AUSTIN, Texas — Porsche Carrera Cup North America celebrated the conclusion of its season deep in the heart of Texas.
While Loek Hartog (Netherlands) and his No. 24 Racing For Children’s Kellymoss Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car came to the Circuit of The Americas with the Pro class championship locked, the showdown on the Austin-area track was far from concluded for the Pro-Am and Masters class championships.
The entire season for Pro-Am and Masters class came down to round 16; the final event of the season. Ultimately, it was a spin by pursuing Efrin Castro (Dominican Republic) that gave Alan Metni (Austin, Texas) enough of a gap to better his fiercest rival by a narrow 12 points in the championship. This 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 (Portola Valley, California) and Matt Halcome (Dallas, Georgia) were only five points apart after Bellomo made a late-season push to catch up by final race.
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. With both drivers holding eight race wins, the tie breaker came down to the most second-place finishes. By virtue of crossing the line behind Scott Blind (Fenton, Missouri) on Sunday, Bellomo won the Masters class with five second-place finishes to Halcome’s four.
As It Happened
Ryan Yardley earned his third race win of the season in the No. 78 Topp Racing Performance Porsche (previous wins came at Watkins Glen and 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.
Alan Metni entered the final round of the season with a two-point lead in the Pro-Am class over archrival and Kellymoss teammate Efrin 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 Marco Cirone (Canada). Moisey Uretsky (Miami, Florida) spilt the two championship contenders with a second-place race finish.
The Masters class champion Matt Halcome did not waltz into the title deciding round. After the Georgian was turned on his side in race one, 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 Kyle Washington and Bellomo made contact.
That allowed Scott 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.
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 also 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 Alan Metni – the Pro-Am class champion in the No. 99 Kellymoss Porsche – and Chris 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.