2018
Lindenhurst, New York, (APRIL 9, 2018) - After a long winter working towards the opening 2018 race, Group-A Racing is pleased to announce its first driver that is part of their full time multi car program. The first of three entries for the team is 15 year old South African rookie Cameron O’Connor. Cameron will drive the number 93, Repro Supplies/Group-A Racing car for the 2018 season.
Cameron comes from a successful background of karts and F1600 in his home country of South Africa. In 2015 Cameron won the Maxterino National Karting title along with finishing 2nd in the regional Junior Max class. In 2016 he won both regional and national titles in Junior Max class earning a ticket to the Rotax Grand Finals. Most recently in 2017, O’Connor stepped up to cars in South African F1600, where despite being the youngest series entrant was consistently on the podium.
O’Connor got his first taste of the F4 US Championship powered by Honda machinery and working with the Group-A Racing team March 31 – April 1st at the team’s winter base of MSR Houston. He completed two successful trouble-free days, logging a lot of valuable miles, learning more with every lap completed.
“I am very happy to welcome Cameron to our team for full season effort this year” said team manager Jonathan Scarallo. “He has had a lot of success back home, and this will be a new challenge for him to continue his development. He has had a lot thrown at him in short notice with all the extra technology we have in the F4 US cars in comparison to what he is used to, but he has been a sponge throughout the whole thing. He is working hard, wants to learn and has a great attitude and we are looking forward to developing him this season.”
“I immediately felt very comfortable and welcome with the whole team at Group A Racing. They made me feel confident that they will give me the best performance and that they will support me 100%. I am grateful for my family for the sacrifice & tremendous effort they put in! I’m extremely excited and looking forward to my first race in a F4 powered by Honda at Virginia International Raceway.“
Opening weekend for the F4 US Championship Powered By Honda is April 27-29 at Virginia International Raceway. Group-A Racing will continue with more full season driver announcements leading into it, along with training more drivers in their driver development program.
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Group-A Racing Signs McDonough For Remainder Of 2017 F4 Season
Lindenhurst, New York (September 11, 2017) - Group-A Racing is pleased to announce it will add Russ McDonough IV for the remainder of the 2017 season in the Formula 4 United States Championship. Russ joins the team after getting to test with them, and will make his pro debut at Circuit Of The Americas to get prepared for a full season campaign in 2018.
A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Russ McDonough grew up a fan of open wheel formula racing, watching Formula One and Indy Car with his father on television while living in a state with no paved road course or oval. He moved to Atlanta and enrolled in Georgia Tech as a freshman in the fall of 2015, intending to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. In the summer of 2017, following his sophomore year at Georgia Tech, Russ decided to take advantage of the racing opportunities in the Atlanta-area, including nearby road courses at Road Atlanta and Atlanta Motorsports Park (AMP), and to pursue his dream of driving professionally. In June of 2017 he participated in his first race of any kind, in the Lucas Oil Formula Series at AMP. After that successful debut, he followed up by participating in Lucas Oil Formula races in Kentucky and Illinois in July and August, quickly rising through the ranks of a series established to identify and evaluate candidates intent on pursuing careers as professional racing drivers. In just his third-ever race weekend in Chicago in late-August, Russ qualified second overall, just 1/10th of a second behind the fastest qualifier, and went on to capture podiums in both of his races in Chicago, with first and third-place finishes. Russ will drive the number 30 car, which the team last entered during the Indianapolis Motor Speedway event for Flinn Lazier seeing him earn top 5 results with Group-A Racing. McDonough recently completed a test with Group-A Racing at Atlanta Motorsports Park to help get him prepared for his pro debut.
“We are excited and very pleased to have Russ coming on board with us” said team owner Joe Scarallo Sr. “He had a lot of other teams approach him which says a lot about our program and the way we run things for him to choose us. When he tested with us he did a nice job of improving each time out. He took the coaching that we provided him and continued to apply it and the lap times continued to fall. To top it off, he kept the car clean, maximizing the time he had. We are looking forward to keep on developing him both on and off the track.”
“I’m thrilled to be finishing the F4 U.S Championship with Group-A Racing. This summer has been incredible, and I am ready for the challenge of Formula 4. I think the Scarallo family and their team gave me the best chance to be competitive right out of the box.” Russ McDonough IV
For more information on testing & race opportunities with Group-A Racing, interested parties can contact them via 631-974-4379 or info@GroupARacingTeam.com.
