PT Autosport announces finalists for the second annual Aspiring Driver Shootout
12 candidates will vie for a racing partnership with the team’s junior racing program
MILLVILLE, NJ (10 July 2023) – PT Autosport today announced the final 12 Aspiring Driver Shootout candidates who will compete at New Jersey Motorsport Park in early August for the opportunity to earn a $100,000 racing partnership and to join the team’s junior racing program.
The team received 137 applications from aspiring drivers located all over the world, spanning three continents, six countries, and 31 different American states. Applications came from a diverse base of gender, ethnicities, education levels and social backgrounds – including students and graduates from 74 different universities. Those applications were whittled down to 88, who received an intensive second round of scrutiny in order to set the final list of candidates.
Of the 12 selected candidates, four are returning from the inaugural 2022 Shootout.
“The applicants this year were a very strong group, hailing from around the globe and from a wide array of backgrounds,” said team principal Jason Myers. “It’s really great to see so many diverse groups represented across our applicants. Picking the final 12 – four from the 2022 shoot out and eight new applicants – was incredibly tough and resulted in a number of tiebreakers. Ultimately, I think we’re solid with the eight new candidates chosen and will present solid competition to the four veterans.
“We’re looking forward to running the shootout in a similar, yet slightly different format,” said Myers. “We debriefed extensively over the past year and saw some areas where we could add some testing/learning opportunities. We want these kids to have fun but also ignite their fierce competition coupled with solid decision making and judgment – as this is what will win them races and ensure a long, rewarding career in sports car racing.”
The Shootout will take place August 1 through 3 at New Jersey Motorsports Park. The candidates will be undergo an extensive series of examinations to decide the winner, including media, driving (including sim work) and fitness testing on the first day, then a full day of driving – with the evaluation process taking place throughout the day.
“We’ll assess the candidates on many different levels,” said PT Autosport driver and director of operations/driver development Alex Sedgwick. “They’ll know the areas of assessment, but without much information about what we’re looking for in terms of scoring. It’s open to interpretation, which allows them to be themselves instead of presenting what they think we want to hear.”
The selection committee/coaching staff includes drivers Ryan Eversley, Ric Collins (Porsche/Silverstone driving coach), Will Martin (currently third in Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup NA points), Anton Spires (multi-time junior series champion), and Jessie Gröse (longtime driver coach and founder of Von Gröse Motorsport). Anthony Crouchelli (master instructor in the health, wellness, and fitness industry) will conduct fitness testing, with Joseph Maggio (health counselor, medical massage practitioner, and licensed acupuncturist) managing health and wellness training.
PT Autosport is dedicated to increasing the presence of junior drivers in the motorsports industry that come from diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds. Paramount to this mission is creating career development opportunities and forming an educational, competitive, and supportive environment for all team members, allowing them to grow and learn.
The team’s multi-tiered development program begins with the Aspiring Driver Shootout. The winner will receive extensive coaching and racing experience designed to help him or her progress to an advanced racing series within the team’s structure, or with one of the team’s operational partners. The 2022 winner, Henry Drury, has begun his racing program, contesting the Finger Lakes Area Porsche Club of America’s Porsche Clash weekend at Watkins Glen International last month.
The Finalists are:
Brian Blauman
Age: 22
From: Seaford, NY
Experience: sim racing, indoor karting, touring kart, autocross
Hobbies: ski racing, working out, iRacing
Note: degree in automotive engineering from Virginia Tech
Vince Fortea
Age: 23
From: Charlotte, North Carolina
Born: Philippines
Experience: autocross
Note: degree in electronic media and broadcasting from Appalachian State
Louis Garland IV
Age: 22
From: Chicago
Experience: karting, iRacing
Hobbies: creating content, learning new schools, music
Note: former paratrooper in the Army’s 82nd Airborne
Sett Paing Htin
Age: 19
From: San Jose, California
Experience: karting
Hobbies: downhill biking, photography, reading, traveling
Max Moinfar
Age: 22
From: Potomac, Maryland
Hobbies: creating videos, sim racing, long boarding
Note: attends the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business
Eric Norman
Age: 21
From: Savannah, Georgia
Experience: sim racing, track days
Hobbies: cars, science, sim racing, food
Note: studying mechanical engineering at the University of Georgia
Anthony Ospino
Age: 23
From: Miami
Born: Colombia
Experience: karting, touring cars
Hobbies: working out, sim racing, CAD modeling
Note: earned a degree in mechanical engineering
Bryce Rodriguez
Age: 20
From: Beacon, NY
Experience: sim racing, karting
Hobbies: working out, graphic design, travel
Henrique Ruozzi
Age: 23
From: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Born: Brazil
Experience: karting, sim racing
Hobbies: sailing, traveling, iRacing, motorcycle riding
Brenna Schubert
Age: 23
From: Quakertown, PA
Experience: karting, Lucas Oil School of Racing, Formula SAE (at Penn State University)
Hobbies: Dancing, golf, swimming
Alejandro Vielma
Age: 18
From: California
Experience: shifter karts, some sports car, sim racing
Hobbies: running, collecting model cars, music
Erika Wagner
Age: 19
From: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Experience: karting
Hobbies: teaches robotics, FIU Formula SAE team
Note: studying crime science and disaster management at FIU
About PT Autosport
PT Autosport is a newly formed racing team currently based at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ. The team campaigns rising star Alex Sedgwick (U.K.) in the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America series for the 2023 season with JDX Racing and 2022 Aspiring Driver Shootout winner Henry Drury (UK) in select PCA, SCCA, and WRL races during the 2023 season.
PT Autosport is working towards bringing diversity and opportunity to the motorsport industry, hosting their annual Aspiring Driver Shootout, in which aspiring drivers aged 18-23 can compete for a $100,000 racing partnership with the team. Visit PTAutosport.com for more info.
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TikTok: @ptautosport
Twitter: @PtAutosport
Facebook: PT Autosport
