An unpredictable weekend for Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama welcomed newcomers to the top step of the podium at Watkins Glen International, running the fifth of seven races for the series in 2024.
Porsche GT3 Cup:
While Jared Thomas and JTR Motorsports Engineering took the honors in Saturday’s race at Watkins Glen, it was Sunday’s race that caught attention for a stunning conclusion in 992 GT3 Cup.
Conrad Geis found himself as the Race 2 winner for MDK Motorsports, albeit only after the top three contenders were collected in an incident during the closing minutes. Geis’ former teammate, Ashley Freiberg, led the majority of the race from pole position, but Thomas sought a three-wide move between her and lapped traffic that went awry.
The two went off track and collected third-place Paul Bocuse, elevating Geis to his first win, David Musial to second, and Therese Lahlouh to her first podium in the series.
Scott Blind swept the weekend in the 992 GT3 Cup Masters class, winning ahead of podium finishers Dave Musial Sr., Rob Walker and Joel Johnson across the two races.
In the 991 GT3 Cup class, Tony Malito gained ground on championship leader Nick Meissner following a win and runner-up finish in both races at Watkins Glen. While Meissner won on Saturday, he encountered an issue in the opening laps on Sunday that brought him to pit lane and promoted Malito to the win.
Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport:
Caroline Candas scored her first victory on North American soil this weekend at Watkins Glen, winning on Saturday with Rafa Racing by JDX in the Cayman GT4 Clubsport Pro/Am class. Candas has been in the mix with Ian Porter and Nick Shaeffer throughout the season, and she took advantage of the two clashing early and removing themselves from contention while battling for the lead.
The Porsche Mobil 1 Female Driver Program member led a 1-2 finish for the ladies in Sprint Challenge on Saturday, as fellow program member Loni Unser finished second-in-class en route to her best result of the year. Porter, meanwhile, battled back for the victory on Sunday, while Candas followed up with a second-place finish. Nick Shaefferthen rounded out the podium in his final race with the series before embarking on a two-year mission trip.
In the Cayman Masters class, Alain Scalzo emerged with his best performance of the year and a weekend sweep at Watkins Glen. Scalzo capitalized on excellent qualifying efforts to finish both races ahead of championship leader, Michael Clark.
For Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama and its sister USA West series, Road America will host the next round as part of a joint event. The weekend also features the second of four Porsche Endurance Challenge North America races, with on-track activity taking place on August 9 – 11.
Porsche Sprint Challenge North America by Yokohama Official Results:
Porsche GT3 Cup – Race 1 and Race 2
Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport – Race 1 and Race 2
Porsche Sprint Challenge race replays are available on the Porsche Motorsport North America YouTube channel.
