Speedway, IN – Porsche Motorsport North America (PMNA) and Deluxe Corporation have expanded the Porsche Deluxe Female Driver Development Program with two more drivers, Chloe Chambers and Madeline Stewart. Chambers represents the Cayman class, which uses the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, while Stewart will carry the banner for the class utilizing the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 992 race car. Chambers and Stewart join Sabré Cook as the 2023 recipients of the Porsche Deluxe Female Driver Development Program scholarship.

Stewart, a native of New Zealand, is racing in the 992 Pro/Am class of the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama. Stewart drives the No. 282 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car for JDX Racing and has graduated from the Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia championship. Chambers, who lives in Indiana, debuted in the Porsche Sprint Challenge this year driving the No. 70 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport for TPC Racing. She grew to fame when she drove a Porsche 718 Spyder to a Guinness World RecordsTM achievement for the Fastest Vehicle Slalom. She still holds the record three years later. In addition to her role in the Porsche Female Driver Development Program, Chambers is also a Porsche Junior Program North America participant in the Cayman class.

Included in the scholarship, both drivers will receive a full season entry in the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama. Additionally, they each receive one set of Yokohama race tires each event weekend as well as direct access to PMNA competition advisor and Porsche Junior Program North America driving coach Patrick Long.

Volker Holzmeyer, President and CEO, Porsche Motorsport North America. “Being able to add the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama to our Female Driver Development Program has been an objective since we conceived the idea. It is natural to add this to each level of our Motorsport Pyramid. Through our partnership with Deluxe, Yokohama and USAC, we have been able to do it even sooner than we thought would be possible. Madeline and Chloe are a perfect addition to the program. They are both excellent drivers and very well received in the paddock. With Madeline, Chloe and Sabré together, I cannot think of three better drivers to represent the program.”

Chloe Chambers, driver, No. 70 TPC Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport. “Being part of the Female Driver Development Program is special. Having all of the support from Porsche and Porsche Motorsport is great. It is something that I am very appreciative of and I will try and represent the brand well. I have worked with Porsche Cars North America in the past with a Guinness World Record title achievement, but it is super cool now to be involved on the Motorsport side. I want to race in Le Mans. I would love to be doing it with Porsche. I grew up watching Porsches race and that is how I got into racing. It would be a goal to close out my career as a Porsche factory driver.”

Madeline Stewart, driver, No. 282 JDX Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. “I feel very privileged to be part of the Porsche Female Driver Development Program. Coming over to race in the USA this year was a huge step, but I am grateful for the support I have already received. Programs like this really help to further my career in motorsport and it is fantastic to see Porsche Motorsport North America, Yokohama and USAC working so hard to

Motorsport News Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama May 24, 2023 support females climbing through the Porsche Pyramid. We have had a great first two rounds of the Championship, so I am looking forward to continuing on this year before making the step to Carrera Cup next year.”

Tracey Engelhardt, President, Check Solutions and Chief of Operations at Deluxe “At Deluxe, we are honored to sponsor the Porsche Deluxe Female Driver Development Program and support the advancement of women in motorsports. We believe that diversity and inclusion are crucial in every industry, and motorsports is no exception. By providing opportunities for female drivers like Madeline Stewart, Chloe Chambers and Sabré Cook, we hope to help level the playing field and create a more equitable future for all aspiring racers. We are excited to continue our partnership with Porsche and be part of this important initiative.”

Randy Hembrey, Director of Road Racing, United States Auto Club. “Porsche Sprint Challenge North America is often the first step for a driver to compete in a semi- professional program. This championship is intentionally positioned on the Porsche one-make ladder as a development platform. The Porsche Female Driver Development Program is just one of the tools made available to us by Porsche to further identify talent and support the career growth of these talented women. We’re excited to have both Madeline and Chloe as a part of our championship and have been immediately impressed by their on-track skills and determination to succeed. We look forward to watching them continue to progress in this program and through their driving careers in the future.”

Porsche and Deluxe Corporation expand Female Driver Development Program in 2023

• Porsche Motorsport North America and Deluxe Corporation extend Female Driver Development initiative into the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America.
• Chloe Chambers named Cayman class scholarship recipient.
• Madeline Stewart named GT3 Cup recipient of scholarship.
• Addition expands the Porsche commitment to female involvement in motorsports.

