Porsche Motorsports Weekly Event Notes: Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Porsche Motorsport Schedule in North America. Upcoming Event.
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
Event: BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix of Long Beach, Long Beach Street Circuit
Dateline: Long Beach, California
Date: Saturday, April 8
Track Length: 1.968-miles, 15-turn
Race Duration: 1-Hour, 40-minutes
Class: GTLM (Porsche 911 RSR)
GTD (Porsche 911 GT3 R)
Round: GTLM. 3 of 11
GTD. 3 of 12
Next Round: SportsCar Showdown, Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, May 4 - 6, 2017
Pirelli World Challenge
Event: Grand Prix of Long Beach, Long Beach Street Circuit
Dateline: Long Beach, California
Date: Sunday, April 9th
Track Length: 1.968-miles, 15-turn
Race Duration: One, 50-minute Races
Class: GT/GTA (Porsche 911 GT3 R)
Round: GT/GTA. 3 of 10
Next Round: SprintX Season Opener, VIRginia International Raceway, Alton, Virginia, April 28-30, 2017
Porsche Profile.
Event Story Lines.
California Platz. Two Series Bring Together Large Group of GT3-Spec Car at Long Beach.
The Porsche 911 GT3 R debuted in 2016 as the German brand’s offering for customer teams in a variety of series using the international GT3-spec regulations. In North America, both the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GT Daytona (GTD) class and Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) GT and GTA classes use the rear-engine machine. This weekend’s Grand Prix of Long Beach brings the two series together for a rare doubleheader that will see the single largest gathering of professionally prepared Porsche 911 GT3 Rs in North America to-date.
This weekend, a total nine of the Porsche Motorsport-produced cars are competing at Long Beach during the Grand Prix of Long Beach across the two series. Four of the 500-horsepower, direct-fuel injection machines are entered in Saturday afternoon’s 100-minute IMSA race. It is the first time the GTD class has been invited to participate in the classic American street race. Leading the group is this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona class winning No. 28 Alegra Motorsports entry with Porsche factory driver Michael Christensen (Denmark) and Porsche Young Driver Academy graduate Daniel Morad (Canada). First-year class entry CORE autosport brings Jon Bennett (Charlotte, North Carolina) and Colin Braun (Harrisburg, North Carolina) – both have raced in the PC class on the street course before. “Works” ace Jörg Bergmeister (Germany) shares the No. 73 Park Place Motorsports entry with co-driver Patrick Lindsey (Santa Barbara, California) while fellow factory driver Wolf Henzler (Germany) returns in the No. 991 TRG 911 GT3 R with Jan Heylen (Tampa, Florida).
Sunday’s 50-minute PWC race brings another five GT3 R’s to the top-class, GT, and identical entries in the GT Amateur (GTA) category. Porsche factory driver and 2011 PWC GT Driver Champion Patrick Long (Manhattan Beach, California) leads the way in the No. 58 Wright Motorsports entry. Long won one of two races at the season-opening weekend in St. Petersburg, Florida last month. The No. 17 Euroworld Motorsports/GMG Racing Porsche will move-up from the GTA class into GT after Alec Udell (The Woodlands, Texas) swept the “Am” class at St. Pete. GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing will start its second weekend as a Porsche team. The No. 99 is driven by veteran sports car and open wheel racer Jon Fogarty (Bend, Oregon). Two 911 GT3 Rs will lead the fight in the GTA class with veteran PWC pilot and entrant James Sofronas (Villa Park, California) in the No. 14 GMG Racing Porsche and multi-time class winner Michael Schein (Glen Cove, New York) in the No. 16 Wright Motorsports car.
Day at the Beach. Two Porsche 911 RSR to Tackle Shortest IMSA Race Season.
With the long distance classics of the Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring checked off the 2017 schedule, next up is the shortest race on IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship calendar on April 8. Round Three on the walled and fenced street circuit in Long Beach, California, is schedule for just 100 minutes and, as such, is the shortest on the schedule. Set against a postcard-perfect backdrop of sun, sea and palm trees, the Porsche GT Team fields two new 911 RSR in the particularly cutthroat GTLM class. Four Porsche customer teams take on the GTD class with the Daytona-winning Porsche 911 GT3 R.
