Great on-track competition and memorable off-track good times at a race track known for both highlighted this past weekend’s Vintage GT Challenge at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wis., May 14 – 16, where Round 3 of the 2010 Cayman Interseries went into the record books. The full weekend of Cayman Interseries and historic and vintage racing action at the classic Elkhart Lake road course was an HSR/SVRA double-header.

 

Chicago-based driver Steve Jenkins won the weekend’s trio of races in his red and white striped No. 36 Cayman S that pays tribute to the winning Salzburg Porsche 917s to join Jim McCormick as the only drivers to sweep a weekend event this season. McCormick in turn took every checkered flag in his No. 44 Cayman S that carries the white Martini markings of the famous “baby” Porsche 935 in March’s season-opening race at Sebring. Road America was all about Jenkins, however, and his three victories couldn’t have come at a better time.

"I had a perfect weekend and it was great to have Frederic Gasser of B.R.M Watches on hand this weekend to see a clean sweep,” Jenkins said after his Sunday sprint victory.  “He has been a supporter of my racing for a couple of years now, and it’s great to give him good results, especially when he is here to see it first hand!"

Jonny Ryan continued his recent run of success with a season-best second-place finish in Sunday’s sprint driving his No. 41 Cayman S in the gold and while colors of Al Holbert Racing’s Miller High Life Porsche 962.  Jim Bacus got back on the podium with a third-place showing in the Sunday sprint at the wheel of his No. 3 purple and green Cayman S modeled after the famous Martini “Hippy” Porsche 917LH.

“Road America is always a favorite stop and a virtual Chicago home game for not only a majority of the Cayman Interseries competitors but also Napleton Porsche as well,” said series founder and Napleton Porsche of Westmont General Manager Ron Barnaba. “It is also perhaps the best track in the country where the on-track fun is equaled by the off-track good times and camaraderie.  We had a great dinner as a Cayman Interseries group one night and also made the mandatory visit to the famous Siebken’s Lodge where we likely stayed a little too long.  All in all, a great weekend and one that typified what the Cayman Interseries is all about.”

RYAN ROLLS WITH ROBINSON

Ryan joined Jenkins in tripling up on podiums at Road America.  In addition to his top second-place result in Sunday’s finale, Ryan also finished third in the enduro race and Saturday’s first sprint race in what was his best weekend of Cayman Interseries competition to date.  He received some help from not only his father and racing partner Rod Ryan but former IMSA Camel GTP Champion Chip Robinson as well.  Robinson drove the middle stint of the enduro before the younger Ryan brought the No. 41 across the finish line.

At 22 – he turns 23 next month – Jonny Ryan is the youngest driver in the Cayman Interseries.  He has been driving on track since he was 16, however, and already packs a lot of experience. 

“I started driving at Bondurant in CTSs and Corvettes, then back home I drove a 1985 Carrera Targa, until last year when I moved into our 1969 911S and finally to the Miller car,” the younger Ryan said.  “I have also driven and raced Skip Barber Formula cars two race weekends.”

Ryan and his father live in Oxford, Maryland, and he is now an active PCA member and the youngest instructor candidate in the PCA Potomac region.  The elder Ryan pilots a Cayman carrying the famous markings and number of Holbert and the No. 14 Lowenbrau 962.  Both cars are maintained in the Ryan’s prep shop in the garage on their farm. 

ANDY MAKES A RUN

Le Mans and Rolex 24 At Daytona-winning sports car racing legend Andy Wallace took some Sunday-morning warm-up laps at Road America in the red No. 70 Cayman S of Tony Sitko that sports the livery of the Hawaiian Tropic/Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 935.  Wallace was reportedly impressed and enjoyed his first quick run in a Cayman Interseries car.

“I emailed Andy to thank him again for taking interest in the Cayman Interseries and our cars,” Sitko said.  “He wrote back thanking me for the little taste of the Cayman and suggested again, that if schedules permit, that perhaps we could do an enduro.  That would be sub-zero cool!”

PERFECT PNR

Porsche Napleton Racing (PNR) prepares and maintains the Caymans driven by Jenkins, McCormick, Bacus and several other top performers and has yet to lose a race this season.

“I can’t thank Porsche Napleton Racing enough,” Jenkins said at the end of the weekend. “Tim, Kyle, Ron and all of the crew do an awesome job with this series and the other drivers are great fun to race with and to hang out with during our non-track time on these weekends.  We are driving great cars and having a blast when we are behind the wheel and even when we are not racing."

PODIUM PLAYERS

Jenkins, Ryan and Bacus weren’t the only drivers to reach the top-three victory lane podium at Road America.  Lee Davis, who races with sponsorship from Luna C Clothing, co-drove his red and black No. 333 Advan Porsche 962 themed Cayman S with Ryan Eversley to a second-place finish in Friday’s enduro.  McCormick finished second in the Saturday sprint.

 

SAVANNAH NEXT UP

Next up for the Cayman Interseries is the challenging Savannah Harbor Race Course on Hutchinson Island in Savannah, Georgia, June 10 – 13.  The full Historic Sports Car (HSR) weekend features the Cayman Interseries and a full-slate of historic and vintage race cars from the past.

ABOUT THE CAYMAN INTERSERIES

Established in 2009 by Napleton Porsche of Westmont, Illinois, the Cayman Interseries is North America’s only auto racing championship featuring the exclusive use of the 320-horsepower Porsche Cayman S.  Sanctioned by Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR), the Cayman Interseries is conducting its first official season in 2010 and will crown a pair of champion drivers in both the sprint and endurance racing formats.  Races will be run on legendary circuits such as Daytona, Sebring, Road America, Watkins Glen, Road Atlanta and other premier venues. Every competing Porsche Cayman S is exclusively supplied and prepared by Napleton Porsche and each car competes with an assigned and specific heritage livery themed after a famous Porsche race car from the past.  Learn more about the Cayman Interseries at www.napletonmotorsports.com. Phone calls direct to Napleton Porsche may be made at (630) 725-0911 and email inquiries can be sent to racing@napletonmotorsports.com.