Porsche Motorsport North America and Deluxe Corporation have expanded the Female Driver Development Program within the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid North America. The announcement of Chloe Chambers and Madeline Stewart brings the support package into the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama, the one-make championship which prepares talent for a move up to the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America.

Speedway, IN | Growing on the success of its Porsche Junior Program North America last year, Porsche Motorsport North America has announced a 14-driver lineup for 2023.These drivers will compete across the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America, Porsche Sprint Challenge North America (992 class) and the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America (GT4 class) series.

The Porsche Junior Program North America is an intricate part of the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid on the continent, a level-by-level process of driver development from karting to the highest levels of endurance sports car racing.All Porsche Junior Drivers will be invited to attend the official Porsche Junior Workshop to be conducted at the Porsche Experience Center Atlanta on July 20–21.The workshop provides an opportunity for the junior drivers across all three categories to receive a range of education, training and support to take the next step in their career.Additionally, all Porsche Junior Program North America drivers will have the right to use the official designation, including the use of the official program logo, in promoting themselves.

In addition to the education and training, the recipient in both Carrera Cup and Sprint Challenge receive a range of financial support throughout the year with the junior champion from each Sprint Challenge program receiving free entry in the 2024 season.The Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup Junior Champion will be awarded a nomination to attend the Porsche Global Junior Shootout at the end of the year.
There they will compete against the best junior drivers from around the world to be crowned the official Porsche Junior.The Porsche Junior receives funding to compete in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in the 2024 season. If a driver is unsuccessful in the global shootout, they still have the opportunity to compete in GT3 racing in North America as part of the Porsche Selected Driver program.

“A strong development program is key to the overall health of our sport and to the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid,” said Porsche Motorsport North America President and CEO Volker Holzmeyer.
“Since my arrival, we have put a great deal of attention on creating a pathway for drivers to move up to through the ranks with an emphasis on talent.

“This isn’t always easily done because the sport is so cost-sensitive. However, we believe, working with our partners, our teams, with IMSA and with USAC, we are building a system in North America that can see talent rise to the top.

“These additions are a substantial step in that direction.”

Porsche Junior Program North America Drivers

Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America:
Elias De La Torre IV – JDX Racing
Riley Dickinson – Kellymoss
Jimmy Llibre – MDK Motorsports
Will Martin – JDX Racing
Thomas Nepveu – McElrea Racing
Thomas Sargent – McElrea Racing
Sean Varwig – Kellymoss
Travis Wiley – Topp Racing

Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama:
Cayman Class
Paul Bocuse – Zotz Racing
Chloe Chambers – TPC Racing
Nick Maloy – Tatum Racing
Riley Pegram – MDK Motorsports
992 Class
Aidan Kenny – ACI Motorsports
Zach Vanier – MDK Motorsports

Enhancements to Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama 992 Class
Drivers in the 992 class – which exclusively uses the type 992 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car – will have the opportunity to compete for a full-season, paid entry to the 2024 Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America.

Enhancements for Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama Cayman Class
Among participants in the all-Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport category, the winning Junior driver of each round will receive a free set of Yokohama tires and a free entry into the next round of the championship.
The overall champion will receive a free season-long entry into the next level, the 992 class, for the following season.

Carson, California: Porsche Motorsport North America (PMNA) in coordination with the United States Auto Club (USAC), will introduce the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport to the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama. The 500 hp normally aspirated Porsche competition machine will make its one-make debut with the Porsche development series beginning with the 2024 race season. Based on the road-going Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS introduced in late 2021, the race-going version has been exclusive to open competition since debuting with a victory in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge at Daytona International Speedway in January of 2022.

As with its road going sibling, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport is equipped with a 4.0 liter six- cylinder boxer engine. This high-revving powerplant is taken directly from the 911 GT3 Cup race car and develops 500 hp in the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport – 75 hp more than the previous GT4 Clubsport model. Fitted as standard is a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (PDK).

The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport joins the previous generation 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport that has been exclusive to the “Cayman” class since the 2021 debut of the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America.

The homologated 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport is track-ready from the factory and can be used in the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America without further modifications. Interested customers should contact Porsche Motorsport North America at [email protected] by June 10, 2023, to be considered for 2024 allocation.

