June 9, 2026 –at Motorsports Club of Cincinnati, Ohio

JohnJohn McLellan earned a podium finish in the FZ85 Shifter category at the 2026 RMC Rotax America’s Trophy while pulling double duty in both FZ85 Shifter and Rotax Junior MAX during a demanding weekend of racing in 95°F+ temperatures and high humidity.

After qualifying P2 in FZ85 Shifter, McLellan finished P2 in Heat 1 before winning a thrilling Heat 2 battle that featured multiple lead changes and crossover passes for the lead. He went on to finish third in Sunday’s Main Event, securing a podium in his class debut.

According to David Cole of eKartingNews, McLellan “was able to grab the top spot from Hehemann in the second heat” and later finished “third in his class debut.”

In Rotax Junior MAX, McLellan qualified on pole position for Round 3 and finished fifth on track before a penalty moved him to seventh. On Sunday, he recovered from 16th in qualifying to finish fourth in the Final after gaining +12 positions through the day’s races.

McLellan left Cincinnati fifth in the Rotax Junior MAX championship standings, building momentum heading into second half of the 2026 season.