Michelin Insider: Road to Sports Cars: From Earnhardt to Block

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park 2023: Everything had been going according to plan. Frankie Montecalvo put the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 near the top of the grid, leading a practice session and qualifying second. Then, warmup happened, and the No. 12 entry developed an issue.

The crew’s hard work completed what is typically a four-hour job in just under two and a half, allowing the car to make the race.

“We fought back and, like I said, this group of guys, man, we know how to get our heads down and just get after it and get it done,” said No. 12 car chief Jesse Goldin.

Goldin’s role is simple to describe but massive in scope: he’s the one who makes sure the car arrives and runs exactly as the engineers want it. If something breaks, he’s also the one who makes sure it gets fixed.

That day in Canada, “fixed” meant a huge team effort.

Goldin is no stranger to a big team effort. His career in racing began in 1995 with an ARCA team, before a leap to Richard Childress Racing put him with the No. 3 team and the face of NASCAR: Dale Earnhardt.

“I knew who Dale Earnhardt was. I wasn’t starstruck. It’s like, ‘okay, I’d seen him on TV, blah blah blah.’ I just went there and worked,” Goldin said. “We finished second that year in the championship. I thought, yeah, that’s pretty cool. I didn’t really realize where I was at or the opportunity I had.”

Over the next 15-plus years at RCR, he wore a lot of hats—fabricator, test team member, brake specialist—helping drivers like Ty Dillon and Paul Menard.
Goldin stepped away from NASCAR and worked in the restaurant business while also dabbling in off-road and rally programs with Robby Gordon, Ken Block and Steve Arpin.

He then ran into an old friend Slugger Labbe from Toyota Racing Development. Soon after, Goldin was offered a chance to join Vasser Sullivan in IMSA.

“I said, I don’t know where it’s going to go because I know nothing about a sports car,” Goldin said. “He goes, ‘Jesse, it’s a race car. You’ll be fine.’”

Five years later, Goldin has found his rhythm in the IMSA paddock. What’s impressed him is the fan access, relentless pace and the reliability of the Michelin tires that make it possible.

“I learned real quick, when they get in that car, they’re in the gas from the time the car starts to the time it shuts off at the end of 24 hours,” Goldin said. “There’s no hokey pokey going on. There’s no playing around.”

Goldin appreciates the culture created by Jimmy Vasser and James Sullivan—and the intensity of the crew.

“We’re here to win,” said Goldin.

With the No. 12 sitting third in the GTD championship, Goldin is looking to set the car up for victory this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.