Cooper to Make Series Debut in 35-Car Entry for Watkins Glen

Photo: Bob Chapman/Autosport Image

Michael Cooper will make his Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America debut in this weekend’s seventh and eighth rounds of the season at Watkins Glen International, which features a 35-car provisional entry list.

Cooper, a multi-time sports car racing champion, will pilot the No. 33 Accelerating Performance Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car in the Pro class, the same entry that Porsche North America Selected Driver Kay van Berlo drove in the most recent event in Miami.

It is part of a 20-car Pro class field for The Glen, which marks the first natural terrain road course event of the season after races at Sebring International Raceway, the streets of Long Beach and at the Miami International Autodrome, in support of Formula 1.

With wins in five out of six races, Riley Dickinson of Kellymoss holds a 54-point lead in the drivers’ championship over McElrea Racing’s Tom Sargent, with Will Martin, who broke through to win in the second Long Beach race of the weekend, third for JDX Racing.

In addition to Cooper, Nick Boulle is listed to join the Pro class ranks this weekend, driving for 762 Motorsports, while Jake Petersen returns after contesting the opening two rounds of the season at Sebring in March.

Thomas Merrill, who had taken part in all six races to date with Nolasport, is not listed to drive this weekend, as well as ACI Motorsports’ Grant Talkie.

A total of eight cars are entered in the Pro-Am ranks, including the return of PJ Hyett, who is set to pull double duty between his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship commitments with AO Racing and the Kellymoss entry in Carrera Cup.

Kellymoss driver Efrin Castro heads into the weekend at the head of the championship, over ACI’s Marco Cirone.

The Am class, which features seven cars this weekend, has Mark Kvamme out front of MDK Motorsports teammate Scott Noble heading into the halfway point of the season.

Track action kicks off on Thursday with a pair of practice sessions, with qualifying on tap for Friday morning and the first of two 40-minute races set for a 1:25 p.m. EDT start on Friday. Race 2 takes the green flag Saturday at 12:20 p.m., with both races streamed live on PorscheCarreraCup.us, Peacock and on IMSA Radio.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John