Cirone Gearing Up for ‘Three-Peat’ in Platinum Masters - Speedway Digest

After capturing two consecutive Platinum Masters Driver Championships in the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin, veteran driver Marco Cirone and Mark Motors Racing are gearing up to accomplish an unprecedented third championship in a row.

But this quest comes with new challenges.

One challenge will be adapting to the departure of veteran teammate Perry Bortolotti, while welcoming young charger Harry Steenbakkers under the tent. Bortolotti has been one of Cirone’s closest friends for quite some time and has made an impact in Cirone’s success.

“Perry is like a brother to me,” Cirone said. “We enjoyed our time racing together. We learned a lot from each other, and he has helped me so much with my driving. Perry is a very intelligent race car driver, and I will definitely miss him this year. He will be coming out and cheering us on, as he will always be a part of the team.”

Steenbakkers brings fresh talent to Mark Motors Racing, and Cirone is looking forward to the arrival of his new teammate.

“Of course, I am definitely looking forward to working with my new teammate, Harry Steenbakkers,” Cirone said. “I know he’s quite a talented young driver, and I hope we can both learn from each other. I see nothing but success for our team in the future.”

Cirone, from Toronto, joined Mark Motors Racing in 2013 after racing the first two seasons of the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin with 6th Gear Racing. Bortolotti helped attracted Cirone to the team, based in Ottawa.

“We seemed to hit it off right away,” Cirone said of the Mark Motors team. “I liked their whole mentality and how they wanted to move the racing team forward. It has been nothing but positive since the beginning. They have contributed so much to the series and to the team. I have been so fortunate to have them on board, and I think everyone is fortunate to be surrounded by Mark Motors Racing.”

Cirone won the Platinum Masters division in six of his 10 starts last season to hold off Carlos de Quesada for the championship. He also has started the last two seasons with a Platinum Masters victory in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama opener at Sebring, Florida.

“Racing the guys in the U.S. is always challenging,” Cirone said. “I think it’s always good to get in the car during the winter time because I feel that if you don’t do any testing, then it is really easy to get rusty by the time May rolls around. It’s extremely important to stay sharp and practice in the offseason, and that’s what Sebring gave me a chance to do.”

Those wins have provided a solid springboard for growing confidence entering the Canadian season for Cirone.

“I think we have all the tools to repeat for a third title,” Cirone said. “We have had another year of experience under our belt. The team has grown a lot, and the drivers have learned from each other. Obviously, more experience means less mistakes and more consistency. I’m hoping that we’ll keep improving from last year.”

The 2015 Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin series starts on Victoria Day Weekend, May 15-17, at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario.

For updates on the series, follow @IMSA on Twitter with the hashtag #GT3CAN and on Facebook. The latest news can be found by visiting IMSA.com.

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
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.