Volker Holzmeyer, President and CEO, Porsche Motorsport North America. “We are very pleased to bring the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport to the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama next season. The 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport is special in that it can be used, with few changes, from amateur to professional racing. Having ABS as well as stability and traction controls available makes it drivable at every stage of race driver development. This makes it the perfect fit for the entrance level of Porsche one-make racing in North America. We are excited to see a grid full of GT4 RS Clubsports next season.”

Kevin Miller, President and CEO, United States Auto Club (USAC) “USAC has been working closely with Porsche Motorsport North America for quite some time to bring the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport into both the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America and the Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West programs beginning in 2024. We’re excited to see them on track in the only true one-make platform available for these machines in North America. The demand for this car has been made clear to us by our competitors and we’re delighted to be able to get them on track in this market.”

Porsche Sprint Challenge to introduce 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport to Sprint Challenge one-make

• Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport to make 2024 debut in North American one-make racing.
• Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama to include highest performing GT4 model in Cayman class.
• 500 hp road car-based racing car offers new opportunities for GT4 RS Clubsport owners.

The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport has been made eligible for participation in the Cayman class of both the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama and the Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West by Yokohama beginning in 2024. The Porsche Motorsport Pyramid North America racing series adds an additional opportunity for owners of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport to race the mid-engine race car. It is the first one- make series option for the 500 hp machine.

 

Competing at the IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama weekend, the stars of Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama put on a display of skills and pace in Rounds 3 and 4 of the season.

While guest drivers Riley Dickinson and Michael McCarthy – representing Kellymoss and the local Racing for Children’s charity – took a break from their Porsche Carrera Cup North America duties and finished top-two overall in both rounds, the season-long battles in each class continued on.

Porsche GT3 Cup:

In the No. 206 Porsche, Zachary Vanier took home both 992 GT3 Cup Pro/Am victories to sweep back-to-back weekends in PSCNA.

The Canadian’s closest competition came from the No. 230 of Pavel Lefterov, who finished runner-up in Race 1 and challenged Vanier in Race 2, but was penalized for taking the lead during a full-course yellow and issued a drive-through penalty.

Aidan Kenny went on to complete Saturday’s Pro/Am podium in third and on Sunday, made a crucial pass in his No. 222 Porsche on Madeline Stewart with less than 15 minutes remaining to finish second. Stewart finished third on Sunday to conclude her second PSCNA weekend after also finishing fourth on Saturday in the No. 282 Porsche.

“It was really great racing against Pavel this weekend,” said Vanier after Sunday’s win. “He’s a very fierce competitor, but he’s also very respectful. In terms of our race today, the pace was really good and I think we made a good step with the program that we brought forward. You could see the gap that we had towards the Kelly-Moss cars was less significant than it was yesterday.

“A huge thank you to the entire MDK Motorsports team. They’re putting together an amazing program for us this season. It’s another great weekend for the championship and that’s what we’re fully focused on. It’s still early, but we’re just going to keep chipping away.”

Additionally with his double victory, Vanier topped Aidan Kenny in the weekend’s competition for the 992 GT3 Cup Porsche Juniors championship, earning 100 points to Kenny’s 94.In contrast to 992 GT3 Cup Pro/Am, the Am category offered a mixed bag of results between races. David Williams claimed the win on Saturday with his No. 237 Porsche ahead of Mark Boden and Christian Hodneland. But just as they traded wins at Sebring International Raceway in March, Hodneland got his turn atop the podium, winning on Sunday with Williams and Boden following behind.

Rounding out Porsche GT3 Cup this weekend was Charlie Peter, who took both wins in the No. 166 Porsche 991 GT3 Cup. In addition to his quick pace – even finishing third amongst season-long contenders on Sunday – Peter’s strategy was assisted by non-class cars positioned between him and his closest competitor, Ashley Freiberg, who finished second ahead of John McInnes in Race 1 and Tim Kezman in Race 2.

RESULTS: Race 1/Race 2

 

Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport:

The star of the Cayman GT4 Clubsport field at Barber was Chloe Chambers, making her Sprint Challenge debut in the No. 70 Porsche. After scoring the WeatherTech Pole Position Award on Saturday morning, Chambers led flag-to-flag in both races this weekend, but faced consistent pressure from fellow Pro/Am competitors Nikolas Maloy and Paul Bocuse.

