Local Racecar Driver Returns with Impressive Finish in Atlanta

ATLANTA — Lakewood Ranch's John Rudolf returned to the raceway for the first time in two decades, March 22-23 at the Ginetta Challenge at Road Atlanta. Rudolf finished second in race one. Despite losing his rear sway bar in race two, he was able to muster a fifth-place finish among the nationwide field of 20 drivers, all with his wife and five children cheering him on.

The 2025 Ginetta Challenge North America Series features the G56 GTA racecar by British-based Ginetta, a builder of dedicated race cars. The striking, tube-frame, fiberglass-bodied vehicles run on stock Ford 3.7-liter V6 engines attached to an electro-pneumatically paddle-shifted Quaife six-speed transmission, sending power back to a clutch-type limited-slip differential.

Rudolf trains drivers at Sebring Raceway, having coached more than 3,000 drivers over the past five years. The next race is in Indianapolis on July 14 and 15. The Ginetta Challenge Season Champion will be awarded a weekend race entry in the UK GTA Championship series later this year.