Cameron Hoping for Additional IGTC Outings with Honda

Photo: Scott LePage/IMSA

Dane Cameron say he’s hopeful of additional Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli outings with Honda Team Motul after having gotten the call up to join the factory Honda squad for this weekend’s Kyalami 9 Hour.

The Acura Team Penske driver, who claimed the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship DPi title this year, has joined the JAS Motorsport-run operation for the IGTC season finale, sharing the No. 30 Honda NSX GT3 Evo with Bertrand Baguette and Marc Bonanomi.

For Cameron, who was denied the GT World Challenge Pro-Am drivers’ championship on a rules technicality, the opportunity to see his relationship build within the Honda/Acura family within the last two years has been “really enjoyable” experience.

“It’s grown into a nice relationship for sure,” Cameron told Sportscar365.

“The [NSX GT3] was the first car I ever drove in the family, moved to the DPi program, and then was able to expand to 90 percent of the SRO America races this year and try something a little bit different here. 

“I’ve been enjoying working with the brands, Acura, Honda and HPD and now JAS more directly for the first time. That’s been really enjoyable so it’s been cool to see that grow. 

“Doing a good job has always been able to lead to more races so we’ll see. It would be very busy to do all of [the IGTC races]. 

“But my main focus will always remain on the DPi program.”

With no clashes between the five-round IGTC schedule and the ten IMSA DPi races on the WeatherTech Championship schedule next year, Cameron said it could be possible to undertake both programs, although admitted that it’s “too early” to discuss those prospects.

Cameron is competing in only his second sports car race outside of North America this weekend, four years after taking part in the 24 Hours of Dubai in a Schubert Motorsport BMW Z4 GT3.

“If there was an opportunity to do more, I’d love to do it,” Cameron said. “It seems like a really neat championship.

“For me, I haven’t been able to do a ton of racing overseas so it’s something I’d like to do a little bit more of.

“This could be a good opportunity to get to places I haven’t been, like Bathurst and Spa, and check some of those boxes and get that experience. 

“It’s quite difficult, as a North American-based driver, you feel like you lose out just because you don’t have the experience at some of the race tracks.

“I would really love to get over and tick some of those boxes and do that kind of stuff.”

Cameron’s Pirelli Tire Experience a Plus for JAS

Cameron said his experience of Pirelli’s DHD2 tire from his race-winning GT World Challenge America campaign with RealTime Racing is one of the elements he’s able to bring to the program this weekend.

Having elected to skip this year’s season-opener at Bathurst, the Italian squad has only four races under its belts with the NSX GT3 Evo/Pirelli tire combination. 

“I know the car pretty well from the end of the SRO America season and the tire a little bit,” Cameron said.

“It seems like the team is still getting an understanding with the tire so we’ll try to help a little bit and bring some experience.

“I want to have some fun, enjoy it, and see what we can do. It seems like the performance changes track to track a little bit so you don’t know how competitive you’re going to be until you show up. 

“It’s obviously a super competitive championship for everybody. It’s a pretty stacked deck across the field. We’ll see what we can.

“The best they’ve finished is sixth at Spa, so we’ll see if we can do better than that. It would be cool to try to get a podium but we’ll push as hard as we can for a good result.”

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