After finishing round 13 of the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America in the gravel trap at the top of the Corkscrew, JDX Racing’s Will Martin bounced back in round 14 to take a lights-to-flag victory at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca during Rennsport Reunion 7.

The British racer started from pole and led the field into the Andretti hairpin on the opening lap. From that point forward, he was never headed over the 40-minute jouney despite having rival and provisional Pro class champion Riley Dickinson chasing his wheel tracks.

Dickinson crossed the line with a 2.169 second margin over his Kellymoss rival with round 13 winner Tom Sargent in third place.

The win by Martin was his third of the season – repeating his victories from Long Beach and Watkins Glen earlier this year.

“After getting the double pole, we were super pleased go get the win,” Martin said.

“The first race wasn’t an ideal situation, but we bounced back and got redemption again. The team have all done a brilliant job and we’ve been working super hard to stay up the front and it’s starting to pay off.

“I’m now really looking forward to COTA. We did a few test days there and they went really well, so hopefully it wil be more of the same.”

The Rafa Racing Club Pro-Am class welcomed a new winner to victory lane with PJ Hyett scoring his first class victory.

After earning pole on Saturday, Hyett now has a class win to his credit – one earned during a busy weekend for the AO Racing team owner who had seven historic Porsche race cars on track during Rennsport Reunion 7.

Hyett has enjoyed a busy season this year in Porsche machinery – building a huge fan following for “Rexy” – his dinosaur-themed entries into the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the FIA WEC.

He took his Kellymoss-prepared entry to victory ahead of Chris Bellomo (MDK) who scored his second runner-up finish for the weekend. After being provisionally crowned the Pro-Am champion in round 13, Efrin Castro unfortuantely suffered a spin while leading late in the race but recovered to finish third.

 ”I can’t complain about that result. I want to take a special shout out to my team for Carrera Cup, Kellymoss,” Hyett said.

“They’ve done an exceptional job on the car, they have an awesome crew and I couldn’t be more thrilled for them.

“Getting my first race win at Rennsport 7 – it’s awesome.”

Scott Noble’s championship charge continued with his sixth consecutive Am win over his MDK Motorsports team boss Mark Kvamme. Wright Motorsports’ John Goetz again joined the MDK duo on the podium for the champagne celebration.

“That was intense. It took a lot of stamina and a lot of patience,” Noble said.

“Mark only made two mistakes all weekend and that ended up costing him the lead and I ended up winning. It was just a whole lot of fun. Mark’s a great friend and a great team owner. 

“We’ve got a heck of a championship points race going on, and I hope I can come out on top.”

The “wonders from down under” Tom Sargent and McElrea Racing combined to earn their first Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America victory in round 13 of the championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca during Rennsport Reunion 7.

The Australian contingent debuted in the US championship at Sebring this year – McElrea Racing bringing their Australian Porsche Carrera Cup championship-winning pedigree to the American series and McElrea graduating from Australian Porsche Sprint Challenge.

Sargent immediately marked himself as a contender after a series of runner-up performances early in the year but could not break through for a win.

Some badly luck followed him including contact in Miami bringing his second-place run to an end – but today he was on the right side of the lucky coin. 

Sargent was on the outside of pole-winner Will Martin at the start and was passed by provisional champion Riley Dickinson at the Andretti hairpin.

Martin and Dickinson made contact in the run up to the Corkscrew which resulted in damaged steering in Dickinson’s Kellymoss entry. When they arrived for the left-hander the leads into the six-story drop at the Corkscrew – Dickinson was unable to turn and both he and Martin ended up in the gravel.

Sargent raced off into the lead and was never headed in the run to the flag. His lead was enhanced after Michael McCarthy (Kellymoss) and Alex Sedgwiick (JDX) clashed in turn three while fighting for second and third.

Joining Sargent on the podium were Sean Varwig (Kellymoss) and Dan Clarke (Nolasport) 

“I’m over the moon to be honest. I can’t believe it. We’ve been working so hard all year on this,” Sargent said.

“We’ve had a lot of times where we’ve been so close but just missed out. So, to get our first win, and to get it here at Rennsport, it is amazing.

“There was a bit of an incident with the two guys in front, but you’ve got to be there to capitalize on that. So it’s massive for the team to have their first win. Obviously we’re a brand-new team here in the USA, so to come over here and prove ourselves in the first year is a massive confidence booster for everyone.”

In the Rafa Racing Club Pro-Am championship, Kellymoss’ Efrin Castro provisionally became the first two-time Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America class-winning champion.

