Season 2024 has again highlighted the key role that Porsche Carrera Cup North America is playing in developing young sportscar talent.
Three drivers, including two members of the Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Driver team, have enjoyed stellar seasons—each behind the wheel of Porsche machinery this year.
While AO Racing’s Laurin Heinrich may only have one Porsche Carrera Cup North America weekend on his resume, the young German star followed a similar path to success in Carrera Cup competition in Europe.
Two years ago, he lined up at Road Atlanta for his first North American race and dominated – setting pole position and running away with the second race of the weekend to earn his first victory.
Two years later, Heinrich was crowned as the GTD Pro Champion in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
For Heinrich, the title was a full-circle moment with the marque at Road Atlanta.
“Road Atlanta, what a phenomenal place,” Heinrich said.
“I did my very first race here in the United States in 2022 in Porsche Carrera Cup North America and put it on pole and won the race – great memories. Two years later, standing here in IMSA, a GTD Pro champion in the middle of the night at Petit Le Mans, I can’t believe it.
“It was a rollercoaster weekend, and in the end, it was such a fine margin to win the championship. It’s the biggest success of my life. I can’t thank my teammates and my team enough. They did a phenomenal job, and I’m over the moon.”
Porsche Motorsport North America’s pair of Selected Drivers, Kay van Berlo and Riley Dickinson, both tasted great success aboard the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport this year.
While van Berlo holds the record for the most number of Pro wins in Porsche Carrera Cup North America—13—he previously fell short of winning the overall championship.
This year, he made amends in the GT4 America championship – taking the Pro-Am title with ACI Motorsports team boss Curt Swearingin. The Dutchman helped clinch the championship at the iconic Racing Capital of the World – Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“We started this program two years ago. Not everything was perfect, but over the years, we progressed as a team and as drivers as well,” said van Berlo.
“I’ve seen Curt grow as a driver, which has been very satisfying to see as well. I’ve seen the team grow in this series and in other series, which has been awesome.
“Obviously, we were reaching podiums all throughout the season, and it’s all about collecting points. We clinched the championship here just by being consistent. I’m just super happy to get it done, and massive credit to the team, the engineers, the mechanics – they’ve put night-and-day effort into this program.”
Last year’s Porsche Carrera Cup North America champion Riley Dickinson also made the step into GT4 machinery in 2024, teaming up with fellow ex-Carrera Cup racer Michael McCarthy and the Kellymoss with Riley Motorsports team.
The duo won the opening race of the season at Daytona International Speedway in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and bookended the season with another win in the final race of the season at Road Atlanta.
“Our Michelin Pilot Challenge program was a great effort all year long, and I couldn’t be happier with how we progressed as a team from start to finish,” Dickinson said.
“To go from starting the year out in Daytona with a fantastic strategy call to win the race, developing the car throughout the year to be in contention, and then finishing off our year on a high note at Road Atlanta with our second win of the season.
“Being able to “graduate” from the Porsche Carrera Cup North America this year was certainly a big step forward for me and my career, along with becoming a Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Driver. The support from PMNA this year was truly what made the difference in my growth and development as a driver this season.”
Not only did van Berlo and Dickinson shine bright in GT4 machinery – but they also teamed up to contest the Indianapolis weekend in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in GTD competition. The duo added fellow Kellymoss Carrera Cup young star Jake Pederson.
Heinrich, van Berlo and Dickinson are following in the footsteps of a host of former Carrera Cup aces who have gone on to enjoy incredible careers in sports car racing.
At Road Atlanta, we also said farewell to another champion who not only used Cup competition to revive his career a number of seasons after his final open-wheel drive but also used his pair of Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup victories as a career springboard.
For 2006 and 2007 Supercup champ Richard Westbrook, his career fittingly came to an end back behind the wheel of a Porsche in 2024 – competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship aboard the Porsche 963 for JDC Motorsport.
Westbrook’s stellar career included wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, as well as five podiums at the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“What Porsche did for me to get my career started in sports car racing was amazing,” said Westbrook.
“I always tell any young driver my story about how I had a few years out after Formula racing, and I came back through the Carrera Cup system. I was fortunate enough to win the Supercup and then had a really fantastic long career.
“To finish it off, having a year in the 963 makes it even sweeter. I’m really proud, and it’s surreal that I’ve gone full circle back into a Porsche.”