In Race 1, the trio broke away from the field and Bocuse capitalized on a small error by Maloy to move into second place. While he made a handful of runs at Chambers, Bocuse’s No. 71 Porsche never caught up to the rookie to challenge for the win, and Maloy finished third.

In Race 2, however, it was Maloy’s turn after starting alongside Chambers on the front row. The two had a door-to-door, first-lap showdown, but Chambers persevered to keep Maloy at bay and keep her victory. Bocuse rounded out the podium in third.

“It is such a great feeling to have swept the weekend on my debut in Porsche Sprint Challenge,” said Chambers, who also won the Cayman GT4 Clubsport Juniors Championship round at Barber, with Bocuse elevated to the season-long leader by one point over Maloy.

“I was definitely under lots of pressure in that first race but I knew that if I kept putting in consistent, fast laps that I would be able to hold them off and that’s what I did. “We made some tweaks to the car overnight and they made big improvements to Sunday’s race. The TPC Racing team really put it all together for that last race and listened to my feedback for improvement. I can’t go without thanking Monoflo International for the opportunity and Porsche Motorsport for the support. “Thanks to all my other sponsors and supporters, and all the fans that I spoke to over the weekend. I can’t wait to be back racing again at VIR in a month!”

In the Cayman GT4 Clubsport Am class, William Peluchiwski and Jason Golan traded victories at Barber between their respective Nos. 62 and 80 Porsches. Alain Scalzo finished runner-up to Peluchiwski on Saturday with Golan third, while Shaun McKaigue rebounded from a troubled Race 1 to finish second on the podium Sunday to Golan, with Peluchiwski third.

RESULTS: Race 1/Race 2

After back-to-back race weekends for its North America and USA West championships, Porsche Sprint Challenge will take a hiatus before the next rounds of the PSCNA schedule on June 2–4.

Rounds 5 and 6 will take place at Virginia International Raceway, while Sonoma Raceway will host the second weekend of PSCUW on June 16–18.

All Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama races stream live on FloSports, in addition to the series’ YouTube channel. More information can also be found at www.porschesprint.com and on social media via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

 

Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch allowed no room for error while hosting the first Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West by Yokohama weekend of the year.

In a thrilling pair of races featuring four classes – Porsche 992 GT3 Cup Pro/Am, 992 GT3 Cup Am, 991, GT3 Cup and Cayman GT4 Clubsport Am – the 2.76-mile configuration challenged all drivers, and consequences of placing a wheel off-track meant a significant loss of track position, plus a cloud of dust from the surrounding Nevada desert terrain.

Race 1:

The battle for the overall lead was a focal point throughout the weekend, featuring impressive driving from both Robert Todd in the No. 252 BR Racing Porsche and Will Wattanawongkiri, the team owner of WRTeknica and driver of the No. 277 Porsche. As the WeatherTech Pole Position Award Winner, Wattanawongkiri led the field to green, but was overtaken by Todd early in the race. Despite losing the lead, the Los Angeles-native kept Todd in his sights and capitalized when the No. 252 Porsche slipped off-track with less than 10 minutes left. With Todd then on his bumper, Wattanawongkiri defended heavily and even withstood a door-to-door move in the final minute to keep the win. Todd’s Porsche sailed into the marbles following his last-lap attempt at the lead, allowing Kyle Washington – the Am class leader – to sneak by and finish second overall, with fellow Am competitors Peter Ludwig and Todd Parriott following suit to round out the Am podium. While Robert Todd dropped to fifth on the overall charts, he maintained second-in-class of Pro/Amdrivers, with Sam Parnagian’s No. 257 Porsche in third.

In the 991 GT3 Cup class, Casey Dennis led flag-to-flag to capture the win in the No. 174 Porsche and taking the Cayman GT4 Clubsport Am victory was Paul Bonderson. Bonderson’s win in the No. 43 Porsche also came as a result of a leader’s misstep, with Michael Gaulke getting tangled on track in the closing 15 minutes to relinquish the lead.

