Hyundai is hunting the checkered flag once more
After announcing its foray into racing with the luxury brand Genesis, Hyundai will make yet another appearance that should excite automotive enthusiasts. In partnership with Grassroots Motorsports magazine, Hyundai will enter a 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 N into the Alternative Fuels class of the 2025 Tire Rack One Lap of America race. To make their entry even more special, Hyundai has also been named the Official Automaker of the 41st running of the One Lap of America race.
What is the One Lap Race?
One Lap of America was created by the late legendary automotive journalist Brock Yates, who you might know from Cannonball Run fame. Spanning from May 3 to May 10, teams will compete in a series of racetrack challenges around the U.S. in both stock and heavily modified vehicles of all makes and models. The challenges include timed events at road courses, drag strips, skid pads, and autocross courses. As if that wasn’t enough of a test of the cars’ abilities, teams will have to drive the cars thousands of miles across the country to each track. This year’s run will host 86 teams from all over the country with 17 scored events over the course of eight days at Virginia International Raceway and NCM Motorsports Park.
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Hyundai IONIQ 5 N, from showroom to track
The N variant of the Hyundai IONIQ 5 takes the retro-inspired SUV to new levels both aesthetically and mechanically. Exterior changes include a revised front end with larger air intakes, additional air curtains and air flaps for improved cooling, as well as a rear diffuser. Several new body and motor reinforcements help keep the 601 hp and 546 lb-ft of torque planted as the IONIQ 5 N accelerates from 0-62 mph in 3.5 seconds. Not fast enough for you? N Grin Boost mode will boost power to 641 hp and 568 lb-ft of torque for 10 seconds and drop the 0-62 mph time to 3.4 seconds. The lithium-ion battery is also bigger than the regular IONIQ 5, with a capacity of 84 kWh.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of the IONIQ 5 N is its N e-shift transmission, which is designed to emulate the feel of an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission by controlling motor torque to simulate the feeling between shifts. That transmission is also paired with the N Active Sound+ system, which plays three different sound profiles through eight interior and two exterior speakers: a 2.0-liter turbocharged internal combustion engine from other Hyundai N cars, futuristic EV sounds, and twin-engine fighter jet sounds.
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At the wheel of the No. 44 stock IONIQ 5 N will be One Lap veterans Andy Hollis and Tom Suddard. The duo are no strangers to high-speed events, as Suddard is the publisher of Grassroots Motorsports while Hollis is the magazine’s tire tester and a 13-time SCCA Solo national champion and professional high-performance driving instructor, with ten One Lap class wins under his belt. Although two of those wins were alongside Suddard, neither has driven an EV in the race before.
Is the IONIQ 5 N right for the event?
Not only is the IONIQ 5 N unique and attractive, but it’s also a track-ready machine from the factory. With 601 instantly available horses on tap, the stock electric SUV beats out some of the sports cars on the market in terms of power.
“I was smitten with the massive torque of an EV the first time I drove one. But until now, none have been truly track-capable right off the showroom floor,” said Hollis. “Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 N checks all the boxes with excellent cornering, great brakes, and sophisticated battery conditioning that allows all that torque to be used for an entire session. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel on some of the country’s best tracks.”
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Final thoughts
The One Lap of America race will be a tremendous rest of the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N’s abilities. There’s no doubt that it’s impressively fast, but track events like this require a precise combination of speed, handling, and braking abilities. If it ends up impressing here too, the event could further cement Hyundai’s image as a true competitor in the motorsports space.