Rothmans-Porsche Challenge Cup: Short-Lived But Influential

Although it is surprisingly difficult to find more than brief mentions of the Rothmans-Porsche Challenge Cup series, the event, which ran for five years beginning in 1986, was an important proving ground for a number of Canadian drivers. The series was founded by former formula car racer Jack Christie, who was also the creator of the Canadian Tire Formula 2000 championship in 1981. Both events and others like the Formula Atlantic Series and the Player’s Challenge gave Canadian drivers an opportunity to hone their skills on their own home turf.

The Rothmans-Porsche series involved seven half-hour sprints in which 32 competitors drove Porsche 944s, the car introduced to the world at the 1981 Frankfurt auto show. When the 944 became available in 1983 as a replacement for the 92, it remained virtually unchanged as an entry level sports car until it was replaced in 1991 by the Porsche 968. For the purposes of the Rothmans-Porsche series, the nearly identical cars represented cheap insurance that Canadian motorsports enthusiasts would back the series. Canada has something of a national passion for one-marque car racing. The regulations in such races are designed to make the vehicles themselves as equal as possible. The results are thus more dependent on the skill of the driver than on any other factor.

The first naturally-aspirated 944s were powered by a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine producing 174 horsepower. Placed to the front and powered by a rear transaxle, the early models were plagued with vibration issues. The turbo version appeared in 1986 with greatly enhanced aerodynamics and a horsepower boost to 220. Modifications were also made to the suspension and gearbox and wider wheels were utilized. The original 944 was on Car and Driver’s Ten Best List from 1983 through 1985 and the Turbo made the cut in 1986. It’s little wonder that fans would be intrigued watching a contest of such evenly matched cars being driven to a large extent by “local boys.”

Interestingly Christie used the Canadian series as a model to lobby the people at Porsche to get behind similar races in Germany, France, and South Africa. The Porsche 911 Super Cup is still in existence today as a precursor to a number of Formula One Races and is the direct descendent of the Rothmans-Porsche Challenge Cup. The original Canadian series also served as a training ground for such drivers as Richard Spenard, Ron Fellows, Paul Tracy, Bill Adam, Kees Nierop, Ludwig Heimrath Sr. and Jr., and Scott Goodyear. (Spenard, Goodyear, and Moore are members of the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame, inducted in 2000, 2001 and 2002 respectively.)