 

Race 2:

Sunday’s race’s was no exception to Saturday, showcasing lead battles and costly mistakes throughout the 35-minute sprint. The BR Racing team worked overnight to repair Robert Todd’s Porsche from Race 1 and the driver did not let their efforts go to waste. Todd raced polesitter Wattanawongkiri hard in the opening laps, and made a smooth pass within 10 minutes to claim the lead. While Todd would not be challenged for the top spot, Wattanawongkiri suffered a spin late in the race that dropped him to third in the Pro/Am class, with Kenton King and the No. 274 Black Sheep Racing finishing runner-up.

“It went really well,” said Todd. “The team worked all night, honestly. We had a mishap yesterday at the end, broke the steering rack, so they worked really hard during the night and got the car back to a great position. We started second and had an amazing battle with Will. I’ve got to give that guy props – he races clean and I really respect him.” While Kyle Washington scored a nearly seamless Race 1 Am class win the day prior, Sunday featured a back-and-forth fight between him, Peter Ludwig and Laura Ely. Ludwig’s No 211 Porsche leapt from third to first over his two competitors with 10 minutes remaining, but once again a costly off-track excursion dropped the leader down the charts.The battle between Washington and Ely then commenced, as Ely took the lead with five minutes remaining in her No. 209 Porsche. However, she too spun just minutes later, allowing Washington to drive by and sweep the Am victories at Spring Mountain. Ely held on to third and Ludwig fourth, while Dmitri Novikov stole second place. Also sweeping the weekend was Casey Dennis in the 991 GT3 Cup class, while Paul Bonderson and

Michael Gaulke swapped spots in the Cayman GT4 Clubsport class, leaving Gaulke on top in Sunday’s race and both drivers collecting a win this weekend.

 

Porsche Sprint Challenge packs up in Nevada and quickly travels to Barber Motorsports Park for the series’ next North American championship doubleheader. After opening the season in March at Sebring International Raceway, PSCNA returns to action this upcoming weekend for Rounds 3 and 4, which run as part of the INDYCAR Grand Prix of Alabama weekend. On Saturday, April 29, Race 1 for Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport is scheduled for 12:20 p.m. ET, with the first race for Porsche GT3 Cup following at 4:35 p.m. The final pair of races are set for Sunday at 8 a.m. for Cayman GT4 Clubsport and 8:55 a.m. for GT3 Cup. Sonoma Raceway will host the next event for Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West by Yokohama on June16 – 18.

All Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama races stream live on FloSports, in addition to the series’ YouTube channel. More information can also be found at www.porschesprint.com and on social media via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Las Vegas, Nevada | April 21, 2023 | Premier Racing will launch a new Porsche motorsports program beginning this weekend. The veteran race winning team will introduce longtime Premier SportsCar Service client Michael Londo (Las Vegas, Nevada) to the 2023 stable of Porsche one-make racing drivers. Londo will pilot the No. 111 Body Balance System Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car for the full season of Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West by Yokohama. The season-opening round will take place on the combination’s home track, Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch, April 21 – 23.

 

Londo is not a new face at Premier, but he is new to the competition arm of the Kent Moore-led operation. He raced as a karter in his 20s before turning his attention to growing successful businesses such as Body Balance System but is now returning to his passion of racing. Working through a planned course of simulators, track days and heavy testing outlined as part of the Premier Racing Development program, Londo, Moore, team manager Sam Weber and Premier driving coach Craig Stanton developed a long term course for success. The Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West series, one step below the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America on the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid North America, is a steppingstone from track days and club racing to full professional racing. The No. 111 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car is entered in the 991 class for the season. This is for previous generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race cars, the type 991.2.

 

Practice gets underway at the Pahrump, Nevada track on Friday, April 21 at 1:20 p.m. PT. A second 40-minute session at 4:20 p.m. will close the first day. Londo will wield the 500 hp car in qualifying on Saturday at 10:50 a.m. followed by the first of two 35-minute races at 2:40 p.m. Race 2 will take the green flag on Sunday, April 23 at 8:00 a.m.

Live timing and scoring of all sessions as well as streaming of both races can be found www.PorscheSprint.com.

 

Kent Moore, Team Principal, Premier Racing |

“Everyone at Premier Racing is very excited about this. Mike has been a great customer at our shop for years. He showed so much interest and raw talent, we began him in our Premier Racing Development program, making sure he had the tools to be a success before throwing him to the wolves. This past winter, we talked about taking this next step. It is a big one, so we really did our homework with testing. He aced everything we threw at him. He has proven himself to be one of the quickest guys we have put into a car. He listens, he learns quickly. That has been key to us deciding now is the right time. This is the next step and we are fully confident in where we stand entering this new program with Mike.”

