The new Porsche 991 GT3 Cup car, the next generation 992, and new MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup N3 tire premiered in style Thursday, March 18 at Sebring International Raceway.

A field of 34 cars, including 23 of the new 992 generation Cup cars, took the green flag for the first of two races in the new Porsche Carrera Cup North America series.

The series is the latest Porsche Carrera Cup to debut and builds on the relationship between Porsche and Michelin. The race marked the global debut for both this new car and new MICHELIN race tire. It was developed specifically for the new 992 generation Cup car.

Michelin’s Tony Ménard, Porsche’s Dr. Daniel Armbruster and IMSA’s John Doonan after the first Porsche Carrera Cup North America race.

Young driver Sebastian Priaulx, son of multiple-time touring car and past Ford GT driver Andy Priaulx, dominated the first of two 45-minute races.

Priaulx scored the pole in his No. 15 Kelly Moss Road & Race Porsche, adorned in a Multimatic livery. He led the race from flag-to-flag and leapt ahead of closest rival Kay van Berlo on the final restart.

“I had to hold off Kay the whole race,” Priaulx said. “I couldn’t quite get a gap on him. Got quite a good restart and knew it would come. I can’t thank Kelly Moss and Porsche enough. The Michelins held up really well; great tire over the long race.

Both Priaulx and teammate van Berlo have past Sebring experience in other IMSA-sanctioned series. Veteran GT driver Leh Keen, a past IMSA GT class champion, scored third place in Pro in an 311RS Motorsport entry.

Alain Metni (Pro/Am) and Kurt Hunt (Pro/Am 991) scored additional class victories.

The second race of the weekend is Friday at 10:10 a.m. ET.