The Drivers
DRIVER BIO: DON KITCH JR.
Seattle resident, race car driver Don Kitch, Jr., has been involved in motorsports for over 20 years and is well known in the automotive industry. A veteran of over 200 professional and amateur racing starts, Kitch has involved himself in every aspect of the “Driving Industry.”
In 1997 Kitch founded Team Seattle. The campaign centers around the 24-Hours Of Daytona Sports Car Race as a fund raiser for Children’s Hospital of Seattle.
“Ever since my first experience at the Rolex 24 in 1990, I dreamed about fielding an all Seattle Team. In the past decade, we’ve done just that, bringing back over $3.4 million for the kids. Well, we’re back in Daytona and I hope this continues a long tradition with Seattle, Children’s Hospital, and the Rolex 24.”
DRIVER FACTS
- Birthplace: Hollywood, CA
- Height: 6′ 2″
- Weight: 175 lbs.
- Residence: Bellevue, WA
- Married to Donna Porada-Kitch, 2 daughters
DRIVER BACKGROUND
1991-Present
- 2009 Le Mans driver finishing 9th in rookie year
- 2006 ICSCC 8 Hour Enduro – 1st Place Overall
- Professional Sports Car GARRA G.T. Competitor
- international Motorsports Association (IMSA) competitor
- Barber SAAB Pro-Series competitor
- Bridgestone Super Car Series competitor
- Firestone Firehawk Endurance Series competitor
- Exxon Supreme GTS-1 competitor
- Exxon World Sports Car Series competitor
1982 – 1990
- International Conference Sports Car Clubs competitor
- D-Production Champion
- GT-2 Champion
- Formula Ford- ICSCC “Driver of the Year”
- Formula Ford- Steve Phillips Cup winner
IN HIS OWN WORDS
How did you get started in racing? “Wheels. Ever since I can remember I’ve always built and raced something. When I was about 8 my Dad and I bought a baby buggy at the salvation army and I used the wheels on everything. My friends would come over and want to play football – I always wanted to play coaster carts. We’d build a cart with the wheels and race it and race it and crash it. Then build it again! The lawn mower engine saw a lot of uses too, from soap box derby to go-carts. I’ve always loved cars – it was only a matter of time until I would race”
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DRIVER BIO: JAMES GUE
DRIVER BACKGROUND
- Years racing: 19 (10 years in go karts, 9 in cars)
- Number of races: 843 (723 karting, 125 cars)
Results (Past 5 Years)
- Wins: 5 (2 in American Le Mans Series, 3 Grand-Am)
- Podiums: 20, Top 5’s: 33, Top 10’s 49
Final Points Finishes
- 2004 American Le Mans Series 2nd place Drivers Championship
- 2005 Grand-Am Koni Challenge 7th place
- 2007 Grand-Am Koni Challenge 4th place
- 2008 Grand-Am Koni Challenge 2th place
- 2009 Grand-Am Koni Challenge 2th place
DRIVING EXPERIENCE
- Karting
- Formula Ford 2000
- Historic Sports Car Racing – Group C cars
- Grand-Am Rolex Series – Daytona Prototypes, GT
- Grand-Am Koni Challenge Series – Grand Sport, Sport Touring
- American Le Mans Series – Prototype 2
OTHER DRIVER INFORMATION
- Obtained a BA in Economics from the University of Georgia
- Lived in Italy for 2 years racing karts, also speaks conversational Italian
- Tested NASCAR Truck for Roush Racing’s Discovery Channel Show
- Drove in pre-qualifying at Le Mans in a Prototype 2 car
- Instructs privately and for racing schools for 8 years
- Currently a certified Instructor for the Porsche Sport Driving School
- 118 karting wins
- 4 time Georgia State Karting Champion
IN HIS OWN WORDS
How did you get started in racing? “I grew up in a racing family. My parents have had their own team (Essex Racing) and been involved in motorsport for about 30 years. So, from the day I was born I’ve been surrounded by racing; I grew up watching races at Road Atlanta and by the time I was 6 years old I had my own go-kart. We bought it from a pawn shop for $50, and my brother and I used to drive it around the parking lot at my dad’s race shop every weekend for about 2 years. When I turned 8 years old I had my first opportunity to drive on a real kart track. After that day I was hooked, and I knew that I wanted to race cars for a living. I am very fortunate to have been able to race ever since, which has been almost 20 years now.”
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DRIVER BIO: LEH KEEN
Name: Lehman McGrath Keen III
Date of Birth: July 22, 1983
Birthplace: Dublin, GA
Residence: Charleston, SC
Fast Facts: Leh has competed in the Rolex GT Grand-Am series since 2004. He is the current 2009 Rolex GT Class Champion. He returns for the 2010 season in the Dempsey Racing/Team Seattle/ JG Sports LLC Mazda RX8 (Car No.41)
Career Highlights: Leh Keen’s rise to the top of International GT Sportscar Racing has been almost as fast as his lap times at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriquez in Mexico City. After poles and wins in just about every amateur race entered, Leh ran three professional races in the prestigious Rolex Grand American Series at the end of the 2004 season – capturing two podiums. For the 2005 season, Leh started the year with a sixth place finish at the grueling Rolex 24 at Daytona. He ended his rookie year fifth in Rolex points and helped bring his Autometrics Motorsports team home third in the Team Championship. For 2006, Leh teamed with Synergy Racing co-driver David Murry where he again finished the season fifth in Rolex points. In 2007, Leh signed to drive exclusively for Farnbacher Loles Racing where he has enjoyed multiple podiums and pole positions. In 2008, Leh continued to drive for Farnbacher Loles Racing where he enjoyed multiple podiums. In 2009, Leh won the Rolex GT Championship (with Dirk Werner) in a Farnbacher Loles Porsche GT3
Personal: When not racing, Leh works at GSC Motorsports in Charleston, SC in marketing and sales
Hobbies: Jet Skiing, Boating, Snow Boarding, Photography & Working Out
DRIVER BIO: DAVE LACEY
Birthdate: 4/4/1968
Birthplace: Durban, South Africa
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
A native of Durban, South Africa, Lacey resides in Toronto. He has competed in GRAND-AM since 2000, winning in the GTO class in a 2000 event at Mid-Ohio. He is also a three-time winning in Continental Tire Challenge competition, including the Fresh From Florida 200 at Daytona in 2002.
Lacey is the Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Brookfield Asset Management, an international asset manager focused on property, power and infrastructure assets. His father and wife are an integral part of his racing program.
