They call Lime Rock Park "The Bullring" for a reason. It’s a short, sub-one-minute lap where traffic is a nightmare and the racing is frantic. Getting the call to jump into the No. 28 RS1 Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport just a week before the race was a challenge I was ready for, but I don’t think any of us expected to walk away with a track record.
Qualifying: From Penalty to Pole
Qualifying started with a heart-stopping moment. I was a bit too "trigger happy" and left my pit stall before the green flag flew. That’s an immediate violation, and I had to serve a drive-through penalty before I could even set a competitive lap.
On a 15-minute clock, that’s an eternity. I had to get into a rhythm instantly. On my fifth lap at speed, I hooked it up—hitting every apex and finding the perfect gap in traffic. I crossed the line with a 53.691, which was not only good enough for the Motul Pole Award by a razor-thin 0.021 seconds, but it also set a new IMSA track record for the GS class.
The Race: Defending the Lead
Starting from the pole at Lime Rock is a huge advantage because passing is so difficult, but it also puts a massive target on your back.
In the opening stint of the Lime Rock Park 120, I managed to hold off the charge from the Riley Motorsports Toyota Supra. The Porsche was a dream to drive—stable through the "Uphill" and planted through the "Downhill" leading onto the front straight. We led the field through the early stages, keeping a gap and managing our tires on a track that is notoriously hard on the left-side rubber.
The Conclusion: A Hard-Fought Fight
As the race progressed and the pit cycles began, the competition tightened up. My co-driver Stevan McAleer took over for the second half, and we were right in the mix for the win until the very end.
While the chaotic nature of Lime Rock’s traffic and some late-race yellow flags shuffled the order, we proved that we had the pace to beat anyone in the field. Leaving the weekend with a track record and a pole position in a car I had barely spent time in was a massive win for the RS1 crew and a testament to the work they put into that Porsche.
Looking Ahead
That weekend at Lime Rock reminded me why I love this sport. The margin for error is zero, and the rewards for a perfect lap are legendary.
As we push through the 2026 season with Paddock Equity, that same "all-out" qualifying mindset is exactly what I'm bringing to the Porsche Carrera Cup.
— John Dubets