JDC Motorsports Signs Koch For 2015 Season

Subtitle:Young Star Advances Via Mazda SportsCar Racing Academy

MINNEAPOLIS (March 4, 2015) – JDC MotorSports announced today that it has signed 2014 Mazda MX-5 Cup Champion Kenton Koch to drive for the team in the 2015 Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Powered by Mazda championship.

Kenton will join Clark Toppe, Matt McMurry and Gerry Kraut in a four-car JDC MotorSports lineup. The team captured the 2014 Driver’s and Team Championship with Mikhail Goikhberg, Matt McMurry and Gerry Kraut behind the wheels.

20-year-old Kenton from Glendora, California, has a current winning percentage over the past three years of 82 percent, and won the 2014 Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship in style by taking home six wins, four podiums, and nine poles in 2014, earning him not only the 2014 Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship but also providing him with a scholarship to run in a Mazda-powered-car of his choice in 2015.

2015 will be Kenton’s second year as a Mazda Motorsports Development driver and his fifth consecutive year being aided by scholarship funds.

"I'm extremely pleased to join JDC Motorsports this year," Koch said. "I know for fact this is the team to be with. Testing has been going really well and I'm feeling confident with the car already. The jump from sports cars to the Elan DP-02 Prototype Lites car wasn't as difficult as I made it out to be. I am still learning obviously, but I think when Sebring comes round I'll have the pace.

"I'm really looking forward to representing Mazda for the second time as a Mazda Sportscar Academy driver. I'm so grateful for the support they have in this sport and without them I wouldn't be where I am now."

Said John Church, JDC MotorSports team principal: "Obviously we have followed Kenton’s success in the past and we are very excited to have him drive for us in 2015. I think he will fit in perfect with Matt, Clark and Gerry this year and for sure will add to our already strong driver lineup.

"Kenton has shown that he can win races and championships and I have no doubt that he will make a fast transition into the IMSA Lites car and be a frontrunner and candidate for the championship, so as stated before with adding Kenton to the lineup defending both championships in 2015 is the goal." John summed up the teams expectations for 2015.