Triple X clean-sweep southern Porsche podium

Porsche powered Triple X Motorsport have won the fourth round of the 2008/09 GT3 Cup Challenge with their third consecutive podium lock-out following the race weekend held near Invercargill (16-18 January).

Held at the world’s most southern race circuit, the weekend reinforced the team’s championship superiority with the race podium dominated by three of the six-car team.

Following last night’s dramatic 30-lap twilight race held after a ninety minute interlude for heavy rain, Queensland based Kiwi Craig Baird (Barrons RV Taupo – ZM – Porsche 997) continued his winning streak to secure a further win and second place from the race weekend. A close second, Melbourne’s David Reynolds (Placemakers – Hampsta – Porsche 997) snapped at Baird’s heels during the Saturday evening race, to finally up-stage the defending champion in the Sunday afternoon finale for victory.

With Baird starting from position five and Reynolds to his right in position six for the 16-lap top-six reverse grid race, Reynolds got the better start to snatch the advantage under more settled weather conditions.

“When you win a round it’s pointless trying to dive-bomb your team-mate,” described Baird of Reynolds taking the final race victory. “With the round win and a good championship lead it was pointless taking any risks – I peeled a tyre early in the race so just had to stroke it home.”

“So a good weekend for us – a testing weekend - more so for the crew than for us with the weather conditions,” said the defending Porsche GT3 Cup Champion. “One minute it’s dry, one minute it’s wet, one minute it’s sunny, one minute it’s cold. The conditions kept changing and the boys did a fantastic job to present us with a car ready to cope with those changes – a real team effort.”

Continually mixing in the leading battle, Auckland’s Daniel Gaunt (Beef and Lamb – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group – Porsche 997) and Sydney’s Rodney Forbes (Hampsta - MPD Dairy Products – Porsche 997) shared a third place each, with Gaunt taking the better placed finish in the final race to secure the remaining round podium position.

The team’s third successive championship podium lock-out, the Baird, Reynolds and Gaunt trio are extending their margin on the rest of the 14-car field, with Forbes closing for the fourth place position.

As the weather ever-changed, Sunday’s cooler conditions did little to stifle the on-track pace with Reynolds bettering the new lap record he set on the Saturday evening. Further lowering the mark during the morning 12-lap race, he said the 58.341s mark around the 2.61km circuit proved he had the pace for victory.

“Being the fastest car for the weekend I should have more race wins – at least two out of the three – however I made a few errors,” conceded the 23-year old.

Bailed out of the Saturday evening race, Auckland rookie Courtney Letica (Altherm - Porsche 997) finished ninth and tenth in the Sunday races.

Team principal Shane McKillen (VnC Cocktails Porsche 997) benefited from a consistent weekend to finish seventh in the endurance race, tenth and 12^th in the finale.

Following the two successive race weekends in the South Island, the team now have the long journey back to their Auckland workshop where all six cars will be rebuilt for the final two rounds in the championship season.
The team will next race at Manfeild late in February (27 February – 1 March).

Triple X to lead Porsche twilight race

Triple X Motorsport driver Craig Baird in the Barrons RV Taupo – ZM - Porsche 997 set fastest time in this afternoon’s qualifying to lead the start in tonight’s 30-lap twilight race around Invercargill’s 2.61km Teretonga Park Raceway.

Set in varying fine/damp weather conditions this afternoon, the first of three races in this weekend’s fourth round of the 2008/09 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge has two Triple X Motorsport cars starting from the front row of this evenings race grid.

Very much a qualifying based on strategy, there was an additional element of luck with two of the team’s cars faster times later annulled when it were deemed they were set during yellow flag conditions. That left Baird at the front of the pack with Melbourne’s David Reynolds in the Placemakers – Hampsta – Porsche 997 alongside in second.

Starting from the third row, Daniel Gaunt in the Beef and Lamb – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group – Porsche 997 was previously in second position in the 13-car field.

The ever-changing weather at the world’s most southern race venue is set to play a part in the evening race that starts from 7:40pm (19:40NZST). Traditional variations in conditions at the venue have left commentators speculating that predicting a winner between the Australian honed endurance prowess of Baird and Reynolds will be an easier option.

The leading duo in the six-car Triple X Motorsport team are well used to the longer race distances – saved for the cooler climate and more abrasive nature of the sand based circuit.

Following their example, Sydney’s Rodney Forbes (Hampsta - MPD Dairy Products – Porsche 997) set eighth fastest time, followed by Courtney Letica (Altherm - Porsche 997) and Shane McKillen (VnC Cocktails – Porsche 997).

Sunday’s returns to the normal race weekend programme with a 12-lap race in the morning and the top-six reverse grid 16-lap race in the afternoon.

Triple X to push Porsche title lead

This weekend’s second of back-to-back race meetings draws the championship past the half-way mark in the 2008/09 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge and to Invercargill for the fourth round of the 2008/09 season for the six car Triple X Motorsport team.

Following a perfect race weekend clean-sweep at Timaru by Melbourne based David Reynolds in the Placemakers – Hampsta – Porsche 997; he fronted a team lock-out of the race weekend podium. Now heading to the world’s most southern race circuit, he says it is by far his favourite:

“It’s one of the best tracks I go to in New Zealand. Its fast and flowing and my type of track,” said the 23-year old, who is journeying with the team as they head for a few days in Queenstown before arriving at the Invercargill circuit on Thursday.

