With more drivers set to be announced in the coming weeks, Ethan Ayars is the latest competitor set for his Toyota GR Cup North America debut in 2025. Joining the Nitro Motorsports and Copeland Motorsports alliance program, Ayars will continue his upward path moving from the Spec Miata program into the national GR Cup North America program next season.
“Ethan is a great driver, and one that has moved from karts to cars and is now looking for that next step,” explained Nitro Motorsports’ Nick Tucker. “He performed very well in Spec Miata, and we think his natural move is into GR Cup in 2025. Ethan will also train and compete in some Trans Am TA2 competition to keep his development curve moving along.”
At only 16 years of age, Ethan has been racing since he was seven. Racing karts in Kansas City and quickly progressing to regional and national level competition, Ayars won multiple local and regional championships and had his best year in 2018. Competing in the Superkarts! USA Pro Tour, World Karting Association, United States Pro Kart Series, and ROK Cup USA programs, Ethan earned more than 20 national level podium results racing for both Parolin USA and Kart Republic USA. Ethan also competed at the SKUSA SuperNationals in Las Vegas, starting on the outside of the front row on Super Sunday, and was in contention for the victory at the world’s largest karting event.
Ethan transitioned to dirt oval micro sprint racing in 2020, finishing seventh at the Tulsa Shootout in his first attempt. He won multiple events in Restricted, Stock Wing, Stock Non-Wing, and Outlaw, and he made the feature at the KKM Giveback, High-Banks Hustle, Tulsa Shootout, and many other large Micro racing events.
In 2023, Ethan transitioned again, this time under the direction of Nitro Motorsports leader Nick Tucker, back to road racing in a Spec Miata. Ethan excelled under the guidance of OPM Autosports, run by Tom Fowler and coaching by Danny Steyn, his coach and mentor for the last 18 months and this year. Ethan’s best accomplishments in Spec Miata to date this season were at the two biggest races of the year, the SCCA June Sprints at Road America and 2024 Runoffs. With 72 cars in the June Sprints Spec Miata field, Ethan earned the pole position by over 1.3 seconds before finishing third and tenth respectively in the races in the most talented and most prominent field of the year. At the Runoffs, he backed up his impressive showing with a top-ten finish.
“I am ready to go in 2025,” explained Ethan. “A huge thanks to OPM Autosports, the team and to Danny Steyn for their friendship and partnership. I very much appreciate Nick Tucker, Nitro Motorsports, and Copeland Motorsports for the opportunity. This is a natural step for me, and I look forward to making the most of the opportunity.”
Graphic Credit: RTD Media