Shaun McKaigue also sweeps weekend in the Gold Cup through tricky conditions at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
MONTREAL, June 13, 2016 /CNW/ - The 2016 Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama continued this past weekend with Rounds 3 and 4 taking place at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, QC. After an exciting first two Rounds of the series just a couple of weeks ago, anticipation was high and all of the teams and drivers were eager to get back on the track, especially as supporting events to the Canadian Grand Prix Formula One race.
"We couldn't have had a better stage to host the first joint race of the season between the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama and the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama than at the Canadian Grand Prix," said Alexander Pollich, President & CEO Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. "The race on Saturday was extremely tight throughout while the one on Sunday was just as exciting with many drivers battling through difficult conditions."
Scott Hargrove, 2014 Platinum Cup champion from Surrey, BC, drove the No. 28 OpenRoad Racing Porsche to victory by a .557 second margin over Daniel Morad in the No. 17 Porsche Centre Oakville/Alegra Motorsports Porsche in the first 25-minute race held on Saturday. Series rookie, Zach Robichon, finished third in the No. 78 Mark Motors Racing Porsche, and fourth overall.
"I didn't think I was close enough, but a couple of times I thought about doing a late-braking move and decided not to. But then I thought, 'Well, maybe it will work.' I just decided I was going to do it and went for it," said Hargrove. "It was probably one of the latest-braking passes I've ever made in my career, but I had a ton of fun doing it."
The Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama drivers have proved to be an exceptionally competitive field, as three of the top four positions in the combined first race are from the Canadian series.
Carlos de Quesada and Tim Sanderson finished fourth and fifth among Canadian series racers respectively and at the top of the Platinum Masters podium, while Shaun McKaigue won the Gold Cup class in the No. 34 Fiorano Racing Porsche. Bruno Chapinotti in the No. 03 Downtown Porsche / DFC Motorsport Porsche finished second in the Gold Cup and Martin Harvey finished third in the class in the No. 8 Wingho Racing Porsche.
Hargrove continued his weekend success in the No. 28 OpenRoad Racing Porsche on Sunday winning Round 4 by a much larger margin, 9.062-seconds to be exact.
Three-time reigning Platinum Masters champion, Marco Cirone, rebounded from an accident that eliminated him in Round 3 to finish second in the Platinum Cup and was the top placing Platinum Masters competitor in the No. 88 Mark Motors Racing Porsche. Cirone has now earned three Platinum Masters victories in four starts.
Daniel Morad rallied in the No. 17 Porsche Centre Oakville/Alegra Motorsports Porsche late in the race after a spin due to contact to round out the Platinum Cup podium.
Carlos de Quesada in the No. 50 Porsche Centre Oakville/Alegra Motorsports Porsche added a second-place finish to his Platinum Masters victory the day before. Tim Sanderson had another podium finish, in third place, in the No. 07 Porsche Centre Oakville/Alegra Motorsports Porsche, finishing just .08-seconds behind de Quesada.
Replicating the feat that Hargrove achieved in the Platinum Cup, Shaun McKaigue matched the weekend sweep in the Gold Cup class with a second victory in the No. 34 Fiorano Racing Porsche. Martin Harvey rebounded from a tough third-place finish on Saturday to finish second in the No. 08 Wingho Racing Porsche. Bruno Chapinotti finished third in the No. 03 DFC Motorsport Porsche, completing the Gold Cup podium.
Rounds 5 and 6 of the 12-round Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama are scheduled for June 30-July 2 at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York. It's the last of two combined races for the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama and Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama series this season.
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. Live commentary for both races will be provided on Twitter at @IMSALive.
For high-resolution images, contact Paul Kelly at [email protected].
SOURCE Porsche Cars Canada
Image with caption: "On the podium: Scott Hargrove, Daniel Morad, and Zach Robichon placed first, second, and third respectively at race number three of the 2016 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal on June 11, 2016. (CNW Group/Porsche Cars Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160613_C4215_PHOTO_EN_712605.jpg
Image with caption: "On the podium: Scott Hargrove, Marco Cirone, and Daniel Morad, placed first, second, and third respectively at the fourth race of the 2016 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal on June 12, 2016. (CNW Group/Porsche Cars Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160613_C4215_PHOTO_EN_712607.jpg
Image with caption: "The field of cars competes during race number three of the 2016 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal on June 11, 2016. (CNW Group/Porsche Cars Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160613_C4215_PHOTO_EN_712609.jpg
Daniel Ponzini, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd., 905-694-9959, [email protected]
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