James Candelaria

James Candelaria is a United States racing driver with a diverse background both on and off the track. He is an avid SCCA racer who currently campaigns the No. 80 Corvette in Touring 2 and the No. 34 Corvette in Touring 1. Candelaria's racing efforts extend to the World Racing League (WRL) endurance racing series, where he has been associated with Round 3 Racing (R3R). In the previous season, he raced in the #601 Porsche Boxster and is now slated to drive their new #609 M4 GT4 BMW.

Beyond his driving exploits, James is the founder of Candelaria Racing Products. Recognizing an opportunity to enhance driver safety and gain a competitive edge, he channeled his systems engineering background into developing motorsports products. Before venturing into the racing world, James founded WhipTail Technologies, a company that pioneered advancements in solid-state storage before being acquired by Cisco Systems in 2013.

Notably, James Candelaria underwent a heart transplant in December 2023 and remarkably returned to racing after a period of recovery. In October 2024, he participated in his fifth SCCA National Championship at Road America, driving the No. 134 Chevrolet Corvette in the Touring 1 class, raising funds for the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). His racing achievements include multiple third-place finishes at the Runoffs in T1.