Local auto racer earns spot in professional circuit

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The new year will bring a major milestone for Hollister auto racer Ethan Lampe who will compete in his first professional race on Jan. 21 in the 2026 Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup. The season opener will be at the renowned Daytona International Speedway in Florida.

“I’ll also be a Whelen Motorsports driver going into next year, so I’ll have that big name and big brand behind me, supporting me through my season,” said the 19-year-old Hollister resident. 

In November, Lampe earned a spot in the MX-5 cup after being selected among 12 finalists in the Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout, where he was awarded a $100,000 scholarship. Lampe said the MX-5 cup is the first level in the professional circuit.

Parents Dara and Bryan Lampe said their son has earned national accolades because of his determination to compete despite not having the same level of funding as other drivers. He first competed in the go-kart series with worn-out tires and later racing cars that were built at their garage at home. 

They said those challenges forced Lampe to become the smartest driver on the track.

“His grit became his edge,” Lampe’s parents told BenitoLink. “He proved that you don’t need the best equipment to rise to the top. You just need the will to keep showing up and the courage to chase what you love.”

Lampe said racing is one of the most mentally and physically challenging sports despite people believing it’s just pressing pedals and steering.

“You’re doing that for hours on end in a car that can get up to 150 degrees in the cabin,” he said. “It’s super draining and there’s a lot to manage and there’s a lot of strategy that goes into it too.” 

Lampe said among the lessons he learned in his journey from racing go-karts as a 7-year-old and later moving on to the Mazda Miata class, is that patience is key.

“Not everything will go your way and you just have to stick to it and keep working,” he said. “There’s not a single day that goes by where I’m not working toward my dream.”

Being a runner-up in the MX-5 shootout adds to the list of accomplishments in Lampe’s brief career, which included being a two-time Spectrum X-5 national champion.

“We have a lot of momentum going into the year, and things are looking really great,” he said.

Lampe said the goal for his first year as a professional is to learn as much as he can while working toward the long-term goal of becoming a driver in GT3, endurance races involving teams that drive a car for stretches of six to 24 hours. 

“It doesn’t really matter what I race as long as I can do what I love professionally,” he said. 

Lampe said he is currently competing in sprint races, which last about 45 minutes, and are considered two levels away from the top level.

“It’s the first step to get into endurance races,” he said. The next step would be the GT4 races which can last three to five hours. 

Lampe is looking for sponsors to help him continue his journey. Contact him at ethanlamperacing@gmail.com.

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