Morad wins 2016 Platinum Cup Drivers Championship by five point spread; Cirone wins fourth consecutive Platinum Masters season; McKaigue wins Gold Cup; Danyliw completes perfect season in Silver Cup
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Sept. 6, 2016 /CNW/ - The 2016 Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama came to a close on Sunday, September 4, 2016 in Clarington, ON, after rounds 11 and 12 this past weekend. The exclamation point of the weekend, and season, was Daniel Morad standing atop the podium after winning his first Platinum Cup Championship, despite a dramatic final race that saw him finish fifth in the No. 17 Porsche Centre Oakville/Alegra Motorsports Porsche. He needed to finish sixth or better to clinch the title. Morad topped the standings with a 205-200 edge over fierce rival Scott Hargrove in the final standings for the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA)-sanctioned Single-Make Series. After all 12 rounds Porsche Centre Oakville / Alegra Motorsports earned the team award for the season.
"Looking back at the sixth season of the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama there are many highlights to keep as fond memories from the year," said Alexander Pollich, President & CEO Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. "From elevating the series with the arrival of the Porsche GT4 Clubsport, the return of the series to Montréal at the Canadian Grand Prix Formula One race, and the first event outside of Canada with two combined events at the iconic Watkins Glen International with the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama."
"Alegra Motorsports and Porsche Centre Oakville have been so supportive of my whole career and getting me back in the car and behind the wheel. I'm forever thankful for that, and I can't wait for next year," said Daniel Morad, Platinum Cup champion. "It was a very exciting ending. It was dramatic; I guess it sums up the year."
In addition to Morad's Platinum Cup results, Marco Cirone in the No. 88 Mark Motors Racing Porsche clinched his fourth consecutive title in the Platinum Masters championship, edging out Tim Sanderson by only four points (226-222). Shaun McKaigue captured the Gold Cup class in the No. 34 Fiorano Racing Porsche, while Andrew Danyliw completed a perfect season in the Silver Cup with six victories in as many starts in the No. 38 SCB Racing Porsche GT4 Clubsport.
In Round 11, held on Saturday, September 3, Scott Hargrove in the No. 28 OpenRoad Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car had a dominant victory after an early battle between pole-sitter Daniel Morad in the No. 17 Porsche Centre Oakville/Alegra Motorsports Porsche. Hargrove finished the season with a series-leading six victories.
Although Tim Sanderson started from the Platinum Masters class pole position, Marco Cirone was able to win the race with an 11.577 second lead for his sixth class victory of the season.
With a win in the Gold Cup class on Saturday Shaun McKaigue was able to solidify his first Gold Cup title since winning the same championship in 2011 in the series' inaugural series season.
Andrew Danyliw continued his perfect record in the Silver Cup with five straight victories in the No. 38 SCB Racing Porsche.
In the final race of the season, Round 12 which was held on Sunday, September 4, Zach Robichon won the race by 11.868 seconds in the No. 78 Mark Motors Racing Porsche over Scott Hargrove in the No. 28 OpenRoad Racing Porsche. Tim Sanderson in the No. 07 Porsche Centre Oakville/Alegra Motorsports Porsche rounded out the podium in third spot, while also winning the Platinum Masters Class. Marco Cirone finished fourth overall and second in the Platinum Masters Class in the No. 88 Mark Motors Racing Porsche, enough to give him the advantage to win the Platinum Masters championship for the fourth consecutive season.
Bruno Chapinotti, from nearby Bowmanville, Ontario, won the Gold Cup class in the No. 03 DFC Motorsport Porsche. Andrew Danyliw, from Toronto, completed a perfect season in Silver Cup with his sixth victory in as many starts this season in the No. 38 SCB Racing Porsche.
Even though series champion, Daniel Morad, had pole position in the race, Scott Hargrove stayed in fast pursuit. With 27 minutes remaining in the race the dramatics continued as Hargrove dove under Morad in Turn 9 of the 10-turn, 2.459-mile (3.957 km) circuit, and the two cars made contact in Turn 10. The contact caused Morad to spin and fall to fifth place before he restarted. Hargrove was assessed with a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility, handing the lead to Robichon with 13 minutes remaining.
For more information on the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama, visit www.imsa.com and @IMSA on Twitter with the hashtag #GT3CAN.
For high-resolution images, contact Paul Kelly at [email protected].
SOURCE Porsche Cars Canada
Image with caption: "Daniel Morad clinched his first Platinum Cup Championship in the No. 17 Porsche Centre Oakville/Alegra Motorsports Porsche with a 5 point edge over Scott Hargrove (205 vs. 200). (CNW Group/Porsche Cars Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160906_C7175_PHOTO_EN_765725.jpg
Image with caption: "Daniel Morad finished Rounds 11 and 12 of the 2016 Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama in second and fifth place finish respectively. (CNW Group/Porsche Cars Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160906_C7175_PHOTO_EN_765719.jpg
Daniel Ponzini, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd., 905-694-9959, [email protected]
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