Ayrton Houk: Variety is the spice….

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Hey all, I apologize, it has been a while since I have sat down to provide everyone an update on what I’ve been up to. It’s hard to believe my last update went out back in October. Thank you to everyone who has continued to follow along, reach out, and support me over the past several months. I truly appreciate it.

Typically fraught Formula Ford action at Silverstone.

In November, I had the opportunity to head back to England to reunite with Ammonite Motorsport and compete in the prestigious Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone. It was awesome to be back with the same team that I raced for as part of the Team USA Scholarship in 2023 and to reconnect with so many familiar faces. We had a strong weekend, finishing fourth in our heat race and ninth in the Grand Final against a field of 36 starters. Even more impressive, 102 drivers attempted to qualify for the Grand Final, so coming home with a top-10 finish was something I was really proud of.

Coming into 2026, the goal was to put together the budget needed for a full season in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge competition. While we weren’t able to make that happen this year, we’ve continued working toward that objective and using 2026 as an opportunity to keep building relationships, gaining experience, and positioning ourselves for the future.

In the meantime, I’ve honestly been having a blast.

The season started back in March with an opportunity to jump into an Arrive Drive Motorsports F1000 at Road Atlanta. The goals for the weekend were simple: get some laps under my belt, knock the rust off after the offseason, learn one of the country’s most iconic road courses, and have some fun. Mission accomplished. We had a great weekend, learned a ton, and even managed to come home with a track record. It was an awesome way to kick off 2026 and a reminder of how much I enjoy getting the chance to drive just about anything with four wheels.

Back on the winning trail in Kenyon midgets.

One of the best parts of this season has been getting back to my roots in midget racing with JK Racing. Dad wanted me in a car as much as possible to stay sharp, and I’ve loved being back behind the wheel. I’ve also had the chance to help coach our other two drivers in the Kenyon Midget Series, which has been a really rewarding experience. It’s been fun sharing what I’ve learned and watching them continue to improve each week.

The season started about as well as we could have hoped at Anderson Speedway. We topped both practice sessions, qualified on the pole, won the heat race, and charged from sixth to the win in the feature. Since then, we’ve added another Kenyon victory, several podium finishes, and have been fortunate to maintain a strong position in the championship standings.

Our Purdue Grand Prix didn’t end as we had hoped.

One of the craziest days of the year came in May when I ran my final Purdue Grand Prix as a senior at Purdue University. Unfortunately, an on-track incident and an engine failure ended our day early, but there wasn’t much time to dwell on it. I hustled from West Lafayette back to Indianapolis, arrived at the Speedrome just in time for the Kenyon heat races, and drove from eighth to second in the feature to earn Hard Charger honors.

Life has a tendency of throwing up curveballs….

A few days later, life threw me an unexpected curveball when I was hospitalized with a spontaneous pneumothorax. Thankfully, I received incredible care and was released after a short stay. Less than a week later, I was back in the car at Lincoln Park Speedway with the mindset of taking things one lap at a time. The JK Racing crew gave me an awesome race car, and somehow we ended up sweeping the night by setting fast time, winning the heat race, and taking the feature win. It was a pretty special moment and one I’ll definitely never forget.

The All-Star National Pavement Midget has been a blast.

This season has also brought some exciting new opportunities. Dad purchased an All-Star National Pavement Midget, allowing me to compete in another series and gain valuable experience in a different style of car. We made our debut at Owosso Speedway and came away with a sixth-place finish in a stacked field despite battling a tire issue late in the race. At our second event with the All-Star National Pavement Midget Series at Indianapolis Raceway Park, I was involved in a crash that bent our frame and caused a significant amount of damage. Over the past two weeks my father and I completely stripped the car to the frame, had it chopped and rewelded, and then built the car back up in time for the race at Anderson Speedway on July 18. We were so excited to get it back on track; unfortunately, our race got rained out.

Hustling CSM’s Porsche Carrera Cup car at Putnam Park.

Outside of midgets, I’ve been continuing to pursue my sports car goals. Last month, I spent the weekend with CSM Motorsport at Mid-Ohio during the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge event. It was great to spend time with the team, continue learning, and get a closer look at what it takes to compete at that level. After that weekend, I got the opportunity to drive one of CSM’s Porsche Carrera Cup cars at Putnam Park! This was an amazing opportunity for me, and I had a blast. The power and grip of that car were unmatched, and I loved every second of driving it. The plan is to continue to do additional testing with CSM, back in the GT4 now, and hopefully compete with them in a couple of Michelin Pilot Challenge races later this year, possibly at Virginia International Raceway and back home at IMS.

And if that wasn’t enough, I recently got my first taste of driving a sprint car when I tested one out at Anderson Speedway. Needless to say, I absolutely loved it.

I’ve always enjoyed oval racing, and this season has reminded me just how much I enjoy the variety, competition, and atmosphere that comes with it. We’re currently exploring opportunities to do additional sprint car testing and potentially even get some laps in a Silver Crown car before the season is over.

To be honest, this year has probably opened more doors than it has closed. Going into 2026, I thought I had a pretty clear picture of where I wanted to go next. Now, after racing and testing so many different cars, spending time with great teams, and finding success in several disciplines, I might have more options than ever before. That’s a good problem to have.

For now, the focus remains on enjoying the ride, continuing to learn, competing for wins, and making the most of every opportunity that comes along. Oh, and moving back to Purdue for my final semester as a college student! I am on track to graduate this December with my bachelor’s degree in finance. With so much on the horizon, I am excited to see where these next few months take me.

Thank you again to my family, crew, sponsors, partners, and everyone who follows along. Your support means the world to me and allows me to continue chasing opportunities, trying new things, and enjoying every step of the journey.

I can’t wait to see what the second half of 2026 has in store.

See you at the track!
Ayrton