At back-to-back events, Ryan Yardley and Topp Racing placed first in Porsche Carrera Cup North America qualifying, this time at Watkins Glen International.
Earning the Race Brew Pole Award, the New Zealander bested the Pro class field of 17 Porsche 992 GT3 Cup cars with a time of one minute, 47.349 seconds, more than a tenth quicker than Jimmy Llibre in second place at 1:47.503.
Yardley entered the Watkins Glen event with momentum after qualifying first and winning his first race of the season at Montréal one week ago.
“Just get a good start and lead into Turn 1, and settle in from there,” said Yardley of his race strategy at Watkins Glen. “The starts have always been quite interesting at Watkins. The starts in general are always pretty exciting, so the goal is just to lead into Turn 1 and see how the race unfolds from there.”
Behind Yardley and Llibre in third will be championship leader and Race 2 winner from Montréal, Riley Dickinson.
In the Pro-Am category, Alan Metni charged to the front with his Kellymoss team to claim pole position. Metni had previously finished fourth and third in the opening two practice sessions at The Glen on Thursday.
“Watkins is awesome, the fans here are wonderful,” Metni said after qualifying. “This is one of the great, iconic racetracks in the country and I just love being here.
“I’m here to race and I want to race who’s around me.”
Championship leader JP Martinez posted the second quickest time ahead of Patrick Mulcahy in third.
Masters class championship leader, Scott Blind, was quickest in his field to start first for Race 1 on Friday and remains undefeated in pole positions so far in 2025.
“I am (right where I want to be),” said Blind. “I just want to get a clean start, stay up there with the Pro-Ams. We’ve been qualifying around them all year, so we’re going to stay with them here at Watkins Glen.
“We went on a three-tire strategy. It’s the first time we’ve done that and it really panned out. The first lap, we went on all three and we got the lap. Good on traffic, so it was all good.”
Blind’s time of 1:49.516 was nearly three tenths faster than that of Peter Atwater in second place and half a second quicker than Rob Walker in third.
Race 1 for Porsche Carrera Cup North America at Watkins Glen International goes green later today at 2 p.m. ET, while the second race of the weekend follows on tomorrow morning at 8 a.m.
All Carrera Cup races, including replays from Watkins Glen International, will be shown live on IMSA and Porsche Motorsport North America YouTube Channels, IMSA TV, Peacock, and the Porsche Motorsport North America social channels on Facebook, Linkedin, Threads and X.
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Coming off his best performance of the 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup North America season thus far, Ryan Yardley landed atop the field once again after two practice sessions at Watkins Glen International.
Yardley, who scored his first victory of the season and a runner-up finish at Montréal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve less than one week ago with Topp Racing, showed that his pace is here to stay with Thursday’s fastest lap at one minute, 48.881 seconds.
Yardley’s time, set in the morning session, was more than a half second quicker than Jimmy Llibre’s fastest time in Practice 2. A quartet of drivers also joined in the top-three times during both sessions – championship leader Riley Dickinson, Jared Thomas, Zachary Vanier and Tyler Maxson.
“I feel really happy and excited because we were working so hard with the team, my engineer, Adam, and also my mechanic, Tom,” said Llibre. “Here at Watkins Glen, we showed the performance again and we’re going for everything.”
Patrick Mulcahy with GMG Racing began his quest for redemption at Watkins Glen by topping both Carrera Cup practices on Thursday. Mulcahy – who finished second by .074 seconds to championship leader JP Martinez in Race 2 at Montréal – had the quickest lap time in class at one minute, 50.608 seconds in the afternoon session.
Martinez followed Mulcahy in both practices, with Porsche veterans Marco Cirone and Alan Metni splitting third place throughout the day.
“It felt really good,” said Mulcahy, who moved from sixth to fourth following his Montréal heroics. “I think everybody was just getting used to the conditions and being the first practice, you’ve got to push the limits really quickly. But it felt pretty good there out on the track.”
In the Masters class, championship leader Scott Blind will have his dominance tested at Watkins Glen with a field of nearly 10 cars. While the Ruckus Racing driver posted the fastest lap of the day at one minute, 51.375 seconds in Practice 2, he was second best to Peter Atwater in Practice 1.
