Porsche recently helped hone the skills of a group of five talented young drivers at its third annual Porsche Young Driver Academy at Barber Motorsports Park, from October 19th through the 20th.
Three of this year’s drivers drew the interest of the manufacturer with their respective performances in past North American IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge seasons. Another one of the drivers garnered attention through the 2014 IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, and the last driver comes from junior open-wheel racing and the 2014 Red Bull Global Rallycross.
According to website Motorsport.com, the Porsche Young Driver Academy grants their carefully hand-picked up-and-coming North American drivers the “benefits of a program based on Porsche’s European Junior selection process.” Pupils are put into classroom sessions to instruct them in both the mechanical and public relations aspects of racing, and their driving prowess is studied on public roads, as well as on-track at Barber Motorsports Park.
Two of last year’s alumni of the Porsche Young Driver Academy went on to drive this past year in the IMSA Tudor USCC series, both the PC and the GTD classes. Two more placed second and third in Yokohama’s Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA. 2012’s pupils have accomplished impressive finishes in the American Le Mans series, Tudor USCC, Pro Mazda junior open-wheel, and others.
Said Porsche Motorsport North America CEO Jens Walther: “We are proud to see the graduates of this program competing worldwide… We have seen the results in the success of the first two years. This year’s class promises to have that same level of impact on the future of motorsports.”
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