Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama Doubles Backfor Another Big Event Weekend at CTMP

July 2, 2019
Staff Report
IMSA Wire Service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The IMSA-sanctioned Porsche GT3 Cup
Challenge Canada by Yokohama series was at Canadian Tire
Motorsport Park just two months ago for Victoria Day SpeedFest,
and it returns for another equally big weekend with the IMSA
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
While CTMP hosted the opening rounds of the 2019 GT3 Cup
Challenge Canada season, this weekend’s Mobil 1 Sports Car
Grand Prix marks the fifth and sixth races in the series’ 12-round
championship. The two most recent races were held at the Formula
One Canadian Grand Prix in June at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in
Montreal.
All eyes will be on Roman De Angelis, the 18-year-old who is riding
a three-race win streak that started when he won Round 2 at CTMP.
De Angelis then proceeded to sweep the doubleheader weekend
in Montreal in his No. 79 Mark Motors Racing Porsche 911 GT3
Cup car, which will be one of 14 on the grid this weekend.
“I’d just like to start by saying what a performance by the team
in Montreal,” said De Angelis. “It was a really important weekend
for me, and for it to come off perfect is what I could have hoped
for. I cannot wait for the upcoming back-to-back weekends with
Mark Motors. I really hope we can keep the momentum pushing
at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.”
De Angelis has built a 15-point lead in the championship standings
over Parker Thompson in the No. 3 Porsche for SCB Racing. One
point separates the drivers in third and fourth place, with
Patrick Dussault in the No. 77 Lauzon Autosport racecar
having 112 points and Jeff Kingsley at 111 in the No. 16
Policaro Motorsport Porsche. Kingsley was the winner of
Round 1 at CTMP.
Seven drivers in the field are also competing for the Platinum
Masters championship for drivers 45 and older. Again, a narrow
one-point margin separates the top two contenders in that title
hunt. Alan Metni in the No. 99 Kelly-Moss/AM Motorsport Porsche
has 120 points and Marco Cirone with 119 in the No. 88 Porsche
with Mark Motors.
It’s Cirone, though, that has claimed two of the four Platinum
Masters wins so far this season and two overall podiums, making
some competitors view him as one to beat.
One of those competitors is Michael Levitas in the No. 37 TPC
Racing Porsche. Levitas joined the GT3 Cup Challenge Canada
field at Montreal and scored a Platinum Masters victory of his
own in Round 4.
“I’ve raced quite a few times at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
and I’m really excited to come up there and race,” said Levitas.
“I just can’t say enough about being able to join the Canadian
series and I feel really fortunate to be able to race with
everybody. I’m looking forward to some great racing and
maybe I’ll have something for that Marco Cirone.”
Two practice sessions are on deck for GT3 Cup Canada on
Friday, along with qualifying for Race 1 at 5:30 p.m. ET. The
first of two, 45-minute races this weekend goes green on
Saturday at 10:30 a.m. The second race is scheduled for Sunday
also at 10:30 a.m.
Both races will be streamed live on the 
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama Facebook page.
Follow GT3 Cup Challenge Canada series news throughout the
weekend and for the remainder of the season on IMSA.com 
and Porsche.com/Canada or on social media using the
hashtag #GT3Canada.