Scott Hargrove wins again at Wakins Glen

Scott Hargrove drove to victory July 2 in the combined Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama and Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama round at Watkins Glen International.

Hargrove, from Surrey, British Columbia, passed pole sitter Morad with 21 minutes remaining in the 45-minute race and drove away to victory in a race that finished under caution. Morad won Friday on the 11-turn, 3.4-mile circuit at Watkins Glen, with Hargrove finishing second.

Zach Robichon, from Ottawa, finished third overall Saturday and completed an overall podium sweep by Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama drivers in the second-ever joint race between the two International Motor Sports Association (IMSA)-sanctioned Single-Make Series.

"The car was just fantastic," Hargrove said. "I'm excited to win here in the States with this joint event and with IMSA here. I just hope we have more events like this in the future."

Porsche GT3 Canada drivers won all four combined rounds this season. Hargrove triumphed in both rounds June 10-12 at Montreal and today, with Morad capturing the 45-minute race Friday at Watkins Glen.

Hargrove vs Morad

Daniel Morad, from Toronto, maintained a gap of about one-half second over Hargrove during the first eight minutes of the race in the No. 17 Porsche Centre Oakville/Alegra Motorsports Porsche. Then the first of two full-course yellows was triggered by an incident involving Oscar Arroyo and Orey Fidani.

The top two continued to march in lockstep around the track after the restart, with Morad leading Hargrove by .624 of a second with 26 minutes remaining. Hargrove pulled closer four minutes later, and he and Morad split the lapped car of Fidani in Turn 5 during in a breathtaking, clean move that set the stage for further fireworks later that lap.

Morad and Hargrove stayed side-by-side entering the iconic "Boot" section of the circuit. Their two cars touched in Turn 8, the "Heel" of the "Boot," with Hargrove nudging ahead. He finished the decisive pass of Morad in Turn 9, exiting the "Boot," and never trailed thereafter.

GT3 Canada Platinum Cup championship leader Hargrove eased away over the closing laps, leading by 3.637 seconds with 10 minutes remaining. Morad appeared to get another chance when David Baker's stopped car in Turn 4 triggered the second full-course caution of the race with six minutes remaining.

But Baker's car dropped fluid on the track, so there wasn't enough time to resume green-flag racing.

"We had so much pace in the beginning, and we pulled a gap," Morad said. "I don't know what broke in the front of the car, but it obviously slowed me down quite a bit. I think three-quarters of a second. But I'm happy with the weekend. A first and a second place. Up to second place in points. So it's good overall for the weekend."

Robichon lost third overall to Green on the third lap but regained the position for good just past the midway point of the race in the No. 78 Mark Motors Racing Porsche.

Cirone, from Toronto, finished fourth in the No. 88 Mark Motors Racing Porsche and was the top Platinum Masters finisher.

Masters competitor Tim Sanderson, from Pickering, Ontario, rounded out the top five in the No. 07 Porsche Centre Oakville/Alegra Motorsports Porsche.

Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama