Ricca Autosport delivered a strong but challenging weekend at Road America, putting two Hyundai Elantra N1 TC EVOs on the podium in both TC America races while championship contender Andre Castro fought through two hard-fought battles at the front of the field.
Entering the weekend, Castro held a 10-point advantage over Braydon Arthur in the TC America championship. With Toyota adding Silver-rated professional driver Michai Stephens to the No. 3 entry for the weekend, the Toyota team locked out the front row in qualifying, while Castro qualified third, Justin Gravett fourth, Matan Rosenberg fifth, Eric Kunz sixth, Shelby Mills seventh and newcomer Ricardo Cordero at P10.
Race 1 saw Ricca Autosport immediately challenge the Toyotas, with Rosenberg moving into second and Castro running third early in the race. Gravett remained within striking distance as the three Hyundai drivers battled near the front. A minor incident between Kunz and Mills resulted in damage to Kunz's car and an early full-course yellow, while Rosenberg later retired with a coupler failure. Kunz was also forced to retire after a turbocharger failure and loss of brakes.
Despite the setbacks, Gravett and Castro remained in podium contention, ultimately finishing second and third, respectively. Mills finished fifth and Ricardo Cordero Muniz seventh.
The result brought Castro and Arthur level in the championship heading into Saturday's finale.
Race 2 began with Castro starting second and immediately challenging Arthur for the lead, taking the position by Lap 2. Rosenberg, who was scheduled to start third, encountered an issue on the parade lap and dropped to the back before retiring early with the same coupler issue that ended his Race 1.
Castro eventually surrendered the lead to Arthur but remained within striking distance throughout most of the race, while Gravett battled the second Toyota for third. When the checkered flag fell, Castro finished second and Gravett third, giving Ricca Autosport its fourth podium of the weekend. Mills finished fifth and Cordero Muniz sixth.
Despite losing the championship lead, Ricca Autosport leaves Road America with a clear indication of the pace of its Hyundai program. Gravett scored consecutive podium finishes, Castro stood on the podium in both races, Mills recorded two top-five finishes and a super charger award, and the team continued to place multiple cars at the sharp end of the TC America field.
For Rosenberg, the weekend marked a difficult return to TC America despite showing the pace to run near the front before his retirement. Kunz's weekend was similarly cut short by mechanical issues, while Cordero Muniz was thrilled to continue gaining experience in his first weekend with the team.
"There's a lot to take away from this weekend," Ricca said. "The results don't tell the whole story. We had multiple cars capable of winning, we had drivers fighting at the front, and we showed that the Hyundai is absolutely capable of competing with the Toyotas. Now we have to take everything we learned, solve the reliability issues and go after these points. We're not going to let one difficult weekend define our season."
With the championship battle now separated by just seven points, Ricca Autosport turns its attention to the final rounds of the 2026 TC America season, with the No. 77 Hyundai and Castro continuing their pursuit of the championship.
Justin Gravett – #8 Hyundai Elantra N1 TC Evo
“Overall, I think it was still a really good weekend for us at Road America. We knew we were going to have some challenges going into the weekend, but we gave it everything we had and made the most of what we had. I’m incredibly grateful for my second Hyundai N Trophy Cup win and to stand on the overall podium both days. I couldn’t have done it without Ricca Autosport and all the hard work and consistent effort they put in all weekend."
Eric Kunz – #33 Hyundai Elantra N1 TC Evo
“Another weekend of bad luck. I feel like I drove well in both races with a purple sector in each race, despite the issues. The important part is I had the chance to rebuild my confidence after the crash in Atlanta. I’m so thankful for the Ricca Autosport crew getting the #33 Hyundai Hope On Wheels car repaired in time for Road America. I’m excited for Barber in a months time where I had good pace last season.”
Andre Castro – #77 Hyundai Elantra N1 TC Evo
“It was another solid weekend for us at Road America, with two overall podium finishes and a Hyundai N Trophy Cup win. We’re still neck and neck with the Toyota for the drivers’ championship lead, and I’m still at the top of the N Cup standings, so I’m excited to keep fighting at Barber in a few weeks’ time. Thank you to Borkan & Scahill LTD, the University of Chicago, Mockett, GenRacer, and Hyundai for making it possible for me to finish the season while vying for both championships!”
Matan Rosenberg – #78 Hyundai Elantra N1 TC Evo
“It definitely was a tough weekend for me. While the mechanical issues were a bummer, I was proud to show my pace in qualifying and the first part of race one. I know a podium is possible, now I just have to have a weekend come together for me.
Ricardo Cordero – #76 Hyundai Elantra N1 TC Evo
“It was an amazing experience driving the Hyundai Elantra N TC at Road America, though not without its challenges. Having a mechanical issue in race one was frustrating and it took me some time to adapt and find a solid pace, which finally clicked towards the end of race two. But that’s racing, and every lap was a crucial step in my development as a driver and in understanding this car better. I felt fully supported by the team from start to finish. I’m deeply grateful for the commitment and hard work of everyone at Ricca Autosport.”
Shelby Mills – Fawn Group Motorsports by Ricca
#18 Hyundai Elantra N1 TC Evo
“Road America was the race weekend that could have been for me. Season best results of P5 in both races doesn't tell the full story, my driving could have been much better, a few errors in judgement cost me what could have been even better results. A big thank you goes out the Ricca Autosport team for repairing the car back to good as new between races. Looking forward to Barber Motorsports park in a few weeks.”
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