Calabogie, ON - Shopify Racing Powered by TWOth is proud to introduce their Development Ladder, a driver development system dedicated to supporting and advancing Canadian motorsport talent through every stage of the racing ladder.
Built around an established pathway of development, efficiency, and performance, the Shopify Racing ladder is designed to guide drivers from their very first transition into a car all the way to professional prototype competition in LMP3 machinery and beyond. The development system focuses on creating a structured pathway through multiple disciplines of motorsport while providing mentorship, coaching, technical support, testing opportunities, and race programs tailored to each stage of development.
Founded through the experience of development with Tobias Lütke coming to the team with no racing experience and a desire to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, TWOth built a progression pathway through motorsports, taking Lütke from a Mazda Miata in 2016 to competing at Le Mans in LMP2 in 2026. Following the success of this system, Shopify and TWOth wanted to partner up and open this pathway to other drivers seeking the same driving ambitions and to share the opportunities within our stable of cars.
“Our goal has always been to push ourselves further as a team, and we want to create opportunities to help other drivers achieve those same goals alongside us,” said Travis Hill, Team Principal. “The pathway we were able to build with Tobi on his progression to the 24 Hours of Le Mans showed the success of the development system, and we wanted to bring that platform of opportunities to more drivers. The Shopify Racing development system is about building careers properly, creating a ladder that allows drivers to grow step-by-step while learning the skills needed to succeed at every level of motorsport.”
The ladder structure is divided into four development categories: Miata, Radical, GT, and LMP3.
Miata Development Program
The Miata program focuses on developing drivers within rear-wheel-drive racing platforms, widely regarded as one of the best environments for learning racecraft and mastering the fundamentals of motorsport. Whether this is their first step out of karting or those making their debut in motorsports.
Competing in closely contested fields teaches drivers how to race aggressively yet intelligently while developing a deeper understanding of vehicle balance, tire management, race strategy, and mechanical feedback. This stage is one of the most important building blocks for future success in higher-performance machinery.
Drivers within this rung of the ladder will compete in programs such as the Calabogie Miata Challenge, Miata Canada Cup, and ChampCar Endurance Series while continuing to grow through coaching and testing opportunities.
Representing the Miata category within the 2026 class are Jaden Harry, Leon Leblanc, Luca Possik, and Tim Shoniker.
The Radical division marks the transition into aerodynamic racecars and prototype-style competition. This stage is centred around teaching drivers how to maximize downforce platforms while adapting to increased speeds, braking capabilities, and technical complexity.
Drivers within this category will focus heavily on understanding aerodynamics, advanced data analysis, precision driving techniques, and race management in high-performance prototype machinery. The program is specifically structured to prepare drivers for future opportunities within LMP3 and other Le Mans Prototype categories.
Competition programs for this category include the CASC Formula Prototype Challenge, Calabogie Formula Libre, and FEL Radical Cup Canada.
The 2026 Radical group consists of Evan Cooley, Francois Cote, Timothe Pernod, and Francesco Esposito.
The GT category represents the next step for drivers progressing through sports car racing machinery. This stage bridges the gap between foundational race platforms and professional GT competition, helping drivers adapt to increasingly powerful and technically demanding cars.
Drivers within this rung will continue refining racecraft while learning advanced tire management, endurance racing fundamentals, multi-class traffic management, and professional race operations. The program also serves as a stepping stone into the team’s Porsche GT4 and GT3 Cup machinery.
This category is a key stage in preparing drivers for professional sports car racing careers while continuing to strengthen their technical understanding and consistency behind the wheel.
The 2026 GT group includes James Beach, and Max Haverkate.
The final rung of the Shopify Racing Ladder is the LMP3 program — the highest level of development on the ladder and the direct pathway toward the team’s long-term prototype ambitions.
Focused around the team’s Ligier JS P315 platforms and IMSA competition with the new Ligier JS P325, this category is designed to prepare drivers for the demands of professional endurance racing and future progression toward LMP2 and ultimately the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Drivers at this level work extensively on endurance race preparation, advanced traffic management, long-run consistency, technical feedback, and the professional standards required within top-level prototype racing environments.
Representing the 2026 LMP3 class is Nicole Havrda, who is competing as part of the team’s IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge program.
The launch of the Shopify Racing Development Ladder represents a major milestone for Shopify Racing Powered by TWOth as the organization continues expanding its commitment to driver development and Canadian motorsport.
With a structured ladder system, experienced mentorship, and opportunities across multiple forms of racing, the system aims to provide drivers with a clearer and more achievable pathway toward professional motorsport careers.
Leading the program's mentorship and coaching efforts is Shopify Racing's team of experienced coaches and drivers: Travis Hill, Trevor Hill, Rowan Smillie, and Malcolm Strachan. Bringing a background in racing series such as IMSA, NASCAR Canada, FEL RCC, and FEL SCCC.
About Shopify Racing Powered by TWOthShopify Racing Powered by TWOth is a Canadian motorsport organization focused on driver development and professional competition across sports car and prototype racing. Through initiatives such as the Shopify Racing Development Ladder, the organization is committed to building opportunities for emerging Canadian talent while pursuing success at the highest levels of motorsport.
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