At the track where the series first began, championships are up for grabs in the Platinum, Gold and Silver Classes.
When the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin Series first took to the track last May, few could predict if the series would flourish or flounder. The six cars that took to the starting grid represented a homecoming of sorts for Porsche one-making racing, which began in Canada in 1984 with the 944-based Rothmans-Porsche Cup Series. From those Small beginnings, however, sprung tge fastest-growing single-make racing series in North America.
Just over a year later, the second season of exciting Porsche racing is about to culminate in the year's final weekend. In 2012, an average of over 20 cars have fought for championships in three classes (Platinum, Gold and Silver), with it all coming down to two races on August 12, at track where it all began: Calabogie Motorsports Park, just outside of Ottawa.
Open sinc the fall of 2006, this world-class facility is home ot the longest track in Canada, consisting of 20 turns, measuring 40 feet wide, and featuring a 2,000-ft. long straightaway. A favourite of drivers in the series, Calabogie has been recognized as one of the most of the most aesthetically pleasing driving facilities in North America thanks to the proximity of its woodlands, its adherence to the natural topography of the site and the sheer drama of its course design.
The racing in this season's GT3 Cup Challenge Canada has been extremely competitive, with three different Platinum-class winners and five different drivers with a mathematical chance at taking the class championship.
After a back-and-forth battle for the championship lead, Etienne Borgeat leads the Platinum class a mere 10 points ahead of last year's champion, Perry Bortolotti. Jean-Fredric Laberge is just three points behind Bortolotti, with Marco Cirone in fourth place with 92 points. Carlos de Quesada is in fifth, with an outside chance at the championship at 84 points.
In the Gold class, which has also had three different class winners this season, three drivers are in the hunt for the championship crown: Bruce Gregory leads the pack with 132 points, with his closest challenger, Robert Maranda, sitting on 114 points. Shaun McKaigue also has a
mathematical chance with 100 points.
In the Silver class, leader Robert Seitz, who has won 12 consecutive Silver-class races over the past two seasons, may still be vulnerable to a challenge from Gabor Foti, who is at 104 points and Leho Poldmae, at 100 points.
“We are grateful for the support and acceptance the series has received over the last two years,” said Joe Lawrence, President and CEO of Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. “We have added cars and welcomed aboard a great new sponsor with the addition of FedEx Trade Networks, who joins our global technical partner Michelin, a company that has been behind the series every step of the way.”
The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin is divided into three classes; Platinum Cup, featuring the more powerful 2012, 2011 and 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars; Gold Cup, which includes 2005½ - 2009 Porsche GT3 Cup cars, and the Silver Cup class for 2002 – 2005½ 996 Porsches. All three classes run on Michelin Cup N1 tires. Additional information, including a downloadable schedule and competitor regulations, are available at http://www.imsachallenge.ca.
