There’s an old racing adage that asks, “How fast do you want to go?” The answer begs another question, “How much money do you have?”
SPEED SPORT Insider recently profiled IMSA racer Ben Keating, a well-heeled Texas car dealer who is just one of many “Am” (amateur) drivers participating in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
There’s a long list of these passionate racers who love driving, have a desire to be legitimate contenders and, hopefully, winners in the series – and possess plenty of cash.
Alan Brynjolfsson is at the top of that list.
Brynjolfsson races the brilliant yellow Porsche 992 GT3-R. He is teamed with former championship winner Trent Hindman and the duo is a natural match that Forest Gump would say, “They go together like peas and carrots.”
Brynjolfsson and Hindman recently put on a dazzling show during round four of the series at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
The Wright Motorsports No. 77 Porsche lined up last (15th in class) and Brynjolfsson and Hindman went full-tilt boogie, finishing the 2-hour, 45-minute sprint in sixth. It was their best result of the season after taking delivery of their new Porsche 992 GT3 R.
Team boss John Wright noted, “Our entire team put in a great performance in what was a very busy race. Their execution in pit lane and on track continues to stand out in a field of very skilled competitors. We’ve really made good strides with the new car and look forward to building on this momentum.”
Last year, the pairing won the Michelin Pilot Challenge, and it wasn’t the first significant title for Brynjolfsson.
“In 2019, I won the Porsche Cup worldwide. I was the first American in 12 years and they gave me a free Porsche 992 Cabriolet Turbo street car, which was pretty cool, and I got to go to the Porsche Night of Champions and received the Porsche Cup trophy,” Brynjolfsson said. “I was sitting with whole Porsche AG board of directors, which was pretty cool.”
Talk about earning “a seat at the table.”
Aside from a large greenback infusion (he has spent $3 million so far), Brynjolfsson is very clear on his role as a driver. He abhors those with a big-shot attitude.
“I think the part of being a good Am driver that a lot of Ams miss is to extract ten-tenths out of a car and think every tenth matters, and it does. But what’s most important, the paramount thing is being mistake free, that means no contact, no accidents, no spins, no penalties. You’re going to be on the lead lap for the pro driver and you’ll be getting points at every race,” Brynjolfsson said. “… I don’t take any risks.”
His remarks certainly add credence to the time-tested statement, “To finish first, you must first finish.”
By going slow-fast, Brynjolfsson noted: “I will beat a third of the pros, but not the factory pros, the lesser pros that don’t have a factory ride.”
The story is different for John Potter, our second Am driver in the spotlight.
Not only does he drive, but Potter owns Magnus Racing. The team has run different makes over the past several years and has settled with the Aston Martin Vantage GT3. Its screaming V-12 engine sets it apart from the others in the class. It’s music to the ears of some.
Potter explains how it all plays out, “Being a team owner as well, it’s a different kind of relationship beyond just funding, but holistically we get another entry that’s capable of performing at a good level.”
Potter is currently a bronze driver but had to wrangle with the FIA to stay at that level. Officials in France wanted to bump him to the silver (pro) level. This is a counterintuitive notion to argue against. Potter says it boils down to prize money.
“No driver wants to be a higher ranking,” he said. “If you’re the fastest driver in the world, you’ll earn more money with a lower ranking. When the driver-ranking system came in, it closed more doors for higher-ranking drivers and by extension it opened doors for lower-ranking drivers. There is no driver who has ever asked to be upgraded, and every year the FIA receives many applications from drivers to be downgraded. Every driver who has been downgraded has been downgraded by their request.”
There’s a strategic advantage for bronze drivers, according to the Magnus Racing team owner.
“The fact that I am a bronze driver, not a silver, that means I can start on sticker tires,” Potter explained. (If a silver driver qualifies the car, he or she must start the race on the tires used during qualifying).