I’m fresh off my first motorsport event of the new year! I was at Sebring International Raceway with my good friends at APEX One for their annual Pre Grid event, which not only constitutes a great winter testing opportunity but also incorporates some practice racing into the mix.
This is a great way for drivers to both knock off the winter rust and refine their racing skills. The chance to practice things like starts and restarts typically only happens during an actual race.
I was at Sebring with Mark Sandridge, and I’m excited to be working with him and Team Salad again this season. Mark had an exciting acquisition over the winter: he upgraded to the current model of the Porsche Cup car. This platform, with all of its latest advancements, is a familiar one to me, and I was excited to help Mark learn the car.
Some of the biggest changes to the car beyond its handling and braking characteristics are found in the cockpit, with electronic advancements such as adjustable ABS and traction control settings. As Mark adapted to the new car, we really focused on these specific changes to help Mark acclimate to them.
We were blessed with good weather over the course of our time at Sebring, and that allowed us to get some really beneficial time on track. Not only did we shake the car down, but we also got to put in some quality laps.
Now, after meeting our goals for Sebring, we’re ready to accomplish more at our next event, which will be at the beginning of next month. Mark’s son will join us at that event, and he’ll be making Team Salad a two-car effort for the 2026 racing season. I’m already looking forward to getting back at it with the two of them!
It’s a short turnaround for me this week since the 2026 season is starting up, beginning with the first IMSA race of the year, the Rolex 24 at Daytona. I’ll be reporting next week on all the happenings there.