Our STory

Random Vandals Racing is a professional BMW customer sportscar racing team based in Concord, NC. Known as the most-spirited team in the paddock, we compete hard, never relent, and have a good time…all the time. Given that, our raccoon mascot, Gizmo, should be no surprise!

Our story began when a few race enthusiasts crossed paths at a driving event in Las Vegas and decided to start a race team. What could go wrong? After a couple years of running as customers with other club racing programs, we stepped out on our own and set up shop in New Jersey, opening our first location in 2020. Our success in club endurance racing continued as we extended our streak of victories and podiums.

In 2021, we made our professional racing debut in the SRO GT4 America Series with the BMW M4 GT4 (F82), finishing 3rd in the AM Driver’s Championship with Paul Sparta and Al Carter behind the wheel. From that moment on, there was no turning back!

2022 marked our second year in SRO GT4 America, as well as our debut in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. We also established our competition race shop and HQ in Concord, NC to support our quickly growing professional racing program.

Expansion continued in 2023, with the new BMW M4 GT4 (G82) becoming our weapon of choice. We added the CrowdStrike Racing – AWS car to our SRO GT4 America  program with Kenton Koch and Kevin Boehm behind the wheel in the Silver class. Paul Sparta and Kenton Koch also showed our potential in select IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge events in the GS class, highlighted by a podium in the 4-Hour Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis, proving that our young team could compete with the big guns.

2024 saw our small team grow to even greater heights with the addition of our GT3 program in the SRO GT World Challenge America Series with drivers Conor Daly, Connor De Phillippi, and Kenton Koch.

Our team continues to be fueled by passion, ambition, and the never-ending pursuit of speed. We bring the same tenacity, effort, and fun to both our club and professional racing efforts.

Gizmo the raccoon - Random Vandals Racing

Team Highlights:

  • 2024 Team Manufacturer Award - BMW
  • 2023 & 2024 GT4 AMERICA Crew of the Year
  • 2nd - 2024 GT4 America Silver Championship
  • 2nd - 2024 GT4 America Am Championship
  • 3rd - 2023 GT4 America Silver Championship
  • 3rd - 2021 GT4 America Am Championship

Meet the team

Our Drivers

PAUL SPARTA
Team Principal & Driver

————

Not only is he the chief raccoon wrangler, but an accomplished driver. Paul recorded 3rd place in the 2021 SRO GT4 America AM Driver’s Championship as well as multiple race wins and podiums in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, SRO GT4 America, and various club series. He is the CEO of Vbrick Systems, corporate Board member, technology investor, amateur chef, animal lover, and, if the rumors hold true, a semi-competent bartender.

KENTON KOCH
Driver

————

A multi-championship winning driver and self-proclaimed dork, Kenton is a well-respected driver and coach in the IMSA and SRO America paddocks. He previously helped start/manage a team and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. Kenton recently earned his pilot’s license and appreciates the challenge and adventure that’s provided. He also enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding, and tinkering with just about anything.

 

His best advice? Don’t Suck.

KEVIN BOEHM
Driver

————

Multi-championship-winning professional race car driver for CrowdStrike Racing / AWS &  co-driver of the No. 92 RVR CrowdStrike AWS BMW M4 GT4 with Kenton Koch. Kevin is an accomplished motor sports engineer and test driver who specializes in developing cars at the limit. He has more than 15 years of combined experience as an OEM test & race engineer.

 

“In God we trust; all others must bring data.”

Kris Wilson
Driver

————

Kris is a well-accomplished driver and has spent over 35 years in sportscar racing. He has won numerous races, championships, and worked in a variety of roles, including: driver, engineer, mechanic, team owner and coach. Most recently, Kris won the GT4 World Championship in 2022 as well as the Bronze Championship in IMSA in 2022 and 2023.

His real claim to fame? He was in the movie Herbie Fully Loaded with Lindsey Lohan!

Our Drivers

PAUL SPARTA
Team Principal & Driver

————

Not only is he the chief raccoon wrangler, but an accomplished driver. Paul recorded 3rd place in the 2021 SRO GT4 America AM Driver’s Championship as well as multiple race wins and podiums in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, SRO GT4 America, and various club series. He is the CEO of Vbrick Systems, corporate Board member, technology investor, amateur chef, animal lover, and, if the rumors hold true, a semi-competent bartender.

KENTON KOCH
Driver

————

A multi-championship winning driver and self-proclaimed dork, Kenton is a well-respected driver and coach in the IMSA and SRO America paddocks. He previously helped start/manage a team and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. Kenton recently earned his pilot’s license and appreciates the challenge and adventure that’s provided. He also enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding, and tinkering with just about anything.

