Irish racing driver Alyx Coby has made a winning start to her professional career, having claimed a double victory on her GT debut weekend at Road Atlanta in Georgia, USA.
The 17 year old from Newbridge, Co Kildare was signed up by top US GT team Random Vandals Racing in 2021 to provide an opportunity for her to step up from karting into car racing.
Based out of New Jersey, Random Vandals Racing competes in numerous GT championships across America. Coby drove their Vbrick Systems BMW M2, partnering experienced drivers Jessica Tracy and Mike Kanisczak in the double-header race weekend at the challenging, high-speed 2.540 mi (4.088 km) circuit.
Despite the pressure to get to grips with the car and an unfamiliar circuit, Coby impressed with her pace from the beginning and gelled well with her teammates, helping them qualify in 1st position in their class and 2nd overall, from which the trio would start their race to the top step of the podium.
Paul Sparta, Random Vandals Racing Team Principal and Driver said: “We knew that Alyx had talent, but she performed well beyond expectation, never putting a wheel off and gaining speed to match her co-drivers. Her composure in race conditions showed maturity and aggression. Her fit within the team was fantastic, and we hope to be a part of her future plans, which we expect to be bright.”
Alyx is following her family’s racing tradition – her father Gary and uncle Aaron both competed in motorsport. Having rewarded her team with a win on her debut and backing it up with a second victory in Sunday’s eight-hour race, Alyx has made a name for herself as a star of the future”
Alyx Coby said: “I don’t know what to say, I am still processing it all. It’s my first time in the USA and that experience alone has been a lot to take in. From the moment I got to the circuit, The Random Vandals team have been nothing but supportive and encouraging. I want to thank them all for making me feel so welcome. I got to work with IMSA champion Bryan Sellers and former F1 driver Derek Daly, who helped make me feel so comfortable in the car so quickly and gave me so much confidence.”
“I absolutely loved every minute of being in the BMW M2. Road Atlanta is scary fast but I just allowed myself to build up and push my limits bit by bit. In the end, I was getting more and more confident I could match the pace of my teammates. I want to thank Paul Sparta for this incredible opportunity to make my debut with his team. A win on my car racing debut is something I could only have dreamed of. It is an incredible feeling.”
Irish former F1 and IndyCar driver Derek Daly and veteran IMSA and Daytona winner Bryan Sellers were on hand to support Coby as she got to grips with transitioning from her kart to much more complex machinery.
Derek Daly said: “I heard about Alyx about two years ago and I was curious as to how she would handle the transition from karts to race cars. In a totally new environment, in an unfamiliar country and on a very challenging race track she had never seen before, she was completely unflustered. She impressed a lot of people with her raw speed and consistency.”
Bryan Sellers said: ”One of the most rewarding things in Motorsports is getting the opportunity to see young talent get opportunity to learn and progress through the sport. I was blown away by Alyx and her immediate adaptability to sports car racing. Other than the fact that the car had a steering wheel and pedals, it couldn’t be more different from anything she’s ever done before. She was a quick learner and very diligent in her progress. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for her.”
For more information about Alyx Coby, visit: https://www.alyxcoby.com/
For more information about Random Vandals Racing, visit: https://randomvandalsracing.com
For more information about Vbrick, visit: https://vbrick.com
ENDS
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