About TJ Speed Motorsports

TJ Speed Motorsports was founded by Tim Neff, a veteran of the sport whose résumé reads like a roadmap of American open-wheel racing. Before starting TJ Speed, Neff spent years as a leading engineer in INDYCAR and Indy Lights, working trackside with drivers including Jacques Villeneuve, Townsend Bell, and Santiago Urrutia. He cut his teeth with Sam Schmidt Motorsports, collecting wins and championships along the way, and brought an unusual set of skills to the paddock — a former World Champion Jet Ski racer who also designed suspension hydraulic systems for teams competing at the highest levels of motorsports. That combination of engineering precision and competitive instinct is the foundation TJ Speed is built on.

A Program Built to Develop Champions
TJ Speed exists to do one thing exceptionally well: turn talented young drivers into complete racers, ready for whatever level of the sport comes next. Our approach pairs championship-caliber engineering with hands-on driver coaching, so every driver in our program is developing on and off the track at the same time — building race craft, technical fluency, and the professional habits that carry a career forward.

That philosophy has produced results. In 2022, TJ Speed swept the Driver and Team Championships in the Formula Regional Americas Championship, fielding a two-car program. In 2023, we expanded into the USF Pro Championships, and since making that move we’ve collected multiple wins and podium finishes with drivers chasing the USF Pro Championship Advancement Scholarship — the next rung on the Road to Indy ladder. Whether a driver is arriving from Europe, moving up from F4, or already on the American open-wheel path, our job is to help mold what comes next.

The HMD Motorsports Partnership
TJ Speed is the official Driver Development Program partner of HMD Motorsports, creating a direct pathway for our drivers from USF Pro 2000 all the way to INDY NXT by Firestone and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The partnership gives TJ Speed drivers access to HMD’s fabrication, paint, and decal services, along with shared use of a state-of-the-art gym, simulator, and personnel — the same resources HMD has used to win three INDY NXT championships in four seasons and graduate six drivers to INDYCAR. Engineering teams from both organizations collaborate on data throughout every race weekend, and our drivers sit in on engineering meetings and timing stand activities, learning the sport from the inside rather than just from the cockpit.

As HMD Motorsports President Mike Maurini put it: “By partnering with TJ Speed, we’re establishing a comprehensive development ecosystem that equips drivers with the necessary tools, resources and environment to thrive.” TJ Speed owner Tim Neff added: “This collaboration with HMD Motorsports opens a world of opportunities for our drivers. With access to HMD’s exceptional resources and expertise, our drivers are well-equipped to advance to INDY NXT.”

Racing Internationally
TJ Speed’s development pathway now extends beyond U.S. shores. In 2026, TJ Speed joined forces with HMD Motorsports to field a three-car entry — competing as “HMD Motorsports with TJ Speed” — in the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy in New Zealand, a proven feeder series that has sent drivers like Louis Foster and Jacob Abel on to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The program gives our drivers valuable off-season track time and international racing experience on a global stage, and it didn’t take long to pay off: James Wharton scored the team’s first victory at Taupo International Motorsport Park, headlining a lineup that also included Ricardo Baptista and Trevor Latourrette. As TJ Speed owner Tim Neff put it, “Our goal is not just to go and race in New Zealand, but it is to compete and fight for race wins and podium results.”

Get in Touch
Interested in joining the program or learning more about what TJ Speed can do for your career? Reach out at info@tjspeed.com