The race on the 1.968-mile Long Beach track, which runs alongside the harbor, where the pits are just a stone’s throw away from where the docked ocean-liner giant “Queen Mary” lies anchored, is a highlight of the season. This race is regarded as America’s equivalent to the Monaco Grand Prix and attracts many celebrities from nearby Hollywood.
Four works drivers tackle the GTLM class with the new Porsche 911 RSR campaigned by the Porsche GT Team. The No. 911 cockpit is shared by Patrick Pilet (France) and Dirk Werner (Germany), who kicked off the season with second-place at Daytona. Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) and Kévin Estre (France) take on the opposition in the No. 912 car. In the GTD class, three works drivers compete for Porsche customer teams with the 911 GT3 R: Jörg Bergmeister (Germany) in the No. 73 Park Place Motorsports entry with co-driver Patrick Lindsey (Santa Barbara, California), Daytona winner Michael Christensen (Denmark) will co-drive with Daniel Morad (Canada) behind the wheel of the No. 28 Alegra Motorsports. Wolf Henzler (Germany) returns in the No. 991 TRG 911 GT3 R with Jan Heylen (Tampa, Florida) while the No. 54 CORE autosports car will be piloted by Jon Bennett (Charlotte, North Carolina) and Colin Braun (Harrisburg, North Carolina).
Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, Head of Porsche Motorsport.
“The opening phase of the IMSA SportsCar Championship throws everything at us. First the long-distance classics of Daytona and Sebring, then the shortest race of the season – they could hardly be more diverse. The very aspect that challenges the drivers and teams is what adds extra thrills and excites the spectators. After the two season-opening races in Florida, we’re now looking forward to showcasing our new 911 RSR to the Porsche fans in California. We’re tackling the Long Beach event as last year’s winners. This is extremely motivating for the entire squad, particularly after our misfortune in Sebring.”
Marco Ujhasi, Director GT Factory Motorsports.
“This race puts the whole team under extreme pressure. Because the race is so short, every second you lose in the pits is two times more painful. We normally do just one pit stop. Refuel, new Michelin tires, change drivers – it has to run like clockwork otherwise you’ve already lost. That’s what makes this race so thrilling for drivers and such a huge spectacle for fans.”
Sebastian Golz, Project Manager GT Customer Motorsport.
“The rubber left on the track between the practice sessions and the race changes the surface characteristics more on a city circuit than on a dedicated racetrack. The very slow hairpins require good traction so that the drivers can get back on the throttle as quickly as possible. Thanks to its vehicle concept, our 911 GT3 R certainly has an advantage in this regard.”
Patrick Pilet, Driver, No. 911 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“The Long Beach city circuit is one of my favorite tracks in the USA. Last year we scored our first win of the season there, and we’d like to do that again with the new 911 RSR. To be permanently at the limit on this track is a fantastic challenge for drivers and makes for a gripping race.”
Dirk Werner, Driver, No. 911 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“Long Beach is a very special place to go racing. It’s a fantastic city circuit and great fun. The comparison to Monaco is really fitting. The racetrack is tricky and the more rubber that’s left on the track, the faster we become from one practice to the next. You have to stay focused. The special challenge will be to find a perfect setup for our 911 RSR during the short practice session.”
Laurens Vanthoor, Driver, No. 912 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“I like racing on street circuits. I’m not yet familiar with Long Beach. The fact that we drive with the equally as popular IndyCar series on the same weekend will undoubtedly make Long Beach a highlight of the season.”
Kévin Estre, Driver, No. 912 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“I love city circuits. They’re something special and a welcome change, particularly for us drivers. You can even overtake in Long Beach, so we’ll definitely witness a riveting race. But it’s not only about that, with its sun and ocean, California is simply fun.”
Michael Christensen, Driver, No, 28 Alegra Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R.
“Long Beach is a great race. I’m looking forward to driving again with Alegra Motorsports in the 911 GT3 R. It’s a fantastic crew and I hope that we will be as competitive as we’ve been in Daytona.”
Jörg Bergmeister, Driver, No. 73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R.
“The Long Beach circuit is as unique as the setting. The city course is one of the world’s most beautiful and is a fantastic challenge. There are virtually no run-off areas. Every mistake has immediate consequences. If you take a corner too fast you hit the wall.”
