Competitors From The Challenge Cup Series, The Driverz Cup and The North East Formula Vee series will attack this to 2 mile Road Course & see who can claim bragging rights at the 1st Annual “FV Radial Tire Championship”.
August 15th – 17th, 2025
Summit Point Motorsports Part
Summit Point, WV
Article by Jack Herberger 8/2025
Formula Vee is back and better than ever! The First Annual Radial Tire National Championship kicked off at Summit Point Motorsports Park, bringing together competitors across the Eastern U.S. for some incredible racing!
Although the final race did not take place as planned, this event showcased the strength and resilience of the Formula Vee community. The key takeaway here is “community.” The significant resurgence of the class over the past 12 years would not have been possible without the efforts of Greg Davis, Ray, and Katrina Carmody, who contributed to the creation of the Challenge Cup Series. Additionally, the recent contributions of Mike Lawrence and Maggie Tally with the Driverz Cup have further supported this vibrant group of people.
Fifty cars packing a Type 1 Beetle engine and sporting the Yokohama radials showed up to battle it out at Summit Point. People came from Wisconsin, New England, and the South as well. It was a fantastic turnout.
What makes Formula Vee great: Some people may appreciate the close racing, the camaraderie, or perhaps the simplicity; however, it all comes back to how accessible it is for everyone to join. The beauty of this racing class is that any hardworking individual can buy their own car and decide to race on any given weekend. However, there was a problem years ago: the class was drifting away from the elements that originally made it great. The SCCA transitioned to slick tires, which, while durable enough to last multiple weekends, tended to lose significant performance after just one or two races. This situation favored those with the financial means to purchase new tires every weekend, allowing them to outpace competitors who couldn’t afford the expense. As a result, the number of Formula Vee (FV) cars participating in races gradually declined, often leaving only one or two FV’s on track at most SCCA weekends, leading many to believe that FV might as well be extinct. To address this issue, the Challenge Cup Series (originally known as the Autumn Challenge Cup) was established to revitalize Formula Vee and restore it to the glory it once enjoyed.
The Rise of Radial: The introduction of the Radial Tire to the US FV class has been the key to large amount of success The Challenge Cup Series has experienced, with Driverz Cup following suit and now the Northeast FV also has a Region Class for Radial Tires “FVR”. In 2015, the Challenge Cup mandated the use of a radial in the form of a 200 Treadwear Falken Performance Tire. Everyone was skeptical about switching to the radial because of worries that the new wheel/tire setup would be too much unsprung weight and rotating mass, which would cause parts to break, and others said it simply would not work. In hindsight, it was an absolute no-brainer; and it worked brilliantly. The tire had plenty of grip, gave good feedback, lasted for nearly 2-3 seasons, and was under 1k which was the key, “it was affordable”. In 2021, the Challenge Cup Series made the switch to the Yokohama Advan A052 tire and changed the wheel/tire size from 14” to a 15” package. Multiple tires were tested at that time, and the Yokohama was selected due to its wide range of benefits. It matched other tires in terms of affordability, but outperformed them in durability and overall feel. The switch to 15” tire also made the car more stable and provided drivers with better feedback and a better connection to the track surface.
Radial Tire Championship Weekend Breakdown
- Qualifying: The field was divided into two groups (A and B), which were chosen at random. This approach helped reduce crowding on the track, allowing competitors to complete a clean lap. Group B ended up running slightly faster, resulting in an interesting mix on the starting grid. The top ten starting order was as follows: Andrew Whitston secured pole position with a time of 1:28.711, followed by Mike Lawrence, Matt Clark, Trevor Carmody, Steve Whitston, Zachary Whitston, Sam Ryan, Jack Maloney, Mitchell Ferguson, and Jeff Filipowski.
- Race 1: Drivers suited up and strapped in for the first race of the weekend. The paddock was filled with Vees, and the sound of the 60s echoed off the trees and motorhomes. The Vees rumbled their way down to the false grid. Silence settled over the Summit Point Paddock as the drivers waited patiently in the Blazing sun. Then the three-minute signal was given, and the Vees roared to life once again. The pace car took its position, and the drivers made their way onto the track, weaving back and forth to warm up the tires. Rounding Turn 9, the cars lined up side by side to prepare for the green flag. The race started off hectic when Trevor Carmody and Jeff Filipowski collided before Turn 1. However, aside from that incident, the start was clean, and the safety car was not deployed until later in the race, remaining out for an extended period. The race eventually restarted, with Andrew Whitston, Steve Whitson, and Zachary Whitson finishing 1-2-3. The rest of the Top Ten is as follows: Mike Lawrence, Sam Ryan, Guy Bellingham, Dean Curtis, Sherman Engler, Bill Hannum, and Jack Maloney. The fastest lap of the race was posted by Steve Whitston with a 1:28.530.
- Race 2 : Sunday morning was another action-packed spectacle. The drivers lined up in the order they finished the previous day. As the green flag dropped, everyone managed to navigate Turn 1 cleanly. The racing was thrilling to watch, with nail-biting battles unfolding throughout the field, as the leaders constantly jostled for position. Aside from a few spins, the race was running smoothly until the later stages, when the leaders collided in Turn 10, resulting in three cars having to retire. Since the race was almost over, it ended under the safety car. Mike Lawrence, Andrew Whitston, and Sherman Engler stood on the podium, while Ryan Higgins, Guy Bellingham, Luke Testerman, Jack Herberger, Garrett Villano, Bill Hannum, and Jack Malonely rounded out the Top Ten. The fastest lap was once again recorded by Steve Whitston, with a time of 1:29.007; however, he was involved in an incident and did not finish the race. Meanwhile, Jeff Filipowski and Trevor Carmody, who started from the very back of the grid, worked together to achieve an impressive finish in 12th and 13th place, respectively. This was a remarkable comeback after their incident earlier in the weekend.
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- Race 3: Unfortunately, the main event on Sunday evening was canceled due to a tragic incident in another class, which led to the track being shut down for the remainder of the day. Although the weekend did not go as planned, the strong turnout from everyone shows the resilience of the Formula Vee community, which is expected to continue growing. Increasingly, people are recognizing the advantages of radial tires over slicks, and the SCCA is beginning to take notice of their rising popularity among drivers. This event served as an inaugural test run for future Radial Tire Championships and will serve as a launchpad for an even larger event in 2026.
If you’re interested in getting involved in Formula Vee at any level, please feel free to contact with Challenge Cup Series, Driverz Cup, or NortheastFV on Facebook.
