Kadlečík, Caruana, Hawkin compete for Skip Barber seat at VIR Shootout

Martin Kadlečík of the Czech Republic, Matt Caruana of the United Kingdom, and Brandon Hawkin of Canada will head to Virginia International Raceway for a three-day Formula Car Shootout, competing for a full-season seat in the Skip Barber Formula Race Series. Kadlečík claimed the 2026 Skip Barber Formula iRacing Series championship, which concluded in July, ahead of defending champion Caruana and Hawkin, who is competing in his second season after a hiatus since 2023.

Caruana will make his second attempt at the Shootout, having competed in the Peugeot 206 Production Cup since last year's event, scoring three podiums in four races. Kadlečík and Hawkin will both attempt the Shootout for the first time. Hawkin brings extensive karting experience and a podium finish in eight races with Racing Prodigy – Prodigy 3, another sim-to-reality pathway. Kadlečík has the most diverse racing background, having started in autocross at age five, moving to circuit racing at 18, and competing in the Twingo Cup, Clio Cup, and touring car categories.

The three-day evaluation will assess not only track performance but also marketability, media skills, and other aspects of professional racing. Only one competitor will secure the full-season seat for the 2027 campaign. The winner will follow Aaron Vazquez, who won the series last year.

Kadlečík expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity: "Since it is my first time visiting the Skip Barber Racing School, I am not quite sure what to expect, but I am sure that there will be lots of track time and fun driving a racecar, which is what I am looking forward to the most. I think it's going to be a great learning experience, and I can't wait to get started."

Caruana, aiming to succeed on his second attempt, stated: "I'm coming in to next week as relaxed as possible, of course I'm hoping and believing in myself that I can go for the win this time, but I'm going in to it with a positive mindset, using everything I've learnt from last year speaking with the guys at Skip Barber to hopefully come out with the main prize."

Hawkin acknowledged the competitive field: "I'd love to be able to say that I expect to win the Grand Prize, but that just isn't quite the case. It's my main goal, of course, but Martin and Matt are fantastic drivers, and it is going to be extremely tough. I have no idea how things will turn out, but we'll find out soon. In contrast, two things I'm quite confident about are having a great time and leaving this week a better driver than I was heading into it."