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Group-A Racing Shows Great Speed But Has No Luck At VIR
Lindenhurst, New York (September 2, 2017) - Group-A Racing showed great speed this past weekend at Virginia International Raceway in the Formula 4 United States Championship powered by Honda. Unfortunately, luck was not on the team’s side to get the results they deserved.
Thursday provided a full test day giving the teams and drivers plenty of track time to get ready for the races. Group-A Racing driver Jonathan Scarallo had the car in the top 5 throughout the whole day. In final practice before qualifying Scarallo put the #29 Group-A Racing car 2nd fastest in the 33 car field giving the team a lot of confidence going into qualifying.
“So far the car has been working great!” said Jonathan Scarallo “My new engineer, Peter & I, have been working really well together and this is the best the car has felt by far.”
Qualifying would not bring the result the team was hoping for. With the session interrupted with red flags, Scarallo ended the session 10th fastest.
Race 1 would see more bad luck come Group-A Racing’s way when the exhaust failed in the opening laps of the race. This resulted in lack in straight line speed leaving Scarallo to hang on the best he could.
“This is very frustrating since there is nothing anybody could have done to prevent this. It’s really just bad luck it happened and at the worst possible time. But, that’s the way it goes sometimes and we’ll just try and rebound the best we can for the rest of the event.”
Race 2 is gridded based upon race 1 fastest lap leaving Scarallo & the Group-A Racing team handicapped due to the exhaust failure in race 1. After starting in 20th Scarallo fought his way back up to 12th in the opening 20 minutes before a full course yellow came out and the race never got back to green.
Race three saw Scarallo start 11th and got a great start off the line to climb up to 8th on the opening few corners. More bad luck would come though, as Scarallo got hit from behind a few corners later, and while in the slide from contact, that same driver then hit him in the front, ending his race. To make matters worse, the crash has resulted in a broken right hand for Scarallo leaving him questionable for the remainder of the year.
“Frustrated does zero justice to how I am feeling right now” said Scarallo. “We had such great pace in testing and practice but since then it’s been one more hit of bad luck after the other. Everybody in the Group-A Racing team has done a fantastic job to give me a very fast car to run up front, but we just need this black cloud following us to go away. The doctors at the moment are not sure if I will be able to race at Circuit of the Americas with my broken hand, I really don’t want to get out of this rocketship Group-A Racing has given me. I have a lot of unfinished business and I really don’t want to end the season this way.”
Group-A Racing has already started making arrangements for potential 2018 drivers to test with the team in preparation for next year. Interested drivers can contact the team via 631-974-4379 or info@GroupARacingTeam.com
Group-A Racing Duo Put On A Show At The Brickyard
Lindenhurst, New York, (June 20, 2017) - Group-A Racing had originally entered one car for round 4-6 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for full time driver Jonathan Scarallo. The weeks leading into it the team was in communication with 1996 Indy 500 Champion Buddy Lazier for his son Flinn to make his debut, with a deal getting finalized at 4PM on Thursday to make it a 2 car effort.
“This is great getting to have Flinn drive for us here at Indy. It’s a true testimony to the type of program we run for an Indy 500 Champion and a family with a long legacy of success in racing to trust us with Flinn’s racing,” said team owner Joe Scarallo
Friday practice would show mixed results with Jonathan struggling finishing 20th and 24th in the two practice sessions. Flinn showed more potential pace finishing the two sessions 7th and 14th.
Everybody worked together Friday night to come up with setup changes along with driver coaching to improve in qualifying Saturday morning. Lazier was able to get his car up to 6th and Scarallo struggled for a clear lap but managed to improve to 13th in the very tight competitive field.
Race 1 saw Scarallo get a great jump to move up to 7th coming out of turn one and found his way past his teammate, Lazier, for 6th by the end of the opening lap. Lazier dropped back initially to 10th before the full course yellow came out at the start of lap 3. The yellow was lengthy and consumed 20 of the 30 minutes of the race. After the restart, Jonathan instantly jumped up to 5th past Jacob Loomis with his sights set on Forcier and Eves for the final podium spot. He made a 3 wide pass around the outside to claim 3rd where he would finish. Lazier was charging back through as well and managed to get his way up to 6th in the closing 3 laps. Unfortunately, after the race in tech, Scarallo’s car came in with 1/10th of a degree past the legal limit on the right front forcing him to be disqualified.
