The four-car JDX Racing team, including Canadian driver Zach Vanier, took to the track during the Porsche Carrera Cup North America opening weekend at Sebring International Raceway in Florida. Here’s an update on how they did:
HEADLINES:
- JDX Racing Fields Four GT3 Pro Drivers in Sebring Opener
- Alex Sedgwick Claims Two Top-Five Finishes in His Return to the Series
- Zach Vanier Shows Serious Pace Throughout the Weekend
- Elias De La Torre IV Knocks on the Door of the Top-10
- Madeline Stewart Makes her Carrera Cup North America Debut
WEEKEND SCOOP:
- Alex Sedgwick Shows Great Pace in Qualifying and both Races
- Zach Vanier Shows the Field he will be a Threat in Carrera Cup
- Elias De La Torre IV has his Best Ever Carrera Cup Weekend
- Madeline Stewart the Victim of a Stray Car in Race #2
Zach Vanier – Driver, No. 9
“Definitely a challenging opening round to the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup North America Championship,” said Vanier. “We managed to salvage some points, but not nearly the amount we expected we would leave Sebring with considering the pace and performance we had throughout pre-season testing and both free practices leading up to qualifying – Just no results to show for it unfortunately. A poor qualifying session put us in a position we shouldn’t have been in, battling for a top-10 finish as opposed to a top-3 result, or even maybe a race win. Frustrating for sure knowing what was left on the table but I’ll take this one on the chin, move on from my mistakes, and use it as an opportunity to be better throughout the rest of the season. With it being such a long championship, we have some work to do to catch up and contend for the championship, but I’m confident I’ll be able to do so. Looking forward to Miami, it will be a new track for me, however, the preparation and goals remain the same – Compete for the overall victory in both races. I can’t thank my dad, my partners (Technica Mining, Sofvie, Don’s Pizza, Anmar, Porsche Centre Vaughan, Dakins Design, Byers, and Porsche Columbus), and the entire JDX Racing team enough for all their efforts, as well as the opportunity to compete in such a prestigious championship. It’ll only get better from here, and I am motivated more than ever to make it happen!”
Alex Sedgwick – Driver, No. 98
“I’m happy to start our season with two top-five finishes,” said Sedgwick. “We had a lot of items to work through and JDX did an incredible job to get the car to where it needed to be. Hopefully, next race we can make more of qualifying to be able to use the race pace to our advantage.”
Elias De La Torre IV – Driver, No. 4
“Round 1 in practice at Sebring, I struggled to feel confidence in myself and my car,” said De La Torre IV. “Our lack of qualifying pace came down to me not feeling confident enough to push the car to the limit, resulting in P14 and P12 grid positions. Race 1 was unfortunate with the contact with the #99 car, as I had nowhere to go – but we continued to push throughout the race to show that we had race pace that could rival those at the front. Race 2 was a telltale of our true race pace, where I was able to match lap times of the cars in the top-5. I want to personally thank the entire JDX crew for their relentless and constant work to help improve the car and allow me to fight for points this weekend. We will show in Miami our true pace as we strive for progress and perfection as a team.”
Madeline Stewart – Driver, No. 82
“I really enjoyed my first weekend of racing in Carrera Cup North America,” said Stewart. “The competition is tough and definitely a step up from the Sprint Challenge series, but it’s great for my development as a driver. Although we didn’t get the results that we had hoped for, we showed great potential and I learned so much. I am looking forward to building on this at round 2 in Miami. A huge thank you to JDX Racing for giving me just a fantastic car, especially Ryan, Adam and Jeremy for the help. To my Sponsors, Byers, Porsche Columbus, Spool Imports, Boss Air Suspension, Pro Sports Consulting Group and Therese, thank you for making this happen. Also a huge thank you to Porsche Motorsport North America, Mobil 1 and Yokohama for their continued support.”
Jeremy Dale, Managing Partner / JDX Racing
“Sebring has a way of humbling you, whether it’s the bumps, the heat or the traffic – there’s always a challenge thrown your way,” said Dale. “For the 2024 version, we just didn’t execute the way we know we can and the way we know we must to compete at the front. There were no major issues, and in fact the team operated as well as it has ever operated – but we missed a few key moments to perform and the results are what they are. I would like to say though…. our drivers are all on the verge of breakout performances – you can see it in every way, and that makes all of us excited to get to Miami, along with everything that follows. Thank you to each team member and driver for their hard work, and also our partners at Byers Imports / Porsche Columbus for their incredible support.”
About JDX Racing:
Founded in 2008 and based outside of Denver, CO, JDX Racing represents the very best in professional motorsports. Competing in the IMSA sports car series, JDX Racing campaigns cars in events throughout North America. JDX Racing features world-class drivers, outstanding crew members, and dynamic marketers from Champ Car, IndyCar, NASCAR, ALMS, and the ChampCar Atlantic Championship series. For more information, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/jdxracing, on Twitter @JDXRACING, and Instagram at jdxracing.
- By JDX Racing Public Relations
