MONTEREY, Calif. — The Formula Pro USA Western Championships rolled into WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca from June 26–28 for Rounds 7 and 8 of the 2026 season. The famed 2.238-mile, 11-turn circuit, renowned for its legendary Corkscrew, delivered a weekend of fast laps and hard racing, testing the mettle of the entire paddock.
World Speed brought a strong contingent to the race weekend battle, fielding three F4 cars driven by Erik Doan, Austin Tiller, and Yana Kapoor. The trio experienced a mixed weekend of both triumphs and struggles, but ultimately showcased their pace, with every World Speed driver stepping onto the podium at some point during the double-header event.
Saturday: Battles and Heartbreak in Round 7
In Saturday’s F4 Overall Class, the action started right at the green flag. Lucas Hand and Erik Doan started on the front row and immediately engaged in a fierce battle for the lead. The two drivers traded positions at the front of the pack until lap 6, when contact near Turn 10 sent Doan into the gravel runoff, prematurely ending his race.
Despite the setback for Doan, the rest of the World Speed garage delivered strong results. Austin Tiller, who had been running in the lead pack throughout the chaotic early laps, successfully navigated the traffic to secure a well-earned podium spot. Meanwhile, the WRS F4 cars put on an excellent show of their own, with Yana Kapoor driving a clean and competitive race to secure second place in her division.
Sunday: Front Row Lockout and Redemption in Round 8
Sunday offered a chance at redemption, and the World Speed team seized the opportunity during qualifying by locking out the front row. Erik Doan claimed the pole position, with teammate Austin Tiller lining up right beside him in second.
When the lights went out, Lucas Hand once again proved to be a formidable opponent, moving up early and managing to get past both World Speed pilots to claim the overall win. However, Doan bounced back perfectly from Saturday’s DNF to secure a solid second-place finish, while Tiller drove a consistent race to bring home another top-five finish for the team.
Championship Standings
With eight of the 12 rounds now in the books, the 2026 Formula Pro USA Western Championships standings are looking highly favorable for the World Speed roster.
| Driver | Class | Current Standing |
| Dan Decker | FPUSA-3 | 1st |
| Larry Schnur | FPUSA-3 | 2nd |
| Erik Doan | FPUSA-4 | 2nd |
| Austin Tiller | FPUSA-4 | 3rd |
| Scott Pyle | FPUSA-4 | 4th |
| Yana Kapoor | WRS | 1st |
The series will take a brief hiatus before returning to Laguna Seca in the fall. Drivers will hit the track again from October 2–4 for Rounds 9 and 10 as the 2026 championship fight enters its final stages.