“The car is great, the track is great,” said Blind, who swept the Carrera Cup weekend at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. “We were here last week practicing, so we’re fast. We’re ready.”
Alongside Blind and Atwater, Richard Edge joined the top-three in both Masters practice sessions at The Glen on Thursday.
Race 1 for Porsche Carrera Cup North America at Watkins Glen International is scheduled for Friday, June 20, at 2 p.m. ET. The second race of the weekend follows on Saturday at 8 a.m.
All Carrera Cup races, including replays from Watkins Glen International, will be shown live on IMSA and Porsche Motorsport North America YouTube Channels, IMSA TV, Peacock, and the Porsche Motorsport North America social channels on Facebook, Linkedin, Threads and X.
PRACTICE 1
Pro:
- #78 Ryan Yardley
- #91 Riley Dickinson
- #96 Jared Thomas
Pro-Am:
- #54 Patrick Mulcahy
- #4 JP Martinez
- #84 Marco Cirone
Masters:
- #12 Peter Atwater
- #45 Scott Blind
- #18 Richard Edge
PRACTICE 2
Pro:
- #2 Jimmy Llibre
- #9 Zachary Vanier
- #77 Tyler Maxson
Pro-Am:
- #54 Patrick Mulcahy
- #4 JP Martinez
- #99 Alan Metni
Masters:
- #45 Scott Blind
- #18 Richard Edge
- #12 Peter Atwater
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The Race Brew Safety Car Design Contest is officially open
PT Autosport & Porsche Carrera Cup North America are calling on fans and creatives to design the official livery for the Race Brew Safety Car—a 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS that will pace the decisive final rounds of the 2025 Porsche Carrera Cup North America season.
The winning design will be chosen by social media vote and brought to life ahead of its debut at Road America in August. The winner will also receive a VIP paddock experience and two tickets to any remaining 2025 Carrera Cup North America race weekend (excluding COTA).
Entries must incorporate Race Brew—the 0.0% alcohol-free beer from Momentum Brewery—along with PT Autosport and the Aspiring Driver Shootout. All required logos and submission guidelines are available via the contest page.
Submissions are open now through June 30 at midnight ET.
Click HERE to head over to the PT Autosport website for full details.
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After a pair of rounds in conjunction with the Formula 1 World Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup North America returns this week to a natural terrain road course in conjunction with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The 11-turn, 3.450-mile Watkins Glen International circuit opened in 1956 to replace the public road course around the nearby town of Watkins Glen and has become a favorite of fans and drivers alike.
This weekend’s event has 30 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars (type 992) on the entry list for the fourth round of the eight round season. It marks a return to the ANDIAL Cup, the championship within a championship that awards points at the traditional road courses on the schedule – Sebring, Watkins Glen, Road America, Indianapolis and Road Atlanta. All full season entries are part of the ANDIAL Cup, but can forgo the rounds in conjunction with Formula 1 and remain eligible for points in this Championship.
Each of the Carrera Cup North America’s three classes – Pro, Pro-Am and Masters – will run on Yokohama ADVAN slicks. Two 30-minute practice sessions are scheduled for Thursday, June 19, followed by qualifying and the first race of the weekend on Friday, June 20 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Saturday’s 40-minute race runs at 8:00 a.m. to open a full day of activity at Watkins Glen.
Watkins Glen FAST FACTS
Field.
30 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race cars are entered for competition at The Glen
- Pro class. 17
- Pro-Am class. 6
- Masters class. 7
- Teams. 12 race teams are represented across all three classes
Track Record.
1:47.151, 2022, Kay Van Berlo, Kellymoss Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
2024 Race Winners.
- Pro.
- Race 1. Ryan Yardley, Topp Racing
- Race 2. Alex Sedgwick, JDX Racing
- Pro-Am.
- Race 1. Alan Metni, Kellymoss
- Race 2. Pedro Torres, ACI Motorsports
- Masters.
- Races 1 & 2. Richard Edge, ACI Motorsports
Point Leaders.
