Fresh off his first win in the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge at Circuit of The Americas, Ian Porter is set to debut a striking new livery this weekend at Mid-Ohio, showcasing his latest partner: Podium 1.

Podium 1, based in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the fastest-growing racing simulator builders in the U.S..

The company was founded by a group of motorsport enthusiasts frustrated by the lack of quality and affordability in sim racing equipment. By partnering directly with industry-leading brands, Podium 1 has established a reputation for delivering high-performance, lifelike simulators tailored for both amateur and professional drivers.

The partnership came together in true Ian Porter fashion: direct, bold, and personal.

“I literally cold-emailed their support portal, just a random message,” Porter explains. “I didn’t think I’d hear anything. Then Steve, the CEO, replies in 30 minutes. That kind of responsiveness—that hustle—that’s something I respect.

“They’ve been killing it on social, on sales, and they’re even building me a custom sim rig I’ll use for content.”

For Porter, the sim is more than just a training tool. It’s where this entire journey began. After stepping away from content creation following his retirement from esports, he found himself craving a new challenge. Sim racing reignited his competitive fire and opened the door to real-world racing.

“We’ve been following RAFA for a few years and had a number of conversations at different events,” said Podium 1 co-founder, Steve Paladino.

“When Ian reached out, we knew it was the right time to join forces and grow our brands together—both in motorsports and sim racing. Winners wanted.”

Piloting a Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 for RAFA Racing Team, Porter claimed his first VP Racing SportsCar Challenge overall victory last time out at COTA. He enters Mid-Ohio second in the overall championship standings, just behind teammate Kiko Porto, and currently leads the Bronze Driver’s Championship.

His motorsport credentials are growing fast. In 2023, Porter dominated the Cayman class in Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama, collecting 10 wins in 14 starts in his debut season.

This weekend at Mid-Ohio, Porter and teammate Kiko Porto will chase more points in the VP Challenge SportsCar Challenge competition. Race 1 is scheduled for 2:00 pm (Eastern) on Saturday, and a second race on Sunday at 9:00 am.

Both races will be streamed live on Peacock in the US, and internationally on the IMSA website and YouTube channels.