Wolf Henzler, Driver, No. 991 TRG Porsche 911 GT3 R.
“The race in Long Beach is a real highlight. I enjoy city circuits for practical reasons. The hotels are right next to the track and when you want to go out for dinner there are real restaurants and not just fast food places.”
Street Challenge. Five Porsche 911 GT3 R Take on Long Beach PWC.
Porsche factory driver Patrick Long (Manhattan Beach, California) enters Round 3 of the 2017 Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) Sprint Championship leading the GT class drivers’ point standings. North America’s only Porsche “works” driver took a podium in Round 1 and won Round 2 at St. Petersburg, Florida in the No. 58 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R to bring the points’ lead to the Grand Prix of Long Beach, his local track. The 2011 GT class champion is two-points ahead of Alvaro Parente and four ahead of Johnny O’Connell. That trio were the leading contenders in the 2016 title chase as well. Long narrowly lost the championship in the last half of the last lap of the last race last season to finish second in the standings.
Joining Long in the GT class for the first time is Alec Udell. The resident of The Woodlands, Texas won the first two rounds of the GT Amateur (GTA) class at St. Petersburg but was moved up to the all-professional driver class earlier this week. The 2016 PWC GT Cup class champion and former Porsche Young Driver Academy graduate will campaign the No. 17 Euroworld Motorsports/GMG Porsche 911 GT3 R in GT class for the remainder of the season. Closing out the Porsche customer contingent in GT class is the No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing 911 GT3 R driven by Bend, Oregon’s Jon Fogarty. The No. 99 “Red Dragon” is making its second start in PWC as a Porsche. The championship-winning team made the switch to the German brand in the off-season.
With Udell now in the GT class, GTA is the territory of two 911 GT3 Rs. The No. 14 GMG Racing entry of James Sofronas (Villa Park, California) and the No. 16 Wright Motorsports entry of Michael Schein (Glen Cove, New York). Both drivers are past winners in PWC with Schein taking multiple wins and podiums in 2016. Schein now leads the GTA Drivers’ standings, Sofronas, the owner of GMG which is located in Santa Ana, California, is in third.
Patrick Long, Driver, No. 58 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R.
“The Long Beach Grand Prix is one of those iconic events that every driver looks forward to. As a kid I wondered if I’d ever have a chance to compete there and it’s been equally special every time I’ve had the opportunity. I definitely feel confident going in that our Porsche 911 GT3 R is suited to the race track. Coming off a strong start to the season at St. Pete, we’re starting to settle into our groove and a lot of the teams will be continuing to find their pace so it should be a fun one. There’s a little bit of a different approach with this being a single race weekend and also the limited amount of track time. It’s going to be about using every single lap wisely and getting up to speed quickly. I’m also very excited to be racing at home. Having friends and family around always gives me an extra boost of morale so it makes it that much more fun to catch up with old and new faces.”
Alec Udell, Driver, No. 17 Euroworld Motorsports/GMG Porsche 911 GT3 R.
“Going into the Long Beach Grand Prix I’m excited to carry forward the momentum that we had at St. Petersburg. I’m looking forward to getting back in the Euroworld Porsche and show what I’m capable of. It’s also very exciting because it’ll be GMG’s home race, being located just down the road in Santa Ana. We’ll have lots of supporters out there for the even so I’m excited to host and show well for our guests!”
Michael Schein, Driver, No. 16 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R.
“I’m looking forward to racing in Long Beach with the Wright Motorsports team and our Porsche 911 GT3 R. We had a successful start scoring two second place finishes in the season opener at St. Pete and I hope to build on that success after getting my first taste of racing on a true street course. Having two back to back street course rounds definitely makes it easier. The closeness of the walls is still pretty fresh in my head so that should help me get up to speed quickly. I hope to be able to fight for the win in California.”
World Prologue. Porsche Unveils 2017 Porsche 919 Hybrid at WEC Test.