- Pro.
Riley Dickinson, No. 91 Kellymoss Porsche 911 GT3 Cup - Pro-Am.
JP Martinez, No. 4 ACI Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup - Masters.
Scott Blind, No. 45 Ruckus Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup - Entrants.
TOPP Racing
Schedule.
All times Eastern
- Thursday, June 19.
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. – Practice 1
1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Practice 2 - Friday, June 20.
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Qualifying (all classes)
2:00 p.m – 2:40 p.m. – Race 1 (40 minutes) - Saturday, June 21.
8:00 a.m. – 8:40 a.m. – Race 2 (40 minutes)
Back To The Road Courses.
This week’s race at Watkins Glen is a return to a traditional road course, following the temporary circuits at Miami and Montreal. It also marks a return to the IMSA paddock following two consecutive rounds with Formula 1. The Finger Lakes track has hosted a Carrera Cup doubleheader each of the five seasons of competition.
Look Back At 2024.
Last year’s race was a breakout for Ryan Yardley, who earned his first career pole position and turned it into his first PCCNA race victory. JDX Racing’s Alex Sedgwick won Saturday’s race from pole position to become the sixth different Pro Class winner in eight races to open the season – a feat that could be matched again in 2025. Alan Metni split the Pro-Am class with Pedro Torres and returns searching for his first 2025 class win. Richard Edge swept the Masters class in 2024 and returns for the first time since Sebring in a hunt for the ANDIAL Cup.
Who To Watch For.
Though 2023 champion Riley Dickinson has won three out of six races in the Pro Class, several others have made their presence felt. Yves Baltas, a New York City native, swept the Miami weekend and enters third in the points. Ryan Yardley has been on the pace all season, finishing second four times and breaking through for his first win at Montreal. Behind them, JDX Racing’s Zachary Vanier has four third-place finishes and looks poised for his first win, while Dickinson’s Kellymoss teammate Aaron Jeansonne drove from the rear of the field to finish sixth at Montreal. ACI Racing’s Jimmy Llibre had a Sebring podium and has mixed it up early in races, while Michael de Quesada scored a podium of his own at Miami.
ANDIAL Cup Returnees.
Several drivers return to the series for the first time since the season opener at Sebring as part of the ANDIAL Cup events. In the Pro Class, John Jodoin (ACI Motorsports) and Jared Thomas (JTR Motorsports Engineering) return, while Brady Behrman (Van der Steur Racing) rejoins the Pro-Am class. The Masters class features its largest field since Sebring, with Richard Edge (ACI Motorsports) and JTR Motorsports Engineering teammates Peter Atwater and Rob Walker returning to the field.
Class Descriptions.
Pro.
The highest level of competition in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America. The class is recognized through its orange color scheme. The car entry number will be delineated in orange on the doors, the windshield and rear glass. Headlight covers will be clear with orange cross-marks.
Pro-Am.
Restricted to drivers who are 35 years old or older as of January 1, 2025. The class is recognized through its green color scheme. The car entry number will be delineated in green on the doors, the windshield and rear glass. Headlight covers will be clear with green cross-marks.
Masters.
This class is open to drivers who are 50 years old or older as of January 1, 2025. The class is recognized through its yellow color scheme. The car entry number will be delineated in yellow on the doors, the windshield and rear glass. Headlight covers will be clear with yellow cross-marks.
Entry List.
The full Porsche Carrera Cup North America entry list can be found by clicking here.
Partner Up.
Event results and current points for Porsche Carrera Cup North America can be found by clicking here.
Broadcast.
All races can be seen live on IMSA and Porsche Motorsport North America YouTube Channels, IMSA TV, Peacock, and the Porsche Motorsport North America social channels on Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads and X.
After finishing second the day prior, Riley Dickinson was determined to gain his spot back atop the Porsche Carrera Cup North America podium at Montréal and that he did on Sunday morning.
Dickinson’s Kellymoss Porsche 992 GT3 Cup car still had to navigate past polesitter and Race 1 winner Ryan Yardley. Yardley led off the start but Dickinson was able to make his way past in a drag race just five minutes into the contest.
