Athletes

Pipo Derani

DOB: 08/12/93

Birthplace: São Paulo, Brazil

Accomplishments: Pipo Derani was born in São Paulo, Brazil and has been passionate about motorsports since childhood and has been racing professionally since age 10. Derani has dedicated his life to motorsports, winning various championships in Brazil before starting an extremely successful international career. Derani moved to Europe at age 15 and raced in the highest level of open-wheel racing. He won races in the extremely competitive British Formula 3 and finished third in the Macau Grand Prix, known as the World Cup of Formula 3 racing. At age 20 Derani made his rookie debut in sportscar racing and made history in 2016 when he won the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, becoming the first ever Brazilian driver to win both races in the same year. Derani went on to win the 12 Hours of Sebring twice more in 2018 and 2019 making him the youngest ever three-time winner. Derani is currently racing for the Whelen Engineering Racing Cadillac team in the IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship.

Jack Aitken

DOB: 09/23/95

Birthplace: London, UK

Accomplishments: Competed in the European Le Mans Series in 2022 for TF Sport in the LMP2 class. He also competed in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup and ADAC GT Masters with Emil Frey Racing. He made his Le Mans 24 Hour debut in LMP2 with Algarve Pro Racing. Aitken, the 2015 Formula Renault Eurocup champion, has been a Williams F1 reserve driver since 2020. Has also competed in GP3 and FIA Formula 2. His father is Scottish and mother is South Korean.

Tom Blomqvist

DOB: 11/30/93

Birthplace: Cambridge, UK

Accomplishments: Born in Cambridge, UK and raised in New Zealand, Tom hails from a motor racing background. A motorsport all-rounder with wide-ranging experience across GT competition, the DTM and Formula E, Tom has established a reputation as one of the world’s leading racing drivers. Tom’s second year of endurance racing in 2018 saw him win the 24 Hours of Spa and finish runner-up at the WEC 6 Hours of Fuji alongside competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Strengthening his relationship with BMW, Tom remained in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for 2019, picking up a 3rd place podium finish at Watkins Glen. 2022 was another record year for Tom, having competed in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and All electric ETCR series. With a fantastic debut season in the Meyer Shank Racing Acura, claiming three pole positions and one new lap record at Watkins Glen. Also accomplishing multiple race victories in the Daytona 24 Hours and Petit Le Mans classics and securing the ISMA Championship title. As well as joining the Whelen Engineering #31 team, Tom will also be a full-time driver in IndyCar in 2024, driving for Meyer Shank Racing.

Jesse Love

DOB: 01/14/05

Birthplace: Menlo Park, CA

Accomplishments: Jesse Love started his racing career at five in quarter-midgets. He never stops pushing the team, its drivers, and crew. He has racked up numerous Regional, Track, State, and National championships. He is commonly known around the tracks as “The Hammer”. In 2020 Jesse became the youngest driver to win the ARCA Series West Championship in NASCAR History and then repeated that accomplishment in 2021 and in 2023 is the NASCAR ARCA Champion. 2022 – Jesse competed in the NASCAR ARCA Menards Series at tracks under 1 1/2 miles due to age restrictions for Venturini Motorsports. Jesse recorded 1 win, 8 top 5s, and 12 top 10s in 14 starts. Jesse also competed in select Super Late Model (SLM) races as well as several Dirt Midget races throughout the year. 2023 – Jesse returned to the NASCAR ARCA Menards Series and competed full time for Venturini Motorsports. Jesse had 10 wins, 17 top 5 finishes and won the 2023 NASCAR ARCA Menards Champion! He also compete in select Super Late Model races for Donnie Wilson Motorsports and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events for TRICON Garage. In 2024 Jesse will compete full time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Richard Childress Racing in the #2 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet.

Mike Goulian

Accomplishments: Mike Goulian doesn’t just fly an air show; he attacks it. Every roll, pull, and tumble of his flight is a deliberate execution of precision and millions of spectators around the world have witnessed the ferocity of his air shows. Goulian reached the pinnacle of the sport at age 27 when he won the United States Unlimited Aerobatic Championship and since then he’s represented the U.S. at the World Aerobatic Championship on three separate occasions. He returned to the competitive world with his participation in the famed Red Bull Air Race Series in 2006. He was chosen once again to represent the United States on a global stage. Mike’s relentless pursuit of perfection earned him a first-place win in Budapest, Hungary in 2009. He was recognized for his efforts when the air show industry awarded him its three most prestigious awards: the Art Scholl Memorial Showmanship Award (2006), the Bill Barber Award for Showmanship (2009), and the ICAS Sword of Excellence (2012). He is one of only seven people to have been awarded all three of these prestigious awards. Today, Goulian’s performance is the perfect marriage between man and machine. And despite his successes he remains humble, and accessible to organizers and fans alike. This rare combination has made him an unforgettable air show favorite. Social Media Facebook: @GoulianAerosports Instagram: @mike_goulian Twitter: @mikegoulian

Andy Jankowiak

DOB: 03/10/88

Birthplace: Tonawanda, NY

Accomplishments: Andy Jankowiak credits the start of his racing career with go-kart driving, but by age 15 he had moved on to four-cylinder enduro racing. It was his successful transition into the Street Stock division that eventually grabbed the attention of local Sunoco Modified team owner Jim Sulzbach who gave Jankowiak the opportunity to drive in Western New York’s top weekly racing division. This partnership yielded several wins and two championships. Jankowiak eventually purchased the racing team, and in 2017 he expanded into racecar building. Jankowiak and his team have gone on to win many prestigious events including the Gamblers Classic and the Race of Champions in cars they fabricated and built themselves.    Jankowiak has already earned over 100 career feature wins and multiple championships during his short time in racing. In 2021 he achieved his dream of competing in NASCAR by purchasing an ARCA car from Ken Schrader. After an impressive debut in Daytona, he went on to score four more top-ten runs. He added 11 more Modified wins in 2021, including the Race of Champions 250 at Lake Erie Speedway in September in a home-built chassis. In 2023 Jankowiak began his third season racing in the ARCA Menards Series and his first driving for KLAS Motorsports, while still competing on local short trackers with his Modified and Midget cars.

Nathan Nicholson

DOB: 05/27/06

Birthplace: Bloomington, IN

Accomplishments: At 17 Nathan Nicholson will make his full-season debut in the #56 Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup car for JTR Motorsports Engineering. Though young, Nathan has 13 years of racing experience under his belt.” Achievements – 2022 NASA Great Lakes Spec Miata Champion 2022 first season in Spec Miata 2023 Mazda Shootout Scholarship winner 2023 Spec MX-5 Points Champion

Jason White

DOB: 06/06/99

Birthplace: New Britain, CT

Accomplishments: Jason White’s racing career started when he was only 13 and within a few short years, he was bringing home titles and championships. In 2016 he won the Open C Championship at the Winchester Speedpark Fall Series race and from there he went on to place 3rd in the Open C at the 2018 New England Regional Championship. He’s achieved many wins and podiums throughout New England, including Marshfield Fair Supercross and AMA Albany Arenacross. White is currently competing in B classes at NEMX Spring and Fall Series, select AMA Amateur Arenacross, J-Day Off-road, and Canadian Motocross 250 Pro-Am events. In 2023 he’s competing for Whelen in an Alta Redshift MX, KTM 350SXF, & KTM 250SXF #884 and he’s had several notable wins already including the AMA Amateur Arenacross National Champion, AMA Amateur Arenacross East Coast Champion, and the AMA Amateur Arenacross 450B East Coast Champion.