In a recurring theme, Ottawa’s Perry Bortolotti kept his head down and his car under him, winning his third straight Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada race at the Circuit ICAR Grand Prix – ahead of a heated battle for second place overall between Martin Harvey and Shaun McKaigue.

Bortolotti, driving the #84 SpeedMerchants-Fiorano Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, had his mirrors full of the 27-lap dicing duel between Harvey and McKaigue on the converted airport circuit. Whichis exactly where he wanted the battle to stay.

“I was worried about those guys – they were getting faster and faster all weekend!” said Bortolotti. “I got out in front and kept a consistent race going and didn’t make any mistakes. It was really hot out there and it would have been really easy for me to lose my concentration. But I
was working my car and watching in my rear view mirror at the fight behind me!”

Harvey, from Berthierville, Quebec (Gilles Villeneuve’s hometown) started his #08 Wingho Racing/McDonalds Porsche second on the grid, only to have McKaigue get by him in the hairpin early in the race. But Harvey stuck behind McKaigue, passing him later in the race in that same hairpin. But McKaigue, in the #34 Fiorano Racing entry, wouldn’t go away.

“It was a great race!” said Harvey. “I worked very hard to get back by Shaun once, then he got me again, then I got by him again! It was very hard to hang on to my second place. We had a great battle between us, which was great for the spectators. But on some of those passes, I don’t think you could have put a piece of paper between our cars!

McKaigue was happy with his Gold Cup class win but even happier with the race-long battle with Harvey. “We had a blast!” agreed McKaigue. “It was so much fun. He was doing a few sections quicker than me, then I would do other sections quicker than him. But trying to pass here is all about the braking zone and after a while, your tires get hot and your car starts slipping. He did a fantastic job of saving it on one corner, and I reciprocated.”