Hedge Claims Breakthrough Win in Wild First Miami Race

Photo: Jessica Johnk/Porsche

Callum Hedge survived an opening corner incident and early race contact to take his maiden Porsche Carrera Cup North America victory in the first race of the weekend at the Miami International Autodrome.

The Kiwi, in the No. 9 JDX Racing Porsche 911 Cup, finished 1.142 seconds ahead of the No. 77 Topp Racing entry of Tyler Maxson, who made a significant recovery through the 19-car field after getting collected in an opening corner incident.

Hedge became the third different winner in five races this season in the single-make series.

Nineteen-year-old Paul Bocuse completed the Pro class podium in the No. 71 Kellymoss Porsche after briefly leading at stages of the incident-filled race.

The 40-minute contest began in dramatic fashion as Cole Kleck, who started from fifth of the grid, dive-bombed into Turn 1, taking out pole-sitter Janne Stiak and damaging multiple other cars.

It included championship leaders Maxson and Aaron Jeansonne, the latter who parked his No. 24 Kellymoss Porsche off-course and was one of six retirements in the race.

Hedge took the restart in the lead with 26 minutes to go although came under attack by Jared Thomas, which saw the two cars make contact that resulted in Thomas getting spun around.

It briefly gave Bocuse the lead, although Hedge got around the Kellymoss driver three laps later to retake the top spot.

A second yellow, for debris, following multiple incidents, including separate spins for Sabre Cook and Masers class points leader Marco Cirone, was extended after Cirone ground to a halt on track after pitting.

It set up a six-minute shootout to the finish.

Thomas rebounded to finish fourth, ahead of former Pro-Am class champion Alan Metni in fifth, after running as high as third overall in the early stages in his Pro class entry.

Stiak, meanwhile, recovered from the first-corner accident to finish sixth in his ACI Motorsports Porsche after making multiple pit stops for repairs.

Pro-Am class honors went to the No. 54 ACI Porsche of Patrick Mulcahy, despite also getting collected in the start-line crash and dropping well down the field early on.

Mulcahy came home ninth overall, one position ahead of Masters winner Scott Blind in his No. 45 Ruckus Racing Porsche.

Race 2 is scheduled for Sunday at 11:10 a.m. EST, weather permitting, with live coverage on Peacock as well as IMSA and Porsche Motorsport North America’s YouTube channels.

RESULTS: Race 1

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