IMSA Porsche GT3 USA Announces 2015 Schedule

A new event at NOLA Motorsports Park, a return to Virginia International Raceway and the season finale during the Porsche Rennsport Reunion V at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca are among the highlights of the 2015 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama schedule.

The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) unveiled Dec. 9 an eight-venue, 16-round schedule for the series, one of 19 global Porsche 911 GT3 Cup one-make championships that provide thrilling action and groom drivers for future TUDOR United SportsCar Championship competition in North America or professional GT racing worldwide.

The series will run 12 of its 16 rounds during TUDOR Championship events.

“Last season established a new Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama series benchmark for competitive racing and record entry of Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race cars,” said Steven Sewell, senior series manager, IMSA Single Make Series. “Bringing this level of racing excitement to three new events in 2015 further demonstrates IMSA’s commitment to expand awareness of this premier championship.”

The season gets underway March 18-20 at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida, as part of the prestigious Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida race week.

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama competitors then will race at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, Louisiana, for the first time April 10-12 during the track’s inaugural INDYCAR event weekend. The facility, located about 15 miles from downtown New Orleans, features a 16-turn, 2.75-mile circuit.

Next are traditional event weekends, beginning June 25-27 at Watkins Glen International in the scenic Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, followed by the challenging Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, on July 9-12, and the classic Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on Aug. 7-9.

The next new event on the 2015 schedule takes place Aug. 21-23 at Virginia International Raceway in Danville, Virginia. The series races at picturesque VIR for the first time since 2012, as a companion event to the TUDOR Championship.

Action continues Sept. 18-19 at the state-of-the-art Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, during the popular FIA World Endurance Championship-TUDOR United SportsCar Championship event weekend.

The season will end at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, for the first time since 2009 with two rounds Oct. 9-11 during the Porsche Rennsport Reunion V. More than 1,000 Porsche vintage and current race cars will gather on the Monterey Peninsula to celebrate the manufacturer in a high-profile event that last took place in 2011.

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama will be one of the featured classes of competition at the Porsche Cars North America event, which draws tens of thousands of spectators and also features a Concours d’Elegance and other special activities.

“We have been pleased to see the continued growth of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama over the years, and that growth is obvious in the 2015 schedule,” said Jens Walther, president and CEO, Porsche Motorsport North America. “We return to the best circuits in North America and add three very exciting venues. The schedule should provide both excellent on-track action as well as inspire even greater interest in the series.

“To be part of the debut of the new NOLA circuit while also returning to one of the most traditional North American tracks, VIR, gives the competitors a unique balance. Perhaps, even more rewarding, and what we expect to be a major draw for our customers, will be the series’ involvement in Rennsport Reunion V. Not only is Monterey a wonderful venue for the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars on which to compete, to be highlighted as part of such a prestigious event as the fifth iteration of Rennsport is a tremendous honor for Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA. All of us at Porsche are looking forward to the 2015 season.”

Details about television and online video coverage of Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama events will be announced soon.

2015 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama Schedule

Date                           Venue
March 18-20               Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Florida*
April 10-12                   NOLA Motorsports Park, Avondale, Louisiana
June 25-27                   Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York*
July 9-12                      Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville, Ontario*
Aug. 7-9                        Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin*
Aug. 21-23                    Virginia International Raceway, Danville, Virginia*
Sept. 18-19                   Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas*
Oct. 9-11                       Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, California

* — In conjunction with IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship events