Official Hyundai team Ricca Autosport drivers faced dramatic elevation changes and intense Georgia summer heat as SRO America returned to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for the first time in 15 years. Entering the weekend, Andre Castro held a 30-point advantage over Brayden Arthur, with every position carrying increased significance as the TC America title fight reached its midpoint.
For Ricca Autosport, the weekend delivered a mix of breakthrough performances, hard-fought podium finishes, and valuable points despite adversity throughout the paddock.
"Our drivers showed a lot of maturity this weekend," said team owner Jeff Ricca, last year's TC America champion who stepped into the vacant No. 78 Hyundai for the doubleheader weekend. "Road Atlanta rewards precision, and it punishes mistakes quickly. We had some highs, we had some setbacks, but overall we left with solid points and continued to demonstrate the depth of this program."
Thursday's qualifying session immediately showcased the strength of the Hyundai Elantra N1 TC Evo platform. Castro qualified second, missing pole position by only a few hundredths of a second, while Justin Gravett lined up third, Ricca fourth, Eric Kunz fifth, Shelby Mills sixth, and veteran driver PJ Groenke eleventh in his Road Atlanta debut after announcing the weekend would likely by his last for the season.
Friday's Race 1 unfolded as a calculated battle throughout the field. At the green flag, Gravett immediately challenged Castro as the teammates ran side-by-side into the opening corners. Behind them, Mills made an early move past Kunz before the field settled into a fast-paced rhythm around the 2.54-mile circuit.
As the race progressed, Castro remained focused on the championship picture, steadily managing the gap to title rival Arthur while Gravett continued to pressure the leaders. Ricca remained firmly in the mix while posting one of the fastest laps of the race, positioning himself strategically for Saturday's finale.
Further back, Kunz recovered from an early position loss and worked his way forward before disaster struck late in the race. On Lap 20, the Hyundai Hope On Wheels machine suffered a suspension failure that sent the Elantra into the tire barriers, ending what had been a strong run. Despite the heavy impact, Kunz exited the car under his own power and was evaluated and released from the infield care center.
"The most important thing is that he was okay," Ricca said. "The crew immediately went to work assessing the damage, but losing a car that late in the race was disappointing."
Saturday's Race 2 brought hotter temperatures and even more drama before the field completed a full lap.
Ricca launched aggressively from the front rows and briefly ran side-by-side with Arthur entering the opening complex before the championship challenger emerged ahead. Behind them, positions shuffled rapidly and Castro found himself sixth before an early full-course caution neutralized the field.
The restart produced some of the most competitive racing of the weekend. Castro fought his way back through traffic, while Shelby Mills delivered one of his strongest defensive performances of the season during an extended battle with Jesse Dorkin and the JMF Motorsports Toyota.
Mills repeatedly held off challenges, swapping positions and racing wheel-to-wheel through multiple corners before becoming involved in an incident that ultimately resulted in a penalty, dropping him down the order despite another impressive display of pace and racecraft.
With valuable points on the line, Gravett, and Castro spent much of the race applying pressure to the Acura of Dean Lambros, which sat firmly in third behind Ricca. Gravett delivered one of his cleanest drives of the season, remaining within striking distance throughout the closing stages while Castro followed closely behind as the pair searched for an opportunity.
As the final minutes ticked away, Ricca expertly controlled the pace from second position, keeping the field tightly grouped and creating opportunities for his team to challenge for podium positions. Gravett and Castro remained glued to the rear of the leading pack, both making determined late-race bids before Ricca ultimately yielded positions in the closing stages, allowing Gravett to secure third and Castro fourth at the checkered flag, maintaining critical momentum heading into the second half of the championship.
One of the most emotional moments of the weekend belonged to Groenke. After capturing a seventh-place finish in Saturday's finale, the veteran driver reflected on his career during a heartfelt post-race interview with Amanda Busick. Fighting back emotion, Groenke thanked the many supporters, teammates, sponsors, and family members who had helped him throughout his racing journey while taking a moment to recognize his own accomplishments in what he expected to be the last race of his TC America career.
