Jenks, Nicol, Bacon and Huhn crowned Radical world champions at VIR

The 2025 Radical World Finals at Virginia International Raceway have come and gone, but delivered a spectacular showcase of international talent, speed, and precision as competitors from around the globe converged on the historic 3.27-mile circuit for a weekend of intense multi-class racing. In the end, Steve Jenks, Raiden Nicol, Jace Bacon and Chris Huhn added World Finals Champion to their resume as they delivered race-winning performances when it counted.

“The level of competition at this year’s World Finals was nothing short of phenomenal,” explained Tom Drewer. “Virginia International Raceway provided the perfect stage, and every class delivered incredibly close, hard-fought racing. The diversity of teams and the depth of talent on display proved once again why Radical remains one of the best proving grounds for drivers worldwide. This event showcased the spirit of our community — passionate, competitive, and committed to pushing the limits — and we could not be prouder of the performances we witnessed.”

Across Platinum, Pro 1500, Gold 1500, and Pro 1340 competition, the event featured wheel-to-wheel racing and several different winners across the heat race format. With seasoned veterans defending against rising stars eager to make their mark, the Radical World Finals reaffirmed VIR as one of North America’s premier venues for prototype competition and capped the season with some of the most dramatic and compelling racing seen all year.

Qualifying

Platinum Class – Jenks Strikes First for Group-A Racing

Group-A Racing’s Steve Jenks charged to the top of the charts with a class-leading time of 1:47.129 averaging 110mph, earning overall and Platinum pole position. JBR with Radical Virginia locked out the following three grid positions, with Scott Wagner, Louis Schriber and Gregg Gorski finished second through fourth, all within 1.7 seconds of the pole. Rounding out the top-six were Jason Greenwood (Group-A Racing) and James Long (Primal Racing).

Pro 1340 – Glace Leads Proper Performance to the Front Row

In the competitive Pro 1340 category, Vaughn Glace (Proper Performance) set the benchmark with a 1:54.283 lap to secure the class pole position. Just .053 seconds back, Radical Cup North America 1340 Champion Brady Clapham (Crown / Radical Arizona) claimed P2 as the top-five finishers posted quick times to assert themselves near the front of the grid. Jace Bacon, Mike D’Ambrose, and Chris McMurry completed the top-five.

Pro 1500 – Van Der Snel Tops Tight Field

The Pro 1500 category delivered tight margins, with Max van der Snel (Valour Racing) securing the class pole at 1:49.529. Fellow front-runners and North American Champion Raiden Nicol (Primal Racing) and Jonas Axboe (Cameron Racing) finished close behind, with only .815 seconds separating the top-three. The top-five was completed by reigning Radical World Champion Ian Aguilera and Jack Yang.

Gold 1500 – Rambo Quick for Spring Mountain

In Gold 1500, Brandon Rambo (Spring Mountain/ONE Motorsport) took class pole at 1:52.231, narrowly topping Chris Huhn (Primal Racing). Andy Lowe (JBR / Radical Virginia) concluded the top-three, rounding out a highly competitive segment.

“The talent level on display today, and throughout this World Final event, is incredible,” said Tom Drewer, Radical Global Motorsport Director. “The times are extremely close across all classes in qualifying, and you can feel the intensity building heading into the races. This weekend is going to showcase the very best of Radical competition.”

Heat Results

In the Platinum category, Steve Jenks delivered a confident and commanding run to the first victory of the World Finals, taking control early and maintaining a consistent pace throughout. Behind him, JBR with Radical Virginia immediately showed its strength, locking out positions two through four with Louis Schriber, Wayne Williams, and Gregg Gorski. Jason Greenwood completed the top-five, cementing a strong first showing for the Platinum class.

The Pro 1500 division produced a lively and tightly packed contest, with Max van der Snel emerging victorious. Jonas Axboe applied pressure throughout but was ultimately forced to settle for second, with Jack Yang close behind. Varul Venkatesh and Ian Aguilera completed the top-five, reinforcing how balanced this division appears.

In Gold 1500, Chris Huhn established himself as the benchmark, pacing the field with a focused, controlled performance. Brandon Rambo and Andy Lowe followed in second and third.

Pro 1340 was commanded by Brady Clapham, who led a close group to the checkered flag. Vaughan Glace and Jace Bacon circulated in his mirrors in second and third, while Chris McMurry and Mike D’Ambrose rounded out the top-five, demonstrating the depth of talent in the most accessible class on the grid.