Due to the penalty, Scarallo would start race 2 in 30th and Lazier would start 7th. Scarallo has provided plenty of entertainment in the races with his charges to the front so far this year and this race was no different. Carving his way through the intense competitive field, showcasing the speed in himself and the Group-A Racing prepared machine, he charged all the way to 9th without the help of any full course cautions. Lazier’s race saw him move up one spot to 6th and finished there earning another solid result in his debut weekend.
Race three saw Lazier starting 9th and Scarallo 15th. Lazier dropped back initially, but started charging through the field, making his way forward into another top ten result. Unfortunately, he would have some debris get caught in his side pods causing his engine to overheat, forcing him to stop. Scarallo was providing the entertainment as usual, carving his way from the back to the front, but midway through he made a very rare unusual mistake causing a spin forcing him to finish at the back.
Flinn Lazier – Driver #30 Xtreme Hot Sauce, Tivoli Lodge, Stock It, Group-A Racing Car. “The whole deal came together very late and was quite a rush but in the end was very worth it. Straight into the weekend all the guys were fully focused on the task at hand and did a great job even though we did not know each other. The whole weekend we were constantly learning but still managed to come out with a 5th and a 6th place finish which i'm happy with at the moment, but think we can be up in the top 2 very soon. Non of this would have been possible without Timothy, Xtreme Hot Sauce, Tivoli Lodge, Stalk It, and Group A Racing, Thank you.”
Jonathan Scarallo – Driver #29 Group-A Racing Car “This weekend has been quite the rollercoaster with the penalty and having some great speed in the races. Obviously unless we win all 3 races we are never completely satisfied, but we re-reminded this entire paddock this weekend that when things go our way it’s going to be really difficult to beat us and the Group-A Racing is as strong as any other.”
Group-A Racing Pass 27 Cars To End The Weekend with 4th
Lindenhurst, New York (April 18, 2017) – The season opener for the 2017 FIA F4 United States Championship powered by Honda came to a close this past weekend. While the weekend got off to a slow start, Group-A Racing capped it off with a hard charge fight to the front earning a 4th place finish.
The team entered one car for this weekend with Jonathan Scarallo getting behind the wheel despite having not been in a car to race for 5 years. That along with the last minute nature had the team starting off a bit behind, but had constant improvement in the incredibly competitive 33 car field.
Qualifying was interrupted with red flag stoppages only allowing the team to put a time in good enough for 19th, only 1.061 off pole in the very tight field.
“Qualifying certainly did not go to plan” said Jonathan Scarallo. “We made a change to the car which was good but unfortunately never really got to put in a lap with the stoppages and no draft help. I think we can move forward in the race though.”
Scarallo got a good jump from the standing start to move up a few spots before a full course yellow came out only a handful of laps into the race. Restarts proved to be a strength for Jonathan despite not having racing in the past 5 years. He gained 3 more spots on the initial restart before passing New Zealander Brandon Leitich for 11th. Unfortunately yet another full course yellow came out and the race would end under that safety car period.
Race 2 saw Group-A Racing’s Jonathan Scarallo starting 15th and he would yet again get a good jump off the line to gain a few spots before a full course yellow coming out on lap 3 just like in race 1. Jonathan got yet another great restart to jump up to 8th and chasing down the cars in front to then quickly move up to 6th. The next lap he would get caught in a 4 wide scenario, which wisdom prevailed in the long run to back out, but pushed him back to 9th. Unfortunately, the full course yellow came out right after this and the race never got restarted again and had to settle for 9th.
More changes and work were done to the car to improve for the final race which was needed, since Scarallo was starting 18th for the final race of the weekend. As he did in the previous two races, a good jump off the line saw him gain 4 spots on the start and avoiding an opening lap crash allowed the Group-A Racing driver to move up to 10th in the opening two laps before the full course yellow came out. Yet again Scarallo got past a car on the restart, moving him up to 9th and made a 3 wide pass a few laps later to move up to 6th. Scarallo made quick work to catch the top 5 cars but was running out of time. He passed Brandon Leitich for 5th with three laps to go and got around Cape Motorsports Mathias Soler-Obel on the final lap for 4th just coming up short to get Forcier as well for the final spot on the podium.
