Representing the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada last week in the IMSA-sanctioned test at Sebring International Raceway was OpenRoad Racing and driver Remo Ruscitti.
Ruscitti, entering his sophomore season in Porsche GT3 Cup Canada, has had previous IMSA experience at the iconic 3.74-mile circuit in a handful of Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge races. The Canadian emphasizes the importance of track time at Sebring.
“I’ve had a decent amount of track time here and lots of testing as well throughout the winter,” said Ruscitti. “For sure, there’s definitely a couple little tricks to Sebring. There’s definitely a lot of tough corners, one very blind – 17, very blind and bumpy. So just right off the bat, it seems like one of these places that takes you just a little bit longer up to speed, but hopefully that’s one of the advantages that we’ve got.”
The Porsche GT3 Cup Canada season kicks off at Sebring next month during the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts weekend, with a pair of races in conjunction with the series’ American counterpart, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama. This will be the eighth season of Porsche GT3 Cup Canada competition and the first of six race weekends scheduled throughout 2018.
While many Porsche GT3 Cup teams participated in the 48 Hours of Sebring hosted by Porsche Club of America two weeks prior, OpenRoad Racing chose to bring it’s No. 96 Porsche 991 to the two-day IMSA test last week for additional race preparations.
“We checked off a good number of boxes, but you’re always coming from behind,” said Ruscitti, a Vancouver native. “We’re still chasing a little bit of the base, but for the way the week went, we achieved, I guess, the goals we were needing to, so we’ll come back in two weeks and start from there.”
Following a rookie season which resulted in several podium finishes, Ruscitti is still seeking his elusive first Porsche GT3 Cup Canada win.
“Last year, we had some really good moments and we’ll try to build off that and prep for two weeks for the first race of the year,” said Ruscitti after the test concluded.
“Honestly, I really like Sebring, it’s one of my favorite places. It’s pretty exciting for (the season-opener) to be here this year. It’s a little bit of an early season start so it doesn’t make our season so crammed, so that’s really exciting. So yeah, we’re gunning for the win. A couple podiums last year, but never reached the top step so we’re hoping to get there this year.”
The first Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge race at Sebring will be held Thursday, March 15 from 4:25 p.m. to 5:10 p.m. and the second runs from 11:25 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. Friday.