The Hyundai N Trophy Cup is officially back in full swing for another season, and before heading to Road Atlanta to continue the pursuit in the upcoming rounds, it’s time for a quick revisit of where everyone stands.
A strong weekend in COTA, which came with two podium finishes, sees Andre Castro sit atop the standings with a perfect start to the 2026 campaign. Driving the No. 77 Ricca Autosport Hyundai Elantra N1 TC EVO, Castro collected maximum points by finishing as the top Hyundai entry in both TC America races, giving him 50 points and early momentum in the championship-within-a-championship battle.
He carried that momentum and confidence into the following races at Sebring, and while they did not count towards the Hyundai N Trophy Cup standings, his weekend sweep in Florida ended with him moving into the overall lead of the TC America championship.
Trailing Castro in the Hyundai standings is his Ricca Autosport teammate Justin Gravett in the No. 8 entry, who sits second in points with 36. Third in the standings is Eric Kunz with 30 points in the No. 33 Hyundai.
After making its debut in 2025 in Austin, Texas the Hyundai N Trophy Cup quickly established itself as a meaningful addition to the paddock. The program runs alongside TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School, giving Hyundai competitors an added battle within the larger championship fight as drivers compete to be the top-finishing Hyundai at select rounds throughout the season.
It also includes contingency payouts tied to both TC America race finishes and Hyundai N Trophy Cup results, while also offering significant end-of-season incentives. The Hyundai N Trophy Cup champion earns an invitation to compete in the final round of Hyundai’s international one-make series in South Korea against top Hyundai racers from around the globe.
The N Racing Scholar program also returns this season as a major component of Hyundai’s driver development initiative. Designed to identify rising talent within the TC America paddock, the selected driver will earn an opportunity to compete in the legendary Nürburgring 24 Hours with Hyundai. Last year’s Scholar, Ricca Autosport’s CJ Sepulveda, made his NB24 debut this past weekend.
With Castro holding the early advantage, the fight among Hyundai competitors is only going to intensify as the field goes to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta next. To see them in action, get your GT World Atlanta tickets now!
Remaining 2026 Hyundai N Trophy Cup rounds:
- Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta: June 12-14
- Road America: Aug 28-30
- Barber Motorsports Park: Sep 25-27
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway: Oct 8-11