Castro’s fifth consecutive win pushed him into an unbeatable points lead in the class where he also scored the championship in back in 2021.

MDK Motorsports’ Chris Bellomo scored his best result for the season at his home track at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in second place while GMG Racing’s Kyle Washington earned his third consecutive podium in third.

“ It was very tricky condition at the start and I was just praying to God that I was able to get into the dry line because it was like ice,” Castro said.

“After the track dried up, I was able to hit the my marks and I’m grateful to getting the fastest lap and getting some extra points. I’m super grateful for the team to bringing me up to this level and having all the success that I’ve had this year.”

The championship battle in the Am class continued to be a fierce fight between MDK Motorsport rivals Scott Noble and Mark Kvamme.

Team boss Kvamme had the lead early but Noble was able to get through at the Andretti hairpin to earn his fifth class victory in a row. Wright Motorsports’ John Goetz again joined them on the podiun in third.

“When Mark won pole yesterday I knew I had my work cut out for me, and the track was mixed conditions right at start,” Noble said.

“I just played it smart and drove the dry line, and he got outside in the wet, and I got by him and got a little gap. And from then on, it was just picking up the pace every lap. He would go win best lap, fastest lap, then I would trade and win fastest lap.

“So it was a lot of fun, really trying to pick up that extra point. So overall today, I think I picked up four points on him, and it’s gonna be a hell of a race the last three rounds.”

JDX Racing’s British racer Will Martin scored his third Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America pole of the season today during a disrupted qualifying session at Rennsport Reunion 7.

Martin stopped the clocks at 1 minute, 23.388 seconds around the 2.238-mile WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca circuit – just edging out McElrea Racing’s Tom Sargent by a mere .078 of a second.

With the threat of rain looming, the 25-minute qualifying session was disrupted by a heavy accident by Martin’s teammate, Elias De La Torre, which brought out the red flag.

2023 provisional champion Riley Dickinson found himself a long way down the Pro class timesheet before the red flag but was able to fight back to record his fastest lap of the final lap of qualifying to line up third on the grid.

“The conditions were a bit of a concern when it started to drizzle. Then we had the red flag, and we had to go back out on the same set of tires to get a few more laps in,” Martin said.

“The biggest challenge was the traffic, but the team did a brilliant job with the car, and I’m super pleased with how it’s gone. 

“Being here at Rennsport for this year – I’ve never been before – it’s just a brilliant event.”

Martin’s other teammate, Alex Sedgwick, was fourth fastest ahead of MDK’s Jason Hart.

In the Rafa Racing Club Pro-Am class, PJ Hyett scored his first-ever series pole – beating out his Kellymoss teammate and points leader Efrin Castro and Friday pacesetter Chris Bellomo.

The result adds to a massive weekend for the Hyett who has also been out on track in a number historic cars for AO Racing during the Rennsport weekend.

“For my first Carrera Cup pole to come here at Rennsport while our team AO Racing is also running these wonderful vintage Porsches is great,” Hyett said.

“To then go out in a modern car and put it on pole in Pro-Am – that’s a pretty special moment.

“Rennsport is really a special weekend, but this is sort of the cherry on top. Hopefully, tomorrow with the two races will bring similar luck.

The championship battle between MDK Motorsports’ founder Mark Kvamme and his teammate Scott Noble continued at Laguna Seca, with Kvamme fighting his way back to pole today, breaking Noble’s streak of six-consecutive pole positions. 

“It feels so good to be back in the pole after taking a six-race ‘holiday’. My teammate Scott and I are having a ton of fun, and he’s pushing me, and I’m pushing him, and it’s just been an amazing race for the Am championship,” Kvamme said.

“I think it’s going to all come down to the last race at Circuit of The Americas. So stay tuned. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

John Goetz was third fastest ahead of Bob Mueller.

The Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America will complete their Rennsport weekend tomorrow with rounds 13 and 14 scheduled for 9:05 am and 3:35 pm – the final race of the spectacular Porsche festival.

Some new faces, the return of some old friends, and some surprise performances highlighted the opening practice for Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Running in conjunction with Rennsport Reunion 7, the amazing Porsche celebration of speed will feature rounds 13 and 14 of the 2023 championship at the challenging Monterey circuit.

Recently crowned provisional Pro champion Riley Dickinson (Kellymoss) continued this incredible 2023 season by topping the timesheet today ahead of British rival Will Martin (JDX Racing) by a mere 0.084 of a second.