About this weekend.

“We couldn’t ask for a better series than the Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West or a better location for Mike to make his debut. Spring Mountain is our home track and he knows the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. We have done the majority of our testing here. So, he is very comfortable. That eliminates a major distraction. It will be daunting enough to go against drivers with experience in the series and with these cars in competition, but his surroundings will be familiar, and we feel we have a very good setup on the Porsche.”

 

Michael Londo, Driver, No. 111 Body Balance System Porsche 911 GT3 Cup |

“We have been working to put this together for a few years and the timing is now right. I have raced long enough to know Kent was who I wanted to drive with because of his expertise and wisdom with Porsches. This is just the first season, but the goal is to continue with Premier next year and beyond and keep the progression moving forward.”

 

About debuting at his local track |

“I don’t think many other teams have done any or much testing at Spring Mountain whereas I have hundreds of laps there. I feel it will give us a great advantage on the field. Being my first year in a car like this, we can use every advantage we can get.”

About his goals for 2023 |

“I am beyond super competitive in racing so the expectation for me is to win or podium this weekend and win the championship for this season.”

 

Sonoma, CA | The Californian sunshine broke through the rain clouds to help dry the track prior to the Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West series kicking off Race 1 at Sonoma Raceway. Race 1 featured a full green flag session with 35 minutes of racing. Once again, all three Porsche classes of GT3 Cup 992, GT3 Cup 991, and Cayman were racing all together. An absolute dominant performance by Chris Bellomo propelled him into winning the GT3 Cup 992 class. In the GT3 Cup 991 class Laura Ely and Paul Nemschoff had a fierce battle back-and-forth with Ely ending up on top when time expired. Lastly, Michael Gaulke not only won the Cayman class, but also won the Apex award for Race 1 being the driver with the most overtakes for the race.

Race 1 Podium Finishers:

GT3 Cup 992:

🥇 #68 Bellomo

🥈 #132 Washington

🥉 #042 Davoudi

GT3 Cup 991:

🥇 #09 Ely

🥈 #41 Nemschoff

🥉 #56 McInnes

Cayman:

🥇 #90 Gaukle

🥈 #42 Bonderson

MONTICELLO, NY (April 14th, 2023) – Monticello Motor Club (MMC), the World’s Premier Automotive Country Club, and USAC, one of auto racing’s oldest and most prestigious sanctioning bodies, have launched an exciting new partnership. The partnership will elevate MMC’s in-house racing series and race school experiences, and fortifies and streamlines the pathway for racers to USAC-sanctioned professional racing series.

Monticello Motor Club, nestled in New York’s scenic and historic Catskill Mountains, is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary. In that time, MMC has established itself as the pioneer and leader in the automotive country club space. Monticello Motor Club’s nearly 700 members are individuals and families passionate about motorsports and relish unique & thrilling driving experiences; the members-only racing series are a core tenant of these experiences. Monticello Motor Club has facilitated members-only racing since its opening in 2008 and prioritizes improving and elevating the racing each season. The new partnership with USAC is designed to take MMC’s race series offerings to new heights.

MMC’s newly launched GT4 Sprint Championship, the Club’s highest level of competition, has been endorsed by USAC. This seven-race series is limited to factory-built GT4 class racecars and features MMC members competing in cars from Porsche, McLaren, BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Aston Martin, and more. USAC has partnered with MMC on this series to ensure that the rules & regulations and the balance of performance approach facilitates highly competitive and exciting racing for all racers and spectators.

In addition, USAC has endorsed Monticello Motor Club’s Racing School: successful graduation from MMC’s three and four-day comprehensive racing education programs will now qualify participants to receive a USAC-issued racing license. MMC’s Racing School is the first and only program race school program endorsed for USAC licensing.

USAC is the sanctioning body for many of North America’s most exciting road racing series, including Porsche Sprint Challenge, SRO GT World Challenge, USF Pro Championships, Radical Cup North America, and more. Many Monticello Motor Club members already successfully compete in these series, and many more desire to. The MMC and USAC partnership allows MMC better to support interested members on their path to professional racing, and MMC is sure to be a great feeder of participants to each of these USAC-sanctioned series.