The Porsche LMP Team is pleased with its performance in Monza. Almost the entire 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) field met for a joint two-day test weekend at the Italian high-speed circuit near Milan. The so-called “Prologue” with 27 cars present, saw the public debut of both the new 919 Hybrid of the world championship title defender Porsche as well as the new Toyota TS050 Hybrid. Both manufacturers ran two cars. The 2017 duel of the two class 1 prototypes is eagerly awaited, especially at the 24 Hours of Le Mans as the season’s highlight.
At the Prologue, Toyota set the overall best lap time. Neel Jani (Switzerland) recorded the fastest lap for a Porsche 919 Hybrid on Saturday when lapping the 3.6-mile (5.793 kilometer) long track in one-minute, 31.666-seconds. The reigning world champion shares the 919 Hybrid with Porsche’s newcomer André Lotterer (Germany) and Nick Tandy (Great Britain) who returned to the LMP1 squad inside the Porsche family. Together the trio of the No. 1 car covered 331 laps and 1,184-miles (1,906 kilometers) in two days.
At the wheel of the No. 2 Porsche it was Earl Bamber (New Zealand) who set the fastest lap in 1:31.823 minutes. Just like for the sister car, this was achieved during a qualifying simulation on Saturday evening. Bamber took over Mark Webber’s seat and teams up with Timo Bernhard (Germany) and Brendon Hartley (New Zealand). The No. 2 car crew completed a total of 329 laps during the Prologue in Monza.
Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1.
“Thanks to a great team effort, we look back not only on a pretty tough week but also on a very successful one. In Paul Ricard, we have concluded one of the best endurance tests ever. This was followed by the car unveiling in Monza which resulted in very positive feedback for the car’s new livery. The two test days at the Prologue were excellent and given the close competition spectators can look forward to a thrilling world championship.“
Andreas Seidl, Team Principal.
“We had split the Prologue into two test phases. On Saturday we focused on the car’s set-up and managed to improve it. The rain in the evening was an asset because we could practice quick turnarounds in changing conditions. On Sunday we did race simulations with both cars to investigate tire wear and exercise race-specific routines like pit stops. To meet Toyota for the first time with us and them driving low downforce aero configurations like you’d have in Le Mans was obviously very interesting for both of us. Testing doesn’t allow for proper judgment, but certainly we will see very close competition in every type of track condition. For us as a team it is very important to feel absolutely ready now for the season’s curtain raiser on April 16 in Silverstone.”
Neel Jani, Driver, No. 1 Porsche LMP Team Porsche 919 Hybrid.
“Practically we have been simulating a race weekend here and this worked out very well, especially as we had to deal with various track conditions. I enjoyed having the Prologue here in Monza. The circuit has a great tradition and special atmosphere and we had lots of fun with the many fans joining us. Another beneficial aspect is that this track doesn’t forgive any mistakes. This gives you an extra thrill.”
André Lotterer, Driver, No. 1 Porsche LMP Team Porsche 919 Hybrid.
“For me the Prologue was my first public appearance as a Porsche works driver and with the Porsche LMP Team. I have been welcomed by everybody and it was an important next step to experience the first event in conditions similar to a race weekend. I was approached by many fans who wanted to take their first picture of me in my new overalls. I enjoy getting used to it. Porsche is a special brand. I think every racing driver likes to be identified with it. I’m looking forward to an exciting season.”
Nick Tandy, Driver, No. 1 Porsche LMP Team Porsche 919 Hybrid.
“It is good to have the Prologue as a pre-race preparation. We do lots of testing but you never feel real pressure there. Here in Monza we worked like it was a race weekend. It is good to get into this feeling before the season.”
Earl Bamber, Driver, No. 2 Porsche LMP Team Porsche 919 Hybrid.
“The guys at Porsche have done great development work to the 919. During the Prologue here in Monza, we have learned a lot again about the car, especially when driving in difficult conditions. During the Saturday night session we had a thunderstorm and it’s very useful to get track time in the rain.”
Timo Bernhard, Driver, No. 2 Porsche LMP Team Porsche 919 Hybrid.
“It was a very positive Prologue for me. We had been well prepared and now we are ready to race in Silverstone. A few boxes are still on the list to be ticked off, especially regarding improvements for Le Mans. I think all of us really enjoyed these days in Monza very much: a super surrounding, lots of real motorsports and sports car enthusiasts who created a great hype during the autograph session as well – overall, this was a fantastic kick-off event for the new WEC season. Brendon and I know each other like a married couple anyway, and Earl fits in just perfectly. Ready to rumble!“
Brendon Hartley, Driver, No. 2 Porsche LMP Team Porsche 919 Hybrid.