“All-in-all this weekend has been very good. Naturally the competitor has taken over inside of me and I want better results, but I’m pleased with how everything went this weekend. I was worried that my driving and race craft would be very rusty since I have not raced since 2011, but I got over that very quickly and everybody with the Group-A Racing team did a great job, making the car better for me every single race. Were all going to do our homework and come back stronger for the next one at Indianapolis.”
Group-A Racing will see 2016 F4 U.S Championship runner up Konrad Czaczyk join them for the races at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (Mosport) and Circuit of the Americas. Drivers interested in testing and racing with Group-A Racing in the other 2017 F4 events contact them via 631-974-4379 or GroupARacing@aol.com
Group-A Racing Leads Laps & Earns More Podiums at Mid Ohio
Jackie Ding Joins F4 U.S with Group-A Racing
Lindenhurst, New York (July 29, 2016) – After a successful debut weekend in the inaugural FIA F4 United States Championship, Group-A Racing will be adding another full time car for Chinese driver Jackie Ding. Jackie will drive the Huawei Telecommunications, Zone District, EVE Energy, Group-A Racing Formula 4 car. Ding, an18 year old born in Shenzhen China, currently lives in Potomac, Maryland. He has been part of the Group-A Racing Driver Development program since his career started 3 years ago. He started in Skip Barber race series earning race wins and many podium results. In 2015 he competed full time with Group-A Racing in the inaugural Pirelli Formula Lites season. He earned a win at Virginia International Raceway which was part of a Group-A Racing 1-2 sweep, followed by another 10 podium finishes.
While running full time in the FIA Formula 4 United States Championship, Jackie will also be transitioning to college this fall. He has been accepted into Michigan University studying mechanical engineering.
“Adding Jackie to our driver line-up will be a very good boost for the team” said team manager Jonathan Scarallo. “We had good podium results during the opening weekend as a single car program and now with Jackie we will have another fast bullet in the gun for us. We will now be able to get twice as much data and car setup information. He and Raphael worked well together when they tested in May and will push each other nicely.”
"I am very happy to be joining the F4 US Championship with Group-A Racing, whom I've been with since the start of my racing career. This isn't the first time I'm driving the Crawford/Honda/Pirelli package, so I'm hoping my previous experience is going to help heading into a weekend when many had already learned the track and the car. The only reason I'm here is because many chose to believe in me and made sacrifices of their own, and I can only repay them with my 110% effort. With the help of everyone at Group-A, as well as my teammate Raphael, I will be ready for the fight come Mid-Ohio!" said Jackie Ding
Jackie will get to sample the Crawford Formula 4 car at Autobahn Country Club the week before making his series debut at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course August 11-13. Group-A Racing is in discussions with numerous drivers to add a third car starting from the New Jersey round August 26-28. Drivers interested should contact the team 631-974-4379 or GroupARacing@aol.com
Group-A Racing & Raphael Forcier Earn Podium Result at Mid Ohio
Lindenhurst, New York (July 5, 2016) - After much anticipation, Group-A Racing and Raphael Forcier had a great learning weekend at Mid Ohio resulting in a podium finish.
Friday hosted two open practice sessions for the teams on the tricky and technical 2.25 mile Mid Ohio Sports Car Course. Rain showers came Friday morning causing 
opening practice to be very limited. During the afternoon everybody saw clear sky’s and a dry track allowing Raphael to get valuable track time. At the end of the session Forcier finished 3rd only 2 tenths off the pace setting time.
Qualifying Saturday morning saw interruptions with cars going off causing red flag stoppages. Raphael earned a 6th place starting spot for the inaugural FIA Formula 4 United States Championship race.
During race one, Raphael got a good standing start jumping up two spots to 4th. He then got himself into third, holding off Cameron Das. Raphael did a great job not giving anything up, but had an unfortunate spin with about 4 minutes to go. He did a great job rebounding to finish 6th.
Race two Forcier started 5th based upon having the 5th fastest race lap during the opening race. Forcier got off the line cleanly again and this time was in a battle for fifth most of the race struggling a bit with overall balance in the cool morning conditions. He kept it clean and brought it home fifth.
Race three Raphael started 7th and got his best standing start of the weekend, moving up to 5th on the opening lap. He then quickly moved up to 4th to start his chase on Michael Goodyear and Kyle Kirkwood for the 2nd and 3rd place finish.. While chasing them 
down, Goodyear spun, forcing Raphael to take evasive action to avoid the spinning car. Raphael moved up to third but lost a lot of time to Kyle Kirkwood. Shortly after the full course caution came out, and the race ended under caution resulting in Forcier earning a 3rd place finish.
