As the TC America powered by Skip Barber Racing School championship enters its midseason stretch, one driver has emerged as the one to beat, and he’s about to take his talents overseas for one of the toughest tests in motorsport. Jeff Ricca, current points leader and team owner of Ricca Autosport, will soon swap the familiar circuits of the U.S. for the unforgiving Nordschleife, competing in the 2025 Nürburgring 24 Hours in the SP 3T class.
For Ricca, the 2025 campaign has started in the best possible fashion. With five wins and two second-place finishes so far, he has taken a firm hold over the top spot on the leaderboard and is showing no signs of slowing down.
“I feel great,” said Jeff Ricca. “There have been many seasons where I was behind the points and had to play catch up the second half of the season. Going into the remainder of this season with a marginal lead really helps cushion the results needed to secure the title. I have been fortunate to have such a great team that gives us a reliable and fast car. We just need consistent results for the rest of the season and I think we can secure the title early. But like any championship, we have to take each race weekend with the proper attitude to do well and go for wins.”
Balancing a championship pursuit with the demands of running a race team would be plenty for most, but Ricca is adding one of the world’s most grueling endurance races to his plate.
“To be honest, the Nürburgring 24 Hours is so intense that I have been solely focused on that since we left Sebring,” he admitted. “I have constantly been on the simulator doing laps day and night to ensure I do my best. Our team has been working every day on our TC America Hyundai race cars and getting them prepared for VIR but as an owner, it's been a bit of a vacation from those duties right now.”
Ricca won’t be heading to Germany alone. He’ll be joined by a talented lineup, including fellow TC America competitor Gyumin Kim, a driver Ricca has shared some fierce on-track battles with earlier this season at Circuit of The Americas.
“Gyumin and our other two teammates are amazing to work with,” Ricca said. “We get along so well and we really showed that at the Nürburging Qualifiers a couple weeks ago. The talent level on the team is high and we work well together off track to balance car setup and driving styles to ensure we can complete the 24 hours. We all know it's not a competition between drivers but to work as a team and do our part on and off track. I really look forward to this race with these teammates because I know we will do well and represent our Hyundai brand.”
As a driver with extensive sprint racing experience, Ricca knows the value of aggression and precision, but he’s also learned the importance of patience, a virtue that endurance racing demands.
“Although we have 24 hours of racing to do, using those sprint racing skills really come into effect during on-track battles,” Ricca noted. “There are some risks you need to take but at the same time you have to remember those risks in sprint racing that didn't work out and learn from them. Sometimes having patience is the winning solution and only taking the risks that have a large reward. Evaluating the ‘controlled risk’ and balancing that mindset is crucial to doing well in these long endurance races, especially when there are three other drivers that are depending on you to bring back a race car in one piece.”
So, could there be more international endurance outings in Ricca’s future? The answer seems to be a resounding yes.
“Endurance racing is such a rush,” Ricca expressed. “There is more pressure on you than in sprint racing because you are not only racing for yourself but for the team. Something about that just makes it more rewarding at the end. This will be my third time competing in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring and I really hope there are many others. I’ve been eyeing up some potential races overseas for the future but most recently been in talks about some stateside opportunities in Hyundai machinery as well. We shall see what happens but I am hoping for the best.”
As Ricca continues to chase another TC America title while simultaneously preparing for one of the toughest endurance races in the world, one thing is clear – whether it’s a 40-minute sprint or a 24-hour marathon, Jeff Ricca is a driver you’ll want to keep your eye on.