Pfaff Motorsports opened up the 2017 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada season in dominant fashion, taking the overall win in both rounds at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport) as part of the Victoria Day SpeedFest activities this weekend.

Following a successful race debut at Sebring last month for the new Porsche 911 Gen 2 (991.2) GT3 Cup car that saw Pfaff’s new Platinum-class driver Scott Hargrove capture the car’s first global victory, the 2014 series champion wasted no time in putting his no. 9 Castrol GT3 on pole by more than two-tenths of a second for the Saturday and Sunday races.

Driving alongside Hargrove was teammate Orey Fidani (Gold class) in the no. 13 Orlando Corp. 911 GT3 Cup, and Shaun McKaigue (Platinum Masters) in the no. 34 FER-PAL GT3 991.2, as well as new additions and Masters drivers Ed Killeen and Pieter Baljet, also running 991.2 GT3s.

In race one, Hargrove’s raw speed saw him lead from flag to flag, staying consistent amidst pressure from Mark Motor’s Zach Robichon to capture the win by two seconds. McKaigue was in a heated battle for the Master’s class lead throughout the race, which ultimately saw him stand atop the third step on the podium, while Fidani was heavily in the Gold-class mix en route to a second-place finish. In their Pfaff Motorsports race debuts, Baljet and Killeen finished in 13^th and 15^th overall, respectively.

For Hargrove, race two was much of the same. The rain held off just long enough to see him weave the lead car through the lapped field, ultimately losing Robichon and the competition in the latter stages of the 45-minute sprint. On the opposite side of the coin, Fidani ran into some technical issues that put him at the back of the grid for the green flag, though a calculated and tenacious drive saw him take a well-deserved second place once again, followed by McKaigue’s repeat third-place finish in Platinum Masters to round out Pfaff’s podium finishes.

Despite fielding the largest GT3 Cup team in the series and Pfaff Motorsport history, the team was able to execute a near-flawless weekend that saw all five cars arrive home safely.

With each driver firmly planted in the hunt for their class championship, rounds three and four will surely provide added excitement, as the GT3 Cup Challenge Canada series makes its way to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix weekend, taking place from June 9-11 in Montreal, Quebec.

For the latest updates, news and behind the scenes content, follow @PfaffMotorsports and @PfaffAuto on Instagram.

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Scott Hargrove

“To start the season off like this is absolutely incredible. I couldn’t have asked for anything better – the car and the team have been flawless. For race two today, the cooler weather made for an interesting race, but the car was still on rails. I can’t thank the team enough for their support, and I can’t wait until we’re back on track in Montreal.”

Shaun McKaigue

“It’s great to come away from this first weekend with two podium finishes. I think the [U.S.] races in Sebring helped us familiarize ourselves with the car – we’re always improving our times, and there’s still plenty to go, so that’s really promising. It was a great two races, and the Pfaff team has done a great job once again to get us where we need to be.”

Toronto, January 25, 2017 – Pfaff Motorsports will return to the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada with a four-strong full-season driver lineup, headlined by three champions and the addition of three new 2017 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race cars to the Canadian series. Pfaff’s series effort includes 2014 GT3 Cup Canada Platinum class champion Scott Hargrove, 2015 Gold class champion Orey Fidani, series veteran and 2016 Gold class champion Shaun McKaigue, and newcomer Ed Killeen.

Scott Hargrove, from Tsawwassen, BC, will drive the full Canadian season, plus the U.S. GT3 Cup race at Sebring, FL, in the flagship #9 Castrol-Pfaff Motorsports 2017 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. The 21-year-old has captured a total of 19 victories in the Canadian GT3 series, was the Canadian GT3 Platinum champion in 2014, won the 2013 USF2000 championship, and came second in the 2014 Pro Mazda championship. He has also raced the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, and in select Indy Lights races.

“Pfaff has been involved in motorsports since the 1980s, and is one of the most recognized names in Canadian Motorsports,” said Hargrove. “Several people I look up to in my racing career, such as Scott Goodyear and Richard Spenard, have raced with Pfaff. It’s important to align yourself with like-minded people who are goal-oriented, and the group at Pfaff Motorsports is a perfect fit; they want to win as much as I do.”

Castrol Canada returns as the title sponsor of Hargrove’s 2017 GT3 Cup race car, wearing a new livery. Hargrove added: “The new car looks beautiful, and I’m looking forward to more horsepower and downforce, and racing in Canada in front of Canadian fans. The Porsche GT3 Cup has been some of the most fun racing of my career, and the introduction of a new, more powerful, car will spice up the action and create a new challenge. The series has grown a lot, the field is more competitive, and the atmosphere is more intense than ever –drivers and fans will be more engaged in 2017.”