Quotes:
Jonathan Scarallo: Group-A Racing Team Manager.
“All-in-all the weekend was a real good one. Everybody went into the weekend blind with very limited testing. Raphael did a great job of taking the coaching from us and applying it to be improving throughout the weekend. By the end of the weekend we really started to figure out some stuff on the setup of the car to suit Raphael; he was a real rocket at the end. Looking forward to getting some more testing in and coming back here for the next round in a few weeks.”
Raphael Forcier: Driver #62 Parizeau Pawulski Architects
“I am pretty happy with our opening weekend, building up speed every race to find a place on the podium. Big thanks to Group-A Racing helping me achieve that milestone and we will continue getting further up the grid.”
A Successful F4 U.S. Championship Testing Day for Group-A Racing
The air was crisp and the pavement dry. The only noise heard for miles, the roar of a Honda motor from a new SCCA Pro Racing Formula 4 United States Championship car piloted by first-year Canadian driver Raphael Forcier racing around Roebling Road Raceway just outside of Bloomingdale, Georgia.
“The car was easy to drive. So smooth,” Forcier said with a smile and eagerness in his voice, “The handling was great. This is going to be a lot of fun.”
Forcier, 16, grew up in Montreal where he got his start in motorsports by racing dirt bikes. He then transitioned into karts, competing in the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship earning top five championship results in points.
He graduated this past winter to the Skip Barber Winter 2015-16 Series. There, in his rookie season, he obtained one feature win at Homestead-Miami Speedway and six podium finishes; landing him fourth in the points standings for the season.
Group-A Racing, a New York-based racing team that owns cars from karting to the F2000 series and also competed on the 2011 season reality show Circuit Battles, drafted Forcier as its driver in April to compete in the #62 Parizeau Pawulski Architects car for the inaugural F4 U.S. Championship season.
“The car has been perfect right out of the Crawford [Composites] factory,” team manager Johnathan Scarallo boasted. “It ran perfectly. We did nothing to it other than change some initial set-ups to learn nuances of the car. Raphael is also doing a fantastic job behind the wheel.”
Today was the first time Group-A Racing has had the opportunity to test the car with a full
team. They have two additional days left of testing before the first open practice prior to the season opener in June.
All F4 U.S. Championship cars are manufactured in North America, adding to the affordability of the sport. The F4 U.S. Championship was created by Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing because both parties saw the need for a ladder series where young drivers could transition from karting to Formula 3.
The F4 series was created in 2014 and has flourished since with 12 FIA-approved series around the world. The F4 U.S. Championship is unique because all the competitors’ start with the same Honda motor, Pirelli tires and Crawford Composites chassis, making it truly focused on driver development and competitiveness.
“The series has a lot of good drivers,” Forcier commented. “The racing is going to be exciting!”
The F4 U.S. Championship season kicks off June 10-12 at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey. Tickets are available at njmp.com or by calling the New Jersey Motorsports Park box office. Fans can follow Forcier’s progress on his Instagram (@raphaelforcier62) or the car’s development at Group-A Racing’s Facebook (facebook.com/GroupARacing).
*Written by F4 U.s Championship
Forcier Joins U.S Formula 4 With Group-A Racing
Lindenhurst, New York (April 5, 2016) – Group-A Racing is proud to announce they have signed 16 year old Canadian, Raphael Forcier, to compete in the inaugural FIA United States Formula 4 Championship. Raphael will drive the #62 Parizeau Pawulski Architects Formula 4 car fielded by Group-A Racing.
Forcier is a16 year old Canadian who is born and raised in Montreal. He is fluent in two languages speaking both French and English. Raphael got his start in motorsports, 
first racing dirt bikes before transitioning to four wheels competing in the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship. He most recently earned a top 5 championship result in the points standings before making the move up to cars in the 2015-2016 Skip Barber Winter Series. In his first season racing cars Raphael earned a win at Homestead-Miami Speedway and 6 podium finishes on his way to a 4th place finish in the championship standings during his rookie car campaign.
Raphael will now step up to compete in the inaugural season of the U.S Formula 4 Championship with Group-A Racing, looking to further develop his career with the tools both the FIA and the Group-A Racing team has to offer.
