Porsche Carrera Cup North America
CategoryOne-make racing by Porsche
CountryNorth America
Inaugural season2021
ConstructorsPorsche
Tyre suppliersMichelin
Drivers' champion USA Riley Dickinson
Teams' championKellymoss
Official websiteCarrera Cup North America
Current season

Porsche Carrera Cup North America (known as the Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America for sponsorship reasons) is a one-make racing series that takes place in North America featuring Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars. The series is sanctioned by the International Motor Sports Association.

History

In September 2020, Porsche announced the creation of a new single-make racing series to take place in the United States and Canada, replacing the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge.[1] The Porsche Carrera Cup North America would be launched in 2021 in partnership with sanctioning body IMSA and Michelin, who would become the exclusive tire provider for the series.[2] The 2021 class structure consisted of the open Pro class, a Pro-Am class designated for drivers 45 years of age and older, and Pro-Am 991 for older generation 991.2-spec Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars.[3]

The series' inaugural race at Sebring would also mark the worldwide customer racing debut of the new-for-2021 992-spec Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.[4] By October 2020, five months before the first race was set to begin, Porsche had sold out of their allocations of the new car for North America.[5] The first ever race was won by Sebastian Priaulx, who would become the series' inaugural champion.

The series would garner title sponsorship from the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.[6] With this title sponsorship came an expanded prize package, which included a trip to a five-star resort in the Cayman Islands.[7] The series also underwent a change to the class structure in 2022, with the Pro-Am 991 class dropped in favor of an Am class for drivers over the age of 57.[8] That year, JDX Racing's Parker Thompson would win the series title.[9]

In 2023, Deluxe Corporation took over title sponsorship.[10] The series also expanded its support bill beyond the IMSA umbrella, supporting two Formula 1 Grands Prix at Miami and Circuit of the Americas as well as the Nascar Xfinity Series event at Road America.[11][12] With four races to spare in the 2023 championship, Riley Dickinson would score the overall title.[13]

For 2024, Long Beach and Laguna Seca were dropped from the schedule in favor of a return to Road Atlanta and an additional round supporting the Canadian Grand Prix. The ANDIAL Cup was also launched, an in-season championship for the rounds supporting IMSA-sanctioned events.[14] Replacing Michelin, Yokohama became the series' exclusive tire supplier for 2024.[15]

Circuits

Champions

Season Champion Pro-Am Champion PA991 Champion Team Champion
2021 Guernsey Sebastian Priaulx Dominican Republic Efrin Castro United States Matt Halcome Canada Kelly-Moss Road and Race
Season Champion Pro-Am Champion Am Champion Team Champion
2022 Canada Parker Thompson United States Alan Metni United States Mark Kvamme United States Kelly-Moss Road and Race
2023 United States Riley Dickinson Dominican Republic Efrin Castro United States Mark Kvamme United States Kellymoss

References

  1. ↑ "Porsche Carrera Cup North America to Debut in 2021". IMSA. September 25, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Michelin to support new IMSA Porsche Carrera Cup North America". Tire Business. September 28, 2020. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  3. ↑ Dagys, John (February 17, 2021). "Class Structure Revised Ahead of Inaugural Season". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Porsche Carrera Cup North America Debuts New Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Race Car". Porsche. March 10, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  5. ↑ Dagys, John (October 7, 2020). "Porsche Sells Out of Initial Carrera Cup Allocation for 2021". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Porsche one-make series Sebring dress rehearsal draws record entries; Cayman Islands returns". Porsche. March 9, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  7. ↑ News Release (August 30, 2022). "Expanded Champions Prize Package Announced". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  8. ↑ Staff (March 28, 2022). "Van Berlo Sweeps Opening Weekend at Sebring". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved September 20, 2023. New for 2022 is the Am class for drivers 57-years-old and older – all driving the current type 992 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car.
  9. ↑ "Parker Thompson Claims Carrera Cup North America Championship at Road Atlanta". Inside Track News. October 3, 2022. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Porsche announces 2023 schedule and Deluxe title partnership for Carrera Cup North America". Porsche. February 8, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  11. ↑ James, Richard S. (February 8, 2023). "Porsche Carrera Cup North America announces schedule, new title sponsor". Racer. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  12. ↑ Dagys, John (March 15, 2023). "High Profile Calendar "Ticks the Box" for Porsche, Competitors". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  13. ↑ Racer Staff (September 18, 2023). "Dickinson secures Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup title with double victory at IMS". Racer. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Porsche announces 2024 Carrera Cup North America event calendar". Porsche. October 23, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  15. ↑ Staff (October 30, 2023). "Carrera Cup Set for Switch to Yokohama Tires for 2024". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
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