Cayman Interseries Announces 2011 Race Event Schedule
“When we met with our competitors late in the 2010 racing season they made it clear they wanted a solid schedule of race events on legendary and famous U.S. road courses," said Napleton Porsche General Manager Ron Barnaba. “We were able to achieve this for 2011 only through the great cooperation of Ken Fengler and HSR and Peter McLaughlin and everyone at SVRA. The end result is an outstanding schedule of eight races, anchored by HSR and SVRA events, along with one and possibly two more feature races at additional premier venues."
The 2011 Cayman Interseries features first-time events at Watkins Glen International (WGI), Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and New Jersey Motorsports Park, in addition to a return to the road course at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) after a one-year hiatus during which the high-banked oval sections of the famous track were repaved. The Cayman calendar also includes a possible return to Road America where the series has conducted some of its most competitive races in the recent past.
“We have been partners with Napleton Porsche and the Cayman Interseries since its inception and look forward to continuing with Ron Barnaba and his great group of outstanding competitors in 2011," said HSR’s Fengler. “The Cayman Interseries has provided some of our most exciting racing in HSR the last two seasons and we fully expect that to continue next year."
The Cayman Interseries is open only to 2009 to 2011 Porsche Cayman S models that are raced in near-stock configuration by a competitive group of emerging and established drivers that typically own the cars they race. A connection to Porsche’s rich racing heritage is made through each Cayman’s livery that has a direct and visible link to a legendary Porsche race car from the past. Each Cayman’s throw-back color scheme is also matched with a corresponding Cayman chassis number, which means the rich history of some of the most memorable Porsche race cars will symbolically continue with an all-new chapter in the Cayman Interseries. Napleton Porsche is the exclusive supplier and preparation shop for the Porsche Cayman S race cars used in the series.
After running an introductory schedule of proving races in 2009, the first official Cayman Interseries racing season was conducted this year. Lee Davis captured the inaugural Cayman Interseries Endurance Championship in his No. 33 Cayman S that showcases the familiar red and black colors of the famous Advan Porsche 962s and Luna C Clothing. Jim Bacus won the first Cayman Interseries Sprint Championship in his familiar No. 3 Cayman S model after the purple and green “Hippy" Martini Porsche 917LH.
The Cayman competitors run in the Group 5C class in HSR while the SVRA has established the new Group 12 category exclusively for the Cayman Interseries.
“While they are thoroughly modern cars, the Cayman Interseries provides a dramatic, visual link to Porsche’s rich racing heritage with the graphics and paint schemes honoring the great and significant Porsches of the past," McLaughlin said. “Everywhere these cars have run, they have attracted great attention and are crowd favorites. We look forward to adding this excitement to SVRA events in 2011 and are proud to have been selected to host these colorful cars and their great drivers next season."
Specific schedule highlights include competitor-favorite Sebring as the only repeat venue in 2011. The season will begin on the legendary track in early March with the SVRA Sebring Enduro Weekend before returning in October for HSR’s Sebring Fall Classic. The latter event features the popular four-hour enduro and similar long distance races are also part of the mix next year. The SVRA Historic Enduro 200 in Watkins Glen features a six-hour endurance event, which will be longest race run to date in official Cayman Interseries competition.
2011 Cayman Interseries Schedule:
March 3 – 6: The Sebring Enduro Weekend – Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Florida (SVRA)
April 28 – May 1: The 35th Annual Walter Mitty Race presented by Classic Motorsports Magazine, sponsored by Mazda –Road Atlanta, Braselton, Georgia (HSR)
May 11 – 15: Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (Event TBD)
June 9 – 12: The Historic Enduro 200 – Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York (SVRA)
June 23 – 26: The Mid-Ohio Vintage Grand Prix – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio (SVRA)
September 29 – October 2: The New Jersey Vintage/Historic Races – New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, New Jersey (SVRA)
October 12 – 16: The Sebring Fall Classic – Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Florida (HSR)
November 9 – 13: Daytona Continental Historic Races – Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida