Skip Barber Racing School is pleased to welcome back Thaden Van Wong to the grid for the 2026 Skip Barber Race Series. Having gained valuable experience competing in the series in 2025, Van Wong returns for a second season in racing with a sharper perspective on what it takes to improve at every session and a clear set of ambitions for the year ahead.
The lessons absorbed during the 2025 campaign, in which he scored a podium finish at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna, have shaped his approach to the season. Van Wong became the youngest podium finisher in the history of the Skip Barber Race Series, beating out BMW factory driver John Edwards by a matter of months. He hopes that his youth continues to be an asset this season, giving him additional runway to grow into the driver he hopes to develop into later in his career.
"Being so young, I've learned how much more learning I get to do," Van Wong said. "But I also learned how valuable my age is, allowing me additional time to learn."
For Van Wong, the appeal of the 2026 campaign extends well beyond results. This season marks his first full-year commitment to racing and follows a third-place finish in the Skip Barber Race Series Winter Shootout.
"It's my first full year in racing, so I look forward to as many races as I can possibly do," Van Wong said. "Being pushed to improve every lap. Every session. Reconnecting with the Skip family and all the fellow racers and community."
His preparation for the season reflects that same seriousness. Van Wong has invested in both his physical fitness and his technical understanding of the car through professional simulator training, giving him a platform from which to extract maximum performance from the moment the green flag drops at the opening round.
"To finish every race on the lead lap, and to secure podiums," Van Wong said when asked what success would look like this year.
Van Wong will carry the backing of Road to Racing and TracksVR Virtual Racing this season. He joins a competitive field of drivers set to take on the 2026 Skip Barber Race Series, which gets underway this spring. For more information on the Skip Barber Race Series, click here.