The RAFA Racing by JDX Porsche Cayman Was in Contention For a Podium Before Being Punted Off Track With More Than Two Hours Remaining
AUSTIN, Texas (November 24, 2024) – RAFA Racing by JDX saw the 2024 championship-winning season end more than two hours shy of the Porsche Endurance Challenge season finale’s checkered flag on Sunday at Circuit of the Americas.
Co-drivers Ian Porter, Rafael Martinez and Caroline Candas were fighting back through the mixed-class field featuring Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars and in-class Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsports, running fourth with two-hours, 15-minutes remaining in the six-hour race. With Candas in the car, a multiple-laps-down GT3 Cup car piloted by Alan Metni hit Candas in the rear through the Esses, putting her into the wall and ending Porter’s hopes of adding a second championship to his rookie season of racing.
Porter entered the race tied for the Porsche Endurance Challenge point lead, then put the No. 85 Grid Finder Porsche Cayman on pole for the race during Saturday’s qualifying. He led the opening stint of the race, handing off to Candas and then Martinez in the opening two hours.
Though the team stumbled with a pit stop timing error early and received a penalty, each driver handled the track and the traffic and the trio sat on the lead lap at the half way point of the race.
Running a trio of professional racing rookies against a field of drivers ranging in FiA rating from Bronze all the way to Platinum, the RAFA Racing team remained on the lead lap and in contention for a spot on the podium as the clock ticked toward the two-hour-remaining mark.
But just two laps into her stint, Candas was hit from behind through the esses and the day, and the season, came to an end. The offending car served a drive through penalty while the RAFA Racing by JDX Cayman sat in the Circuit of the Americas garage.
It was an unfortunate end to a successful first season of racing for the team. Porter captured wins driving solo in the one-hour races at both Road America and Sonoma, and added 12 more on his way to the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America championship in the same car. Candas added two wins of her own in Porsche Sprint Challenge, finished second in the standing, and collected the Porsche Junior and Mobil 1 Female Development titles in the class. Martinez got in on the action, earning a podium stateside in the Porsche Sprint Challenge West race at Sonoma and an SRO European Championship Pro-Am podium at Hockenheim.
The RAFA Racing team, which runs with the motto “Race As Family Always,” completed the 2024 season with family members Grid Finder, 8Twelve Wheels, the team and crew at JDX Racing, Sphere, Nine Banded Whiskey and Random Golf Club by its side. The team now turns its attention to the 2025 season, with an announcement of the full scope of plans in the coming weeks.
RAFA Racing Quote Board
Rafael Martinez, Driver: “The result wasn’t what we were going for, but what we showed is that we have a lot of potential. We had three rookies and have never done an endurance race before, and we held our own against some serious talent. The fact that we held our own, and showed that we had the potential to compete, if not for the win, but for a podium for sure. We kind of shot ourselves in the foot with some user errors as rookies, but we were in fourth place and a chance to come out in third and potentially second before we got taken out. I’m really happy with the team and the big turn out we had.”
Caroline Candas, Driver: “We were really good on the race pace. If we take out the two penalties, we were really competitive. I think at the end of the day we could have been on the podium and that’s why I’m really disappointed with what happened on track. I’m really disappointed for Ian, because we were here to help him with his championship, and we were fighting for it. Ending in this situation is not what I wanted. It was my first endurance race and I appreciate all of it. It’s what I want for my future. I want to do the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and this was a little taste. It allowed me to discover what it’s all about and it was a pleasure to share it with Ian and Rafael and I’m thankful to them for the opportunity.”
Ian Porter, Driver: “The season itself has been really good. I think it was a really strong showing. It was a cool moment out here at the six hours because I could compare my lap times to the people I aspire to be. It was cool to see my lap times were pretty close even though I’ve only been doing this for a year. It was an unfortunate ending, but I don’t think we were set up for the most success with an amateur lineup when other teams were flying people in from around the world. It was a lot of fun.”
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.