After a challenging pair of rounds at Road America and Indianapolis, Michael McCann bounced back in the first session today to be third fastest in the Pro class.

“That was a fun session. The new repaving here at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is really nice, so it feels super smooth,” McCann said.

“The curbing is a little bit different, which is something to get used to, but ultimately, it’s a beautiful day here at Rennsport. We can’t complain – the car is fast and we’re all happy here at McCann Racing.” 

The Pro class this weekend features a number of racers making their Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America series debut. Wright Racing has expanded its Carrera Cup roster to a third car for USF2000 graduate Nicky Hays – the Californian racer finishing 14th fastest today. 

McElrea Racing has also expanded back to a two-car team, with Bayley Hall jumping from his Australian Carrera Cup ride to debut here in the US. Hall was 16th on the timesheet as he transitions to the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup that – unlike the Australian series –  runs with ABS braking in the US.

Nick Boule also returns to the series this weekend for his first races since Watkins Glen.

While Kellymoss racer Efrin Castro looks to be on the verge of taking the Rafa Racing Club Pro-Am title, local racer Chris Bellomo (MDK Racing) was the one to watch in practice today, topping the timesheet ahead of Castro and PJ Hyett.

“We tested last week and had a really good run. My coach Johannes (van Overbeek) and I have been working on driver technique a lot,” Bellomo said.

“It’s great to be back home. I think local knowledge is very important here. It’s a very technical track, and I’ve done thousands of laps here, but things are a little bit different now that it’s been repaved.”

Porsche Sprint Challenge by Yokohama driver Blake McDonald makes his series debut for GMG racing this weekend, while Thomas Collingwood makes his return to the series. Collingwood has been a regular aboard a Porsche GT4 entry in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge alongside Spencer Pumpelly in 2023 for BGB Motorsports.

The inter-team Am class championship battle continued at MDK Motorsports with Scott Noble heading team boss Mark Kvamme in practice.

Bob Mueller returns to the championship for the first time this season since the Miami Grand Prix. He was quickly on the pace today to set the third fastest time in the Am class.

The championship is back on track on Saturday for the final 40-minute practice session at 9:40 a.m., followed by qualifying at 2:20 p.m.

Sunday’s 13th and 14th rounds of the championship will be contested on Sunday, with the green flag being waved at 9:05 a.m. and 3:35 p.m.

Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America will make history this weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca when it becomes the first national championship to hold a points paying round at Porsche Rennsport Reunion.

Rounds 13 and 14 of the premier one-make Porsche championship will headline an incredible list of historic Porsche race car run and exhibition groups at the world’s largest gathering of Porsche enthusiasts.

Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7 will take place at the Monterey, California racetrack, September 28 – October 1. Riley Dickinson (New Braunfels, Texas) enters the penultimate weekend of the 16 race, all 992 generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car, competition as the provisional champion of the Pro class and Al Holbert Cup but title competitions remain in Pro-Am and Am as well as the Entrant chase.

The driver of the No. 53 Racing For Children’s Kellymoss Porsche has also provisionally been awarded the Porsche Junior North America title for 2023 as well.

RENNSPORT REUNION FAST FACTS

• Full Field. 37 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race cars are entered for competition at WRLS.
  Pro class. 22 Pro-Am class. 7 Am class. 8
  Teams. 14 race teams are represented across all three classes.
  
  
• Track Record. 1:24.925, Trenton Estep, No. 6 MDK Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 2022.
  
  
• Point Leaders. By virtue of his back-to-back victories at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Rounds 11 and 12, Riley Dickinson has earned 308 points and has provisionally been awarded the Drivers’ Championship for the Pro class. With 56 points possible for a driver accomplishing a perfect weekend: 25 points per win, two points for each pole position and one marker each for fastest race lap, 112 points remain possible to accumulate. Dickinson holds a 146-point margin over Tom Sargent (Australia) in second place (162 points) and is plus 149 points up on Will Martin (United Kingdom). While Dickinson’s lead is insurmountable barring any unexpected and uncharacteristic penalties for the three-year starter.
  
  
• Dickinson’s teammate Efrin Castro (Dominican Republic) holds the top spot in the Pro-Am with 278 points, a 64 margin over nearest competitor Marco Cirone (Canada). However, Cirone is not currently entered in the Rennsport Reunion races this weekend. Moisey Uretsky (Miami, Florida) sits third in the Pro-Am class with 161 points. Uretsky, in the No. 44 Accelerating Performance Porsche returns having not entered the most recent round at Indy.
  
