Winners Circle Project: A Close Race at Lime Rock Park!
The next generation of motorsports pros took the spotlight at Lime Rock Park over Memorial Day Weekend! With the smell of race fuel in the air and a light drizzle on the track, students from the Winners Circle Project showed off a year’s worth of hard work.
Over the school year, they built Factory Five cars from the ground up, handling everything from wrenching and wiring to marketing. On Friday of Memorial Day Weekend, they presented their builds in front of their fellow classmates, Lime Rock staff, and three-time Trans Am champ Chris Dyson.
Founded and Directed by Pius Kayiira, and supported by Chris Dyson, and Factory Five Traveling Builders Mark and Brendan Dougherty, the program gives students real-world STEM and racing experience.
Six (6) New York schools raced to the finish line with their year-long Factory Five builds at Lime Rock Park! Let’s dive into the builds.
Ketcham Racing
Built a Factory Five Gen 3 Coupe with IRS, 4-wheel disc brakes, sway bars, and a wiper kit. Powered by a 371 hp Blueprint 302 with an ON-3 single turbo and Aces Killshot EFI, backed by a Tremec World Class T5 from Hanlon Motorsports. Custom touches included plasma-cut wing uprights, a carbon fiber wing, and custom purple paint by a student at their family’s collision shop.
FDR (Franklin D. Roosevelt High School)
Chose a Factory Five Mk4 Roadster with IRS, disc brakes, power steering, and sway bars. Used a 371 hp Blueprint 302 with twin turbos and Aces Killshot EFI, mated to a Tremec World Class T5. Standout features included a student-crafted wood dash and tunnel top, a removable Le Mans-style hardtop, black powder-coated Enkei RPF1 wheels, and Hoosier R7 race tires. Custom black paint was applied by Matt’s Autobody in Salt Point, NY.
John Jay Racing
Built a Factory Five Mk4 with IRS, disc brakes, sway bars, and power steering. Their 371 hp Blueprint 302 ran Aces Killshot EFI and a Tremec World Class T5. Customizations included a student-made carbon fiber dash, a smoothed hood scoop, and a race-ride-height suspension setup, giving them an edge during Chris Dyson’s performance evaluation.
Dover Racing
As first-year WCP participants, they built a Factory Five Mk4 Roadster with IRS, disc brakes, and sway bars. Powered by a 371 hp Blueprint 302 with Aces Killshot EFI and a Tremec World Class T5. Dover stood out for their meticulous craftsmanship, earning top raw score honors at the Alfred State inspection.
Waverly Racing
In their fifth year with WCP, Waverly built a Factory Five Gen 3 Coupe with IRS, disc brakes, and sway bars. Powered by a 371 hp Blueprint 302 with Aces Killshot EFI and a Tremec World Class T5. Their bold pink and white wrap, custom LED-integrated wing, painted aluminum panels, and a full sim racing rig in the trunk showcased their creativity and “dare to be different” approach.
Owego Free Academy (2025 WCP Champions)
Owego built a Factory Five Gen 3 Coupe, equipped with IRS, sway bars, power steering, and standard FFR disc brakes. They went all-in on aero, adding a rear wing, front splitter, air dam, and front/rear extractors. Their powertrain featured a 371 hp Blueprint 302 paired with a Kenne Bell supercharger and a Tremec World Class T5 from Hanlon Motorsports. Custom touches included black diamond plate interior panels, a see-through tunnel top, and unique dashboard graphics. They rolled on custom 18” wheels with Kenda 200tw tires.
Inspired by the Joey Logano Factory Five Coupe, Owego’s sharp execution and attention to detail helped secure their first-place finish.
After a tight showdown, Owego Free Academy took the win! Their Type 65 Coupe-R’s performance helped them win just 0.6 points ahead of second place, Roy C. Ketcham High School.
Congrats to all the students and schools! We’re blown away by what you built, and honestly, we wish we had this opportunity in high school.
See more photos here, checkout last year’s championship here, or learn more about Winners Circle Project here.
