Lindsay Brewer and Jem Hepworth return to the Lamborghini ST podium in stellar Laguna Seca round
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Lindsay Brewer and Jem Hepworth continued their remarkable run in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America with a superb weekend at Laguna Seca, where they battled at the front of the Am class and secured their second podium of the season.
Lindsay Brewer and Jem Hepworth continued their remarkable run in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America with a superb weekend at Laguna Seca, where they battled at the front of the Am class and secured their second podium of the season.
The all-female RAFA Racing Team crew were on top of their game at the iconic WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, a technical, undulating course, and set the fastest lap in class in both races, as both drivers displayed top-three-worthy pace throughout the weekend.
After a solid qualifying, Brewer was quick to avoid an incident on the first lap of Race 1, then started a recovery drive completed by her teammate Hepworth to finish third. They were unlucky not to capitalize again in Race 2, when they finished second on track but a penalty dropped them just outside the podium.
Brewer and Hepworth had already made a strong impression on their Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America debut at Sebring, standing on the Am class podium in the second race. The pair were quickly up to speed in the Lamborghini Huracán at the demanding Florida circuit, delivering a very promising performance in their first outing, securing their maiden podium.
The 2025 season marks a new chapter in the careers of both drivers, each switching to the highly competitive Lamborghini one-make series after experiences in high-level single-seaters—up to Indy NXT level for Brewer—and the GT4 European Series, where Hepworth collected valuable experience as part of the RAFA Racing Team. For Brewer, it was a strong debut in GT racing, as she immediately proved competitive, displaying quick learning and good teamwork with her new co-driver.
The good momentum continued at Laguna Seca, where the duo ran second in class in the first practice session, with a 1:25.990 barely one-tenth off the Am class leader, proving they would be in contention for front-running positions again at the second round.
Lindsay Brewer took over the #2 RAFA Racing Lamborghini in the first qualifying session. Lindsay's first lap was a 1:30.226; she improved to 1:26.768, moving up into sixth in class.
With four minutes to go, Brewer set a purple first sector and clocked a 1:25.240—an impressive lap that put the pink RAFA Racing Team machine in P3 in Am, just two-tenths from class pole.
Jem Hepworth took over for the second qualifying session; as the field began setting their first timed laps, a red flag halted the session. Once resumed, Hepworth clocked a 1:26.098, placing sixth in class. A messy session ended with her 25th overall and sixth in AM.
A field of 39 cars lined up for Race 1 on Saturday afternoon under warm weather at one of the most iconic North American circuits. Lindsay Brewer started from third in Am class after her commendable qualifying effort earlier in the day.
When the race got underway, it quickly turned chaotic, with cars going off and the #44 of Henry and the #25 of Lagartixa out of the race immediately. It was a difficult start for Brewer, who found spun cars right in her path. She reacted quickly to avoid them but had to take to the outside, losing positions in the process and falling to sixth in the Am class. Fortunately, she survived the chaos as the race soon went under caution.
After marshals cleaned up the incident, the green flag waved again with 35 minutes to go, just as the pit window approached. Lindsay immediately cleared the LB Cup entries of Shahi and Hirshberg, then caught and passed Shi for position, moving up into fifth. On lap 9, Brewer set purple sectors and emerged as one of the fastest cars in class. She then had to pass two more LB Cup cars, Groat and Kunzle.
When a car went off at Turn 3, most teams chose to pit as soon as the pit window opened to avoid getting caught by a potential caution. Brewer pitted on lap 11, handing over to Jem Hepworth, who rejoined sixth in Am with the top three in class having stayed out longer.
Hepworth was immediately quick, setting the class’s fastest lap at 1:25.703 and gaining nearly a second on the #63 TR3 Racing Lamborghini of Siderman. The British driver went even faster with a 1:25.438, moving up into fifth and catching the lead group of Am runners. Hepworth passed Bullock to climb to fourth and was on a mission to grab a podium as the pit window closed.
