SCC: BGTC: 2004 Porsche Cup summary

Americans Take Seven of Top 15 Places at Prestigeous Porsche Cup Presentation

ATLANTA - December 30 - For the 35th time since its inception in 1970, the Porsche Cup was presented to the world's most successful private entry Porsche drivers at the annual Porsche motorsports dinner in Germany last week, and American racers took seven of the top 15 positions.

Craig Stanton, from Long Beach, Calif., who won the GS class in Grand-Am Cup in Nonnamaker Porsche 911 and finished fifth in the GT class in the American Le Mans Series in the White Lightning/Petersen Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, was in the running for the title all year, but finished second in the points to Monaco's Stephane Ortelli. Stanton took home 23,000 Euros ($27,600) for his efforts.

Ortelli was a co-driver in the last Porsche to win Le Mans overall in 1998. The 34-year-old secured the trophy after his successes competing for private racing teams in the FIA N-GT championship, the American Le Mans Series and the Le Mans 24 hour race (France).

The new Cup winner received a coveted silver-gold trophy as well as 37,000 Euros ($44,400) in prize money. The Porsche Cup is endowed with prize money totaling 153,000 Euros ($183,600).

Frenchman Emmanuel Collard was third in points, followed by Stanton's ALMS teammate David Murry, from Atlanta, Georgia, who finished fourth. Other Americans finishing in the top 15 among Porsche drivers worldwide included Johannes van Overbeek, from San Francisco, Calif., fifth place in the Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (ALMS); his teammate Darren Law, from Phoenix, Arizona, sixth place; The Racer's Group Porsche ALMS driver Patrick Long, from Oak Park, California, seventh; his teammate and 1999 Porsche Cup winner Cort Wagner, from Los Angeles, California, 11th; and Atlanta's Justin Jackson, in the J3 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 14th.

Besides Wagner, Americans who have won the Porsche Cup previously include Price Cobb (1994), Mike Fitzgerald (2000), and Kevin Buckler (2002). A complete list of the 2004 winners, plus a listing of all the overall winners going back to 1970, follows this release.

Porsche Cup Results

1. Stephane Ortelli (Monaco)
Freisinger Yukos Motorsport
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
9,670 points

Runner-up of the FIA N-GT Championship; class victory amongst others at the Spa Francorchamps 24 hour race; third in the LM-GT category at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

2. Craig Stanton (USA)
Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing
RaceSite.com-Racing
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR/911 GT3 Cup
8,510 points

Champion of the Grand-Am Cup (USA GS category) with six wins from ten races. Fifth overall in the ALMS (GT category) after six podium results, including third in the GT class at the Sebring. 12 hour race (USA).

3. Emmanuel Collard (France)
Freisinger Yukos Motorsport
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
8,120 points

Runner-up in the FIA N-GT Championship; class victory amongst others in the Spa Francorchamps 24 hour race.

4. David Murry (USA)
Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing
RaceSite.com-Racing
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR/911 GT3 Cup
7,515 points

Three wins in the Grand-Am Cup (USA GS class). Fifth overall in the ALMS (GT category) after six podium results, including third in the GT class at the Sebring 12 hour race (USA).

5. Johannes van Overbeek (USA)
Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
7,100 points

Second place GT in the ALMS after a win in Mid Ohio and six other podium results. Third overall at the Daytona 24 hour race, second in his class.

6. Darren Law (USA)
Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RS
6,410 points

Second place in the ALMS after a win in Mid Ohio and six other podium results. Fourth overall at the Sebring 12 hour race.

7. Patrick Long (USA)
The Racer's Group
Petersen Motorsports
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
6,100 points

Winner in the LM-GT class at the Le Mans 24 hour race, sixth in the GT drivers' ALMS championship.

8. Tim Sugden (Great Britain)
Gruppe M Racing
J3 Motorsport
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
5,930 points

Vice champion in the British GT championship. Good results and ninth in the GT category of the American Le Mans Series, 17th in the drivers' standings of the FIA N-GT Championship.

9. Christian Ried (Germany)
Proton Competition
Porsche 911 GT3 RS
4,180 points

Eighth in the FIA N-GT drivers' championship after taking points from all eleven rounds of the series.

10. Gerold Ried (Germany)
Proton Competition
Porsche 911 GT3 RS
4,180 points

Eighth in the FIA N-GT drivers' championship after taking points from all eleven rounds of the series.

11. Cort Wagner (USA)
The Racer's Group
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
3,820 points

Sixth in the GT drivers' championship of the American Le Mans Series.

12. Alexei Vasiliev (Russia)
Freisinger Yukos Motorsport
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
3,710 points

Second in the N-GT class at the Spa 24 hour race; Sixth in the FIA N-GT final results.

13. Jonathan Cocker (Great Britain)
Gruppe M Racing
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
3,050 points

Winner of the British GT Championship with six victories and ten points results from 16 rounds. Also results in the FIA N-GT Championship.

14. Justin Jackson (USA)
J3 Motorsport
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
2,800 points

Good placings in the American Le Mans Series with ninth in the drivers' championship (GT category).

15. Nicolai Fomenko (Russia)
Freisinger Motorsport
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR
2,780 points

Sixth in the FIA N-GT final rankings.

Porsche Cup Winners 1970 - 2004
1970 Gijs van Lennep, Wihuri
1971 Erwin Kremer, Kremer
1972 John Fitzpatrick, Kremer
1973 Clemens Schickentanz, Kremer
1974 John Fitzpatrick, Kremer
1975 Claude Haldi, Haberthur
1976 Bob Wollek, Kremer
1977 Bob Wollek, Kremer
1978 Bob Wollek, Kremer
1979 Klaus Ludwig, Kremer
1980 John Fitzpatrick, Barbour
1981 Bob Wollek, Kremer
1982 Bob Wollek, Joest
1983 Bob Wollek, Joest
1984 Henri Pescarolo, Joest
1985 Jochen Mass, Joest
1986 Klaus Ludwig, Joest
1987 Volker Weidler, Kremer
1988 John Winter, Joest
1989 Bob Wollek, Joest
1990 Bernd Schneider, Kremer
1991 John Winter, Joest
1992 Oscar Larrauri, Joest
1993 Edgar Doren, Freisinger
1994 Price Cobb, Kelly Moss
1995 Lilian Bryner / Enzo Calderai, Stadler
1996 Bruno Eichmann, Roock Racing
1997 Franz Konrad, Konrad Motorsport
1998 Franz Konrad, Konrad Motorsport
1999 Cort Wagner, Alex Job Racing
2000 Mike Fitzgerald, G&W Motorsports
2001 Wolfgang Kaufmann, Paco Orti Racing
2002 Kevin Buckler, The Racer's Group
2003 Marc Lieb, Freisinger Motorsport
2004 Stephane Ortelli, Freisinger Motorsport

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