 

His best advice? Don’t Suck.

KEVIN BOEHM
Driver

————

Multi-championship-winning professional race car driver for CrowdStrike Racing / AWS &  co-driver of the No. 92 RVR CrowdStrike AWS BMW M4 GT4 with Kenton Koch. Kevin is an accomplished motor sports engineer and test driver who specializes in developing cars at the limit. He has more than 15 years of combined experience as an OEM test & race engineer.

 

“In God we trust; all others must bring data.”

Kris Wilson
Driver

————

Kris is a well-accomplished driver and has spent over 35 years in sportscar racing. He has won numerous races, championships, and worked in a variety of roles, including: driver, engineer, mechanic, team owner and coach. Most recently, Kris won the GT4 World Championship in 2022 as well as the Bronze Championship in IMSA in 2022 and 2023.

His real claim to fame? He was in the movie Herbie Fully Loaded with Lindsey Lohan!

Our crew

AUDREY ROMERO
Team Manager

————

 

NATHAN MCBRIDE
Technical Director

————

A highly accomplished engineer, Nathan has led multiple teams to win championships across all levels of racing over the past 27 years. He is a committed husband & father who enjoys motorcycling, mountain biking, hot rods, outdoors, and aviation.

DREW WIKSTROM
Race Engineer

————

Best known as Jedi Panda, Drew has worked professionally with cars for more than 20 years, and in motorsports for over a decade. He’s done just about every job from sweeping the floor to driving the racecar, and nearly everything in-between. His obsession with speed and driving began when he was 2-years-old, and only grew from there to include bicycles, downhill skiing, golf karts, lawn tractors, “borrowing” his father’s car, etc.

PETE BANK
Competition Programs Director

————

 

TIM FIELDS
Systems Engineer & Shop Manager

————

One of the original raccoons, Tim manages our current shop and specializes in fabrication. He previously built dirt modified chassis and worked at a premiere custom automotive shop, where his passion for high end vehicles ignited.

 

Tim enjoys everything the outdoors has to offer: mountain biking, hiking, skiing, camping, and kayaking – he even ran a mountain biking resort! He spent many years as a full time artist and also has a passion for playing music with his friends where you can find him jamming away on the keys.

SKYLER LAKOSE
Technical Manager

————

As passionate about his coffee as he is his racecars.

NICK JACOB
Crew Chief

————

Originally from Toronto and now based in CT, Nick has run everything from spec Miata’s to GT4 cars. He is an automotive master technician and has spent the last 11 years in pro racing. He’s also quite the chef!

MATTHEW ELSEMORE
Technician

————
Matthew got his start in racing at the age of 13 helping a friend care for an Evo 8. His first car, an SCCA built 240sx, lead him into auto cross, drifting, and track days. After graduating from Cheney Technical High School’s automotive program, he worked as a race tech for clients in NASA NE and other club series. He then spent 8 years building race cars at a BMW specialty shop. Matt stepped into pro-racing in 2021, joining a TC team, then moved into GT4, and soon after joined the Random Vandals crew. When not taking care of race cars, Matthew can be found shooting archery and cooking on a camp fire somewhere deep in the woods of Connecticut.

TRAVIS ABBOTT
Technician

————

 

DAVID MARINO
Technician

————

 

STEVEN GABEL (aka SLICK)
Race Transportation

————

Truck driver extraordinaire. Slick has owned & operated several businesses, including an auto repair shop for the past 30+ years. He’s been married for 35 years and has two sons. Slick enjoys drag racing, mud racing, 4-wheeling and cross country motorcycle rides. He also breeds, raises & pet sits classy mutt’s (goldendoodle). If you ever get the chance, don’t pass up on his sweet tea!

ARSEN KHACHATRYAN
Hospitality Manager

————

Originally from Armenia, Arsen currently calls Richmond, VA home along with his husband, Matt, and two orange cats (chaos monsters). He previously worked in hospitality, assisted a film director at a public TV company, and worked in a ceramics studio, however, he never thought he would one day be taking care of a bunch of raccoons! Arsen recently went back to school and is currently conducting research on language and identity, as well as preparing for a nursing school acceptance exam.

DANI KOCH
Marketing Director

————

Will DIY anything, thrives on espresso, and loves gifting sourdough starter. Dani’s experience in racing spans from driving to marketing, hospitality, and team management. For the past 9 years, she has specialized in brand development, digital marketing, and website design. She enjoys traveling with her husband (and our driver), Kenton, spending as much time outside as possible, doing anything creative, and sharing her adventures and projects on her blog!

