Aitken: End-of-Season Success “Validation” for Action Express

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Jack Aitken believes Action Express Racing’s end of season run in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship was “validation” for the foundation that the team established at the start of the year.

Aitken, who was the only driver to have contested every race in the No. 31 Whelen-sponsored Cadillac V-Series.R, vaulted to a second place finish in the GTP championship following consecutive wins at the Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta to end the season.

“From the mid-season point it was pretty much all just a bit of luck and things coming together,” said Aitken. “The start of the season, certainly, there were a few new things in the team.

“We had a new driver lineup and we were still evolving a few things. There were a few mistakes here and there at some races that we could have won that didn’t go our way.

“From the halfway point of the season, there were definitely times when if the yellows rolled a bit differently we would have been on the top step.

“A lot of teams can say that a lot of the time, so it’s not really like to meant is a ‘woe is me’ thing.

“Certainly for Indy and Petit, things did just come together a lot more. We didn’t really change anything from the team’s side. It was just a new weekend.”

Aitken admitted he was shocked to have ended up as the runner-up in the championship.

“It was very cool,” he said. “It was completely unexpected as I said afterwards. We kind of stopped looking at the championship at some point because we lost a bit too much in terms of points to the leaders and we were more focused on getting back on track with the results per weekend.

“I knew we were a fair way off but I also knew that it wasn’t over. I was pretty shocked that it wasn’t even just third place but second place.

“Even when you’re doing all the right things, if a result doesn’t come to you, it’s hard to keep the positivity there.

“I think we’ve done a great job. Having the two wins under your belt in the last two races is a massive plus.

“It gives a lot of validation to the things we’ve been doing and just to keep going in the same direction.”

With Aitken and co-driver Earl Bamber set to return as season-long drivers, with Frederik Vesti again as the third pilot for the Michelin Endurance Cup rounds, the 30-year-old feels stability in the team’s driver lineup will pay dividends next year.

“I think we had a good season as a trio,” he said. “I’ve loved working with both of them, new this year from my lineup in 2024.

“We fell into it really quickly. I’m really pleased that we’re staying together for the next year; I think it’s the right decision.

“Continuity is a good thing and we push each other quite hard, which is the important thing.

“If you’re complacent then, continuity may not be the best thing.

“Earl’s bloody quick and so is Fred. They come from different ends of the spectrum in terms of their backgrounds and career.

“But that brings a nice variety into the briefing room as well.

“We get on really well, that’s a really big plus.”

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