The annual rounds of the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin at Calabogie Motorsports Park are unlike any other event in the championship.
Calabogie creates a great challenge for teams and drivers, as it’s the longest and one of the most technical tracks in Canada, with its 20 turns covering 3.137 miles (5.05 km). The beautiful circuit is located in the scenic Greater Madawaska region of the Ottawa Valley, about a one-hour drive west of downtown Ottawa.
It’s “cottage country,” an area dotted with small towns, lakes, mountains and forests, a place of relaxation for many Eastern Ontario residents. The laid-back feel also extends to the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin paddock during the event weekend, popular with teams and competitors.
That said, Rounds 5 and 6 of the 2015 calendar, scheduled for July 4-5 at Calabogie Motorsports Park, comprise the most important event in the series for one of its flagship teams, Mark Motors Racing of Ottawa. The circuit is the home track for the team and its dealership, Mark Motors Porsche.
Mark Motors Porsche embraces the relaxed atmosphere of the weekend just as much as its guests. But make no mistake: This weekend is serious business for the dealership, providing a superb platform to promote its business, the Porsche brand and the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin.
“We’re really, really lucky to have a racetrack so close to our dealership,” said Liza Mrak, Mark Motors business development manager and daughter of Mark Motors founder Louis Mrak. “The Porsche brand itself and having a track so close, it’s a beautiful marriage.”
Mark Motors courts potential and existing customers at Calabogie throughout the track’s season, but that activation kicks into high gear this weekend.
The dealership, in conjunction with Porsche Cars Canada, offers hospitality to upward of 150 guests each day at two VIP lounges in choice viewing areas adjacent to the circuit. Gourmet food and beverages are provided, and the team’s drivers visit hospitality to talk with guests and expose them to their exciting racing world.
Race weekend hospitality is just part of Mark Motors’ regular involvement with Calabogie Motorsports Park. The dealership hosts formal and impromptu track day and customer education sessions at the circuit. These range from the annual driver development event, taking place this year July 8, to sessions for existing or potential customers who want to try a certain model of Porsche in a controlled, safe, challenging environment.
Porsche Cars Canada also has a fleet of vehicles that it brings to Calabogie for test drives, and interested Mark Motors Porsche customers can visit the track to take specific Porsche models of interest for a spin.
“The track does a really nice job of allocating time for people who wish to take their own car out for a few laps,” Mrak said. “So what we’ll do is if we have a customer who really wants to get behind the wheel but can’t attend one of our organized events, we’ll pick up the phone and call the track manager, and she accommodates us all the time. It’s one of the luxuries of being so close to a track and having such a strong partnership.”
An important part of this experience includes the drive to the circuit. The final stretch of the 70-mile (115 km) drive from Mark Motors Porsche to Calabogie Motorsports includes winding, flowing country roads. The track may be close to downtown Ottawa, but it’s a world away in terms of stress levels.
“The track is in a perfect location,” Mrak said. “It’s the perfect drive to get warmed up and let your mind relax. Once you arrive, there’s no stress, no hustle and bustle. You’re completely unloaded from your day to focus in on driving.
“But the other thing that’s very appealing about the track is that it’s a very technical track with a lot of turns, which truly showcases a Porsche’s strengths. Because there are so many turns on the track, it allows drivers to get the experience so much faster. Many tracks have more straightaways than they do turns. A great race really is best when you have a lot of turns because it really emphasizes the strength of the driver.”
Driving and racing have been part of the fabric of Mark Motors Porsche since Louis Mrak opened the Porsche franchise of the dealership in 1974. Louis Mrak worked on small race teams when he arrived Canada in 1956.
Louis and Margaret Mrak and their four children – all of whom work for Mark Motors – attended a number of races in the Canadian circuits as a family affair. Some of these circuits include Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Shannonville Motorsport Park and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, to name a few.
“We’ve always been intrigued by the racing industry, and that’s been because of the Porsche brand and its history in racing,” Liza Mrak said.
Mark Motors extended that DNA strand into team sponsorship in the newly launched Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin in 2011. Then the dealership took the next step in 2013 by forming a team for Platinum Masters drivers Marco Cirone and Perry Bortolotti, who also raced for the team last season. This season Cirone and 17-year-old rookie Harry Steenbakkers are driving for Mark Motors Racing in all 10 rounds.
It didn’t take long for the team to establish a championship pedigree. Cirone won the Platinum Masters title for Mark Motors Racing in 2013 and 2014.
“Whether you’re a car person or not, there’s a lot of enthusiasm in the race industry,” Mrak said. “It brings a wide range of people that are interested in the racing side of things together. From that energy we see the passion for the Porsche brand grow. More people inquire about the brand, which translates into new people walking through the doors of our dealership.”
Mark Motors Porsche promotes its dealership and race team through a very active social media presence on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Mrak also sends email newsletters to customers, encouraging them to follow the race team, and some Mark Motors dealership employees wear race team shirts during event weeks to promote upcoming races and Mark Motors Racing.
“We’re just trying to take that whole excitement we go through and share it,” Mrak said. “At the end of the day, if we get more people interested in the series, that’s a win for us, as well.”
For more information about Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin, visit www.imsa.com, follow hashtag #GT3CAN @IMSA on Twitter or IMSA on Facebook.
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
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