Ian Porter and Caroline Candas Enter the Weekend Top Two in Cayman Pro-Am Points, with Rafael Martinez and Paige Morales Just Behind as the Team Continues to “Race As Family Always” in Front of IndyCar Crowd
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (April 25, 2024) – It’s been a seven-week break between the season opener at Sebring International Raceway and this weekend’s Porsche Sprint Challenge North America rounds at Barber Motorsports Park, but the four-car RAFA Racing Team by JDX has every reason to believe the momentum built in the opener will carry through the hiatus.
Drivers Ian Porter and Caroline Candas went one-two in both races of the opening doubleheader, while Rafael Martinez and Paige Morales found their own successes at Sebring. All four return to action this weekend, April 26-28, in support of the IndyCar Series event at Barber Motorsports Park. The pair of 35-minute sprint races will be run at 12:35 p.m. CDT on Saturday, April 27 and at 3:15 p.m. CDT on Sunday, April 28. Both races can be seen live on the Series YouTube page YouTube.com/@porschesprintchallengena.
The team put the motto of “Race As Family Always” to the test in the opening weekend when they made their U.S. debut as a full-fledged race team. Pulling together with both drivers and crew, the team capitalized on each of its opportunities.
RAFA Racing by JDX currently holds three of the top five positions in the Cayman Pro-Am class standings heading into the second weekend of the year, with Porter leading, followed by Candas and Martinez in fifth. All four drivers recognize the difference between the fast, long layout of Sebring International Raceway and the tight, twisty elevation changes prevalent in the 16-turn, 2.38-mile and the challenges that entails.
But all four also recognize the opportunity that presents for a strong drive, and the opportunity to place the RAFA Racing Club and its community in front of the stars of the IndyCar paddock and the fans in place to see both.
Porter enters the weekend in the No. 86 Grid Finder Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport as the championship leader, having gone two-for-two in his road racing debut. The three-time Call of Duty World Champion is used to pressure packed situations and handled the season-opener flawlessly. Porter was quickest in practice, qualified on pole, and led every lap of both races on his way to a pair of victories.
Right behind him the entire way, however, was Candas. The recently turned 21-year-old French racer made her American professional racing debut at Sebring and chased Porter to the checkered flag in her No. 84 8Twelve Wheels Porsche Cayman, finishing as runner-up each time. With a race under the belt, both she and Porter expect it to get even tighter up front between the two teammates. Like Porter, Candas has proven her ability to handle pressure, winning the RAFA Racing Shootout for up-and-coming female drivers last fall to earn her spot in this championship.
Martinez has been the busiest on the track since the season opener. Since a pair of fifth-place finishes at Sebring in the No. 85 RAFA Racing Club Porsche Cayman, Martinez has been in his SRO GT4 McLaren Arturo for testing and the SRO GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club opener, adding four different race tracks, albeit in an entirely different car, to his seat time. And though the two seem to have entirely different characteristics, that should help his overall driving and race craft at Barber Motorsports Park and beyond.
Meanwhile, Morales has taken the RAFA Racing motto of “Race As Family Always” to a new level. In addition to off-track physical training and sim work to prepare for this weekend’s race, Morales attended the season-opener of the SRO GT4 European Series at Circuit Paul Ricard to support her family of teammates and soak in the atmosphere. Morales is making her racing debut this season as well in the highly competitive Porsche Sprint Challenge North America Cayman class, and drove the No. 87 RAFA Racing Club Cayman to a seventh and sixth place class finish at Sebring, the second best Porsche Junior driver (behind Candas) in each race.
All four drivers participated in a pre-season test session at Barber Motorsports Park to gain experience and have been working closely with driver coach Cameron Lawrence on the simulator to gain experience and hit the ground running during Friday’s opening practice. The Porsche Sprint Challenge North America Cayman class field will get just a total of one hour of practice on Friday, April 26, followed by qualifying at 7:45 a.m. CDT on Saturday. Saturday’s race begins at 12:35 p.m. CDT, with Sunday’s race at 3:15 p.m. CDT immediately following the IndyCar Series race.
RAFA Racing by JDX Quote Board
Caroline Candas, Driver, No. 84 Porsche Cayman: “I can’t wait to get back in the car! We did a test at Barber before the start of the season and I felt at ease. I really like the circuit, it’s very fast and very hilly. It’s going to be a big event this week. We’re sharing the meeting with IndyCar, which is great because it puts the series in the spotlight. I’ve got a number of objectives this weekend, but the first is to go for the overall championship lead by continuing my learning curve and gaining as much experience as I can. It promises to be a great weekend, and I can’t wait!”
Rafael Martinez, Driver, No. 85 Porsche Cayman: “It’s been a busy few weeks for me on the track, but I’m looking forward to getting back with this group and doing it all in front of the IndyCar paddock. I was so proud of how this team handled the opening weekend at Sebring, and if we continue to come together like that we’re all going to have a great season. All of us have our individual goals, but no matter the result we want to continue to grow as drivers and get better each weekend.”
Paige Morales, Driver, No. 87 Porsche Cayman: “It feels incredible to finally be back in the driver’s seat. Barber Motorsports Park is a challenging and technical track, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. The elevation changes and tight corners make it a true driver’s track, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out in the upcoming races. Being a part of the IndyCar weekend is really cool. The atmosphere and energy are electric, and I’m honored to be racing in front of such a passionate crowd. My goal for the weekend is to push myself to the limit and deliver the best possible results for my team. I’m confident in my abilities and can’t wait to see what we can achieve together.”
Ian Porter, Driver, No. 86 Porsche Cayman: “It’s been the longest break that we’ll have during the season. We tested at Barber before the season but we haven’t really done any testing in this time frame. It was nice to go into the break with the wins at Sebring, but I’m itching to get back into the car. Going from Sebring to Barber, it’s probably the most drastic change in track layout, elevation, surface, it’s all different. Sebring is a large track, Barber feels small. It’s a track with a lot of short, micro straights but there’s not any time to relax or have a moment to get your bearings right. There’s no time to chill out. We’re going to be racing in front of a lot of people, which is cool. It’s something I’m used to from playing professional video games and I’m curious to see how it stacks up. But either way I probably won’t be looking out into the car much, I’ll be focused on the race track and the cars around me. The goal remains the same as Sebring, to drive as fast as possible, improve myself throughout the weekend, and to win.”
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.