With Forcier joining Group-A Racing Formula 4 program he will get the unique opportunity of working with Ian Brown as his engineer who has over 25 years in Indy Car. He will be learning the engineering side of the sport from one of the best in the business who has seen it all at the top levels.
“I am really excited to have Raphael graduate to Formula 4 with our team” said Group-A Racing team manager Jonathan Scarallo. “He has done a really nice job during his rookie season in cars and with the coaching and engineering expertise he will receive from us he will continue to get better during every test and race weekend to achieve great results.”
“I am very grateful to have a seat with Group-A Racing for the opening season of the FIA U.S Formula 4 Series” said Forcier. “I am really excited to be working with Jonathan Scarallo & my engineer Ian Brown. I am looking forward to achieving success throughout the season with great teamwork.”
Raphael will get his first experience with the team and the Crawford built Formula 4 car during a 3 day test in 2 weeks. He will then get more days of pre season testing in May looking to hit the ground running for the season opener at Lime Rock Park.
For more information on the team along with other test & race opportunities please contact Jonathan Scarallo GroupARacing@aol.com or 631-974-4379.
Group-A Racing Adds Veteran Engineer Ian Brown
Lindenhurst, New York (February 3, 2016) - Group-A Racing is pleased to announce the addition of veteran, engineer Ian Brown to the team. Ian comes to Group-A Racing after most recently competing with Andretti Autosport. Ian will work with the team’s FIA Formula 4 program and Formula Lites Championship. The addition of Ian to the team is effective immediately.
Ian Joins Group-A Racing having worked with some of the most famous teams and drivers around the world - race teams such as Andretti Autosport, Forsyth Racing, Patrick Racing, 
Toll/HSV, and Bryan Herta Autosport, and with drivers such as Scott Pruett, James Hinchliffe, Scott Speed, Tanner Foust, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jean Alesi and Al Unser Sr just to name a few.
Ian got his start in 1977 as a mechanic and quickly worked up the ladder to Indy Car. He got his first engineering opportunity in 1991. He has worked at the top levels of motorsports both here in the United States and in Australia, in the super competitive Australian V8 Super Car Championship. He has won the biggest races in both continents as well such as the 1993 Indy 500, along with the 2003, 2004, 2006 Bathurst 1000. In 1997 Ian was award the CAM Shock Specialist Of The Year award in Indy Car, a racing community award to the outstanding Damper Tech of the year. In 2013 Ian was hired by Andretti Autosport to be a part of all of their programs with the main focus in 2013 being USF2000. He won the rookie title with Garret Grist capturing a race win and many podiums along the way. In 2014 he engineered the Global Rally Cross program winning many races in a championship battle.
During this time, Ian has become very involved with the development of Chassis Sim, which is one of the biggest chassis simulation programs. This program is used by Indy Car itself, along with most of the Indy Car teams as well as other pinnacle series teams around the world.
“Ian is going to add so much to our team and I am so excited about him coming aboard” commented team manager Jonathan Scarallo. “Ian has been a long time friend of mine and obviously some one I always wanted to hire because of everything he has to offer, and I am incredibly happy for the stars to have finally aligned so it could happen this year. He will also add to the driver development side of things, teaching them how to give feedback and do debriefs to the level as it will be expected from them in Indy Car, as well as add all of his expertise in the engineering and simulation side of things. Because of Ian we will be able to do things for our drivers that nobody else in the paddock will be able to do.”
“I am looking to forward to this new challenge with these awesome state of the art cars” said Brown “It’s essential for the entire team to focus on the same goal, we will always adapt the car for the driver and conditions to get maximum performance. With that, we will be able to consistently challenge for wins and hopefully the championship.”
Drivers interested in testing and race opportunities with the team’s FIA Formula 4 program & Formula Lites program can contact them via 631-974-4379 or GroupARacing@aol.com
Jackie Ding Returns to Formula Lites with Group-A Racing for 2016
Indianapolis, Indiana (December 11, 2015) – Announced today at the Performance Racing Industry Show (PRI Show) Jackie Ding has re-signed to return with Group-A Racing for a sophomore campaign in the 2016 Formula Lites Series. The announcement was done during a press conference hosted by Honda, also announcing a new 2.0 liter turbo charged engine for the Formula Lites cars in 2016. With the agreement between Jackie Ding and Group-A, is also an extension with him as part of the Group-A Racing Driver Development Program.
