Blind Lining Up GT3 Effort After Single-Make Success

Scott Blind is finalizing plans for a step up to GT3 competition in IMSA’s VP Racing SportsCar Challenge next year with Ruckus Racing, with a continuation in Porsche Carrera Cup North America alongside possible SRO America appearances after a season of unprecedented success across various Porsche single-make championships.

Having clinched five of a possible six titles in Porsche Sprint and Endurance Challenge competition this year, Blind wrapped up the Masters class title and ANDIAL Cup in Porsche Carrera Cup North America during the IMSA-sanctioned series’ previous round at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Next year he plans to continue his presence on the Carrera Cup grid while tackling a debut season of the GTDX class in VP Challenge with a Porsche 911 GT3 R.

Blind may also add selected appearances in GT America powered by AWS or in GT World Challenge America powered by AWS.

He said the team is in the process of acquiring a new 911 GT3 R Evo and Type-992.2 Porsche 911 Cup car, pending the allocation from Porsche Motorsport North America.

“We’re going to do those full eight races in Carrera Cup,” Blind told Sportscar365. “We will definitely be in the VP Challenge at the Roar, and the plan is to run all of those races.

“We may sprinkle in a few two-driver races, maybe SRO GT [World] Challenge or something equivalent. Those are kind of up in the air, but right now, Carrera Cup and VP are definitely what it’s starting to look like.

Team manager Mike Johnson added: “We have been working with Scott for three years as he transitioned from karts into [International GT] IGT. Then a mixture of IMSA, SRO, and Carrera Cup.”

“Then last year, with a full emphasis on the GT3 Cup platform. Now, Scott is ready to take the next step in the GT3 platform alongside another run in Carrera Cup, and I think he is more than ready for the challenge.”

Blind is confident that his seat time in Porsche Cup car machinery will help ease his transition into GT3 racing.

“This will definitely be a leap of faith that I’m taking,” he said.

“There’s some assumptions that I’m making that we’re going to be able to cross that threshold from the Cup car into the GT3 world, but I think, as much time as I’ve had in the [Cup] car now, and as much feel I’ve had in competition, I think it’s going to be fine.

“I had a lot of options on the GT3 side, but I think staying with the same platform with the same kind of feel and same rear engine, I think, is going to suit me well, and quite frankly, I love the Porsche family and the Porsche paddock.”

Davis Selected as GTWC America Co-Driver; Blind Using 2026 To Evaluate GT3 Longevity 

Should Blind include two-driver outings in GTWC America next year, his driver coach Andrew Davis would fill the second seat.

“I’ve been working with Andrew Davis for a lot of years,” said Blind. “I picked up Andrew in 2022, and I was in IGT and he’s worked with me through IGT, through VP Challenge in the GT4 car, in a couple of SRO races in GT America, and into Sprint Challenge and Career Cup.

“He has been an incredible teacher for me, and I would say it sure would be a lot of fun.

“I think that I’m a reasonably fast Bronze or Am, and I think he’s still a very fast pro, so I think getting in the car with Andrew would be a hit.”

Blind said stepping up to GT3 will help determine whether he wants to continue in sprint racing or lean more towards an endurance campaign in 2027.

“We’ll see if that’s something that we want to sustain,” he said. “But my thought is we’re on that ladder now and we’re going to make our way through this next year and then we’ll have a good conversation on which direction to go.”