Young Driver Longe Has Title Goals In 2015

Subtitle:Series Rookie Ready To Take Next Porsche Step

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 12, 2015) – Andrew Longe is making his Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama debut March 18-20 at Sebring International Raceway, but he is no stranger to Porsche.

Longe, 20, from Naples, Florida, is climbing to the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA)-sanctioned Single-Make Series after winning the Sports Car Club of America T2 National Championship last season – in a Porsche. He also earned the President’s Cup Award for his performance in the National Championship Runoffs, the first Porsche driver to win the award since 1989.

The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama has been on Longe’s radar for some time, and he is certain he has all the resources for success at the next level. After all, he is staying with the same team with which he had SCCA success –two-time IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge (CTSC) championship winners Fall-Line Motorsports.

Longe has made selected CTSC starts with Chicago-based Fall-Line, and the intense, exciting competition of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama caught his eye on the weekends when both series competed at the same venue.

“I watched all of the GT3 races when I was at the same track,” Longe said. “Porsche has a great platform in the GT3 series.

“The budget is sensible. The support at track is great. They’re all really friendly. We just met the staff this weekend, and they’re already friends with everyone. I can already tell that the series is a step above the rest.”

Longe also finds support from Fall-Line. Teammate and 2014 CTSC Grand Sport champion Trent Hindman has spent plenty of time racing a Porsche and coaches Longe and dissects data with him.

“Trent Hindman has been a huge help,” Longe said. “He has a lot of knowledge as how the car handles and is a lot of help when going over data. We cover data from the GS car, too. It’s nice to work with him as well as our engineer, Nathan McBride. He’s provided unbelievable support.”

Away from the track, Longe is a college student and works as a restoration technician for The Revs Institute in his hometown of Naples, Florida. He must become well-versed about the on-track performance and off-track history of the cars he restores. Those skills could come in handy if Longe earns an invitation after this season to the Porsche Young Driver Academy, one of his goals.

“In this series I’m surrounded by so many great drivers,” Longe said. “It would be impossible to make decisions based on talent alone. I try to learn as much history as I can about Porsche and the cars. I feel I’ll do well on track, so learning as much as I can at The Revs Institute will make me well-rounded.”

Longe is aiming high in 2015, with a Platinum Cup Drivers Championship as the goal. The first step toward that aim came Feb. 24-25 during an IMSA test at NOLA Motorsports Park, where Longe and Fall-Line received feedback and kept a close eye on the competition.

“Like anyone else, I’m aiming for a championship,” Longe said. “There’s some tough competition, but I think our team is prepared to do that. At the NOLA test we practiced qualifying setup and race setup. A lot of the other teams had their pros in the car, so the time sheets were a bit off. But we calculated that I was near the top.

“There are a couple tracks I haven’t been to on the schedule, Watkins Glen being one of them. I’m excited to go, though, since it’s so famous. I think it’s great for the season to end at Rennsport. Winning there will be a major accomplishment and such an honor. I was talking to guys on the team who went last year, and they said the event is just crazy.”

Combining his knowledge of racing and Porsche lore, Longe also hinted his fellow Porsche fanatics might be in for a surprise at the Porsche Rennsport Reunion V on Sept. 25-27 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. A lineup of special guests is set to appear under the Fall-Line tent.

For updates on Longe, follow him on Facebook and Twitter at @Andrew_Longe. For updates from IMSA and the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama, follow IMSA on Facebook and Twitter at @IMSA.