 

To learn more about Monticello Motor Club visit: www.monticellomotorclub.com

To learn more about USAC visit: www.unitedstatesautoclub.com

Sebring International Raceway provided the perfect backdrop for the first Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama weekend of 2023 and gave an exciting glimpse of what to expect throughout the season. The historically bumpy, 3.74-mile racetrack hosted four races – two for Porsche GT3 Cup competitors and two for Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport competitors – to conclude three consecutive weekends of sports car racing action in Central Florida.

Porsche GT3 Cup:

Canadian Zachary Vanier dominated the 992 GT3 Cup Pro/Am class, winning both races and upping his statistics to three wins in four starts since his series debut in late 2022. Vanier qualified 0.091 seconds behind newcomer and WeatherTech Pole Position Award Winner Madeline Stewart to start second for Race 1, but capitalized at the drop of the green flag to lead by the end of the first lap. The Kiwi – only the second woman in a North American single-make series to win an overall pole position – kept Vanier in her sights early on, but finished third after losing a position on a late restart to last year’s Cayman GT4 Clubsport champion, Aidan Kenny. The results were duplicated in Race 2 on Sunday.

“I’m super happy with the performance,” said Vanier. “A huge thank you to the MDK Motorsports team for all their efforts.“My first time in the car was Friday for Practice 1, and it was a huge weekend of learning and understanding the car and the track with the heat and what the tire degradation would be like.

“Sweeping the weekend is a huge positive, but we’re just going to keep working and keep learning. It’s a long championship ahead with 14 rounds left, so it’s anyone game at this point.” The GT3 Cup Am class battle was not far behind the overall lead, as Christian Hodneland of JDX Racing and David Williams of TPC Racing swapped wins this weekend at Sebring.

In Race 1, Hodneland was aggressive on a late restart to jump ahead for the win while in Race 2, Williams kept his rivals at bay. Both drivers were within two seconds of Vanier on Saturday to finish on the overall podium, while Hodneland was just .342 seconds from Williams at the checkered flag on Sunday.

Ashley Freiberg – the only woman before Stewart to win an overall pole position in a North American single-make series – made her triumphant return to racing with two wins this weekend in the 991 GT3 Cup class. Vanier’s MDK Motorsports teammate, Freiberg had spirited battles with Robert Tutino in both races but came out on top after her program with the team was only announced earlier in the week.

“I haven’t been racing very much lately, so to be honest I was just focused on my own performance and doing the best job I could behind the wheel,” said Freiberg. “I have to give a huge thank you to Yokohama Tire, Shift Up Now and MDK Motorsports for giving me this opportunity. I’m so grateful for being back behind the wheel.”

Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport:

In his series debut, 17-year-old Nickolas Maloy made a quick first impression at Sebring – being the WeatherTech Pole Position Award Winner with Tatum Racing for both Cayman GT4 Clubsport races – but it was John Jodoin who stole the show in the Pro/Am class. During Race 1, Jodoin overtook Maloy on the first lap and went on to pace the field during a lengthy full-course yellow and the 15 minutes of green flag action that followed.But while Jodoin sailed to Saturday’s victory, he faced a tougher battle versus Maloy on Sunday.The youngster held on to the top spot for several laps before relinquishing the lead, but loomed large in Jodoin’s mirrors throughout the race. In the closing minutes, the pair battled door-to-door a handful of times before Maloy ultimately finished runner-up by just 0.286 seconds.

“I’ve never driven this car before,” said 24-year-old Jodoin after his Race 1 win with Fall-Line Motorsports.

“It was the first weekend and the first time with the team. I just felt at home with it and felt really good. Once I got the start at the beginning, I was off it a little bit to keep the tires good. I had them super warm when we were going yellow, so the car was ready to go.”

Sweeping the victories in the Am class was RS1’s Tom Kopczynski, or “Tom K.,” who mixed it up with the Pro/Am competitors and finished on the overall podium in both races. In Race 1, dueling Am drivers Alain Scalzo and Jason Golan nearly got tangled on track, but the battle upset Scalzo’s car enough to send his Porsche spinning. After the full-course yellow, Golan dropped back in the pack and Tom K. snuck by to finish second overall. With Scalzo’s car unable to return for Race 2, Tom K. started first in the Am class and was uncontested to the checkered flag, finishing third overall.