Dickinson went on to win by more than three seconds over Yardley, and an additional two-and-a-half seconds over Canadian Zachary Vanier, who leaves his hometown event with two third-place finishes.
Sunday’s race went green to checkered without any safety car periods for the second day in a row – a marked contrast from last year’s weather-affected Montreal weekend.
“It was a hard-fought battle with Ryan the whole race,” said Dickinson, who maintains his Pro class championship lead.
“Yesterday was very, very tough as well and I need to give him a huge amount of credit for what he did yesterday and of course, today. He put down a great lap in qualifying, which set him up well for the rest of the weekend and I know it’s going to be a hard-fought battle as well next week at Watkins Glen, which I’m looking forward to.
“I can’t thank everyone at Kellymoss enough for all their hard work. They’ve done a lot of preparation for this one and also for next weekend at Watkins. I’m looking forward to getting out there on Thursday and seeing what we’ve got.”
The Pro-Am class victory captured the attention of the Grand Prix du Canada audience, as the battle was decided by only .074 seconds at the finish line.
In similar fashion to Dickinson, JP Martinez finished second in Race 1 on Saturday and improved to finish first in Race 2 on Sunday – his third win of 2025. Martinez with his ACI Motorsports Porsche passed polesitter Patrick Mulcahy for the class lead and seemed to have the win clinched as the minutes wound down.
However, Mulcahy surged late in an attempt to regain first, but came up second in a side-by-side sprint to the checkered flag by the narrowest of margins.
“It felt amazing,” said Martinez.
“Patrick started first, I started second today, he made a mistake, I capitalized on it. It was a great race. He was behind me about a second the whole entire time and it came down to the last lap, the last straight away. I’m super happy with that.”
James Sofronas followed up his Race 1 Pro-Am victory with a third-place finish on Sunday.
Scott Blind walked away from Montréal with a weekend sweep in the Masters category, but his second win proved just as challenging as the first for the Ruckus Racing driver. After hoping for more pace in Sunday’s showing, Blind was issued a drive-through penalty for tapping another Porsche at the start of Race 2. He overcame the penalty, however, to pass Todd Parriott for his fifth victory of the season.
“When I got up to (Todd), I thought we were in a bad hockey match,” Blind joked.
“Coming out of the last turn on the straight, he took me all the way to the inside of the boards. I thought we were going to slide down the glass and that would be that.
“But yeah, I got around him and we had good pace today. We fixed it from yesterday, so it was a good day except for the penalty.”
It’s a short turnaround for Porsche Carrera Cup North America, which quickly returns Stateside for its second of back-to-back events. Less than six hours from Montréal, Watkins Glen International hosts the seventh and eighth rounds of the 2025 season on June 19 – 22, after which Carrera Cup reaches the halfway point of its 2025 calendar.
The pair of races are scheduled for Friday, June 20 at 2 p.m. ET and Saturday, June 21 at 8 a.m.
All Carrera Cup races, including replays from the Grand Prix du Canada, will be shown live on IMSA and Porsche Motorsport North America YouTube Channels, IMSA TV, Peacock, and the Porsche Motorsport North America social channels on Facebook, Linkedin, Threads and X.
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Nearly one year after capturing his first Porsche Carrera Cup North America victory, Ryan Yardley was a winner once again in the series, this time at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montréal.
At the Grand Prix du Canada, the New Zealander started from pole position with Topp Racing after securing the spot in qualifying on Saturday morning. He then led flag-to-flag en route to his first win of the season later in the afternoon.
It was a crucial victory for Yardley, who entered the weekend third in the Pro class championship standings chasing leader Riley Dickinson. Fittingly, it was Dickinson who Yardley held off for the entire 40-minute race to win by just 1.6 seconds.
“Riley really closed up there with about 10 to go there,” said Yardley, whose first career victory in the series came at Watkins Glen International last year in late June.
“I knew it was going to be a tough fight, always is with Riley, but it was nice to lead from start-to-finish.