The Hyundai enthusiast community was also well represented, with more than 38 Hyundai N Club vehicles attending Road Atlanta and reinforcing the growing connection between Hyundai customer racing, motorsports development, and enthusiast engagement.
Mark Wilkins from Bryan Herta Autosport also joined the team this weekend. Helping drivers with video analysis, car control and placement so Ricca could spend a little more time with the cars and crew. "We've built a culture where everyone works together," Ricca said. "Whether it's our championship contenders, our development drivers, our coaches, or the Hyundai community, everybody is invested in helping each other succeed, no one skips a step, and the result is the most dependable program out there. I’m so proud of our team!”
As the TC America season moves beyond its midpoint, Ricca Autosport leaves Road Atlanta with another victory, multiple podium finishes, valuable championship points, and continued momentum in its pursuit of the 2026 TC America Championship.
Andre Castro – #77 Hyundai Elantra N1 TC Evo
“Another solid weekend in the books at Road Atlanta. I got super close to winning the pole, missing out by only 0.02 seconds. We maximized our best possible result in race 1, finishing in 2nd and winning the Hyundai N Trophy Cup. Race 2 saw me start in 4th and finish in 4th 2nd in N Trophy Cup), as the first lap was chatoic and it’s really tough to pass around here with hot temperatures. Thanks to Borkan and Scahill LTD for continuing to support me throughout this season. Really happy to have retained the lead of both championships going into the summer break. Thanks as well to GenRacer, Ricca Autosport and Hyundai, as always!”
Justin Gravett – #8 Hyundai Elantra N1 TC Evo
“I had an abbsolute blast driving the #8 Hyundai Elantra N1 Evo at Road Atlanta this weekend! We came away with two podiums and a Hyunda N Trophy Cup win in race 2! None of it would be possible without the incredible crew at Ricca Autosport. Their hard work and attention to detail are what makes results like this possible. Road America, here we come!”
PJ Groenke – #76 Hyundai Elantra N1 TC Evo
“Racing at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for the very first time was pure magic. Not the best results, but we brought home our Hyundai Elanta N1TC Evo as clean as when we arrived and both Masters Class wins.”
Eric Kunz – #33 Hyundai Elantra N1 TC Evo
“I felt like I was driving well this weekend, for the most part the field was super tight. Sadly I had some bad luck with a suspension component on the front left coming apart as I hit the brakes for turn 6. I’m extremely thankful for the safety that Hyundai and Ricca Autosport have built into these Hyundai Elantra N1 TC Evos. Massive thank you to the track safety crew for getting to me so quickly. In the end what really matters is I am ok and looking forward to fully recovering and getting back in the car at Road America.”
Shelby Mills – Fawn Group Motorsports by Ricca
#18 Hyundai Elantra N1 TC Evo
“Road Atlanta was a challenging weekend for me, the pace was there but didn’t translate to the result that could have been in either race. We are knocking on the door of a good result, I just need to put it all together. Many thanks to my coach Harry, and my mechanic Mike for holding it all together. My Hyundai Elantra N1TC Evo was once again flawless, its on me to put it all together now. Onwards and upwards to my favourite track Road America in a couple of months.
2026 TC America Powered by Skip Barber Schedule
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Sonoma Raceway — March 26–29
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Circuit of the Americas — April 24–26
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Sebring International Raceway — May 7–9
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Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta — June 12–14
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Road America — August 28–30
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Barber Motorsports Park — September 25–27
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Indianapolis Motor Speedway — October 8–11
Media Contact:
Alicia Busa
alicia@aliciabusa.com
440-667-0079
About Ricca Autosport:
Ricca Autosport is the official SRO Hyundai USA partner competing in the SRO TC America Powered by Skip Barber Racing School. A Motorsports Logistics Company, Ricca Autosport offers sales, support, and service. With three team and manufacturer championships and two driver championships since 2023 they have the race winning experience and hardware to deliver results for their partners and drivers. For more information, visit ricca-autosport.com and tcamerica.us