PT Autosport set to stage fourth annual Aspiring Driver Shootout

On Nov.3-5, as many as eight racing hopefuls will gather at New Jersey Motorsports Park to compete in the fourth annual PT Autosport Aspiring Driver Shootout, with the winner earning a multi-year racing partnership valued at up to $250,000 ($50,000 guaranteed).

Applications for the Shootout are now open. Prospective applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 23, but no prior racing experience is required – or expected.

Shootout application link: drivershootout.com

888 initial application spots are available, with 88 drivers chosen to proceed to round two. From those 88, up to eight drivers between the age of 18 and 23 will be chosen to compete at NJMP. The aspiring drivers will participate in a tough competition measuring a wide range of skills, including fitness, media, problem-solving, teamwork, and of course, driving. The winner will take the top prize, and awards will also go to the second and third place finishers.

One spot for the finals has been already secured. German-born Luis Beilicke won the six-round PT Autosport eSeries, earning him the nod into the finals. The 21-year-old former karter has earned a reputation in the sim racing world, competing with the internationally recognized Apex Racing Team.

Founded in 2022, PT Autosport has created a racing ladder system intended to foster an environment focused on learning and development, both on and off track. The team supports two SRO-based programs: Alex Sedgwick in the No. 18 Race Brew by Momentum Brewery/PT Autosport/RS1 Porsche 911 GT3 R in the GT World Challenge America Powered by AWS, and 2024 Aspiring Driver Shootout winner Zach Hollingshead competing in the Toyota GR Cup in the No. 88 PT Autosport/Race Brew by Momentum Brewery/STEM Racing Toyota GR86 Cup Car.

The team has also brought on board Jay Dennis, entering his second season as a race car technician and systems engineering associate.

Hollingshead earned the Shootout victory by showing his skill, coachability and commitment to improving throughout the Shootout. The team recently held a two-day test at NJMP in the team’s pair of Porsche Spec Boxsters, with Hollingshead, second and third place finishers Liam Crystal and Max Stallone, along with Alexandro Vielma and Bryce Rodriguez in attendance. Sedgwick, 2022 Shootout winner Henry Drury, and several other professional drivers and expert coaches brought in by PT served as coaches and mentors to help the drivers accelerate their development.

As preparations continue for this year’s Shootout, team principal Jason Myers emphasized PT Autosport’s continued vision: to help deserving young drivers who would otherwise not have had the budget or the opportunity to start their journey up the racing ladder.

“We’re excited to announce our 2025 Aspiring Driver Shootout,” said Myers. “I feel like each year, we have had more and more competition among truly outstanding candidates. I can’t wait to see all the great applications we get and start building the momentum towards this November. There is a great deal at stake in this competition, as we’ve seen our two Shootout winners really develop their skill sets – and it’s been great to work with our other podium finishers as well. That’s the point of this program, to help these young drivers progress. It’s great to see when our candidates realize that winning the shootout is when the hard work really begins.

“The recent test at NJMP is a prime example of that,” continued Myers. “It was a great opportunity for us to continue to develop our past shootout winners and runners-up, with Alex and Henry doing most of the coaching. Our Spec Boxsters are a great platform for learning, and we’ve got them set up for safe and effective right-seat rides and coaching. It was a great couple of days of hard testing, lessons learned, and a continuation of the development and camaraderie we pride ourselves on at PT Autosport.”