  
• The Am class continues to tighten between leaders from MDK Motorsports. Despite a pair of second place finishes at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, points leader and team boss Mark Kvamme (Columbus, Ohio) saw his lead shrink to his teammate Scott Noble (Dallas, Texas). Noble’s No. 10 Porsche has been on a recent roll, streaking to four consecutive class victories – five on the season. The gap is now a minimal 18 markers between the two friends.
  
  
• Kellymoss continues on course to secure its third consecutive Entrants Championship. The Madison, Wisconsin-based race team owned by Andy Kilcoyne and Victoria Thomas has earned 282 points to-date in the season. This gives the team an 81-point lead over JDX Racing and a 99-point margin on third place McElrea Racing.
  
  
• Up from down under. Bayley Hall will drive the No. 24 McElrea Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car this weekend during rounds 13 and 14 of Carrera Cup as well as in the season finale at COTA. The Porsche Michelin Junior has been impressive in Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia this year driving for McElrea, scoring three top-10 finishes in what is only his second full year of one-make competition. Hall has tested three-times with McElrea in the U.S. (Road America, COTA and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in preparation for the Rennsport weekend).
  
  
• Rookie entries. In addition to Hall, two other first-time Carrera Cup drivers have been added to the Pro class for the Rennsport Reunion stop. GMG Racing has entered Blake McDonald in the No. 11 while Wright Motorsports brings a third entry, the No. 51, for Nick Hayes.

• Supporting Role. This weekend marks the Porsche Carrera Cup North America’s tradition of being the headline series in one event each season. The one-make championship is the only professional race series at Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7, as it was for Porsche Sports Car Together Fest at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2021 and 2022. To date, the series has raced with IMSA four times – including the doubleheader with IndyCar at Long Beach. It ran as support to Formula 1 at Miami and NASCAR Xfinity at Road America. The season finale with Formula One at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) will be held on October 20 – 22.
  
  
• Two for Three. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca has been on the Porsche Carrera Cup North America schedule two of the three seasons of the series existence. Parker Thompson drove a JDC Racing Porsche to twin wins here in 2022 on his way to the Pro class championship.
  
  
• Al Holbert Remembered. Since its inception, the Porsche Carrera Cup North America has awarded its overall championship trophy in honor of Porsche legend and path maker, Al Holbert. This weekend is particularly poignant as it marks the anniversary of the death of Holbert in a private aircraft crash on September 30, 1988.
  The Al Holbert Cup has been created in recognition of Holbert’s commitment, inspiration and leadership in the formation and organization of Porsche motorsports in North America. The silver cup carrying his name has been crafted as a timeless and traditional trophy to commemorate each Pro class champion. This award recognizes the true racing spirit of Al Holbert conveying his professional driver’s skill, engineer’s precision and a gentleman racer’s passion. A true link between the past, present and future of Porsche.
  A storied racer and one of the all-time leaders in IMSA race victories (63) and pole positions (27), Al Holbert was a consummate engineer-racer. The Warrington, Pennsylvania-native earned three 24 Hour of Le Mans overall titles as well as two Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring victories racing with Porsche. He became synonymous with the brand and became an intricate part of IMSA racing in the 1980s. Through his skills as a driver, owner and businessman the wildly popular No. 14 Holbert Racing Porsche 962 prototypes remain iconic today. As the first Director of Motorsports for Porsche North America – today’s equivalent position to PMNA president and CEO – Holbert outlined the future of the German sports car manufacturer’s North American racing endeavors.
  He guided the brand to a fulltime foray in Indy car racing and managed its position as a sports car juggernaut. Following his path, the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid North America continues to allow drivers, teams and partners to climb the ranks from novice to club racer and one-make champion to ultimately ascend to prototype racing against full-factory efforts at Daytona, Sebring and Le Mans all behind the wheel of a Porsche. To date, Seb Priaulx (2021) and Parker Thompson (2022) have been awarded the trophy to-date.

• Double-Time. Pro-Am class driver PJ Hyett (West Chicago, Illinois) has seven cars entered under the AO Racing banner as part of the Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7 run groups. The team will bring seven iconic cars to the celebration of Porsche motorsport history, led by a 2017 Porsche RSR, sporting a livery honoring F.A.T International and Porsche. In addition will be the original Porsche 962 which carried the F.A.T. livery in 1990, the 1983 24 Hours of Daytona winning “Swap Shop” ANDIAL Porsche 935L and the 2007 Porsche RS Spyder entered by Penske Racing and Porsche in that record-setting season. Two Porsche sports cars so legendary as to be instant icons are also under the AO Racing tent: the 1985 Lowenbrau Porsche 962 HR1 and the shocking overall Petit Le Mans winning Porsche 911 RSR from 2015. Current fans of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD class racing will also be excited to see Hyett’s 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 R known as “Rexy”.

