Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Jonathan Goring, 2006 SBN champion, preps for one of his runs during the IMSA/ALMS test days at Sebring.
Jonathan Goring, the 2006 BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda champion, impressed mightily during a two-day IMSA Lites test at Sebring International Raceway earlier this month. Goring was quickest in all the sessions save one, where he was beaten by 2/10s by a competitor who had stuck on sticky new tires. Thoroughly enjoying his first-ever drive behind the wheel of an IMSA Lites car, Goring, 18, of Norfolk, Conn., served notice at the Sebring two-day IMSA/ALMS test that he will be the one to beat in the upcoming season. Fastest by large margins in all but one of the five sessions, he bested a large field of series veterans and rookies alike, turning in his best time of 2.02.9 in the fourth session. His lap times were consistently about two to three seconds faster than his competitors. The car performed beautifully, and Goring adapted to driving the closed-wheel car in short order, despite never having driven one prior to this test. He had only recently made the decision to move to the IMSA Lites for 2008, and to drive the Elan DP02 prepared by Athens, Ga.-based Comprent Motor Sports, following his successful 2007 rookie season in the Star Mazda series. Kevin Kloepfer, team owner, was understandably pleased with Goring's initial two-day test. "We knew he was fast, and we expected he would do well, but this exceeded all of our expectations for a first outing. I'm also very impressed with Jonathan's capability to give us precise feedback and analysis of the car's characteristics, which is a rare talent." Goring not only felt comfortable with the car, but also with the surroundings: "I immediately felt at home here with Comprent, and I would like to thank the Comprent staff, especially my engineer Terry, Brandon, Kevin and the rest of the team, for working so hard and giving me an excellent car to drive. I am looking forward to a challenging and exciting season beginning with the Sebring races in March."
Rick Roso & IMSA Staff
