Nicolai Elghanayan

Nicolai Elghanayan, born on February 27, 1994, is an American sports car driver hailing from Laguna Beach, California. A graduate of the USC School of Architecture, Elghanayan balances his passion for racing with a career in architecture. Currently, he competes in the Blancpain GT World Challenge America GT4 America class with MarcoPolo Motorsports, piloting the #71 KTM X-BOW GT4 engineered by Reiter Engineering.

Elghanayan's racing journey began with his father, Jeff, a former IMSA racer. Together, they competed in the Lotus Cup USA, where Nicolai was named "Most Improved Driver" in 2015 before securing class championships in 2016 and 2017. He then advanced to the Pirelli World Challenge (now Blancpain GT World Challenge America) at the end of 2017. In a partial season in the GTS class, he achieved a win, three podium finishes, and two pole positions, with a particularly strong showing at Lime Rock Park.

Beyond racing, Elghanayan is involved in philanthropic endeavors. In 2018, he and his father raised $39,000 for the Tahirih Justice Center, supporting immigrant women and girls fleeing gender-based violence. He also auctioned a VIP race weekend experience for the Children's Hospital of Orange County, a facility he once attended. Elghanayan's blend of racing talent, academic pursuits, and commitment to social causes paints a picture of a well-rounded and driven individual.