Porsche Carrera Cup North America Adds Austin to Debut Season

by Thomas Moore

Carson, California. Porsche Carrera Cup North America has added the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) to the calendar of its debut season in 2021. The Austin, Texas-area track will host Rounds 3 and 4 of the premier one-make championship April 30 – May 2. The twin, 45-minute events at COTA come as a result of ongoing COVID-19-related Canadian travel and gathering restrictions. The first of the two scheduled event weekends in Canada will be substituted by the three-class (Pro, Pro-Am and Pro-Am 991) championship with the Texas rounds. Porsche Carrera Cup North America joins Porsche Sprint Challenge North America and the SRO America – in which race cars produced by the German marque compete in three championships – at COTA.

The second race weekend of the new championship had been scheduled for Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP), May 21 – 23, in support of SRO America, but had to be cancelled due to ongoing mandated restrictions. Porsche Motorsport North America president and CEO Dr. Daniel Armbruster, Series Manager Brian Blocker and IMSA officials worked closely with SRO management and COTA track representatives to move to the popular Texas facility. The addition of Porsche Carrera Cup North America to the already top sports car racing card promises one of the most competitive GT weekends of the year.

The home of the United States Grand Prix, COTA is a 3.4-mile (5.513 km) track best known for its dramatic uphill charge into the first of 20-turns. Porsche one-make racing has been a part of the fabric of the facility outside of the capital of Texas since 2012 when Porsche Trophy West USA – now known as the Yokohama Drivers Cup USA – ran as support to the inaugural Formula 1 race there. The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, the pinnacle of the Porsche one-make pyramid worldwide, raced at the track alongside Formula 1 from 2014 – 2016. Earl Bamber (New Zealand), co-owner of Team Hardpoint EBM which has both Pro and Pro-Am class entries in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America, won the pole position at the first Mobil 1 Supercup event at COTA in 2014. Eventual Porsche factory driver Mathieu Jaminet (France) won both races in 2016.

Specific details, including on-track session times and broadcast information, will be communicated as they are formalized.

Brian Blocker, Series Manager, Porsche Carrera Cup North America.

“We are in challenging times, and the safety and well-being of our customers, the teams as well as racing fans is our highest priority. Like everyone, we have done our best to adapt as changes have arisen. We were very much looking forward to racing at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in May, but unfortunately won’t be able to do so as planned. However, working with our partners and stakeholders, we have found a great solution by joining the SRO and Porsche Sprint Challenge North America at COTA April 30 through May 2. While we certainly didn’t want to have to make these changes, we could not have asked for a better alternative than to be racing in Austin.

Canada remains a key part of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America vision. We are monitoring events in Toronto closely right now with every intention of racing there with IndyCar. We are committed to this being a true North American championship.”

Porsche Carrera Cup North America is the premier one-make race series in the United States and Canada utilizing a combination of the latest Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car, type 992, and MICHELIN® Pilot® Sport Cup N3 racing slick to challenge the best road and street race courses on the continent. As with all national Carrera Cups worldwide, The inaugural season of the championship is scheduled to host 16-rounds at eight venues. Each 45-minute race counts toward a season-long driver and team championship in each of three classes: Pro, Pro-Am and Pro-Am 991.

Live timing and scoring of every session, a direct link to the live video feed, and more information on North America’s first Porsche Carrera Cup can be found at www.PorscheCarreraCup.us.

*Image courtesy of Porsche Cars North America

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