Garrett
Manes

Garrett Manes has built his racing career by proving that speed translates: across simulators, karting, grassroots competition, and now professional sports car racing. The Powhatan, Virginia native competes in the No. 11 Toyota GR86 for RVA Graphics Motorsports by Speed Syndicate in Toyota GR Cup North America, where his 2026 campaign marks his arrival on one of the most competitive stages of his young career. Rather than following a conventional path into professional racing, Manes has earned his way forward through results, adaptability, and an ability to be competitive in virtually everything he drives.

Long before climbing into a GR86, Manes established himself among the elite in virtual motorsports. A professional sim racer with more than 2,750 career victories, he competed at the highest level of the discipline in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series and accumulated 24 overall championships while ranking among the top iRacing competitors internationally. But Manes has steadily erased the line between virtual and real-world success. In 2025, he won the K1 Speed E-World Championship, captured the NASA Mid-Atlantic Spec E30 Championship and Rookie of the Year honors, and finished third at the NASA National Championships. In 2026, he added another K1 World Championship to an increasingly diverse résumé.

That versatility has carried directly into GR Cup. Manes joined Speed Syndicate's 2026 program alongside teammates Will Robusto and Max Schweid, quickly showing that he belongs in professional one-make competition. At Sonoma Raceway, he raced inside the lead group and followed a fifth-place result with a charge from seventh to fourth, earning the Hard Charger Award in only his first GR Cup weekend. It's the kind of performance that has defined Manes' career: put him in something new, give him an opportunity, and he tends to figure out how to make it go fast.

Manes also represents a modern generation of professional driver, one whose value extends well beyond lap time. His background in sim racing, streaming, grassroots motorsports, and professional competition gives him the ability to connect with audiences across both digital and traditional motorsports. Longtime partner Wigen Water Technologies has supported his progression through the ranks, demonstrating the kind of lasting commercial relationships Manes is capable of building. With proven speed, a championship résumé across multiple disciplines, and a growing presence in professional sports car racing, Garrett Manes isn't simply making the jump from virtual racing to the real thing. He's building a career that shows the two worlds may be closer than ever.