Lucas Oil School of Racing instructors come from a variety of backgrounds, but they all share a combined decades of experience in motorsports; both as drivers and as instructors/coaches.
RC Enerson
At 20-years old, Lead Race Series Instructor RC Enerson is the youngest member of the instructing staff at Lucas Oil School of Racing, but don’t let his age fool you. Racing since the age of five, the New Port Richey, FL native grew up karting and has moved up the ranks, making waves at each stage of his racing career. This past August, Enerson made his Verizon IndyCar Series debut with Dale Coyne Racing, driving the #19 Boy Scouts Dallara-Honda at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a track he won at previously in both USF2000 and IndyLights .
Racing has always come naturally to RC as a previous team principal stated, “RC’s performance last year was nothing less than amazing. He is so calm behind the wheel and possesses car control beyond his years.”
Randy Buck
Chief Instructor for the Lucas Oil School of Racing. Randy has also been a race director, and continues to offer personal coaching. Randy’s racing career started in the late 80’s in SCCA with a Regional Championship in Formula Vee 1991. He began instructing in 1990 and has taught for every major racing school in the USA. Randy was involved in running the Skip Barber National Championship Series for 12 years helping many of today’s current racers in IndyCar, the Mazda ladder system, and IMSA Sports Car racing begin their careers.
Tommy Byrne
A legend and inspiration for aspiring professional drivers, Tommy is a six-time European champion and made it to the pinnacle of racing in the early 1980s when he raced in Formula One. Tommy is the winningest Indy Lights driver (living) and has raced sports cars, as well as Trans-Am cars. He is also a well-regarded author, known for his autobiography, “Crashed and Byrned.”
Gerardo Bonilla
A multi-time series champion and experienced driver coach. Bonilla has racing experience in LMP2, Prototype Lites, Pro Mazda, Formula BMW, Formula Dodge, GT sports cars, Karting, and Autocross. Bonilla is the official series coach for USF2000, and has coached privately for clients in IMSA and the Mazda Road to Indy. In 2014, Bonilla coached Matt McMurry to become the youngest driver in history to compete in and finish the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Dean DiGiacomo
Dean has 25+ years of precision driving and racing experience. He started his racing career in the late 80’s competing in SCCA events. In the late 90’s he moved out from behind the wheel and started his professional instructing and coaching career. Since then Dean has trained hundreds of people in the art of auto racing and helped them get the most out of themselves and the vehicle. Dean continues to race and currently is the factory driver and coach for the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Series.
Jonatan Jorge
Born and raised in Brazil. Jonatan has been teaching and coaching drivers since 1991. He started with the Skip Barber school and in the last several years developed his own coaching business, “Jonatan Jorge Racing Development” or JJRD. Jonatan leads JJRD’s operations, coaching philosophy service delivery. Current list of drivers includes RC Enerson in the Indy Lights Series.
Phil Lombardi
Phil Lombardi, like many of the top open wheel drivers, started racing Karts when he was younger and then moved up the open wheel ladder junior formula cars. He has several National Championships in F2000 and Formula Continental and honed his instructor skills along the way. Phil currently works with Jonatan Jorge at JJRD, providing driver coaching services.
Pippa Mann
After racing in karts and open wheel cars in her native England and Europe, Pippa Mann moved to the U.S. in 2009 to compete in Indy Lights. Mann is the first woman to win an Indy Lights race (Kentucky, 2010), and the first woman to earn a pole of any type at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2010 Freedom 100). She made her first career Verizon IndyCar Series debut at the 2011 Indianapolis 500, and has competed in every 500 since 2013, with a best finish to date of 17th. Mann is also the fastest woman ever at IMS, recording a 230.103 MPH lap during Fast Friday at the 2017 Indy 500.
Beyond the 500, Pippa has also raced in select sports car races in 2017, with 2 podium finishes from 3 race weekends, races in karts whenever her schedule allows.
Mikel Miller
A karter and a racer since 1988, Mikel has established himself as one of the best driver coaches in the motorsports industry, winning championships and races in ChampCar Atlantics, IMSA, Ferrari Challenge, Pro Mazda, Skip Barber and karting. Mikel specializes in data acquisition, marketing and sponsorship, and was the crew chief for the 2001 Pro Mazda champion.
Brian Till
Brian is known for his skills as an instructor and a versatile motor-sports broadcaster. Brian competed in the open wheel ladder series that would eventually lead him into the competitive world of the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) IndyCar Series in 1992. He competed in such series as the Barber SAAB Pro Series in 1989 (5th), the Toyota Atlantic Championship in 1990 (Champion and Rookie of the Year) and the 1990 Firestone Indy Lights Series (5th). From 1992-1994, he competed in over 20 IndyCar events including a 12th place finish at the 1994 Indianapolis 500.