2024 10 21 Pmna Cota 2024 650

Hartog, Metni, Bellomo Celebrate Championships in Thrilling COTA Finale

October 21, 2024

Pro-Am, Masters Titles Decided in Last Race

Race 1 Results

Race 2 Results

Provisional Championship Standings

AUSTIN, Texas – Porsche Carrera Cup North America celebrated the conclusion of its 2024 race season deep in the heart of Texas over the weekend. While Loek Hartog and his No. 24 Racing For Children’s Kellymoss Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car came to Circuit of The Americas (COTA) with the Pro class championship locked, the showdown was far from concluded for the Pro-Am and Masters class championships. The Formula 1 United States Grand Prix weekend provided the perfect backdrop to drop the checkered flag on the most intensely fought season in the history of the series.

The entire season for Pro-Am and Masters class came down to Round 16; the final race of the 2024 season. Ultimately, it was a spin by pursuing Efrin Castro that gave Alan Metni enough of a gap to better his fiercest rival by a narrow 11 points in the class championship. It is Metni’s second Pro-Am class title win in the No. 99 iFly Kellymoss Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

The Masters class proved to be even closer, a championship that was decided by seconds, and second-place finishes. Chris Bellomo and Matt Halcome were only five points apart heading into Sunday’s finale after Bellomo made a late-season push to catch up. Entering the final corner of Round 16, Bellomo became entangled with another competitor, allowing Halcome to move up the one position he needed for a tie in the point standings. With both drivers holding four class wins this season, the tiebreaker came down to the most second-place finishes. By virtue of crossing the line second behind Scott Blind on Sunday, Bellomo won the Masters class with five second-place finishes to Halcome’s four.

 

Round 15, Saturday.

Zachary Vanier added a third career Porsche Carrera Cup North America overall victory to his resume. Vanier, 22, has positioned himself strongly for second place in the overall championship behind Hartog, who entered the weekend having secured enough points to be crowned the 2024 Pro class champion.

 

Hartog punctuated his championship weekend with a record-setting lap in qualifying. Hartog charged the Kellymoss Porsche around the 3.4-mile, 20-turn track in 2 minutes, 6.237 seconds to set on the overall pole position for Race 1. Ultimately, Vanier made it to Turn 1 first in the race, and with the help of three full-course cautions and expert restarts, kept his No. 9 JDX Racing Porsche at the front for the remainder of the 35-minute race. Ryan Yardley finished in third place piloting the No. 78 Topp Racing Performance machine.

 

The Pro-Am battle was again a fight of the championship contenders. Castro battled against his Kellymoss teammate and championship leader Metni for much of the race. While Castro won his third consecutive race and fourth of the season, Metni fell to fourth place. James Sofronas followed Castro across the finish line. The driver of the No. 14 GMG Racing machine won both rounds here last year. Marco Cirone entered the weekend third in Pro-Am points and finished third in Round 15 to keep his title hopes alive in the No. 84 ACI Motorsports Porsche.

 

The Masters class was won by Bellomo in the No. 68 Kellymoss entry with the No. 32 GMG car of Kyle Washington and Blind in the Ruckus Racing No. 45 closing out the class podium. Points leader Halcome went for a ride after contact with Joel Johnson. ACI Motorsports worked throughout the night to return the No. 55 ACI “Mystery Machine” to grid for Sunday’s race.”

 

Round 16, Sunday.

Yardley earned his third race win of the season in the No. 78 Topp Racing Performance Porsche (previous wins came at Watkins Glen and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta). The deciding moment for the New Zealander came with a dramatic move into the lead with just over 20 minutes remaining in the 35-minute race. Hartog and Vanier both pushed the No. 78 but were not able to overtake Yardley, who used the win to secure his second-place finish in the Pro class championship. Alex Sedgwick put on a dramatic drive to finish just behind Yardley – and third in the championship – driving the PT Autosport JDX Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. Vanier finished the race in third place.

 

Metni entered the final round of the season with a two-point lead in the Pro-Am class over archrival and Kellymoss teammate Castro. That is not new territory for the two as they have decided the championship between them by two points or less in three of the four Porsche Carrera Cup North America seasons. Castro won the title in 2021 by two markers, Metni took the accolades in 2022 by one point. Castro also won the championship in 2023 over Cirone. Moisey Uretsky spilt the two championship contenders with a second-place race finish.

