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Caleb Campbell securing his first Formula 4 career victory in the series
The Formula 4 United States Championship(F4 U.S.) delivered thrilling action this past weekend at Road America as partof the Speed Tour event, with rising star CalebCampbell securing his first Formula 4 career victory in the series.
Race1: Hauanio Strikes First
Caleb Campbell started mid-pack after inclement weather cancelled Friday’s scheduled qualifying session. The qualifying grid was then determined by championship points to date in the series. The race began with intense battles at the front between Alex Popow and Kekai Hauanio, while Campbell worked his way through the field showcasing strong pace to climb into contention. As the race neared its end, a late-race incident between Demitri Nolan and Cooper Shipman shuffled the order, allowing Campbell to recover to fourth. However, post-race drama unfolded when stewards reviewed Alex Popow’s overtake on Campbell under yellow flag conditions. The penalty to Popow (a five-second time deduction) prompted Campbell to third place, securing him a hard-fought podium finish after a resilient drive
Race2: Campbell’s Breakthrough Moment
Saturday’s Race 2, however, belonged to Caleb. After narrowly missing out on victory in previous rounds, the 16year-old finally broke through with a flawless drive. Starting from third, Campbell controlled the race from the front, holding off a competitive field to claim his first-ever F4 U.S. win. “This feels awesome–it was an awesome race and I’m so happy right now,” Campbell said post-race. “I was looking in my mirrors, I was looking ahead of me–I saw Alex Popow ahead of me and I was trying to chase him down. He was crazy fast. It’s unfortunate what happened to him, but it was a good race overall…” The victory marked a major milestone in Campbell’s young career, proving his potential as a future star in open-wheel racing.
Race3: Hauanio Bounces Back
With the final race of the weekend, Campbell looked to place on the podium once again. Starting fourth, Campbell quickly made moves early. After a strong start, he overtook Hauanio and Cooper Shipman to take second, then battled Shipman for the lead, eventually securing the top spot after a side-by-side duel through Canada Corner. However, a safety car period bunched the field, and on the restart, Hauanio retook the lead while Campbell faced pressure from Clemente Huerta. Unfortunately, Huerta hit a bump in turn 5 before making contact with Campbell, causing both to spin and retire prematurely. With Campbell out, the race became a battle between Crosslink Motorsports teammates Hauanio and Demitri Nolan, with Hauanio ultimately winning by just 0.0026 seconds. Despite a strong run, Campbell’s race ended early due to the incident, leaving him without a finish.
Championship Implications
With his breakthrough win, Campbell has firmly inserted himself into the title conversation. Hauanio’s double victory keeps him near the top of standings, setting up an exciting battle as the season progresses. For Campbell, Road America will be remembered as the weekend he announced himself as a race winner–and with more rounds to come, this may just be the beginning.
Next Stop: The F4 U.S. Championship continues with the Mid-Ohio Speed Tour on June 19th.
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