BRASELTON, GA (October 9, 2018) – Following a whirlwind of a season for the Wright Motorsports team, the 2019 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama season comes to a close this weekend at Road Atlanta. The Ohio-based team’s trio of Porsche 911 GT3 Cup drivers – Max Root, Fred Poordad, and Charlie Luck—look to wrap things up on a high note in their double-header event, ahead of IMSA’s Motul Petit Le Mans weekend.
Max Root has been riding a wave of momentum since earning his first victory in IMSA competition with a VIRginia International Raceway sweep. Since then, the 20-year old Californian has taken a third victory and a second place after having led the greater bit of the race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. While 58-points separate Root from championship leader, Roman DeAngelis, the Wright Motorsports driver looks to finish out the season with a strong result.
“We have a lot of momentum from Laguna Seca and VIR,” said Root. “The pace and setup we had on the car allowed us to be really strong at both tracks. Road Atlanta requires a different set of skills for a completely different track layout. I love the last turn sequence where you’re coming back onto the front straight, it’s nearly flat, so it’s quite a ride down the hill. Coming here for the last round, my goal is definitely to win both races and perform at the highest level we can. We’ve proven what we’re capable of in the last couple of races, so I’d like to keep that going.”
Four wins and a handful of podiums on the season has Poordad entering the final two rounds second in the Platinum Masters championship, with just a 15-point deflect to Alan Metni. While misfortune has hindered the Texan’s chances at fighting for a Road Atlanta victory in years past, Poordad is eager to put that aside and maximize his results for points. He’ll have all the momentum needed to do that at a track that he knows well.
“It’s been a great season for me at Wright Motorsports,” said Poordad. “This year was intended to get me close to my old form and we have accomplished that, thanks to a great team effort. I have really enjoyed the season and look for a strong finish in Atlanta. My last two events there ended on lap 1 and in practice, respectively in 2016 and 2018. Definitely want to break that trend!”
Charlie Luck returns to the championship after having missed the stop in Monterey due to personal obligations. While it’s been a season of mixed fortune for the Virginia native, Luck is on a strong kick after earning a second place in the Platinum Masters category in his last outing at VIRginia International Raceway. He hopes to continue that heading to a track that he has heaps of experience at, even dating back to 1986, during his time competing in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series. The Georgia road course also marks the site of Luck’s first Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge podium in 2017.
“I’m really excited to go back to Road Atlanta,” said Luck. “It was the first road course I ever drove on and is still one of my favorites. This year has been a season of highs and lows for me. I’ve definitely had to overcome some obstacles this year that I didn’t have last year competing for the championship, but I’m still learning, still growing, and still loving the sport. I can’t wait to knock out the last two races and go into the way-too-long dry season without racing between October and March.”
How to Watch:
This weekend’s doubleheader of races for the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama at Road Atlanta kicks off Thursday evening at 5:30PM ET with the first 45-minute race. The season-ending round goes green at 10:10AM ET, Friday morning. Both races will be streamed live on IMSA.tv with IMSA Radio commentary. Live timing & scoring data from all sessions will be available on IMSA.com .
About Wright Motorsports
Wright Motorsports is the premier Porsche race engineering facility in Ohio and a multi-series, international racing team known for superb car preparation, expert race strategy and driver development. Located in Batavia, Ohio, it is owned and directed by John Wright, a certified Porsche factory-trained technician. As a crew chief John Wright has played a key role in winning eight driver and seven team championships in World Challenge, IMSA (ALMS) and the Grand-Am Rolex Series. Wright Motorsports won the team championship in Porsche GT3 Cup USA in 2012, 2013 and 2015. After a most successful 2017 season, the team holds the Pirelli World Challenge Overall, Sprint, Team and Manufacturer’s titles. For the 2019 season, the group is campaigning two Porsche 911 GT3 Rs in SRO America – a PRO entry for Patrick Long and Scott Hargrove and a PRO/AM entry for Anthony Imperato, Dennis Olsen and Matt Campbell