“We felt very ready when we came here. We wish we were lining up for a race rather than for a test because Monza is a great track with a good atmosphere and a lot of fans even on a test day. I hope in the future we can race here. In all conditions it was very close with the Toyotas, so it’s clearly going to be a tough and close fought championship. Also it was good to get used to traffic again as at the previous tests we felt very lonely.”
International Porsche GT Team Debut. New 911 RSR Launches WEC Entry at Monza.
The Porsche GT Team is well prepared for the first race of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in Silverstone, Great Britain on April 16. At the final rehearsal for the start of the season – the official “Prologue” in the Autodromo Nazionale Monza – the two new Porsche 911 RSR successfully completed a comprehensive test schedule over the weekend. The 911 RSR with the starting number 91, shared by Richard Lietz (Austria) and Frédéric Makowiecki, covered a total of 803 miles (1,292 kilometers). Their team colleagues Michael Christensen (Denmark) and Kévin Estre (France) completed 795 miles (1,280 kilometers).
The Grand Prix circuit in Lombardy not only offered the ideal conditions to work on the tires and the setup, but also threw changing weather conditions at the 27 teams. The cars faced sunshine and rain with the corresponding temperature fluctuations.
The 911 RSR, with which Porsche returns to the WEC this season as a factory team, successfully completed the Prologue without any significant problems. They delivered a strong performance on the storied racetrack, on which Porsche once celebrated many great victories at the famous 1,000-kilometer races. In four of the five practice sessions, Christensen and Estre posted the best time in the LMGTE-Pro class. Their team colleagues Makowiecki and Lietz set second place two times. The Porsche customer teams campaigning the 911 RSR (model year 2016) in the GTE-Am class also did well. Gulf Racing with the all-British driver lineup of Michael Wainwright, Ben Barker and Nicholas Foster as well as Dempsey Proton Racing with Porsche Young Professional Matteo Cairoli (Italy), Christian Ried (Germany) and Marvin Dienst (Germany), also clocked the top times.
Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, Head of Porsche Motorsport.
“The dress rehearsal for the season-opener at Silverstone was a success. We were able to complete our test program exactly as we’d anticipated, turning more laps than any other competitor. It was important for us that we were able to prepare for all possible racing situations here. And this worked well. The performance of the 911 RSR is hard to gauge, however the feedback from the drivers was very positive. They’re all pleased with how the car handles. We want to take this good momentum with us to Silverstone. It will definitely be exciting there.”
Marco Ujhasi, Director GT Factory Motorsports.
“Our goal for this Prologue was to generally prepare the driver, car and team for the start of the season in Silverstone. We were able to implement our schedule as planned. During the second session on Sunday we focused on worked specifically on preparing for that first race. We concentrated on important issues such as trying out double stints on one set of tires. In this regard, too, we were able to gain new insights. The pit stops also ran very well. We’re already looking good as a team. We’ll do the final touches in the free practice at Silverstone. We’re ready for the first race.”
Richard Lietz, Driver, No. 91 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“This was a very important test for us. Every team was in racing mode. We tried several different setups for Silverstone and these worked well. Monza was also an ideal opportunity to integrate the many new team members into the squad. Now we look forward to our return as a works team to the WEC and we can hardly wait until the season finally begins at Silverstone.”
Frédéric Makowiecki, Driver, No. 91 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“We’ve gained a better understanding of our new 911 RSR. This test was very positive and brought us a big step forward. And the team has grown even closer over the last two days. I’ve had a year away from the WEC so, of course, I’m excited to be back again. The fact that the first race is contested in Silverstone, on one of my favorite racetracks, just adds to the excitement.”
Michael Christensen, Driver, No. 92 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“Monza was a very good test for us. We learned a great deal, for instance, about the balance of our 911 RSR. We are pretty much already in the racing rhythm for Silverstone. Everything ran very well here, so we really should be strong at the season-opening round, as well.”
