RAFA Racing Team By JDX Opens Porsche Sprint Season With Victory By Ian Porter, Runner-Up For Caroline Candas in Sebring

Paige Morales and Rafael Martinez Joined Porter and Candas With Strong Runs During the Season Opener at Sebring International Raceway

SEBRING, Florida (March 2, 2024) – The 2024 season opened with a bang for RAFA Racing Team by JDX, where Ian Porter led the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama Cayman Pro-Am field flag to flag for a maiden victory in his professional racing debut. Teammate Caroline Candas started second and remained there for the entirety of the 35-minute race on Saturday at Sebring International Raceway. 

Porter started on pole in the No. 86 Grid Finder Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport following Saturday morning’s qualifying, where he lapped Sebring with a best time of 2:08.753. 

Once the race went green on Saturday afternoon, Porter continued to knock out quick laps. The gap to Candas and the rest of the field continued to grow, including a best lap of 2:10.424 on lap six, reaching just over eight seconds before a full course caution came out with just one and one-half laps remaining. 

A veteran of professional eSports and a track day specialist, the win came in the rookie racer’s debut in wheel-to-wheel racing. 

"It feels really good," Porter said following the win. "The conditions looked really good, like you could push, but halfway through I started to lose the tires. It was great to win, but the job's not finished. I've been practicing so much on the simulator. The knowledge that I gained there really helped. The RAFA Racing Team by JDX, I can't thank them enough. This is an opportunity of a lifetime and I really want to make the most of it."

Candas used her No. 84 8Twelve Wheels Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport to chase Porter, while also keeping the battle for third overall behind her. Candas broke away from the following battle, which let her focus forward to attempt to keep pace with her teammate Porter. Her best lap of 2:10.860 on lap three made her the only driver besides Porter to turn a race lap in the 2-minute, 10-second range. 

The French-native earned additional awards on the podium for being the top finishing Porsche Junior driver and top finishing female driver. 

RAFA Racing teammates Rafael Martinez, driving the No. 85 RAFA Racing Club Porsche Cayman, and Paige Morales in the No. 87 RAFA Racing Club Porsche Cayman, finished fifth and sixth in the Pro-Am class, respectively. 

With no rest for the weary, the RAFA Racing by JDX quartet return to action for the second round of the championship on Sunday morning, with the green flag at 9:40 a.m. ET. Porter and Candas will once again lead the field to the green with a second-consecutive front-row lockout for the RAFA Racing drivers. 

The race can be seen live on the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America YouTube page. 

About RAFA Racing Club:

RAFA Racing, utilizing the motto "Race As Family Always," is a motorsports club and race team founded by and made for high-performance auto drivers, supporters, and fans of all types. Started by Rafael Martinez, the Club aims to create a space for high-performance car enthusiasts to enjoy like-minded individuals, network and share ideas on and off the track, and bond as one team with a common interest. The RAFA Racing Team made its debut in 2023 with a runner-up finish in the McLaren Trophy Europe Series, and expands that footprint to include Porsche Sprint Challenge North America and SRO GT4 Europe in 2024. The Club's off-track presence can be felt on social media and beyond, including YouTube, Instagram and Facebook and at RafaRacing.Club.

Reece White

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(831) 383-9426