Get to Know Ryan Shehan
Ryan’s racing career started in 2014, at age 9, after attending events at Circuit of the Americas and deciding that he wanted to race. Eight fast years later, Ryan is competing to win the F4 United States Championship Powered by Honda with his potent Crosslink / Kiwi Motorsport Team. Learn about his journey from cadet karting, through his recovery from a near fatal racing incident, to his rise to open wheel formula racing. EXTENDED BIO
In 2014, at the age of nine, young Ryan Shehan started racing cadet karts at a track an hour from his home and within eighteen months he was racing in his first regional event. Five fast years later, in 2019, Ryan joined the Team Crosslink. With a karts-to-cars program, this was the perfect path for Ryan and the growth of his career. With the guidance and mentoring of his new Manager and Engineer/Coach, Ryan quickly took to his new team, as evidenced by his highest finishes ever.
2020 started off with success and Ryan competed at both the SKUSA Winter Series and ROK Cup USA Florida Winter Tour in early January 2020. Only a week later, Ryan’s career came to an abrupt halt. A major incident in testing left Ryan severely injured as he was taken by helicopter to a local hospital. With injuries to his head, jaw, back, arm and legs including major burns, the fact the Ryan survived is a testament to the fast-acting medical responders and the first responders to the scene.
After the incident, not only the karting industry, but the motorsports community rallied behind Ryan. With donations coming in from around the world, Ryan’s progress was documented by the #ShehanStrong hashtag. Fast-forward a few months and countless doctor visits, Ryan returned to the seat of his Team
Crosslink prepared Exprit kart and began his road back to the top step of the podium. Only through the support of his family, doctors, coaches, teammates, and the motorsports industry was Ryan mentally and physically prepared to return to competition.
With a move from karts to cars in 2021, Shehan entered the F4 United States Championship Powered by Honda with his potent Team Crosslink program. He learned a tremendous amount, both in the car and in the motorsports business. In October, he had a ribbon cutting with the Greater Austin Chamber of
Commerce and then was able to fulfil his dream of racing at COTA (Circuit of the Americas) in his hometown of Austin.
For the 2022 season, Ryan moved into his sophomore year in cars, teaming up with the Crosslink/Kiwi Motorsport squad, who had previously won the F4 United States Championship Powered by Honda team championship on three occasions. Ryan showed massive steps forward, taking 2 race wins and a further
6 podiums to finish the year 4 th in the standings. L
Looking to 2023, Ryan will start the year off gaining valuable experience in New Zealand competing in the prestigious Toyota Racing Series with 5 rounds in as many weeks from January-February. He’ll then come back to the States to compete in the Formula Regional Americas Championship Powered by Honda where he’ll be hoping to translate his winter racing in New Zealand to race wins and championships back home.
The next challenge Ryan faces in reaching his goal of driving in Formula One is one all businesses face, generating the revenue to pay for operations (racing) and career growth.
