Eric Kunz Returns for a Second Full Season
Eric Kunz will be re-joining Ricca Autosport for a full season of TC America competition as part of the official SRO Hyundai USA partner team for the upcoming season.
Born in Ontario, Canada, Kunz spent most of his childhood years in the Middle East when his father’s job as a pilot moved the family to Bahrain and then Dubai for almost a decade where he learned to speak Arabic and German before moving back to Ontario at
the age of fourteen.
A self-proclaimed “nerd,” Kunz enjoys spending time with friends playing video games and tabletop games such as Magic: The Gathering. When race season allows, he also enjoys participating in Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, which he credits with helping him build a strong community of friends. Eventually his mother encouraged him to find a hobby that would get him out of the house a suggestion that ultimately led him to motorsports.
Kunz began karting in 2020 through Arrive and Drive programs and quickly became hooked, racing regionally for several seasons before transitioning to cars in 2022 with a regional endurance racing team. His first race in the United States came later that year at Circuit of The Americas during the final round of the World Racing League season. “I was thrown into the deep end pretty quickly going from karting to team endurance racing,” Kunz said. “The best part was getting to know other drivers and being part of a
much larger effort. I tried to treat everything as a learning experience and absorb as much as I could.”
Over the next two seasons, Kunz competed in the Sports Car Championship Canada in the TCA class, finishing second in the championship before capturing the title the following year. His results caught the attention of Ricca Autosport team owner Jeff Ricca, who invited him to join the team’s TC America program.
“Eric is a great competitor who really wants to keep learning and building,” said Ricca. “You can see his growth and determination with every race. I’m thrilled he’s back with us this season and I’m excited to see what he can accomplish.”
This season, Kunz will pilot the No. 33 Hyundai Elantra N1 TC Evo featuring a special Hyundai Hope On Wheels livery. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to funding pediatric cancer research and raising awareness for children battling cancer.
The mission carries personal significance for Kunz, who has faced his own long-term health challenges. Since the age of three, he has battled chronic illness and pain that eventually led to a diagnosis at 17 of Kaposiform Lymphangiomatosis (KLA), a rare congenital lymphatic condition. The disorder causes an overproduction of lymphatic vessels on the left side of his body, often resulting in fluid buildup around his lung and significant discomfort.
Despite the challenges, Kunz views his experience as an opportunity to connect with others facing difficult medical journeys.
“I don’t want to be someone with this condition who happens to be a race car driver,” Kunz said candidly. “I want to be a race car driver who happens to have this condition.
It’s important that we talk about these things, and I’m honored to represent the mission of pediatric cancer awareness. You never know who might be struggling.”
As he enters the 2026 TC America season with Ricca Autosport and Hyundai, Kunz hopes to build on the momentum gained last year. With many of the circuits on the calendar now familiar and a proven team behind him, he is eager to continue developing both on and off the track.
Media Contact:
Alicia Busa | PR Consultant
media@ricca-autosport.com
440-667-0079