Persing Headlines Three-Car Effort from Cameron Racing

Californian sports car powerhouse Cameron Racing has announced a full-season effort in the Blue Marble Radical Cup North America series, which will run in parallel to its BMW M4 GT4 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge program.

Running the team’s iconic No. 19 will be rising star Nick Persing, who switches to prototypes from Formula Regional. He’ll be joined by another young gun, Arul Venkateh, and Dan Decker, who both made select appearances during the 2022 season.

With a storied career in Grand-Am, SRO, and IMSA competition, as well as Formula Atlantic with Lynx Racing, team owner Steve Cameron has been instrumental in the development of numerous stars including former IndyCar driver Patrick Carpentier, ‘super-sub’ Memo Gidley, Alex Barron, Indianapolis 500 Champion Buddy Rice, Michael Valiante, Daytona 500 Winner Michael McDowell, Bryan Sellers, and Porsche Penske Motorsport driver Dane Cameron– who happens to be Cameron’s nephew.

To bolster the team’s driver development opportunities, Cameron joined forces with Anthony Ward in 2016 to start Radical Northwest, which from its base at Sonoma Raceway has quickly become one of the largest Radical dealers in the country, selling 20 new cars a year.

With prototype racing having renewed focus thanks to the success of GTP, Hypercar, and LMDh, the project has even more relevance.

“We have three drivers this year confirmed and ready to go, two of them younger age that has chosen Radical Cup with its four IndyCar weekends as an alternative to open-wheel racing,” expressed Cameron, who owns, operates, and provides much of the leg work behind his Cameron Racing outfit.

“I am working hard to help push people to the most fun, yet competitive and affordable series that North America has to offer. I have even started pushing my son, Christian Cameron towards Radical racing with a recent test in one of our team cars.”

Persing, a seven-time FR Americas podium winner and long-time karter, is expected to be a threat for race wins and podium results in the PRO 1500 class from the first green flag of the season.

While just 20 years of age, Persing’s sheer speed and wealth of track knowledge means he will act as team leader and is committed to helping put Cameron racing on top.

Joining Persing in the Cameron Racing/Radical Northwest stable will be Venkatesh.

A former F4 competitor in the Formula Pro USA program, Venkatesh is another young driver bringing his talents from open-wheel racing to Radical Cup’s PRO 1500 ranks.

After taking two third places during his series debut in Utah, Dan Decker is set for a full season of competition in 2023 as he looks to build upon his improvement and success from last year.

Cameron added: “These drivers will help build and mold Cameron Racing in the future. They all come from open-wheel racing backgrounds but found those programs political and expensive.

“A new door has opened for all of them and their careers in the sports car world, and I think their switch and future success will help pave the way for other younger drivers to choose a different path into Radical Cup in the future.”

Along with the confirmation of three drivers for the 2023 season, Cameron Racing/Radical Northwest also noted it will also be one of the first outfits in the U.S. to take delivery of the new Radical SR3 XXR.

The 2023 Blue Marble Radical Cup season kicks off on March 9-13 alongside Trans Am during the New Orleans SpeedTour event, before joining three IndyCar events– the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix, on April 28-30, the Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America, June 15-18, and Honda Indy Toronto on July 14-16.

A penultimate round takes place at COTA, August 25-27, before the series rejoins IndyCar for its season finale during the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey on Sept. 8-10.