Monterey, California, Oct. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Some of the most nail biting races at Rennsport Reunion 7 didn’t just happen on the track at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. They also happened at the Bose Esports Arena packed with hundreds of fans.
On Saturday, September 30th, Randall Hayward, 22 of Forrest Park, Illinois, was crowned champion at the 2023 Porsche Esports Challenge USA. This is the second time in a row Hayward has taken home the top prize. It was only in the final minutes of the second race that Hayward moved to the top spot.
“It feels unreal,” said Hayward moments after winning. “It is still sinking in. It was very close and I knew it would be tough.”
"We are incredibly proud to crown Randall Hayward the champion of the 2023 Porsche Esports Challenge USA for the second year in a row," said Ayesha Coker, Vice President of Marketing at Porsche Cars North America. "This competition not only showcases the extraordinary talent within the Esports community but also strengthens the growing connection between virtual and real world racing.”
Hayward won after scoring the most points across two tracks, Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps and Daytona International Speedway Road Course competing in a Porsche 911 RSR and Porsche 917 respectively.
Second place went to Robert Heck, 23, of California City, California. 22-year-old Donavan Parker of Fruit Cove, Florida rounded out the top three. Kazunori Yamauchi, creator of Gran Turismo, was on hand to congratulate the winners.
Throughout June and July, over 36,000 people across the United States competed in qualifying rounds held in-game in Gran Turismo™ 7, and offline at the Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles, Porsche Experience Center Atlanta, and four U.S. Porsche Centers.
Sixteen finalists from around the United States were flown to Laguna Seca for a chance to compete for prize money and other prizes in front of a live audience. Hayward won the top prize of $15,000, while second place winner Robert Heck won $10,000 while third place winner Parker, won $5,000. The top three winners also each received a TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 Porsche Edition Watch.
About Gran Turismo™
Gran Turismo™ is a video game developed by Polyphony Digital Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. Having launched in Japan first in 1997, the multi-award-winning franchise is regarded as the best and most authentic driving simulator due to true-to-life graphics, authentic physics technology and careful attention to detail. Polyphony and its famed creator Kazunori Yamauchi have revolutionized the racing game genre.
About Porsche Cars North America, Inc. | One Porsche Drive, Atlanta, GA 30354 USA
Established in 1984, Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA) is the exclusive U.S. importer of the Porsche 911, 718 Boxster, 718 Cayman, Macan, Cayenne, Panamera and Taycan. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, since 1998, PCNA is home to the first Porsche Experience Center in North America, which features two module-based 1.6 mile driver development tracks, a business center and Restaurant 356. The campus is also home to the U.S. headquarters of Porsche Classic. The company operates a second Porsche Experience Center near Los Angeles. That complex features a driver development track with eight educational modules totaling 4.1 miles, a business center, Restaurant 917 and the headquarters of Porsche Motorsport North America. PCNA supports 197 independently owned and operated Porsche centers, two Porsche studios and three satellite stores in the U.S., including supplying parts, service, marketing, and training. They, in turn, work to provide Porsche customers with a best-in-class experience that is in keeping with the Porsche brand's 75-year history of leadership in the advancement of vehicle performance, safety, and efficiency. PCNA is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Porsche AG, which is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany.
At the core of this success is Porsche's proud racing heritage that boasts some 30,000-plus motorsport wins to date.
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Attachments
- Porsche Esports Challenge 2023 crowned at Rennsport Reunion 7
- Porsche Esports Challenge 2023 crowned at Rennsport Reunion 7
Jarred Hopkins Porsche Cars North America, Inc. 404-401-4448 jarred.hopkins@porsche.us Jennifer Bixler Porsche Cars North America, Inc. 470-827-1201 external.jennifer.bixler@porsche.us
