Jordan Wallace’s pursuit of excellence: Aiming for Daytona and Le Mans victories

MIAMI GARDENS — When Jordan Wallace was a 5-year-old, his grandmother bought him a little, battery-powered Mercedes car. She may have regretted that move, because Wallace immediately hopped into his miniature whip and practically drove the wheels off it. Convinced that Upper Marlboro, Maryland, had never produced a racer with his combination of awe-inspiring speed and daring, Wallace began looking for pre-pubescent butts to kick. “I tried to race the girl down the street in her Barbie Corvette and she whupped me,” Wallace said, still incredulous 31 years later. “And after that, I was like – I gotta get this figured out. Ever since then, I’ve been on a charge.” Once Wallace was swaddled in a helmet and Nomex driving suit, he blasted a 510-horsepower Porsche 911 GT3 Cup around the 3.36-mile, 19-turn Miami International Autodrome road circuit, sounding like a bellowing, deep-voiced hound from hell. Welcome to the Porsche Carrera Cup North America racing series, Jordan Wallace’s world. He found himself onstage with the globe-trotting Formula One circus, which was in town for the Miami Grand Prix. Formula One promoters love having kinds of racing cars circulating tracks while F-1 cars are being tweaked in their garages. Wallace is...