Bringing it Home
Jul 20, 2023
USAC Porsche Spring Challenge North America by Yokohama
Lexington, OH
July 2 and 3, 2023
The miles get long during a nationwide racing series like the Carrera Cup. Weekends spent at tracks thousands of miles apart are exhilarating, but they can have one yearning for a taste of home. Luckily for Mark Kvamme and the rest of Racing to End Alzheimer’s Ohio-based partner MDK racing, the opportunity to participate in the USAC Porsche Sprint Challenge North America brought them within a tank of racing fuel from headquarters. Kvamme, the team and a blazing fast Porsche 911 GT3 donned purple and white in front of cheering friends and family at one of the nation’s most technical tracks. Racing really doesn’t get much better than that.
Under the Wire
Mark Kvamme worked patiently and methodically through the stout field during Saturday’s race. At the start, his No. 243 Porsche found some traffic and bunched in with a stack of unrelenting competitors. As they worked their way through Mid-Ohio’s most technical sections, it became clear that Kvamme would have to dig deep into his bag to break loose from the pack. With urgency but without rushing, Mark maneuvered expertly, picking off cars one by one. As he approached the top of the Am class pack, however, passes became hard-earned. After a long, grueling battle with David Williams, Kvamme prevailed and found himself within striking distance of the lead car.
Sitting in second place and biding his time before making a move, Mark hit a stroke of strategic luck. With the finish line approaching, course officials instituted yellow flag conditions, allowing the No. 243 to close the significant gap between it and the first-place car driven by Christian Hodneland. At the restart, Kvamme capitalized. He moved quickly, overtaking the leader just before the checkered flag and earning the Racing to End Alzheimer’s/MDK team a hard-fought victory.
Mid-Ohio Slip ‘n Slide
After a beautiful Saturday, the skies opened up and threw the racing equivalent of a curveball on Sunday. Mayhem ensued.
Before the race started, cars were spinning off track. During warm-up laps, even low-speed turns took cars off the asphalt as they hydroplaned on the slick surface. Like multiple others, the No. 243 took a panic-inducing spin, only to recover in heart-pounding fashion and continue the race. Other competitors weren’t so lucky, and their day ended before it began. All of this chaos resulted in only 15 minutes of green-flag racing being completed all day.
During the abridged race, Mark Kvamme focused solely on “survival.” With so many cars falling out of the race, finishing was an accomplishment in itself. By taking a leading spot early on, defending skillfully and avoiding disaster, Mark set himself up for victory on the challenging track. Despite moments of doubt, the No. 243 secured the win and completed the sweep for MDK and Racing to End Alzheimer’s.
There really is nowhere like home.