Hargrove Wastes Little Time At Calabogie

Subtitle:Defending Champ Turns Two Laps, Wins Pole, Sets Track Record

CALABOGIE, Ontario (July 4, 2015) – Reigning Platinum Cup champion Scott Hargrove needed just two flying laps to set a track record and win the pole for Round 5 of the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin on Saturday, July 4 at Calabogie Motorsports Park.

Hargrove, from Surrey, British Columbia, turned a top lap of 1 minute, 59.752 seconds in the No. 25 OpenRoad Racing Porsche for his second pole in as many starts this season. He also won the pole June 13 in Toronto, his first event weekend of the season.

“My first and second lap were within a tenth, and I came in,” Hargrove said. “You have to nail it. The Michelins held up great. Lots and lots of grip on those two laps.”

Two 45-minute rounds of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA)-sanctioned Single-Make Series will take place Sunday at Calabogie Motorsports Park. Round 5 will start at 9:35 a.m., with Round 6 at 2:20 p.m.

Hargrove’s top lap Saturday was quicker than the previous track record of 2:00.241 he set to win the pole last season as a series rookie.

Championship leader Chris Green, from Montreal, qualified second at 2:00.267 in the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche. Daniel Morad, from Thornhill, Ontario, was third at 2:00.500 in the No. 22 Alegra/Porsche Centre Oakville Motorsports entry.

Rookie Harry Steenbakkers, from Ottawa, qualified fourth at 2:00.980 in the No. 78 Mark Motors Racing Porsche. His teammate Marco Cirone of Toronto rounded out the top five and was the quickest Platinum Masters qualifier at 2:01.054 in the No. 88 Mark Motors Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.

Rookie Michael de Quesada, from Odessa, Florida, earned his first Gold Cup pole with a top lap of 2:05.749 in the No. 24 Alegra/Porsche Centre Oakville Motorsports entry.

Green led both practice sessions Saturday, with Hargrove second and fifth, respectively. Hargrove and OpenRoad Racing sat back when the 20-turn, 3.137-mile (5.05 km) track opened for the 30-minute session, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Once Hargrove entered the circuit, he blitzed the field with two hot laps quicker than the track record. His speed brought the rest of the field to its knees, as no driver attempted to top the time in the last 10 minutes of the session.

“It was a good bit of strategy to wait on the pit lane and wait for the track to clear out, a little more additional rubber from all those new tires put on the track,” Hargrove said. “We had the best track conditions of anybody and a clear track, and we were able to nail two laps and get the track record.”

POST-QUALIFYING QUOTES

SCOTT HARGROVE (No. 25 OpenRoad Racing, Platinum Cup pole): “I was confident in the setup of the car, and the guys have been awesome all weekend getting the OpenRoad Porsche at the front of the grid. I know it didn’t look like that in practice, but we knew as a team that we were quick. It was a good bit of strategy to wait on the pit lane and wait for the track to clear out, a little more additional rubber from all those new tires put on the track. We had the best track conditions of anybody and a clear track, and we were able to nail two laps and get the track record. My first and second lap were within a tenth, and I came in. You have to nail it. The Michelins held up great. Lots and lots of grip on those two laps.”

MARCO CIRONE (No. 88 Mark Motors Racing, Platinum Masters top qualifier): “I was a little disappointed with my qualifying session. I spun off the track on my second hot lap, so I ruined my opportunities to improve my time. I was a little disappointed by that, but it’s OK. The race is tomorrow. It’s a new page, and hopefully we’ll do well. My partner Scott (Hargrove) set a lap record that was unbelievable. Congratulations to him. My other partner Harry (Steenbakkers), he finished in fourth. He did some great lap times. Great to see him up there.”

MICHAEL DE QUESADA (No. 24 Alegra/Porsche Centre Oakville Motorsports, Gold Cup pole): “My first lap was good, but I wanted to solidify everything. I went out and did another flyer, and it was all good. I got pole. It was great. You’ve got to preserve the tire, and we did. No sliding.”