Kévin Estre, Driver, No. 92 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“These two days of testing yielded a lot for us as a team. The car felt very good and the fact that we set the best times in four sessions is a great motivation as we head into the season. This is the first time Michael and I have worked together under competition conditions. That worked very well and the understanding with the new engineers has become even better. As far as we’re concerned, the season can begin.”
Matteo Cairoli, Driver, No. 77 Dempsey Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR.
“It was a great experience that the Prologue for my first WEC season took place on my home turf. Many of my friends were here to support me and wish me luck. I’m proud that Porsche and Dempsey Proton Racing have given me this great chance. I will work hard to repay their trust by achieving good performances.”
Looking West. Pirelli GT3 Cup Trophy USA Ready for Big 2017 Season
Pirelli GT3 Cup Trophy USA will host the opening two races of the 2017 championship next month at Thunderhill Raceway Park. The double-header event is the first of eight race weekends that will comprise the 2017 championship for the growing series, which enters its second decade of operation under Competent Motorsport.
The 2017 season will once again comprise visits to some incredible tracks, including Sonoma Raceway, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Circuit of the Americas, as well as Road America.
The championship features three classes (Diamond for 2014-2016 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup entries, Platinum for 2010-2013 997 GT3 Cup entries, and the very popular Silver for 2016 Cayman GT4 Cup entries), as well as Masters Classes in both Diamond and Silver. Drivers in the championship have different backgrounds, and often, different goals. With a competitive field, but a collegial atmosphere, several of the drivers have enjoyed making the step up to Pirelli GT3 Cup USA from PCA competition.
The series, with the multi-class structure, has also shown to be a strong proving ground for racers with aspirations in professional-level championships.
Russell Ward, who had his first season of racing in 2016 with Pirelli GT3 Cup USA, made his IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge debut at Daytona International Speedway in January and scored a podium finish his first time out for CJ Wilson Racing and Winward Racing. Ward is planning to continue to push his development with another season of Pirelli Cup competition in 2017, along with his IMSA efforts in conjunction.
Greg Franz, president Competent Motorsport.
“After a great 10th anniversary season last year, we are thrilled about our 2017 championship and the schedule that we’ve been able to assemble this year with the feedback from our drivers and teams. We have continued to grow our staff to be able to provide smooth-running events for the competitors, and we are eager to get the season started at Thunderhill!”
Porsche Entries at Long Beach.
Total Car Count. Eleven (11) Porsche Motorsport-produced cars are competing at Long Beach during the Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend across two series: IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Pirelli World Challenge.
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Total Car Count: Six (6) Porsche entries will be competing in the third round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the BUBBA Burger Sports Car Grand Prix of Long Beach.
GTLM Class – Two (2) Porsche 911 RSR.
No. 911 Porsche GT Team Patrick Pilet (France)/ Dirk Werner (Germany)
No. 912 Porsche GT Team Kévin Estre (France)/ Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium)
GTD Class – Four (4) Porsche 911 GT3 R.
No. 28 Alegra Motorsports
Michael Christensen (Denmark)/ Daniel Morad (Canada)
No. 54 CORE autosport Jon Bennett (Charlotte, North Carolina)/ Colin Braun (Harrisburg, North Carolina)
No. 73 Park Place Motorsports Jörg Bergmeister (Germany)/ Patrick Lindsey (Santa Barbara, California)
No. 991 TRG Wolf Henzler (Germany)/ Jan Heylen (Tampa, Florida)
Pirelli World Challenge Sprint Championship.
Total Car Count: Five (5) Porsche entries will be competing in the second race weekend, third round, of the Pirelli World Challenge Sprint Championship, Grand Prix of Long Beach.
GT Class – Three (3) Porsche 911 GT3 R.
No. 17 Euroworld Motorsports/GMG Alec Udell (The Woodlands, Texas)
No. 53 Wright Motorsports Patrick Long (Manhattan Beach, California)
No. 99 GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Jon Fogarty (Bend, Oregon)
GTA Class – Two (2) Porsche 911 GT3 R.
