HispanicBusiness

MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 03/21/13 -- For the last two years, the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin has been the fastest growing single make series in North America. That growth was driven by a dedicated group of teams and drivers who provided Canadian race fans with some of the closest and hard fought racing spectators had seen in many a year.

For 2013, the series will continue to evolve in many ways, with new venues, a new class structure and even a surprise announcement or two.

When the GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin series was first conceived, it consisted of three classes - Platinum, Gold and Silver. This class structure allowed drivers of GT3 Cup cars from the early 2000's to present day to compete against other drivers with cars of equivalent capabilities, so that the driver was the determining factor for victory.

The hope was that as the fields continued to grow, drivers would step up to newer cars, thus taking their improved skills and applying them to newer, faster and more dynamic GT3 Cup cars. This means for 2013 the series will be divided in to two classes - Platinum and Gold. As planned, the Silver class will be retired after the first two seasons.

In 2012, the GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin made its first official trip to the Canadian Grand Prix as a "race within a race" as part of the U.S. based IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama and was run under the rules of that series. This year the Grand Prix support race becomes a full-fledged part of the GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin series and will be run under Canadian rules for the very first time. In addition, there has been a second race added that weekend, thus bringing the total number of races in the series for 2013 to 10.

The other major addition to the calendar is the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres. The Grand Prix began in 1967 and has brought such names as Gilles Villeneuve and Keke Rosberg to prominence and to the attention of F1 team owners. The legendary street circuit is enjoyed by race enthusiasts and families alike, resulting in one of the top-five highest attended motorsports events in Canada each year.

The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin will consist of five weekends of racing with a total of ten championship races. The season will run from Victoria Day in May through September this season.

May 17-19

2013 Victoria Day SpeedFest

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada

June 7-9

2013 Grand Prix du Canada

Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

July 19-21

2013 Grand Prix of Mosport

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada

August 9-11

2013 Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres

Trois-Rivieres, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada

September 6-8

2013 Calabogie Grand Prix

Calabogie Motorsports Park, Calabogie, Ontario, Canada

The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin features semi-professional drivers racing head to head in the largest single-make series in the world. Powered by one of the world's most successful race cars, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, the multi-class structure of the series teaches drivers essential skills for an eventual career in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron.



Contacts:
Porsche Cars Canada
Patrick Saint-Pierre
Public Relations and Press
(905) 694-2398
patrick.saint-pierre@porsche.ca