• Entry list. The full Porsche Carrera Cup North America entry list can be found at: https://www.imsa.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2023/02/19/2023_PCCNA_Rennsport_PreEventEntryList.pdf
  
  
• To the point.
  Current Porsche Carrera Cup North America Championship Point Standings.
  http://results.imsa.com/?season=23_2023
  
  
• Broadcast. All races air on the Peacock streaming app, IMSA.tv and PorscheCarreraCup.us and are archived at: https://www.youtube.com/c/PorscheMotorsportNorthAmerica.
  
  
• On the web. www.PorscheCarreraCup.us

RENNSPORT REUNION SCHEDULE. (All times US Pacific)

Friday, September 29,
1:40 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. – Practice 1

Saturday, September 30.
9:40 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. – Practice 2
2:20 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. – Qualifying (all classes)

Sunday, October 1.

9:05 a.m. – 9:50 a.m. – Race 2 (40-minute race)
3:35 p.m. – 4:20 p.m. – Race 1 (40-minute race)

McElrea Racing’s “Aussie assault” on the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America is set to expand for the final four rounds of the 2023 championship, with Bayley Hall joining the team alongside championship front-runner and fellow Australian, Tom Sargent.

Hall drives for McElrea Racing in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia championship – scoring three top-10 round finishes this season in what is effectively his second full year of one-make Porsche competition.

He qualified a career-best third in Townsville and finished fifth overall last time out at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia and sits less than 60 points outside the top four in the championship.

Hall has already completed a pair of tests in the United States, including one at Road America and another at the Circuit of the Americas, where the final two rounds will be staged at the US Grand Prix in October.

“This opportunity to race with my home team on an international scale will be very eye-opening but an experience I am very grateful to take head-on and make the most of every minute,” Hall said.

“The United States is so passionate about sports, and I cannot wait to experience that for myself from the driver’s side’ and immerse myself in it.

“When I was seven years old, I made my Dad take a detour on a USA family holiday to visit Laguna Seca, but I have never been to Texas, so yes, I’m very excited. I’m very much looking forward to this incredible experience and ticking off another two iconic tracks from my bucket list that I had set goals to race on.

“There are a few differences in Carrera Cup North America. Most notable ones are that the cars use ABS and have rolling starts, which is different from Carrera Cup Australia. Also, they have two 40-minute races over the weekend, which will provide plenty of laps to learn and grow from.

“I’ve taken inspiration from both Scott McLaughlin and Shane Van Gisbergen, who have both raced in the US and rustled some feathers. I’m excited for when it’s my chance to do the same.

“The American championship is still extremely competitive, and it will be a great challenge for me to adapt to the tracks as quickly as possible and also endeavor to make a name for myself in another country.”

With three Carrera Cup championship wins and a star-studded alumni list, which includes current Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 racer Matt Campbell, McElrea Racing expanded this year to launch a North American program for the first time.

They hit the ground running in March at the pre-season test, with Tom Sargent topping the timesheets at the pre-season test. With four rounds remaining, Sargent is second in the Pro driver’s points, while the team sits third in the team’s standings. 

“Last year we threw Bayley into the deep end in Carrera Cup due to Covid not allowing a Sprint Championship for him to learn from; he pretty much had to learn how to drink from a fire hose, and he certainly did,” McElrea said.

“This year, he’s been able to gain another level of confidence by building on his experience from last year. He’s done everything we’ve asked of him, he’s a brilliant student & he’s exceeding our expectations. He’s fast, he’s dedicated & he’s hungry.

“The opportunity to test in America arose, and like Bayley always does, he grabbed it with two hands & impressed at the test, opening up this opportunity to race in the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America championship.

“It will be a challenge for him, but he’s proven his adaptability skills over the last 18 months, and we can’t wait to see what he can do.”

Hall will make his US debut at the iconic Porsche Rennsport Reunion event at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca next week from September 29-October 1, before competing at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas for the support event at the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix on October 20-22.

Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America uses identical cars to the Australian championship, except for the addition of ABS braking.