Kennedy, Jacir Complete Ligier JFC Sweeps at NJMP

MILLVILLE, N.J. (August 2, 2026) – Edward Kennedy and Beckham Jacir returned to Victory Lane at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) for the second time this weekend, winning Race 2 in Ligier Junior Formula Championship (Ligier JFC). Warm temperatures combined with an all-green race proved to be a challenge, but for the two drivers who lead the Ligier JFC classes in victories this season, it wasn’t one they couldn’t overcome.

Notes of Interest:

• Edward Kennedy continued to close in on the points championship with another victory in Race 2 at NJMP.
• With a second-place finish, Jack Speth continues his streak to finish on the podium in every round this season.
• Beckham Jacir won his eighth race of the season—and second of the New Jersey Lottery Racing America weekend at NJMP—taking the Ligier JFC Gen. 1 Class win.
• Lazaro Bainotti earned his ninth podium with a runner-up result in Race 2.
• Alexander Savage completed the podium, making this the third-consecutive race that Jacir, Bainotti and Savage have stood beside each other on the podium.

With the Gen. 1 Class once again leading the Gen. 2 Class, Beckham Jacir (No. 7 Stonica / Bell / OMP / P1DOKS / Behind the Wheel / Champagne Racing Ligier JS F4) brought the field down the starting grid, with Alexander Savage (No. 33 KymaBoats.com / Triple Aim Medical Solutions / Nature Coast Health Care / G Tech Motorsports Ligier JS F4) lining up next to him on the front row. While Jacir pulled away as soon as the lights went out, Savage had to fight for position with third-place starter Lazaro Bainotti (No. 11 Fundacion Fangio Rus seguros Cordoba deportes / Speed Factory Ligier JS F4). While the trio out front settled into line, both Edward Kennedy (No. 30 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422) and Jack Speth (No. 07 Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) were making moves to race through the pack from their back-row starting positions. Bainotti capitalized on Kennedy's climb, following in the wake of the Gen. 2 car to make his way around Savage.

It took less than 10 minutes for Kennedy to reach the front of the pack and overtake Jacir to claim the overall lead. While Kennedy pulled ahead, Jacir was still determined to maintain his ground. Holding a two-plus-second advantage over his Gen. 1 competition, it took until the final four minutes of the race for Speth in his Gen. 2 car to finally reach Jacir’s gearbox. Speth was able to complete the pass and Jacir followed in his path toward the finish line.

Taking the checkered flag, Kennedy led Speth in the Gen. 2 Class, while Jacir led the Gen. 1 Class with Bainotti and Savage completing the podium.

>> SEE MORE: Round 11 Official Results

“This was really good training today,” said Kennedy after climbing from the car. “Racing through the Gen. 1 cars is a bit of a challenge with race craft, and today was significantly hotter than yesterday, so it’s also heat training, too. Everything was great the whole race—I was trying to manage my tires. This track and the temperatures were tough on tires, but the team at MLT Motorsports gave me a great car. It was a great race.”

“It was a good race,” said Jacir atop the podium. “The track was definitely different compared to yesterday, but the strategy was basically the same—just no full-course yellow. Tire management was really important, and I would say I was struggling a good amount with the rear tires, but overall, it was just maintaining the pace, keeping it clean, and I came home with the win.”

Edward Kennedy and Beckham Jacir completed perfect weekends in their respective classes of Ligier Junior Formula Championship (Ligier JFC) sweeping the weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) to include topping qualifying and each of their three races.

Notes of Interest:

• Edward Kennedy completed the hat trick to sweep the NJMP weekend in Ligier JFC’s Gen. 2 Class. With the sweep, Edward Kennedy reduced Jack Speth’s lead in the championship standings to just one point.
• Beckham Jacir earned his 10th career Ligier JFC victory, and ninth of the 2026 season. Sweeping the weekend, the sophomore driver extended his points lead to 66 markers with four races remaining.
• Lazaro Bainotti tallied his 10th podium, with the Argentinian missing the podium only once this season.
• After a mechanical failure in Race 1 left her racecar unusable for the remainder of the weekend, Ava Hanssen got some assistance from Berg Racing. The organization rented her their spare car allowing the Wisconsin driver to complete all three races at NJMP and collect valuable championship points. Climbing through the field from the final grid position, Hanssen finished third in the Gen. 1 Class.

The drama started early in Ligier JFC’s final race of the weekend. The moment the lights went out, drivers immediately launched into action, attacking for position. Contact in Turn 1 on lap one led to an early safety car period, which also gave the field a second chance at a launch for position. Starting in the last row, Edward Kennedy (No. 30 MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422) and Jack Speth (No. 07 Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) had already reached third and fourth, respectively, by the early caution, so when the race restarted, they had a second opportunity to gain even more ground.

Beckham Jacir (No. 7 Stonica / Bell / OMP / P1DOKS / Behind the Wheel / Champagne Racing Ligier JS F4) had the point position for the restart, but by Turn 1, Kennedy had already completed the pass on Lazaro Bainotti (No. 11 Fundacion Fangio Rus seguros Cordoba deportes / Speed Factory Ligier JS F4) for second and was chasing down Jacir’s rear wing. The next time they passed the starter’s stand, Kennedy controlled the race.

As the minutes ticked by, the field settled into position and spread out on the 2.25-mile facility, so that by the time the checkered flag waved, Kennedy won the Ligier JFC Gen. 2 class followed by Speth. In Ligier JFC Gen. 1, Jacir led the way, followed by Bainotti and Hanssen.

>> SEE MORE: Round 12 Official Results

After a brief summer hiatus, Ligier JFC returns to the track September 17-20 for the Racing America at VIRginia International Raceway weekend. Live timing and scoring will be available on the Race Monitor App, with additional news and updates shared on the series’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Prospective drivers looking to learn more about Ligier JFC should visit the series’ website, LigierJFC.com.