| Alan Metni | |
| Birth Date: | April 15, 1967 |
| Birth Place: | Austin, Texas, United States |
| Racing Licence: | FIA Bronze |
| Current Series: | IMSA SportsCar Championship |
| First Year: | 2021 |
| Current Team: | Kelly-Moss with Riley |
| Car Number: | 91 |
| Former Teams: | NTE Sport |
| Starts: | 10 |
| Wins: | 1 |
| Podiums: | 1 |
| Poles: | 0 |
| Fastest Laps: | 0 |
| Titles: | Porsche Carrera Cup North America – Pro-Am |
| Title Years: | 2022 |
| Updated: | November 3, 2023 |
Alan Metni (born April 15, 1967) is an American racing driver who competes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship and Porsche Carrera Cup North America.[1] He is a former skydiver and CEO of IFly Holdings.[2]
Metni began his professional racing career in 2017, taking part in the Gold class of the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge for Kelly-Moss Road and Race. Prior to the start of the season, Metni had only participated in track days, and "came to [motorsports] really, really late." He was invited to a track day by a friend, which eventually led to him searching for a full-time drive with Kelly-Moss for 2017.[3] Through 16 races, he claimed a sole class podium finish en route to a sixth-place finish in the championship. At the end of the year, Metni also took part in the 24 Hours of COTA with Brookspeed International Motorsport, taking the SP3 class victory.[4]
He returned to the series in 2018, graduating to the Platinum class designated for current-spec Porsche Cup cars.[5] Metni competed in the Platinum Masters subclass, composed of drivers over the age of 45. With three class victories in the final four races, Metni claimed the Platinum Masters title following the final race of the season at Road Atlanta.[6] Metni also completed a one-off weekend in the Pirelli World Challenge at COTA,[7] claiming a podium finish in the second race of the weekend. Metni claimed his second consecutive Platinum Masters title in 2019, scoring eight class victories over the course of 16 races.[8] During the 2019 season, Metni stated that his goal was to be competing at the front end of the overall field by the end of the year.[3]
2020 saw Metni continue in the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge for its final season, once again with Kelly-Moss. At VIR in August, he claimed his maiden overall victory in the series, claiming that his race win was "one for the old guys."[9] This victory was one of ten Platinum Masters victories that Metni collected in 2020 as he scored his third consecutive class title.[10] He once again added a single weekend in the Am class of the GT World Challenge America, driving for Park Place Motorsports.[11]
Metni remained with Kelly-Moss through the transition from IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge to Porsche Carrera Cup North America, lining up in the Pro-Am class for 2021.[12] Metni also engaged in a full-time effort in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, taking part in the Am class for Change Racing. Prior to the start of each of these campaigns, however, Metni made his debut in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, taking on a drive in the 2021 24 Hours of Daytona with NTE Sport.[13] The entry finished 15th in GTD with Metni, Don Yount, Andrew Davis, and J. R. Hildebrand at the wheel following gearbox problems. Metni's Porsche Cup campaign began successfully, as he claimed the series' first Pro-Am class victory at Sebring.[14] He became engaged in a season-long battle for the Pro-Am championship with Efrin Castro, with Metni taking an early lead thanks to a sweep of the first two race weekends. However, Castro's sweep of the triple-header finale at Road Atlanta, combined with two poor finishes for Metni, meant that Castro scored the Pro-Am title for 2021.[15] Metni also saw early success in his Super Trofeo campaign, leading to a difficult double-header weekend between the two series in September. The Porsche Cup event at Indianapolis fell on the same weekend as the Super Trofeo round at Laguna Seca, and with Metni still in contention for both championships he elected to attempt both. He began the weekend in California before flying overnight to Indiana to take on the second and third Porsche Cup races, scoring last-place points in both championships for the races he missed.[16]
Metni consolidated his efforts in 2022, running only in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America. Once again, himself and Castro were embroiled in the Pro-Am championship battle throughout the season, entering the final weekend separated by just 14 points. Despite Castro's seven victories far outnumbering Metni's three, Metni entered the Road Atlanta round with the championship lead.[17] Although Castro swept the weekend, a second and third-place finish for Metni in the last two races meant he claimed the championship by one point.[18]
In 2023, Metni graduated to a full-time drive in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, driving for the new Kelly-Moss with Riley operation alongside Kay van Berlo.[19] Metni additionally continued part-time in the Porsche Carrera Cup, pulling double duty on several weekends between both series in order to gain more track experience.[20] At Laguna Seca in May, Metni claimed his first IMSA SportsCar Championship victory.[21] However, the rest of the season saw Metni and van Berlo finish no higher than seventh in any given race, and a non-racing injury for Metni forced the team to miss the season-ending Petit Le Mans.[22]
Metni's skydiving career began at the age of 21 after reading a newspaper advertisement for a local skydiving establishment, Skydive San Marcos.[23] Following his first flight, he developed a passion for the sport, joining the Texas Skydivers Club in association with the University of Texas at Austin, where he was studying at the time.[23] After successes in regional and national championships, Metni quit his job as a lawyer, electing to pursue a spot on the national skydiving team and moving to Arizona.[24]
In 1999, Metni paid a visit to SkyVenture, an indoor skydiving facility located in Orlando, Florida.[24] Impressed with the facility, Metni proposed a business venture between himself and SkyVenture's owner Bill Kitchen, leading to the creation of IFly in 2002.[24] The company's wind tunnels featured a unique wall-to-wall or open-flow wind tunnel design, which pulled air upwards through the enclosed chamber. Such a design improved airflow, but drastically increased noise and removed the ability for interior climate control.[25]
As of 2023, the company has opened over 80 locations in more than nine countries.[26] Locations also engage in STEM events to teach the public about the science behind the company's wind tunnels.[27]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
| Year | Team | Class | Make | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Rank | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | NTE Sport | GTD | Audi R8 LMS Evo | Audi 5.2 L V10 | DAY | SEB | MDO | DET | WGL | WGL | LIM | ELK | LGA | LBH | VIR | PET | 73rd | 175 | |
| 2023 | Kelly-Moss with Riley | GTD | Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) | Porsche 4.2 L Flat-6 | DAY | SEB | LBH | LGA | WGL | MOS | LIM | ELK | VIR | IMS | PET | 13th | 2289 |