January 18, 2022 – Continuing to add to their driver lineup for the 2022 season, Hixon Motor Sports (HMS) is pleased to welcome Dante Tornello to the squad. Set to drive in the #27 Karts4Kids HMS entry, Tornello is confirmed for the complete 2022 Idemitsu Mazda MX-5 Cup Presented by BFGoodrich® Tires (MX-5 Cup) season and will make his MX-5 Cup series debut in January at the famed Daytona International Speedway.
“Dante will be a welcomed addition to the HMS roster, and we look forward to working alongside him throughout the season,” explained Team Owner Bryan Hixon. “Our goal for every HMS driver is to give them the equipment, coaching, training and expertise to potentially win, and Dante will see that within our program.”
"To compete with a professional program such as HMS and have the chance to race as a professional driver in a high-quality series is awesome,” added Dante Tornello. “I have done a lot of racing in my time, but I think this will be the closest and most competitive series I have competed in by far.”
Dante Tornello completed his studies at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg in 2018 and was awarded a B.S. in Business Management. After earning his competition license in October of that year at the Jim Russell Racing School in Mont Tremblant, Québec, Tornello began racing in 2019, driving in the Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) series with the Hudson Historic team. Initially, Dante drove a 1965 Lotus Cortina MK.1 before moving to a clone 1974 Porsche 911 RSR. Each cars’ unique characteristics afforded challenges that would shape and refine Tornello’s skills. Dante finished out his second year of racing in 2020 co-driving the #90 VisitFlorida.com Daytona Prototype with his father, Robert Tornello, in the HSR Classic 12 Hours at Sebring where they finished first in class and fourth overall. In 2021, Dante was invited to participate in the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. Driving solo in the #90 DP car, he managed to finish fifth overall.
“I’ve been working hard to learn the essentials over this past year,” Tornello continued. “The 2021 season was filled with wonderful moments that taught me what it really takes as far as the racecraft, the perseverance of perfection behind the wheel, and the high-level of competition that I am ready to face. With Hixon Motor Sports, I can take that next step knowing I have the best support and professionalism at my side. I want to thank my father and my family, Hixon Motor Sports, Kart4Kids, my coach, Andrew Carbonell, HSR where I got my start in racing, Hudson Historics, coach Eric Curran and longtime family friend Steve Freund, as well as all the fans who love and support my career and motorsports, in general. I can’t wait to get this season started!”
For more information on Dante Tornello, please follow him via his social media pages:
Twitter: @DT__Racing
Facebook: @DTornelloRacing
Instagram: @DTornello_Racing