Four veterans from the 2014 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama relished the challenge of taking on some of the best single-make GT series drivers in the world during two Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup races Oct. 31-Nov. 2 at the Circuit of the Americas(COTA) in Austin, Texas.
2014 Platinum Cup champion Colin Thompson, Platinum Cup competitor Santiago Creel and Gold Cup drivers David Ducote and Bill Peluchiwski each participated in the event weekend that supported the United States Grand Prix, the only FIA Formula One World Championship race in America.
“Overall, I’m very satisfied,” Thompson said. “Porsche puts on an unbelievable showing on a Supercup weekend. It’s incredible. It’s just great to be part of an international event here.”
Ducote, from Houston, finished 21st and 19th, respectively, in the two races in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car prepared by his team in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama, Kelly Moss Motorsports. He improved his position after qualifying 25th for both 14-lap events.
Wisconsin-based Kelly Moss earned two entries in the Supercup field – for Thompson and Ducote – from Porsche Motorsport North America (PMNA) in recognition of Thompson winning the Drivers’ Championship this season in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama.
All of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama regulars adapted to three new scenarios all weekend on the 20-turn, 3.4-mile circuit – standing race starts, competing on Michelin tires and taking on the intense competition in the pinnacle of Porsche’s 19 global single-make series.
“It was my first-ever Supercup weekend,” Ducote said. “It was a lot of fun. It was very challenging. It was my first time to do starts from a standing start. That was challenging.
“Kelly Moss really worked hard to give me a great setup. It was tough to compete with some of these guys. They’re very, very fast. But I closed the gap with each session, and I felt pretty good about things coming away from the weekend. So I’m happy how it all worked out.”
Creel, from Mexico City, finished 25th and 20th in a Porsche prepared by FÖRCH Racing by Lukas Motorsport. His solid result Sunday, Nov. 2 came after mechanics from the team worked all night to repair damage suffered in a rough-and-tumble race Saturday, Nov. 1, which included numerous accidents.
Thompson and Peluchiwski weren’t as fortunate as Creel. Their cars suffered damage in separate incidents that curtailed their participation in the weekend.
Newly crowned Platinum Cup champion Thompson crashed in a late braking maneuver in his Kelly Moss-prepared Porsche, ending his race early Saturday. The car was unable to be repaired for the race Sunday.
The incident ended steady progress throughout the weekend for Thompson, from Doylestown, Pennsylvania. He qualified 18th and 16th, respectively, for both races, running quicker than some Supercup veterans.
“I can only take away the positives and learn from the negatives,” Thompson said. “Unfortunately during the race, I messed up and ended my weekend for myself there by getting in a little over my head under braking. Overall, it was a very positive weekend. I learned an unbelievable amount being in this different environment in a far higher caliber of drivers.”
2014 Gold Cup race winner Peluchiwski, from Chicago, was unable to compete in either race due to damage suffered in a crash in his Porsche prepared by the powerful VERVA Lechner Racing Team.
The weekends of two other former champions of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama also were shortened by accidents.
2012 Platinum Cup champion Sean Johnston – a Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup regular competitor since 2013 – finished 12th after spirited battles with rivals in the first race in his Team Project 1 Porsche. But he was hit twice while trying to avoid incidents on the first lap of the second race, and his steering rack was damaged. Johnston, from Mount Shasta, California, parked his Porsche shortly thereafter for safety reasons.
“After racing in Europe for the last two years, to be back here in the U.S. on home American soil, it’s been great,” Johnston said. “The circuit for me has been one of my favorite Formula One circuits that we’ve driven on all season in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, and I’d absolutely love to come back here again.
“It’s been a rough weekend in terms of results. The first race was good, the second one not so much. But in terms of an experience here, the atmosphere was great. Tons of fans, great facility, and I’d love to come back.”
2013 Platinum Cup champion Madison Snow – who climbed to the GT Daytona class in 2014 in the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship – was unable to race Sunday after damage to his Team Project 1 Porsche limited him to just five laps Saturday. Like Thompson, Snow performed well in qualifying, earning the 15th and 17th grid positions.
IMSA veterans Tomy Drissi and Mark Kvamme took a smooth, steady approach to avoid incidents and finish both races in their Porsches prepared by American team Muehlner Motorsports, regular competitors in the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
Drissi, from Los Angeles, placed 22nd and 21st, respectively. Kvamme, from Columbus, Ohio, finished 23rd and 24th.
Texas driver Jeff Harrison performed well in his home Lone Star State. 2014 Pro Mazda Championship competitor Harrison, from Grapevine, Texas, placed 20th and 18th, respectively, after qualifying 24th for both races in a Porsche prepared by Konrad Motorsport Austria.
Nicki Thiim of Denmark won the first race, while Michael Ammermüller of Germany won the second. Earl Bamber of Great Britain clinched the season championship as the series conducted its final two rounds of 2014 at COTA.
While they didn’t enjoy the view from the podium, the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama veterans who raced this weekend at COTA want to compete again in a Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup event.
“Whether I do one-offs or whether I can make the whole season, over the next few years, I definitely will be a part of it,” Thompson said.
Said Ducote: “I enjoy the environment. The drivers were all very good, very professional, courteous. The on-track activity was challenging, but at the same time, everyone raced clean and raced fair. I would love to come back and would love to do another Supercup race. Maybe even do one overseas. That would be fantastic.”
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.
- NHRA announces eight-race schedule for 2024 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series - January 17, 2024
- Forgeline and Pratt Miller Motorsports Announce New Multi-Year Partnership - January 17, 2024
- TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein converts narrow pole to commanding win in the Season 10 opener of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at the 2024 Hankook Mexico City E-Prix - January 16, 2024