Continental Tire IMSA Spotlight: Dillon Machavern

IMSA Spotlight: Dillon Machavern
Driver: No. 28 RS1 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR
Follow: @MachavernRacing

What does winning the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge GS title mean for you and your career?

“Winning the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge GS championship this year was an incredible experience. I am extremely grateful that I was able to play a part in earning the title, but it truly was a team effort.

“The chemistry between the RS1 team and the drivers, determination to succeed, along with the reliability of the Porsche GT4 Clubsport MR were all factors in the accomplishment.

“As far as my career goes, I am excited to see what the future holds. Hopefully the title opens up future opportunities, allowing me to remain in the IMSA paddock for years to come.”

Did you believe at the outset of the season that a championship was within reach?

“I came into the season confident that I was backed by a solid team that knew how to win championships, as RS1 did in 2016 with their ST program.

“I also knew that the Porsche Cayman was a proven package. Even though it was the first year for the MR spec GT4 the Clubsport had proved itself in races around the world.

“We knew Porsche was going to provide another winner with the new MR. I had also driven with [Dylan] Murcott in the past and we worked really well together so we had all the pieces in place for a great season.”

Was there a turning point in the season that you can point to in your championship hunt?

“I think that there were a couple turning points for us this season, the first being at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park where we got our first podium of the season which was a massive momentum shift for the team.

“We built on that the next few races with two additional second place finishes in a row.

“The win at VIR was a dramatic swing for the No. 28 car. Even though we had picked up the points lead the race before at Road America, the victory enabled us to really stretch out the points lead going into the last two races of the season.”

How confusing was it to have a teammate with the same name, albeit spelled differently? Did you have to have nicknames to keep it straight?

“As I mentioned earlier, Murcott and I have worked together in the past full time in 2014 and in a one-off ST race with RS1 in 2015, so to us it was nothing new.

“Although it was funny to hear the different nicknames that people came up with; the announcers and TV hosts definitely had fun with it. But within the team we generally went by last name to keep it easy.”

What can you tell us about your plans for 2018?

“What I can tell you is that I am excited to be in a position to defend the GS title in 2018 in the No.28 RS1 YouRulz Porsche Cayman.”