Jem unfortunately went deep into Turn 4 and ran off track; she recovered and rejoined but lost a place, falling back to fifth in class as Bullock slipped back past. The RAFA Racing driver trailed Bullock by two seconds but quickly caught back up, gaining in every sector. It wasn’t easy to make a move stick, but when Siderman spun at Turn 9 on lap 24, Hepworth passed Bullock again. With eight minutes to go, the #2 RAFA Racing Team Lamborghini was back in a podium position. Once in clear air, Hepworth began pulling away and set her sights on Neuls, just a few tenths ahead.
Hepworth intensified the pressure with only a few minutes remaining. However, the race was neutralized when Elias De La Torre hit the tyre barriers with two minutes left, effectively ending the race.
Despite missing the chance to challenge for second place, Jem Hepworth and Lindsay Brewer secured their second podium in two weekends in Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America—a remarkable performance from the all-female duo, who also banked the fastest lap in class.
It was a great recovery drive after being forced wide on the first lap, with the #2 RAFA Racing making it back into the overall top 15 as well.
On Sunday, another warm and sunny day in California set the stage for the final race of the weekend for Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America. Jem Hepworth started from sixth in Am class, 25th overall. The RAFA Racing car held position as the green flag waved. Several cars went off through the dirt, kicking up dust - and Hepworth showed awareness and avoided a spinning car ahead, moving up into fifth in class.
Hepworth, showing again great speed as on the previous day, began gaining places early, passing LB Cup entries and overtaking the ProAm car of Lee, who pitted with issues. She was quickly on the verge of breaking into the overall top 20, setting fast sectors, when unfortunately she received a penalty for earlier contact and would have to serve a 10-second post-race time penalty.
Jem pushed hard, setting purple sectors and going for the fastest lap on lap 9 with a 1:24.822 as she continued to close in on the ProAm car of Comeau and the Am class rival Carazo. She then passed Kunzle with a stunning move under braking at the final corner.
With 33 minutes to go, Groat spun into the gravel, but the race stayed green. Hepworth was now within two seconds of Carazo, gaining nearly a second per lap. The pit window opened, and several cars dove into the pit lane. Jem stayed out, cycled up into third in class, and then pitted on lap 14.
Brewer took over and rejoined in P5, then moved up to fourth as Carazo pitted and rejoined behind after the stop. Lindsay also put in strong laps, gaining on the cars ahead, but had to deal with the return of Miller in the ProAm #41 Flying Lizard Motorsports Lamborghini.
With 16 minutes to go, Bullock spun into the gravel at Turn 6 and came to a halt in the middle of the track, triggering a full course yellow. Brewer avoided the incident and moved into third in class as the race was neutralized. This was however bad news for the RAFA Racing Team’s all-female crew, as the penalty still needed to be served post-race. Despite Brewer having a great chance to finish second on track, the final result was in jeopardy.
The race resumed with seven minutes to go, and Brewer found herself in a group of ProAm cars she needed to clear. Immediately, there was contact at Turn 1 on the restart involving Hays and Karlinkas, though the race stayed green. More chaos followed, and Brewer capitalized, passing Staab to move into second in Am.
However, another caution came out for Hays, whose car was stranded in the gravel. Lindsay found herself 12th overall, just on the edge of the top 10, with Miller and Shields between her and Am leader Graham Doyle with two minutes to go as the race went back to green for the final lap.
Brewer closed in on Doyle, finishing just 2.1 seconds behind, but the penalty unfortunately dropped her to fifth, behind Neuls and Holguin. While unlucky due to the late full course yellows, the RAFA Racing all-female duo once again displayed amazing pace and were on course for a runner-up finish—in another well-deserved podium.
Nevertheless, Hepworth and Brewer completed the Laguna Seca weekend, second round of the championship, as one of the Am teams to beat. They sealed the fastest lap in class on both days and, despite an unlucky start, found their way back onto the podium.
Lindsay Brewer and Jem Hepworth now sit third in the Am championship standings with 31 points, showing that their first win might be just around the corner. The next round is scheduled at Watkins Glen on 19–21 June.