GT3 Cup: Benitez to drive for JDX for remainder of season

JDX Racing looks to stir up the Championship in the Platinum class with the signing of Venezuelan sports car racer Angel Benitez Jr. Angel will drive the No. 05 JDX Racing / Hertz Porsche beginning this weekend at Watkins Glen International Raceway and for all remaining races on the 2015 schedule.

JDX Racing is pleased to announce the signing of Venezuelan race standout Angel Benitez Jr. The 25-year-old sports car racer is a native of Venezuela, where he began racing at the age of 14 in open wheel race cars, claiming two national Championships before launching his career stateside. Angel is no stranger to the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama, as Benitez Jr. claimed the Gold Cup Championship in 2012 in his rookie year. Following 11 race wins in his breakout freshman season behind the wheel of the Porsche GT3 Cup car, he stepped into the Platinum class for the next two seasons, where he finished second and third in the championship respectively, all while claiming 10 overall race wins. Angel will make his JDX Racing debut piloting the No. 05 JDX Racing / Hertz Porsche.

Benitez Jr. commented, “This is an incredible opportunity for me - thank you to Hertz and JDX Racing, we were finally able to work together. JDX and I first started talking back in 2013, and we have continued to develop a relationship. It is now time to take it out onto the track, with one common goal - win races. It’s actually a pretty nice coincidence that we are starting our race season at one of my favorite race tracks, Watkins Glen. I can assure the fans and the people that follow this great series that I’m really excited to get back in a Porsche. JDX and I are going to work extra hard to represent Hertz, Porsche, the team and series with great pride.”

Team principal Harrison Brix said, “Angel has been such a standout in this series, so we are very excited to have him join Hertz / JDX Racing for the remainder of the 2015 season. He won the Gold Cup Championship in 2012 and participated in the 2013 Porsche Young Driver Academy following his first year in Platinum Cup, so that speaks directly to his commitment and pace in a Porsche. We have wanted to have him in a JDX car for quite some time, but until now, the planets just didn't align. I have no doubt he will get settled right in and make a charge to front of the field at the drop of the flag.”

The green flag for rounds 4, 5 and 6 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama are scheduled June 25-27 at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York. Round 4 was rescheduled from a rainout in April at NOLA Motorsports Park. All three races are timed, 45-minute events that support the Tudor United SportsCar Championship Sahlen’s Six Hour of The Glen Sunday, June 28. Live timing and scoring will be available on IMSA.com.

Stay tuned to jdxracing.com, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/jdxracing and on Twitter @jdxracing for more news, announcements and imagery from the 2015 race campaign.