ANDREAN JOYNER
Technician

————

Kevin Weisensel
Technician

————

A young mechanic who has almost solely worked on BMWs, Kevin first started as a full-time mechanic at 15 (before he could even test drive the cars himself!). He’s been in racing for 4 years, including work on ARCA, Champ car endurance, and WRL race cars.

GIZMO
Team Mascot

————

Not just any random vandal, Gizmo is our spunky mascot! He can often be found trying to smooth-talk his way into a BMW and loves all things fast, green, and trash related.

Our crew

AUDREY ROMERO
Team Manager

————

 

NATHAN MCBRIDE
Technical Director

————

A highly accomplished engineer, Nathan has led multiple teams to win championships across all levels of racing over the past 27 years. He is a committed husband & father who enjoys motorcycling, mountain biking, hot rods, outdoors, and aviation.

DREW WIKSTROM
Race Engineer

————

Best known as Jedi Panda, Drew has worked professionally with cars for more than 20 years, and in motorsports for over a decade. He’s done just about every job from sweeping the floor to driving the racecar, and nearly everything in-between. His obsession with speed and driving began when he was 2-years-old, and only grew from there to include bicycles, downhill skiing, golf karts, lawn tractors, “borrowing” his father’s car, etc.

PETE BANK
Competition Programs Director

————

 

TIM FIELDS
Systems Engineer & Shop Manager

————

One of the original raccoons, Tim manages our current shop and specializes in fabrication. He previously built dirt modified chassis and worked at a premiere custom automotive shop, where his passion for high end vehicles ignited.

 

Tim enjoys everything the outdoors has to offer: mountain biking, hiking, skiing, camping, and kayaking – he even ran a mountain biking resort! He spent many years as a full time artist and also has a passion for playing music with his friends where you can find him jamming away on the keys.

SKYLER LAKOSE
Technical Manager

————

As passionate about his coffee as he is his racecars.

TRAVIS ABBOTT
Technician

————

 

DAVID MARINO
Technician

————

 

NICK JACOB
Crew Chief

————

Originally from Toronto and now based in CT, Nick has run everything from spec Miata’s to GT4 cars. He is an automotive master technician and has spent the last 11 years in pro racing. He’s also quite the chef!

MATTHEW ELSEMORE
Technician

————
Matthew got his start in racing at the age of 13 helping a friend care for an Evo 8. His first car, an SCCA built 240sx, lead him into auto cross, drifting, and track days. After graduating from Cheney Technical High School’s automotive program, he worked as a race tech for clients in NASA NE and other club series. He then spent 8 years building race cars at a BMW specialty shop. Matt stepped into pro-racing in 2021, joining a TC team, then moved into GT4, and soon after joined the Random Vandals crew. When not taking care of race cars, Matthew can be found shooting archery and cooking on a camp fire somewhere deep in the woods of Connecticut.

DANI KOCH
Marketing Director

————

Will DIY anything, thrives on espresso, and loves gifting sourdough starter. Dani’s experience in racing spans from driving to marketing, hospitality, and team management. For the past 9 years, she has specialized in brand development, digital marketing, and website design. She enjoys traveling with her husband (and our driver), Kenton, spending as much time outside as possible, doing anything creative, and sharing her adventures and projects on her blog!

ANDREAN JOYNER
Technician

————

 

STEVEN GABEL (aka SLICK)
Race Transportation

————

Truck driver extraordinaire. Slick has owned & operated several businesses, including an auto repair shop for the past 30+ years. He’s been married for 35 years and has two sons. Slick enjoys drag racing, mud racing, 4-wheeling and cross country motorcycle rides. He also breeds, raises & pet sits classy mutt’s (goldendoodle). If you ever get the chance, don’t pass up on his sweet tea!

ARSEN KHACHATRYAN
Hospitality Manager

————

Originally from Armenia, Arsen currently calls Richmond, VA home along with his husband, Matt, and two orange cats (chaos monsters). He previously worked in hospitality, assisted a film director at a public TV company, and worked in a ceramics studio, however, he never thought he would one day be taking care of a bunch of raccoons! Arsen recently went back to school and is currently conducting research on language and identity, as well as preparing for a nursing school acceptance exam.

Kevin Weisensel
Technician

————

A young mechanic who has almost solely worked on BMWs, Kevin first started as a full-time mechanic at 15 (before he could even test drive the cars himself!). He’s been in racing for 4 years, including work on ARCA, Champ car endurance, and WRL race cars.

GIZMO
Team Mascot

————

Not just any random vandal, Gizmo is our spunky mascot! He can often be found trying to smooth-talk his way into a BMW and loves all things fast, green, and trash related.

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