The 991 hits the street, but the 997 still dominates the track.

After its sweeping victory at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, Porsche Motorsport North America has announced that the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car will remain virtually unchanged through the 2013 season. The current Cup car, based on the venerable 997 model, took all three of the top spots at Daytona in January.

Not coincidentally, at the same time as the Porsche Motorsport announcement, Porsche fans from across the country, and here in Colorado, were celebrating the launch of the new seventh generation 911, the 991.

"As with previous models of the 911 GT3 Cup cars, it takes some two years for the race car design to be completed based on a new street car, so we anticipate the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (type 997) to be the racing platform through at least the 2013 racing season. Meanwhile, we have a limited number of 2012 Cup cars and will have a limited number of 2013 Cup cars that have no specification changes," said PMNA President, Jens Walther, who pointed out that the Cup car has remained essentially the same since 2010.

The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car is the defending Rolex Grand-Am GT champion, as well as the defending SCCA Pirelli World Champion title-holder and the SCCA GT2 Club Racing National Champion, and the spec car for the American Le Mans Series GT Challenge, the International Motor Sports Association GT3 Challenge by Yokohama, and the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge Canada. Cup cars are also popular in Porsche Owners Club and Porsche Club of America racing series.

"The whole Porsche family is excited about the new Porsche 911 (type 991) street car, but there is so much more to be accomplished in 2012 and 2013 with the current 911 GT3 Cup (type 997)," said Walther.

Since its introduction in 1989, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup has proven to be both fast and reliable, maintaining its value as it races in different countries and different classes. In last week's Rolex 24, there were 23 Cup cars that started the race, with 2006 to 2012 models, each made competitive by the upgrades allowed by the sanctioning body and made available by PMNA.

Porsche Motorsport North America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Porsche AG and is located in Santa Ana, California. Operating as the North American arm of Porsche Motorsport in Weissach, Germany, PMNA is the only authorized parts and service provider and is the preeminent source for Porsche racing car preparation in North America , at-the -track support, engineering services, parts, engine and chassis services, and vintage maintenance and preparation.

Source: Porsche Motorsport North America