Daytona Beach, Florida - A new era of cooperation and competition will begin in 2016 for the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama and the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama, as the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA)-sanctioned series will conduct two inaugural joint races and also will introduce new award to reward excellence in both championships.

The first-ever joint events featuring both series will take place June 10-12 during the Canadian Grand Prix Formula One race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal and June 30-July 2 during the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York.

A new award - the IMSA North American Cup - will encourage teams from the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama and the Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama to regularly compete in both series.

"The American and Canadian GT3 Cup series already are among the strongest of Porsche's 20 global Cup Challenge championships, and new common technical specs have created great opportunities for both series to grow even more in 2016," said David Pettit, IMSA vice president, marketing. "The inaugural joint events will feature large grids of talented teams and drivers from both sides of the border, with thrilling action from the front to the rear. Teams, drivers and fans also will enjoy the competition for the IMSA North American Cup, which recognizes the very best among both series."

Platinum Cup and Gold Cup competitors from the USA and Canada series will race simultaneously in two rounds at both Montreal and Watkins Glen, with expected combined entries of approximately 40 cars. The Montreal and Watkins Glen events will be points-paying rounds for the USA and Canada championships, with separate points awarded within each series and class.

"The tandem of the IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama and Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama running together during this year's Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen weekend is stellar news for Watkins Glen International fans," Watkins Glen International President Michael Printup said. "Higher car counts and more competition make this a win-win for everyone involved, and we're thrilled to be hosting such a great field on our new surface in July."

The IMSA North American Cup will be awarded to the driver who scores the most points overall in competition in the USA and Canada championships. Drivers from each series must compete in at least half of the non-joint (Montreal and Watkins Glen) races in the other series to be eligible, with points awarded for the participants' best 20 finishes earned between the USA and Canada championship races.

Both Porsche single-make Cup Challenge championships are competing on an identical tire for the first time in 2016, as the Canadian series enters its sixth season with a switch to Yokohama. The USA series continues on Yokohama tires for its 12th season.

A common tire produces identical specifications for the Platinum Cup and Gold Cup classes in both series, allowing teams and drivers to more easily participate in both championships on a level competitive field.

For more information about Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama and Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama, visit www.imsa.com, follow hashtags #GT3USA and #GT3CAN @IMSA on Twitter or IMSA on Facebook.

About the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama

The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama enters its 12th season in 2016 as one of Porsche's 20 single-make Cup Challenge series in the world. The series produces intense, exciting competition for semi-professional and aspiring professional drivers in the world's most produced and iconic race car, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

Racing is divided into two classes - Platinum Cup, featuring the 2014-2016 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, which is based on the current seventh, and current, generation of the street car, and Gold Cup, which is comprised of the previous iteration (model years 2010-2013) of the race car. A Masters Championship also is conducted in Platinum and Gold classes. Each class is awarded with its own podium at the end of every race and individual champion at the end of every season. Points are awarded by finish in class.

About Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama

The Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama enters its sixth season in 2016 ready to produce more intense, exciting competition for semi-professional and aspiring professional drivers in the world's most produced and iconic race car, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, and the new Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport. The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA)-sanctioned championship is one of 20 global Porsche single-make Cup Racing series and is the perfect platform for aspiring drivers to ascend to the highest levels of GT competition, such as the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Racing is divided into three classes - Platinum Cup, featuring the 2014-16 model Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, which is based on the seventh, and current, generation of the street car; Gold Cup, which is comprised of the previous iteration (model years 2010-2013) of the race car; and the Silver Cup class consisting of competitors in the new Cayman GT4 Clubsport. A Masters Championship also is conducted in the Platinum class. Each class is awarded with its own podium at the end of every race and individual champion at the end of every season. Points are awarded by finish in class.

About IMSA

The International Motor Sports Association, LLC (IMSA) was originally founded in 1969 and owns a long and rich history in sports car racing. Today, IMSA is the sanctioning body of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the premier sports car racing series in North America. IMSA also sanctions the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and the Mazda Prototype Lites Presented by Cooper Tires, as well as four single-make series: Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama; Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama; Ferrari Challenge North America; and Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America. IMSA - a company within the NASCAR family - is the exclusive strategic partner in North America with the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) which operates the 24 Hours of Le Mans as a part of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The partnership enables selected IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competitors to earn automatic entries into the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.

For more information, visit www.IMSA.com, www.twitter.com/IMSA or www.facebook.com/IMSA.