“A massive thank you to everyone at Topp Racing for the fast car and it’s awesome to get a win here in Canada. My parents are here from New Zealand as well for the first time to see me race since 2023 and it’s my mom’s birthday, so happy birthday to her.”
Behind the battle between Yardley and Dickinson was Zachary Vanier, the Canada native relishing in his hometown race. From Garson, Ontario, Vanier started fifth – was pushed back at the start – but maneuvered his way up to third by the race’s end.
The Pro-Am class win came down to the final minutes, with James Sofronas and GMG Racing emerging on top amidst the chaos.
With 10 minutes remaining, Sofronas led the train of his Porsche and those of teammate Patrick Mulcahy and polesitter JP Martinez. The three were separated by less than one second before Mulcahy shortcut the chicane and dropped to third.
Martinez then ran side-by-side with Sofronas for the win, pulling ahead slightly before mirroring Mulcahy’s error in the chicane as well. Martinez gave the position back to Sofronas, who held on for his second win of the season. Martinez and Mulcahy followed in second and third, respectively, at the finish line.
“Obviously, big crowds, big excitement and the team really steps up,” said Sofronas, who was also the Race 1 winner at Montréal last year.
“What better event to really push hard and get on the top step. You get on the big F1 podium, there’s some killer incentives.
“But we’re pushing every weekend. Tate, Anthony, all the GMG guys were awesome. It was really a team effort, but the car was spot on. The GMG guys killed it.”
In the Masters class, Scott Blind expertly navigated traffic from the Pro and Pro-Am classes to finish first in his own race. With Ruckus Racing, Blind captured his fourth victory of the season on Saturday and will search for his fifth on Sunday.
“Our pace was a little off, so we’re going to work on some timing, work on some brake points, work on some turn-ins,” said Blind, focusing on improvements for Race 2.
“We’re going to pick up the pace tomorrow and have a better showing.
“(Standing on top of the F1 podium) was a big deal, it was really cool. It’s a cool place to be and hopefully we’ll be there again tomorrow with more pace.”
Porsche Carrera Cup North America activity comes to a close on Sunday morning with Race 2 at 9:30 a.m. ET, prior to the start of the Formula 1® race at 2 p.m.
The pair of Carrera Cup races at the Grand Prix du Canada will be shown live on IMSA and Porsche Motorsport North America YouTube Channels, IMSA TV, Peacock, and the Porsche Motorsport North America social channels on Facebook, Linkedin, Threads and X.
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Ryan Yardley brought his name to the forefront of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America conversation on Saturday morning by scoring his first Race Brew Pole Award of the season at the Grand Prix du Canada.
Yardley’s 992 GT3 Cup fielded by Topp Racing finished fourth in both practice sessions at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Friday, but powered to the top of the Pro class in qualifying with a time of one minute, 35.789 seconds.
Yardley’s lap was .248 seconds quicker than that of championship leader Riley Dickinson in second, and more than half a second quicker than Jimmy Llibre in third. Prior to weekend in Montréal, only Dickinson and Llibre had scored pole positions in 2025.
“It feels super nice,” said Yardley, who is currently third in the Pro class championship.
“An awesome lap, so I’m super happy with that. A massive thank you to everyone at Topp Racing for the fast car and I’m looking forward to the race later today.
“It was a pretty awesome lap, there wasn’t much wrong with that one. I’m proud to put the whole lap together and show the pace. I knew we were in a good position yesterday, we just didn’t have the tire life to show that. I’m excited to throw some new tires on today and show what we can do.”
In the Pro-Am category, JP Martinez captured his third pole of the season with ACI Motorsports, running his quickest lap of 1:37.104. The Carrera Cup newcomer – who currently leads the class championship standings – is in search of his third victory of the season after winning the opening two rounds at Sebring International Raceway.
“It wasn’t easy, I had to fight for it today,” Martinez described.
“I think the top three were just a hundredth away, so I got it on my last lap. I’m really happy I did that. I want to give a big thank you to ACI because they gave me a great car. They made some changes last night that really paid off. I’m happy with this one, I had to fight for it.
