MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO-- (May 18, 2012) - When the gates open this coming Friday at the newly re-named Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (formally known as Mosport), it will mark the start of the second season of the Canadian edition of a Global developmental series that has produced dozens of future racing champions on just about every level of International motorsports.
Last year, with less than two months until the first race, Porsche Canada announced North America's newest single-make racing series, the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada. Designed to develop new drivers and prepare them for competition in the American Le Mans Series, Porsche Cars Canada Ltd, in partnership with Porsche Motorsport North America and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), entered into a two-year agreement for the 20th GT3 Cup Challenge Series in the world. The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge by Michelin has grown from seven entries at the start of last season to triple that amount for this year's opener.
The inaugural 2011 season consisted of six races and produced some of the best sports car competition Canada had seen in many a year. When the dust settled after the season's final race, Perry Bortolotti, Shaun McKaigue and Bob Seitz won their respective Platinum, Gold and Silver class Championships going away. All three champions will return this year to defend their crowns and will be on track this coming weekend at the Bowmanville, ON circuit.
"We are thrilled by the overwhelming interest and response we have encountered," said Joe Lawrence, President and CEO of Porsche Cars Canada and a one of the driving forces behind bringing Porsche single-make racing back to the place it first started back in the 1980s. "We are proud to count no less than 21 entries for our second year and what a better place to start than the famed Canadian Tire Motorsports Park track."
With Michelin, one of Porsche's global technology partners, coming on-board as a sponsor, the series has gathered a considerable amount of steam heading in to the new season.
"We are pleased that our partners share our belief that this series is not only good racing, but good for racing as well," commented Joe Lawrence. "It has the potential to develop a new generation of Canadian drivers, ready to compete on an even footing in the global motorsports arena."
The first two races of the year take place this weekend as part of the Victoria Day SpeedFest Weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. After several test sessions on Friday, practice and qualifying will take place Saturday morning, followed by the first of the weekend's two races at 3:00pm. The second race will run on Sunday at 11:30am.
