DANVILLE, Virginia (June 13, 2024) – As the halfway point of the season approaches, RAFA Racing Team leads virtually every available point race in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Cayman Pro-Am class and carries those advantages into a doubleheader at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) this weekend, June 14-16.
The four-car program featuring drivers Caroline Candas, Rafael Martinez, Paige Morales and Ian Porter will be on track officially for the first time during Friday’s practice, leading into a pair of 35 minutes (plus one lap) races on Saturday and Sunday. The races, with the green flag at 1:40 p.m. EDT on Saturday and 9 a.m. EDT on Sunday, can be seen live on the Porsche Motorsport North America YouTube channel at Youtube.com/@PorscheMotorsportNorthAmerica or on the series website at PorscheSprint.com.
Each of the four drivers find themselves in contention for at least one season-long title as they enter rounds seven and eight of the 14-race championship. RAFA Racing Team leads the Cayman Pro-Am with Porter, sits second with Candas, and fifth with Martinez. Candas and Morales are the top-two point scorers in the Porsche Junior drivers category in the class, while Candas and Morales are first and third, respectively, in the class in the Mobil1 Female Driver program.
Porter has jumped to the top of the point standings the old-fashioned way – by winning races in the No. 86 Grid Finder Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. In his first season behind the wheel of an “analog” race car, the retired eSports star and three-time Call of Duty World Champion has won four of the opening six races, and finished second both times he wasn’t the race winner.
Candas has chased Porter in each and every race but has been one of the few drivers in the field able to match his pace. Her four runner-up finishes and a third-place in six races leaves her a solid second in the field with optimism that she’ll earn her first win soon. The French-born driver also leads both the Porsche Junior and the Porsche Mobil 1 Female Driver program standings in Cayman Pro-Am with her No. 84 8Twelve Wheels Porsche Cayman.
Martinez has made the most of his first full season in motorsports, beginning with his effort in Porsche Sprint Challenge Cayman Pro-Am class. After racing a season in Europe a year ago, he took a step forward in both quantity and quality in 2024 in adding Porsche Sprint Challenge to the SRO GT4 European Series. It’s paid off in his pace, as Martinez has visibly improved the lap times in his No. 85 RAFA Racing Club Porsche Cayman each weekend and sits fifth in points through consistent finishes.
Like her teammates, Morales continues to improve each and every race weekend. Her season-best finish of sixth place in the No. 87 RAFA Racing Club Porsche Cayman has boosted Morales to a seventh-place in the standings. But Morales is also one position behind Candas in the Junior driver standings and third in the Mobil 1 Female Driver point battle at the midway point of her rookie season.
The Porsche Sprint Challenge field, including all four RAFA Racing drivers, is on track for the first official practice session on Friday morning following a Thursday test day. Qualifying takes place during a 25-minute session on Saturday morning, followed by Saturday afternoon’s race at 1:40 p.m. EDT. Sunday’s race begins at 9 a.m. EDT, with both races and qualifying streamed live at PorscheSprint.com.
RAFA Racing Quote Board
Ian Porter, Driver, No. 86 Porsche Cayman: “I’m really looking forward to the challenge VIR is going to present this week. I’ve been grinding hard on iRacing to learn the track and even jumped into a league through Grid Finder for more experience. I’m looking forward to finally being out there in real life. This is the first race this year where I haven’t been there in person before the race weekend but the goals remain the same – to do what we can to bring home a pair of wins.”
Rafael Martinez, Driver, No. 85 Porsche Cayman: “It’s race week and I’m ready for round four of Porsche Sprint Challenge at VIR. We’ve all been working hard on the sim to prepare for this one. My goal is to solidify a spot in the top 10 overall this weekend. Will I manage to? That’s the question. I know the entire RAFA Racing family is ready and up for the challenge and we’ll be at our best for this week’s races.”
Caroline Candas, Driver, No. 84 Porsche Cayman: “I’ve spent time on the sim to get ready for VIR and am looking forward to a new track for me. The goal remains to get that first win. Our other great news this week was the announcement by Mobil 1 to join Porsche’s Female Driver Development program, and it’s such an honor to represent such iconic brands alongside RAFA Racing Club. I can’t wait to back to racing!”
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.
