Dickinson, Van Berlo to Porsche Selected Driver Program NA

Photo: Porsche

Riley Dickinson has joined the Porsche Selected Driver Program North America for this year, alongside the returning Kay van Berlo, it has been announced.

Dickinson, the reigning Porsche Carrera Cup North America champion, replaces Trenton Estep in the program for the 2024 season.

The Texan launched his open competition career in the IMSA’s Michelin Pilot Challenge series with a come from behind victory in January’s four-hour race at Daytona.

He co-drove a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport with fellow Carrera Cup graduate Michael McCarthy and Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama driver Brady Golan. Dickinson and McCarthy will contend the season together.

“I’m very eager to continue my motorsports career with Porsche,” said Dickinson. “Since the Selected Driver program was recently reintroduced to the North American market, it has been something that I have been working towards quite hard.

“This was easily the most logical step forward in my career.

“Being able to have the opportunity to work directly with Porsche Motorsport North America and have one on one mentoring from one of the greats of our sport, Patrick Long, will hugely be beneficial to me as far as my growth and development as a driver.”

Van Berlo will return as a Porsche Selected Driver North America for a second season after claiming a GTD class victory in the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca last year with Kellymoss with Riley.

The Dutchman will continue racing for ACI Motorsports in Pirelli GT4 America competition in a Porsche with team principal Curt Swearingin.

“I’m super excited to continue as a Porsche Selected Driver North America,” said van Berlo. “Last year showed me it is tremendously valuable to a driver like me that came from Porsche Carrera Cup North America and jumped immediately into an IMSA WeatherTech GT3 car.

“Looking back at everything I’ve been doing over the course of the year from IMSA to the SRO GT4 program to the 24 Hours of Spa, none of this would have been possible without the support of Porsche.”

The Porsche Selected Driver North America program was re-invented in 2023 to provide promising young drivers a curated path to the top ranks of professional motorsport.

The Selected Driver program acts as a final, official hand to drivers who have moved through the ranks of the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid North America to open competition championships such as Pilot Challenge and WeatherTech Championship as well as in SRO America competition.

“Riley is a deserving participant in the Porsche Selected Driver Program,” said Porsche Motorsport North America President and CEO Volker Holzmeyer.

“He epitomizes everything that we look for. His record setting season in Carrera Cup North America on track as well as his personality and media skills off the track are what we want to see representing Porsche in North America.

“Kay is equally deserving to retain this recognition and completely justified in his role as a Selected Driver in the competitive fields of both GT3 and GT4 competition.

“Both drivers will represent Porsche well as members of the Porsche Selected Driver Program North America in 2024.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John