 

Masters class leader Halcome did not waltz into the title deciding round. After the Georgian was turned on his side in Race 1, the ACI Motorsports and Porsche Motorsport North America crew worked to make necessary repairs in time to get the No. 55 car onto the grid for the final round Sunday morning. The race came down to the last corner when Washington and Bellomo made contact. That allowed Blind to pass into the lead, putting Bellomo in second place and Halcome in third place. That one position tied Bellomo and Halcome in the points, forcing the tiebreaker to determine the class champion.

 

Champion’s take.

As the fourth overall champion of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America, Hartog will see his named engraved on the Al Holbert Cup. The Cup, which is on permanent display at Porsche Motorsport North America, has been awarded to the Pro class champion each season since the series’ debut in 2021. Hartog’s name will now appear alongside Sebastian Priaulx (2021), Parker Thompson (2022) and Riley Dickinson (2023). The honor is significant as is the pedigree of success that follows the title. Each of the previous champions has gone on to win at the next level of the sport including in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge.

 

In addition to a replica of the Al Holbert Cup for his trophy case, Hartog will be awarded the tools to take his skill to the next level of the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid North America. During Sunday evening’s Celebration of Champions at Porsche Austin, the Dutch driver earned a $100,000 Porsche Motorsport spare parts credit to be used during the 2025 season for a Porsche program within the United States. A trip to the Porsche Night of Champions in Stuttgart, Germany, a Porsche Factory tour and Porsche Museum tour are also included in his winnings. As a daily reminder of his achievement, Hartog also was awarded a TAG Heuer Carrera Championship Winning watch.

 

The champions in the Pro-Am and Masters classes also enjoyed the perks of success. Both Metni, the Pro-Am class champion in the No. 99 Kellymoss Porsche, and Bellomo, Masters class champion in the No. 68 Porsche prepared by Kellymoss, receive a Porsche road car allocation to be purchased at a Porsche Center within the United States. They will also join Hartog in Stuttgart at the Porsche Night of Champions as well as a TAG Heuer Championship Winning watch.

 

ANDIAL Cup.

Hartog (Pro), Metni (Pro-Am) and Richard Edge (Masters) have been crowned the inaugural ANDIAL Cup Champions for their respective classes in 2024. The ANDIAL Cup provides competitors an additional award for competing at the most iconic road courses in North America. All full-season competitors receive automatic entry for the ANDIAL Cup, while those interested in running only at the more storied tracks will be presented the opportunity to compete for a championship. The tracks requisite to compete for the ANDIAL Cup are Sebring International Raceway, Watkins Glen International, Road America, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

 

Since forming in 1975, ANDIAL evolved into one of America’s most successful and respected authorities on Porsche performance tuning for the track and the street. ANDIAL-prepared cars and engines won on almost every major race track in North America before being sold to Porsche Motorsport North America, where elements of the company remain.

 

In recognition of his place with ANDIAL as well as the first president and CEO of Porsche Motorsport North America, Alwin Springer presented Hartog the custom-made ANDIAL Cup trophy at the Celebration of Champions evening.

 

Yokohama Race Wins Award. Hartog received the Yokohama Race Wins Award for the driver who secured the most wins, seven, during the 2024 season from any class. The prize includes a custom painting by artist and racing enthusiast Rae Roberts.

 

Female Driver Program. Sabré Cook and Madeline Stewart

 

Pole Award. The Pole Award was presented to Bellomo for securing the most pole positions, nine, during the 2024 season regardless of class.

 

Fastest Lap Award. Having set the quickest lap nine times this season, Hartog clinched the Fastest Lap Award. A TAG Heuer Fastest Lap Award Watch was presented to him during the end-of-season celebration.

 

COTA results.

  • Pro class winners.
    • Race 1. Zachary Vanier, No. 9 JDX Racing
    • Race 2. Ryan Yardley, No. 78 Topp Racing Performance
  • Pro-Am class winners.
    • Race 1. Efrin Castro, No. 65 Kellymoss
    • Race 2. Alan Metni, No. 99 Kellymoss
  • Masters class winners.
    • Race 1. Chris Bellomo, No. 68 Kellymoss
    • Race 2. Scott Blind, No. 45 Ruckus Racing

 

  • On point.
    • Pro class. Loek Hartog, No. 24 Kellymoss. Champion
    • Pro-Am class. Alan Metni, No. 99 Kellymoss. Champion
    • Masters class. Chris Bellomo, No. 68 Kellymoss, Champion
    • Entrant. Kellymoss, Champion

 

 

 

Next Up. March 12-13, 2025. Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Florida, Rounds 1 and 2.

 

• On the web. www.PorscheCarreraCup.us.