Porter Finished Second After Starting from the Rear of the Field, Joined on the Podium by Teammate Caroline Candas in Third
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (April 27, 2024) – The RAFA Racing by JDX family pulled together on Saturday to overcome adversity, and what could have been a race that was over before it began ended with a pair of drivers on the Porsche Sprint Challenge podium in the Cayman Pro-Am class.
Ian Porter qualified second for Saturday’s 35-minute plus one additional lap race, but it was discovered on the grid that his No. 86 Grid Finder Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport had a malfunctioning fire extinguisher switch. The RAFA Racing by JDX crew swapped the part, avoided the safety issue, and got Porter on track before the green flag – albeit at the rear of the 26-car field, rather than on the front row.
With the green flag in the air, Porter went to work. In just four laps he had made up 15 positions and was into the top 10 at the end of lap five. By lap 13, he was fourth, but almost 19 seconds behind the podium contenders including RAFA Racing teammate Caroline Candas in the No. 84 8Twelve Wheels Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport.
That gap evaporated with a well-timed full course caution on lap 15 to bunch the field. Unfortunately, the incident ended the day for Paige Morales and the No. 87 RAFA Racing Club Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport when she was caught up in the action.
The race restarted with just over nine minutes to go, and both Candas and Porter moved up one position when the second-place car spun. Porter moved around Candas shortly after and aimed his target at the lead car.
Porter had one last shot at the lead with a lap to go, but despite just two previous races in his history made a veteran move by bailing out and avoiding any contact. Instead, he crossed the finish line just 0.411-second behind the leader for a second-place finish after making up 25 positions.
It was enough to hold the championship lead, as Porter won both races flag-to-flag in the opener at Sebring. Because of that, the 25 passes in Saturday’s race were the first passes of his young racing career.
“It felt good,” Porter said. “That was like my actual first race. To do 25 overtakes, it was probably a lot more fun than even winning at Sebring. I got very confident in the setup. We made a small tweak after qualifying going into this, and the car felt so much better. I felt like I was driving and touching the rear bumpers. It was really cool. I actually wonder what the fans were saying because I was doing overtakes where you don’t see overtakes done. It was a lot of fun, it was a great race.”
Porter is a three-time Call of Duty world champion under his gamer moniker of CrimSix and has countless sim racing laps in preparation for his new career of professional racing driver. Even on the sim, however, Porter had never started at the back of the field just to try and make passes.
“Not intentionally, at least,” Porter said. If I am ever in that situation, it is not intentional. The safety car definitely helped me. I don’t know if I would have caught them without it. I have to thank the crew guys at RAFA Racing by JDX for even giving me a chance to be out there and make that run. Their quick work on the grid really saved the day and even gave us a chance to race for the win, so I’m grateful for that.”
Candas joined Porter on the podium following her third-place finish, the third podium for the French driver in as many races. Teammate Rafael Martinez finished seventh in the Pro-Am class in the No. 85 RAFA Racing Club Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport.
All four RAFA Racing by JDX drivers will get a second shot at victory on Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park. Porter will start that race on the outside of the front row, with Candas lined up just behind him in the double-file start. The green flag is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. on Sunday, just following the NTT IndyCar Series race at the same location. Sunday’s race, as well as a replay of Saturday’s race, can be seen on the Porsche Motorsports North America YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@porschemotorsportnorthamerica.
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.
