The Hyundai N Trophy Cup made its North American debut during the third and fourth rounds of the TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School season at Circuit of The Americas. The series-within-a-series provided a heightened level of exciting competition as Hyundai drivers within the championship were not only battling for overall points, but also racing against one another for exclusive awards and honors.
Newcomer Gyumin Kim was the one to beat in Austin, driving his No. 74 Ricca Autosport Hyundai Elantra N1 TC EVO to victory in back-to-back outings to sweep the weekend. His stellar results saw him accumulate a perfect score of 50 points, which puts him in the lead in the Hyundai N Trophy Cup standings. Additionally, as the top finishing Hyundai in the field, Kim was awarded an extra $1,500 in prize earnings for each win.
Although Jeff Ricca was the runner-up in both races, he continues to lead the overall TC America championship in his No. 78 Ricca Autosport Hyundai Elantra N1 TC EVO. He scored 36 points across the weekend, and is looking ahead to Sebring in order to take over the top spot on the leaderboard in both championships, as the TC America Driver Champion earns $10,000 in prize money, and the Hyundai N Trophy Cup Champion is also granted $5,000. As team owner of Ricca Autosport, he also has other objectives in mind, such as the Hyundai Manufacturer Championship, which would see the team collect $5,000.
The impeccably strong weekend for the two drivers saw them accumulate even more in prize money offerings, as the first and second place finishers in TC America received $4,000 and $3,000 per race, respectively.
Meanwhile, though PJ Groenke finished in fourth place in both races at COTA with his No. 76 Ricca Autosport Hyundai Elantra N1 TC EVO, securing 24 points total, he still holds third place in the Hyundai N Trophy Cup standings.
The next leg of the Hyundai N Trophy Cup will take place at Sebring International Raceway from May 16th to 18th, featuring three sprint races. Following this, the next events will be held at Barber Motorsports Park, and the TC America season finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The champion of the Hyundai N Trophy Cup season will earn an invitation to compete in the final round of the 2025 Hyundai N Festival one-make race series in South Korea, going head-to-head with Hyundai N Cup champions from around the globe. In addition, standout drivers will be considered for a post-season evaluation in the Bryan Herta Autosport Elantra N TCR.
At the conclusion of the season, Hyundai will also select one N Racing Scholar, identified as a standout competitor who will be awarded the opportunity to race in the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hour endurance event with Hyundai. This honor will be based on a combination of on-track results and off-track contributions throughout the TC America season, with a panel of Hyundai racing executives and professional drivers making the final decision.
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