Eight candidates will vie for a racing partnership with the team’s junior racing program
MILLVILLE, NJ (September 26, 2024) – PT Autosport today announced the eight finalists who will compete in its third annual Aspiring Driver Shootout in November at New Jersey Motorsport Park, with the winner earning a racing partnership and the chance to join the team’s junior racing program.
The Aspiring Driver Shootout winner will receive up to a $250k driver partnership (with $50k guaranteed). Second place earns $10,000 toward a racing school or coaching program while third place gets $5,000.
The team received 225 applications (60% more than last year) from aspiring drivers located all over the world, spanning four continents, four countries, and half the U.S. states. Applications came from a diverse base of gender, ethnicities, education levels and social backgrounds – including students and graduates from 125 different universities and 98 high schools. Those applications were whittled down to 88, who received an intensive second round of scrutiny to set the final list of candidates.
Of the eight selected candidates, two are returning from the 2023 Shootout.
Among those reviewing the applications and making the (difficult) final decisions were PT Autosport team principal Jason Myers and head of driver development – and the team’s Porsche Carrera Cup North America driver – Alex Sedgwick. Both noted the number and caliber of this year’s applicants.
“We are really excited for this year’s crop of shootout contestants,” said Myers. “It was the largest and most diverse field of applicants we’ve ever had, along with the most prepared and well-sorted applications. I think we’re going to have a very close competition. Only two veterans are returning so we’ve got five other new applicants along with our eSports winner, so we’ve got a great swath of experience and backgrounds.
“Our first shootout winner and Toyota GR Cup standout Henry Drury will be in attendance, helping with operations and other tasks,” continued Myers. “Henry is really the epitome of what we look for in a PT Autosport driver: dedication, competition, fitness, along with a great attitude and work ethic. We couldn’t have done better finding him our first year out so we are now looking forward to another winner of similar caliber!”
“It was extremely difficult to decide on the finalists this year,” said Sedgwick. “That was one of the reasons we decided to narrow the field down to eight, in order to give maximum attention to these candidates, and to enable them to have a little bit more track time, and a little bit more focus from our coaches to really try and get the most out of them – which I think will pay off in the assessment process. They must have an understanding that this is where the hard work starts. This is the start of a very long, hard road to getting to where they all aspire to be, so I’m looking forward to what we see in November. I’m looking forward to getting to New Jersey – it will definitely be an interesting couple of days.”
The Finalists are:
Joao Marcos Ribero (Johnny) Carvalhal
Age: 23
From: Born in San Diego, California and lives in Dallas, Texas
Experience: is an MSF level two instructor and NASA advanced driver
Hobbies: sailing, going to music festivals, martial arts, skiing, exploring new countries and video games
Note: is a graduate of TCU
Liam Crystal
Age: 22
From: resides in Tempe, Arizona, carries Brazilian and South African citizenship
Experience: after an extensive karting career, tested Porsche GT3 Cup and junior formula cars
Hobbies: traveling, trying new foods and activities, keeping fit in the gym and running outdoors
Note: has raced in the UAE, Europe, and South Africa
Nicky Hays
Age: 23
From: Huntington Beach, California
Experience: after an extensive karting career, finished third in the 2019 F4 France series, and ninth in the US F4 series, fourth in the 2020 FRA series, seventh in the 2022 USF2000 championship, competed in the 2023 Porsche Carrera Cup North America
Hobbies: building track cars (he and his father compete in a Honda CRX), working as a sales agent in real estate, mixed martial arts
Note: no. 1 bucket list item is to win the Long Beach Grand Prix – a race he has attended since the age of 5
Zach Hollingshead
Age: 21
From: Lake City, Florida
Experience: raced with Ocala Gran Prix and as a TB Kart factory driver, SCCA Porsche GT3 and Spec Miata race winner, crews for Copeland Motorsports in the Toyota GR Cup
Hobbies: basketball, building cars, iRacing, fashion, photography
Note: is also an experienced driver coach
Bryce Rodriguez
Age: 21
From: Beacon, New York
Experience: after an extensive karting career, graduated from the Skip Barber GT Racing school, 2022 Aspiring Driver Shootout runner up
Note: is an accomplished sim racer
Aaron Smith
Age: 23
From: Hollywood, South Carolina
Experience: accomplished sim racer
Hobbies: mowing the grass and meeting new people
Note: races with the PT Autosport by Amped Sim Racing Team
Max Stallone
Age: 18
From: Austin, Texas
Experience: karting, ChampCar endurance series, NASA and SCCA Spec Miata, Toyota GR Cup Esports league
Hobbies: surfing, wakeboarding, iRacing, reading my bible and hanging out with friends
Note: aspires to one day start his own motorsports organization that provides racing to underfunded young drivers
Alexandro Vielma
Age: 19
From: La Habra, California
Experience: accomplished sim racer and karting driver, has raced Spec Miata and Porsche Spec Boxster, Radicals and US F4, earned a spot in the Prodigy Three Championship
Hobbies: running (has competed in cross country & track at the NCAA D1 level)
Note: co-captain for More Than Miles Track Club, promoting clarity through movement
The winner will receive extensive coaching and racing experience designed to assist progression to an advanced racing series within the team’s structure, or with one of the team’s operational partners. The 2022 winner, Henry Drury, graduated from Porsche Club of America races to the Toyota GR Cup this season, earning his first series podium last month at Road America.
The Shootout will take place November 11 to 13 at the team’s main headquarters, New Jersey Motorsports Park. The candidates will undergo an extensive series of examinations to decide the winner: media interviews, driving (including sim work), and fitness testing, then a full day of driving – with the evaluation process (including eliminations) taking place throughout the day.
About PT Autosport — Discover Unique Talent. Develop Champions.
PT Autosport, based at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ, campaigns rising star Alex Sedgwick (UK) in the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup North America series with JDX Racing and 2022 Aspiring Driver Shootout winner Henry Drury (UK) in the Toyota GR Cup North America series with Precision Racing LA.
PT Autosport is dedicated to providing merit-based motorsport industry opportunities for diverse individuals with high integrity, grit, and coach-ability, achieved through a development program for young aspiring drivers, engineers, mechanics, and other professionals. The first step of this process is applying for the annual Aspiring Driver Shootout, in which aspiring drivers aged 18-23 can compete for a team racing partnership with the team.
A rigorous evaluation process of applicants determines the final competitors for the driver shootout. The winner earns financial support of up to $250,000 ($50,000 guaranteed) to pursue their racing career. The review process also provides the team the chance to identify unique talent for other roles in motorsport, including race engineers, mechanics, and professionals.
PT Autosport is building a community that fosters the development of young talent to find a place where they can make an impact in the motorsport community as a career.
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