“I definitely allowed prudence to be the better part of valor this time,” said Tom K after Race 2. “I didn’t want to screw up all by myself and make a big error to let Joe in or Jason. Slow and steady, it sounds stupid, wins the race and that’s what I did.” Golan wound up second in Race 1 and third in Race 2, while Kathryn Mead and Joseph Rizzo also collected Am class podium trophies this weekend.

With Sprint Challenge’s North American championship now underway, the series heads to Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Nevada to kick off the 2023 USA West circuit, featuring six events that geographically align for teams based in the Central and Western United States.

PSCUW’s first visit to Spring Mountain is scheduled for April 21-23, while PSCNA will return to Barber Motorsports Park one week later as part of the IndyCar Series Grand Prix weekend in Alabama.

 

Sebring, FL | Round 1 of the Porsche Sprint Challenge is in the books after a successful weekend of action pack racing with a total of four races taking place throughout the weekend. Round 1 was highlighted by weekend sweeps in the 992 GT3 Cup Pro/Am, 991 GT3 Cup, Cayman Pro/Am, and Cayman Am classes. Two MDK Motorsports teammates, Zachery Vainer (992 GT3 Cup Pro/Am) and Ashley Freiberg (991 GT3 Cup) were responsible for two of the Round 1 sweep with the Fall-Line Motorsports entrant, John Jodoin (Cayman Pro/Am), was responsible for the third with the RS1 entry, Tom Kopczynski, achieving the fourth sweep.

 

Cayman Race 2 saw 35 minutes +1 lap of green flag racing. WeatherTech Pole Position Award winner Nick Maloy battled with John Jodoin the entire race with John Jodoin taking the checkered flag first in the Cayman Pro/Am class and a P1 Overall finish. Taking 2nd place in the North American Cayman Pro/Am class and P2 overall was Nick Maloy. Rounding out the Cayman Pro/Am podium after a 2nd place finish in Race 1 was Paul Bocuse with a P4 overall finish. In the North America Cayman Am class, Tom Kopczynski found himself back on top of the box with a P3 Overall finish. Coming in 2nd place for the Cayman Am class was Joseph Rizzo with a P7 Overall finish. Rounding out the Cayman Am podium with a P9 Overall finish was Jason Galon.

The GT3 Cup also saw 35 minutes +1 lap of green flag racing. Zachery Vainer was once again on top of the box in the 992 GT3 Cup Pro/Am class with a P1 Overall finish. In 2nd place in the class with a P2 Overall finish was Aidan Kenny. Wrapping up the North America GT3 Cup Pro/Am podium in 3rd place with a P3 Overall finish was Madeline Stewart. In the North America 992 GT3 Cup Am class was David Williams with a P4 Overall finish. Coming in P5 Overall for a 2nd place finish in the 992 GT3 Cup Am class was Christian Hodneland. Rounding out the 992 GT3 Cup Am class was Mark Kvamme with a P6 Overall finish. On the 991 GT3 side of things, Ashley Freiberg once again found herself victorious in the class with a P10 Overall finish. Coming in 2nd place with a P12 Overall in the North America 991 GT3 class was Daniel Hanley. Wrapping up the 991 GT3 Cup podium was Tim Kezeman with a P13 overall finish.

🏁992 GT3 Cup Pro/Am Race 2 Podium 🏁

🥇 #206 Vanier (P1 Overall)

🥈 #222 Kenny (P2 Ovreall)

🥉 #282 Stewart (P3 Overall)

🏁992 GT3 Cup Am Race 2 Podium 🏁

🥇#237 Williams (P4 Overall)

🥈#232 Hodneland (P5 Overall)

🥉 #243 Kvamme (P6 Overall)

🏁991 GT3 Cup Race 2 Podium 🏁

🥇 #122 Freiberg (P10 Overall)

🥈 #144 Hanley (P12 Overall)

🥉 #114 Kezman (P13 Overall)

🏁Cayman Pro/Am Race 1 Podium 🏁

🥇 #39 Jodoin

🥈 #4 Maloy

🥉 #71 Bocuse

.

🏁Cayman AM Race 1 Podium 🏁

🥇 #52 Kopczynski

🥈 #12 Rizzo

🥉 #80 Golan