“(The race) will be interesting. The first five Pro-Ams are right there, so it’s going to be a great race and I’m looking forward to it.”
Behind Martinez was Pedro Torres and Patrick Mulcahy to round out the top three.
Scott Blind continued his blistering performance in the Masters category and remains undefeated in capturing class pole positions so far this year. Blind’s Ruckus Racing Porsche lapped the Montréal circuit quickest-in-class at 1:37.700.
“This track is really neat,” said Blind.
“Of course, these F1 events are so cool. It’s just a great experience. It’s a new track for us, we weren’t here last year. The town, the track, everything is great.
“I’m in the mix (of the Pro-Am field). We’re trying to work our way further and further closer to the front, but we’re still towards the back.
“We’re going to have to keep our eyes downfield and paying attention. I’m hoping we have a nice calm, clean start and get through one lap. Then I think we’ll be in good shape.”
Porsche Carrera Cup North America competitors now take the rest of the afternoon to prepare for their first race of the weekend, which goes green on Saturday evening at 6:05 p.m. ET.
Race 2 on Sunday is set for 9:30 a.m. prior to the Formula One race at 2 p.m.
The pair of Carrera Cup races at the Grand Prix du Canada will be shown live on IMSA and Porsche Motorsport North America YouTube Channels, IMSA TV, Peacock, and the Porsche Motorsport North America social channels on Facebook, Linkedin, Threads and X.
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Now in its fifth season, Porsche Carrera Cup North America is a proven launch pad for aspiring drivers.
Past champions Sebastian Priaulx, Parker Thompson and Riley Dickinson have all found success in open competition.
For defending 2024 champion Loek Hartog, that success came before, during and after his championship run in North America.
In addition to his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut this June, the 22-year-old Dutch racer will be competing in three consecutive 24-hour races over three weekends.
His run begins with his debut Le Mans appearance with Manthey Racing (June 14-15), in the most prestigious endurance race in the world. Hartog will then travel to Germany for the Nürburgring 24 Hours (June 21-22) with Dinamic GT in what might be the largest 24-hour race before taking on the 24 Hours of Spa in Belgium (June 28-29) with Rutronik Racing.
Hartog will mark his debut in the earlier two races, and his second appearance at the Spa-Francorchamps classic, piloting a Porsche 911 GT3 R in all three.
The world traveler raced in North America with Kellymoss for the 2024 season, earning seven wins and eight poles during the 16-race season and capturing the championship by more than 100 points in his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
He also spent the season on two continents, competing in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe.
His 2025 season is even busier. Named a Selected Driver by Porsche Motorsport North America, Hartog remains a staple in North America where he competes with ACI Motorsports as a co-driver with Dan Sibille in GT4 America with a 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport.
Speaking with Hartog, though, there doesn’t seem to be any pressure building.
“You have to prove yourself in both environments,” he said of racing in both North America and in Europe. “So I might have gotten a notice last year in Carrera Cup North America. But actually I’d been racing a lot in the GT3 R already last year. A lot of endurance races already on top of that, and doing a lot of testing under the radar, a lot of development from the team, a lot of shakedowns.”
That eases his transition from the single-driver, sprint race format that Porsche Carrera Cup North America uses into the team aspect of endurance racing.
“What I think nothing really can prepare you for is doing three big 24-hour races in a row, and the intensity of that,” Hartog said.
“But really last year for me the sprint format was to stay on it, but also to explore new boundaries for myself. Explore a new territory. Prove myself to the American market. I think I had the opportunity to do that.”
Hartog’s focus remains a balancing act of staying present in the moment while planning and working toward the future – a balancing act that he seems to be handling with a maturity far beyond his years.
“I’m still very keen on making an entry in IMSA in 2026, if the right opportunity arises,” Hartog said “But for that also I first have to have the factory status. So that’s always a priority, and to reach that I’d have to prepare myself with the highest level in GT racing, which is in the championships I’m driving now.
“You can also get this by being for example very attractive to gentleman drivers. So if you’re very easy to work with, a very good coach to them and can help them evolve as well within of course the Porsche ladder, this can also be very much to your benefit.”
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