No. 14 GMG Racing James Sofronas (Villa Park, California)
No. 16 Wright Motorsports Michael Schein (Glen Cove, New York)
Where to Watch:
All IMSA Series information, audio and live timing and scoring for each on-track session is additionally available on the IMSA App
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Channel/Web Address
Qualifying Broadcast
Friday, April 7
7:30 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. ET IMSA.tv and IMSA App
Race Broadcast. Live
Saturday, April 8
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET FOX
All Pirelli World Challenge Series information, audio and live timing and scoring for each on-track session is additionally available at www.world-challenge.com.
Pirelli World Challenge. Channel/Web Address
Qualifying Broadcast.
GT/GTA
Saturday, April 8
12:10 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. ET www.world-challenge.com
Race Broadcast. Live.
GT/GTA Race
Sunday, April 9
11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. ET
Race Broadcast. Television.
Sunday, April 9
GT/GTA
2:30 p.m. ET www.world-challenge.com
CBS Sports Network
Social Media.
Porsche Cars North America. @Porsche
Porsche GT Team (North America) @PorscheNARacing
Porsche Motorsport – GT Cars. @PorscheRaces
Porsche Racing – 919 Hybrid. @Porsche_Team
Model Hashtags.
Porsche 911 RSR. #911RSR
Porsche 911 GT3 R. #911GT3R
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup #911Cup
Porsche 919 Hybrid. #919hybrid
Event Hashtag.
IMSA WeatherTech Series #BUBBAGP
Series Hashtags and Handles.
GT3 Cup Challenge USA. #GT3USA
GT3 Cup Challenge Canada. #GT3CAN
PCA Club Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport Trophy East @CaymanGT4CSEast #GT4CSE
Pirelli GT3 Cup Trophy USA @PirelliCupUSA
Future Porsche Events.
FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC)
Event: 6 Hours of Silverstone, Silverstone Circuit
Dateline: Silverstone, Great Britain
Date: Friday - Sunday, April 14 - 16
Track Length: 3.6-miles, 18-turn
Race Duration: Six-Hours
Class: LMP-1 Hybrid (Porsche 919 Hybrid)
LMGTE-Pro (Porsche 911 RSR, MY 2017)
LMGTE-Am (Porsche 911 RSR, MY 2016)
Round: 1 of 9
Next Round: Six Hours of Spa, Circuit de Spa- Francorchamps, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, May 4-6, 2017
IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama
Event: Grand Prix of Birmingham, Barber Motorsports Park
Dateline: Birmingham, Alabama
Date: Race 1. Saturday, April 22
Race 2. Sunday, April 23
Track Length: 2.38-miles, 15-turn
Race Duration: Two, 45-minute races
Class: Platinum (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, MY 2017)
Gold (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, MY 2014-2016)
Round: 3 and 4 of 14
Next Round: Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York, June 29 – July 2, 2017
Pirelli World Challenge
Event: Grand Prix of Virginia, VIRginia International Raceway
Dateline: Alton, Virginia
Date: Race 1. Saturday, April 29th
Race 2. Sunday, April 30th
Track Length: 3.27-miles, 17-turn
Race Duration: Two, 60-minute Races
Class: GT-X/GTA-X (Porsche 911 GT3 R)
GTS-X (Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR)
GTS (Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR)
Round: GT-X/GTA-X. 1 and 2 of 10
GTS-X. 1 and 2 of 10
GTS. 3 and 4 of 10
Next Round: SprintX, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, Bowmanville, Ontario Canada, May 19-21, 2017
IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge
Event: Circuit of the Americas 120, Circuit of the Americas
Dateline: Austin, Texas
Date: Friday, May 5
Track Length: 3.4-miles, 20-turn
Race Duration: 2-Hours
Class: GS/GT4 (Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR)
GS (Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport)
Round: 3 of 10
Next Round: Continental Tire 150, Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York, June 29 – July 2, 2017
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
Event: Advance Auto Parts SportsCar Showdown, Circuit of the Americas,
Dateline: Austin, Texas
Date: Saturday, May 6
Track Length: 3.4-miles, 20-turn
Race Duration: 2-Hour, 40-minutes
Class: GTLM (Porsche 911 RSR)
GTD (Porsche 911 GT3 R)
Round: GTLM. 4 of 11
GTD. 4 of 12
Next Round: SportsCar Classic, GTD Class Only, Raceway at Belle Isle Park, Detroit, Michigan, June 2-3, 2017