The RAFA Racing Team enters a busy week ahead with five drivers doing battle at two high-profile venues as our IMSA VP Sportscar Challenge and Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup squads prepare for rounds three and four of their respective championships.
Our VP Challenge combination of Daytona double winner Kiko Porto and Ian Porter, plus LMP3 racer Matthew Dicken, will be in action at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, with the championship racing on the support program for the third round of the NASCAR Cup Series.
On the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, Caroline Candas and Maite Caceres will contest rounds three and four of the MX-5 series with RAFA Racing Team by MMR at the opening round of the NTT IndyCar Series.
For Porto, Porter and Dicken, the COTA event will be a new experience with the NASCAR weekend using the shorter 2.3-mile National circuit. After the esses, the circuit takes a left-hand turn at turn six and rejoins the longer Formula 1 circuit near the end of the back straight.
Porto heads to Texas after taking his pair of wins at the Roar before the 24 weekend in Daytona, while Porter will be chasing more trophies after clinching a third-place podium finish in round two and earning the victory in the Bronze driver title chase.
In the LMP3 class, Matthew Dicken will be out to repeat his podium performance from round two at Daytona.
In St. Petersburg, Candas and Caceres will be looking to bounce back after the dramatic crash at the start of round two at Daytona. After two competitors at the front of the pack crashed heavily at the green flag, a NASCAR-style “big one” followed, with Caceres eliminated immediately and Candas heading to the pit lane for repairs.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE (All times Eastern)
Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup – Streets of St. Petersburg
IMSA VP Sportscar Challenge – Circuit of The Americas
Friday, February 28
10:00: MX-5 Practice 1
1:00: VP Challenge Practice 1
12:20: MX-5 Practice 2
3:00: VP Challenge Practice 2
7:30: VP Challenge Qualifying
Saturday, March 1
8:05: MX-5 Qualifying
9:40: VP Challenge Race 1
4:25: MX-5 Race 1
6:00: VP Challenge Race 2
Sunday, March 2
3:00: MX-5 Race 2
Conway thrilled with Daytona debut for RAFA Racing Team
Three separate championships, eight drivers, and six separate cars – RAFA Racing Team certainly “jumped in at the deep end” for its debut last month at the Daytona International Speedway.
While the Daytona trip provided the full range of racing emotions, from the thrill of victory to the disappointment of a race-ending lap one crash – team boss Kevin Conway was thrilled with the debut performance.
“Having a pair of wins with Kiko was brilliant, and In LMP3, we were able to get Matthew Dicken on the podium, which was a great way to start the VP series,” Conway said.
“For Michelin Pilot Challenge, we introduced Rafael Martinez to the GS class, and he got to race at Daytona for the very first time.
“Rafael and Jim (Jonsin) did an excellent job learning a new car with the Toyota GR Supra and getting used to an entirely new series.
“They really impressed, and I’m excited for the rest of the season as we chase the bronze cup championship in the GS class.”
Candas goes from the high banks to the city streets in MX-5
After an impressive debut season last year in Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama, French racer Caroline Candas has now begun 2025 in the Whelen Mazda MX-5 championship with two dramatically contrasting circuits kicking off the season.
Not only did Candas and teammate Maite Caceres have to get used to a new car and new track at Daytona, but the female duo also had to learn the tricks of the trade of bump drafting as they did battle on the high banks.
Everything they learned in the opening two rounds of the season won’t do them much good for rounds three and four this weekend – swapping those high banks for the tight, twisty, and unforgiving confines of the St. Petersburg street circuit.
“It was awesome to get to race at Daytona, as it has always been a dream of mine, Candas said.
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t do a lap in qualifying because of a puncture, which put me on the back of the grid. Race one was really a learning experience in both wet and dry conditions.
“The start of the second race was completely crazy, with a huge crash at the field. I tried my best to avoid the carnage, but I had to go back to pit lane to change tires because of a puncture as well as some body damage.
“In the end, I made it through to 17th, but I came away from the weekend with a lot of experience in a situation with drafting that was completely new for me.
“St Petersburg this week couldn’t be more different from Daytona, but I’m really looking forward to racing on the street circuit.”