“Scott is the winningest driver in the last three seasons of the GT3 Cup Canada,” added Steve Bortolotti, Pfaff Motorsports team manager. “His experience, success, and drive give us the best chance to deliver another Pfaff championship in 2017.”

Hargrove will be joined by Orey Fidani, who will drive his Gold-class 2016 Porsche GT3 Cup in the full season, plus Sebring. A series rookie in 2015, Fidani claimed the Goldclass championship in his first year, and has shown constant improvement throughout his time in the series. Said Bortolotti: “We are thrilled to have Orey Fidani continue his development with us in 2017 with the goal of bringing home another Gold-class championship.”

Longtime customer Shaun McKaigue began purchasing his cars at Pfaff before attending track days, competing in Porsche Club Racing, and ultimately moving up to the IMSA-sanctioned GT3 Cup series a few years later. McKaigue has driven in the Canadian Porsche GT3 Cup since the series’ inception in 2011, and won the Gold class in 2011 and 2016. In 2017, he moves up to the Platinum class with a brand-new 911 GT3 Cup race car, wearing FER-PAL Infrastructure/FER-PAL Aquapipe livery.

“Pfaff Motorsports has demonstrated a professionalism, dedication, and will to win over the last number of years,” said McKaigue. “Their knowledge of everything Porsche gives us an edge. Pfaff can be depended upon to field perfectly prepared cars, every weekend. With their support, I’m hoping to consistently run in the top five during the season, and have my eye on a couple of podium finishes. I would also like to challenge for the win in the Platinum Masters class.”

Another Pfaff customer joining the Canadian GT3 Cup series is Ed Killeen, from Buffalo, New York, who will also be running in the Platinum class with an all-new 911 GT3 Cup car, sponsored by Life Storage. Killeen’s desire to be on-track and learn racecraft began with several years of track days. Becoming more serious about racing, he jumped headfirst into motorsports, competing in endurance racing with TWOth Autosport, and earning numerous race wins and podiums. After a successful season racing a Porsche GT4 Clubsport, and running the final race of the Canadian GT3 Cup series in 2016, he’s excited about competing at the top level in the Porsche GT3 Cup Canada.

“My goal for the 2017 season is to get comfortable with the new Cup car as quickly as possible, and challenge for the Platinum Masters class Championship,” said Killeen. “Having the experience and depth that Pfaff Motorsport brings will certainly help us all get up to speed with this great new car. I feel fortunate to run with my guys at TWOth Autosport, and to do it with a group like Pfaff will make it a special year. I've got great confidence in the team, and can't wait for race one at CTMP!”

Alongside Pfaff’s four full-season competitors, Jeff Pabst, an accomplished racer on the Canadian and international stages, will compete in select Canadian races behind the wheel of Pfaff’s 2014 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, bringing the total number of Pfaff entries in the Canadian series to five.

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About Pfaff Automotive Partners:

Pfaff Automotive Partners, a leading Canadian automotive retailer, was founded in 1964. Its brand offering includes Volkswagen, Toyota, Audi, BMW, Porsche, McLaren, Singer Vehicle Design, Pagani, and Harley-Davidson automobiles and motorcycles. It has a 50-plus-year racing history across many forms of motorsport. The company also operates Pfaff Tuning, Pfaff Leasing, and Pfaff Autoworks. For more information, please visit www.pfaffauto.com.

About Castrol in Canada:

Wakefield Canada is the national distributor for all Castrol premium products and Super Clean cleaner degreaser. Wakefield provides products to Retailers, Automotive & Commercial Heavy Duty customers and Motorcycle dealers with dedicated customer service and technical support as well as industry-leading marketing programs to drive growth for both our customers and the brands we represent. Wakefield provides sales, marketing and distribution solutions to over 5000 customers in all segments, including: Retailers, Warehouse Distributors, Automotive and Heavy Duty Jobbers/Distributors, Franchised and Independent Installers, Quick Lubes, Heavy Duty Fleet Companies, New Car Dealers, Off Road Equipment Operators, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) and Municipal Fleets. Follow us @CastrolCanada on Facebook and Twitter. For more information about Castrol products, go to www.castrol.ca. For more information about Wakefield Canada, check us out at www.Wakefieldcanada.ca