Heat two brought a new dynamic to each class, with several leaders defending or losing their early momentum.

The Platinum fight delivered one of the most thrilling results of the weekend. Schriber edged teammate Wagner by a razor-thin margin to claim the heat victory, with the pair nearly inseparable throughout the closing laps. Heat One winner Steve Jenks completed the podium in third, ensuring he remained well-positioned in the overall stakes. Wayne Williams and James Long rounded out the top tier, reflecting strong consistency across the class.

In Pro 1500, Jonas Axboe struck back after narrowly missing victory the previous day. He controlled the class from the front, holding off Luke Kendall, who delivered his strongest outing of the weekend so far. Raiden Nicol crossed in third, with Varul Venkatesh and Ian Aguilera completing another competitive top-five. The first two heats produced two different winners, deepening the intrigue within the class.

Gold 1500 saw no change in the running order at the front, as Chirs Huhn delivered his second consecutive victory. The Primal Racing driver once again held off Andy Lowe, while Brandon Rambo earned another third-place result to keep pressure on the lead duo.

The Pro 1340 classification repeated its pattern from the first heat, as Clapham again held command of the class. McMurry matched his own performance with another second-place run, followed by D’Ambrose, who

secured the final step of the podium. Vaughn Glace and Robert Burgess completed the top-five. Clapham’s consistent performance established what appeared to be steady control — but heat three would complicate matters.

Heat three provided a significant twist at the Radical World Finals as multiple classes saw new victors, tightening each title fight heading into the Finals.

In Platinum, JBR with Radical Virginia executed a defining performance, sweeping all three podium positions. Gregg Gorski claimed the heat victory, marking the third different winner in three heats, while Schriber and Wagner completed the podium. James Long continued his strong run with a fourth-place finish, while Jenks completed the top-five, preserving his championship presence despite missing out on podium contention. The result underscored the remarkable competitiveness of the class, with no single driver able to dominate the category across three races.

The Pro 1500 class crowned its third different winner as Raiden Nicol returned to the top step following his Heat One podium. Axboe remained hot on his heels in second, followed closely by heat one winner Max van der Snel. With three different winners across three heats — van der Snel, Axboe, and Nicol — Pro 1500 became the most statistically balanced class of the event. Luke Kendall and Jack Yang closed out the top-five.

Gold 1500 remained centered around Huhn, who completed a perfect three-for-three streak with another victory. Once again, Lowe shadowed him to finish second, while Rambo completed a consistent set of third-place finishes.

In Pro 1340, heat three saw Brady Clapham back on top as he beat Vaughn Glace to the checkered flag by just over three seconds. Robert Burgess crossed the line third to celebrate on the podium ahead of Graham Rahal Performance driver Kenny Naill and Chris McMurry.

Radical World Finals — Main Event Results Recap

The Radical World Finals concluded with an exciting 40-minute feature race that crowned four class winners and delivered intense battles throughout the field. In Platinum, Group-A Racing’s Steve Jenks delivered a remarkable comeback performance to take the overall victory after finding the grass a few times early on, completing 20 laps with the race’s fastest lap (1:47.006) to cement his status as the Radical World Finals Platinum Class Champion. Close behind, JBR with Radical Virginia’s Louis Schriber finished just 2.485 seconds back after maintaining pressure throughout. Schriber’s teammate Gregg Gorski completed the podium, securing third after a consistent drive, while Wayne Williams and Scott Wagner rounded out the top-five despite Wagner suffering issues that left him several laps down.

In Pro 1340, Jace Bacon emerged victorious after a commanding drive that saw him control class traffic and pace, finishing just over a second ahead of Vaughn Glace. Chris McMurry and Robert Burgess finished a tight third and fourth, separated by less than a tenth of a second, with Mike D’Ambrose completing the top-five after finishing one lap down.

The Pro 1500 ranks saw Primal Racing’s Raiden Nicol cap off an incredible season and earn a decisive class win after managing pressure from behind to take victory over Ian Aguilera by just under four seconds. Jonas Axboe finished third, followed by Luke Kendall and Jack Yang, both of whom fought through heavy traffic during the race’s second half. Meanwhile, in Gold 1500, the event’s standout performer, Primal Racing’s Chris Huhn, closed his World Finals campaign with another winning result, pacing the field to finish first and celebrate on the podium’s top step, the UK’s Andy Lowe came in second, while Brandon Rambo claimed third for Spring Mountain and Radical Nevada.

With the 2025 Radical Cup season now in the books, 2026 is just around the corner…stay tuned!