Jackie has been part of the Group-A Racing Driver Development program since the beginning of his career, which only started two years ago. He got his start in the Skip Barber Regional Series working with his private coach provide by 
Group-A, which saw him improve at a rapid rate. Ding was able to achieve success in a very short time earning poles, wins and numerous podium results. After that he stepped up into pro racing, competing in the inaugural Formula Lites Series last year with Group-A Racing. The young Chinese born driver improved all throughout the year earning many podiums and a win at VIR, which was a 1-2 sweep for Group-A Racing.
Group-A, which saw him improve at a rapid rate. Ding was able to achieve success in a very short time earning poles, wins and numerous podium results. After that he stepped up into pro racing, competing in the inaugural Formula Lites Series last year with Group-A Racing. The young Chinese born driver improved all throughout the year earning many podiums and a win at VIR, which was a 1-2 sweep for Group-A Racing.“I am really happy to have Jackie back for another year in Formula Lites” said team manager Jonathan Scarallo. “He has been such a pleasure to work with from every single perspective. This will be the first time in his short career that he is returning to a series, which will be a great chance for him to really sink his teeth into a championship effort. I am confident he will be a very serious threat with us all year long.”
“I’m very excited to be back with Group-A Racing and campaigning in Formula Lites!” said Jackie Ding “Everyone at Group-A helped me ever since the beginning of my career, and I fully appreciate what they have done for me. With one year of experience in chassis #007 FL15 already, I can’t wait to go out and fight for this years Formula Lites title!”
As part of being in the Group-A Racing Driver Development Program, Jackie will continue receiving assistance in building his brand, activating sponsorship, along with career management preparing for future programs. Plans have
been put into motion for opportunities for Jackie in 2017. In 2016 Jackie will again drive #86 FL15 sponsored by Huewei, EVE Energy and Zone District Clothing.
been put into motion for opportunities for Jackie in 2017. In 2016 Jackie will again drive #86 FL15 sponsored by Huewei, EVE Energy and Zone District Clothing.Drivers interested in testing and race opportunities with Group-A Racing can contact them via 631-974-4379 or GroupARacing@aol.com
Group-A Racing Commits to F4 United States Championship With 4 Cars
Lindenhurst, New York (October 1st, 2015) - This time last year Group-A Racing was making preparations to compete in the inaugural season of the Formula Lites Series. The 
Formula Lites cars are built by Crawford composites, powered by Honda engines, run on Pirelli tires and sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing. Twelve months later Group-A Racing is pleased to announce the expansion of operations into the new F4 United States Championship.
The F4 United States Championship is a new FIA sanctioned international series, with the cars built by Crawford Composites, powered by Honda engines, run on Pirelli tires and sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing with the FIA affiliation. The series will serve as a starting point for drivers making the transition from karts to cars. It will also serve as a feeder series to the Formula Lites Series after drivers have competed in the F4 Championship and are ready to move up.
Group-A Racing has already purchased four cars from Crawford and will have some of the first cars coming out of the factory. The aggressive approach is to make sure the team can be ‘first in best dressed’ for the inaugural season. This same approach was used for them with Formula Lites in 2015, which allowed the team to have a lot of success winning races, including a 1-2 sweep at VIR.
F4 is a global concept created by the FIA being used around the world. All the series are spec series with carbon chassis cars, paddle shift, and engines making 160HP. The 
concept is brought in to make economical equipment and operating cost while still giving all the latest technology and safety to the drivers. The series will be the only junior category in the United States at the moment that a driver can earn points to one day achieve a FIA super license to race in the pinnacle of motorsports - Formula 1.
“Formula 4 is the perfect introduction class for our program as a team,” said team manager Jonathan Scarallo. “We are all about driver development and we have been missing a proper introductory series to transfer the drivers from karts to cars. Formula 4 gives the drivers all the tools they need, with modern state of the art cars and fantastic commercial partners such as Honda, Pirelli, Crawford, SCCA, FIA etc. On top of that, it’s an economical series to run in creating a lot of value for the drivers. It will be a great training platform for drivers to get their start in cars and then move up the ladder with us to Formula Lites.”
The team is already in deep negotiations with numerous drivers to fill the four seats they are offering. Interested drivers can contact the team via 631-974-4379 or GroupARacing@aol.com.