“I tried a few different things at Timaru so if we can make that work at Invercargill we can achieve the same result again.”

Utilising the longer daylight hours enjoyed by southern New Zealand, the weekend race programme includes a 30 lap endurance race on the Saturday evening following morning qualifying. While a common race length for Australian championship hardened Craig Baird (Barrons RV Taupo – ZM – Porsche 997) and Reynolds, Baird does voice caution at the twilight race.

“I’m a little concerned over the tyre life with the 40 minute race,” said the 38-year old defending champion and current point’s leader. “Last time we were there we had some tyre failures due to the abrasive surface around the sweeper. The new tyre is supposed to be more durable but who knows, so I’m going to have to use strategy really.”

Explaining his thoughts, Baird says the unique sand based circuit features predominantly drive corners where the tyre doesn’t get to ‘rest’ and cool down during a lap.

“So you just build up temperature and more temperature – that’s going to be quite a concern.”

Sunday returns to the normal programme with a 12-lap race in the morning and a top-six reverse grid 16-lap race in the afternoon.

With the first three championship podium placings secured by the Triple X Motorsport team following the Timaru weekend, Queensland based Kiwi Craig Baird in the Barrons RV Taupo – ZM – Porsche 997 has a 60 point lead over Reynolds.
A further 99 points behind, Auckland’s Daniel Gaunt (Beef and Lamb – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group – Porsche 997) holds third by a moderate margin with Sydney’s Rodney Forbes (Hampsta - MPD Dairy Products – Porsche 997) in sixth. Team principal Shane McKillen (VnC Cocktails – Porsche 997) sits in tenth, with rookie Courtney Letica (Altherm - Porsche 997) is close behind in 11^th.

Set 10km to the west of Invercargill, Teretonga’s 2.61km kidney shaped circuit was plotted through lupin covered sand-dunes before its establishment as a permanent race facility in late 1957.

Triple X lock-out Porsche title race

Triple X driver David Reynolds has taken three from three wins at the third round of the 2008/09 Porsche GT3 Challenge held in Timaru over the weekend, leading the team charge that now occupies the top three placings in the championship chase.

The Melbourne based driver in the Placemakers – Hampsta – Porsche 997 dominated the entire weekend – setting fastest time in qualifying, winning the opening race and this morning’s second 12-lap race.

Starting from sixth position in the afternoon’s top-six reverse grid 16-lap race, Reynolds moved through the field to win by a margin of 3.6 seconds to take the overall weekend honours.

“The car was fantastic. I didn’t get a very good start in race three, but a few of the guys got hung out to dry and I was fourth by turn three. My car was just on song, words can’t describe the bond I had with it this weekend – it was perfect,” said the 23-year old professional racer.

As the sun intensified during the day, conditions around the 2.4km Timaru track improved, with Reynolds benefiting from a more optimal suspension setup that provided greater drive from the turns.

“It’s pretty special, pole as well – we’ve been hard to fault all weekend to be fair. Dan (Gaunt) and Craig (Baird) have been pretty fast. But Craig has his weekends and I have mine. Now we go to Invercargill and it could go either way – it to’s and froe’s a bit,” he added.

“Now I just have to concentrate on doing what I did this weekend next weekend, working with Spraguey (Peter Sprague) my engineer and try to make the car the best we can – now I just want to keep the good times rolling.”

Second for the weekend and still leading the overall championship, Queensland based Craig Baird (Barrons RV Taupo ZM) finished the final race in third after a second in the morning race. Auckland based team-mate Daniel Gaunt (Beef and Lamp – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group – Porsche 997) completed a second successive team lock-out of a race weekend podium – finishing third to secure the final podium spot on the points table.

The final race looked to be a Gaunt’s, but early tyre damage thwarted his outright pace – forcing him to defend his front-row placing, finishing fourth in the finale behind Baird.

Fifth and with a trouble-free run following Saturday’s radiator damage, Sydney driver Rodney Forbes (Hampsta - MPD Dairy Products – Porsche 997) finished ahead of team-mates Courtney Letica (Altherm - Porsche 997) and team principal Shane McKillen (VnC Cocktails – Porsche 997).

The team now have a short turn-around time to have the six cars ready – continuing their southern journey to begin the fourth round of the season at the world’s most southern race venue at Teretonga, near Invercargill (16-18 January 2009).

Home victory for Triple X

Today’s opening Porsche GT3 race at the Timaru circuit has been a home town victory for Triple X Motorsport engineer Peter Sprague with driver David Reynolds taking a comfortable victory in the afternoon 12-lap race.

A lights to flag victory by Melbourne’s Reynolds in the Placemakers – Hampsta – Porsche 997, beat home the second Triple X Porsche of Queensland based Craig Baird (Barrons RV Taupo ZM), with third going to Triple X recruit Daniel Gaunt (Beef and Lamp – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group – Porsche 997).

The leading pair qualified at the front row of the grid for the afternoon race – the first of three in the third round of the 2008/09 championship season.

Facing dreary conditions, Reynolds said his first victory of the season wasn’t hampered by the light rain that began to fall during the early stages of the race: “…it wasn’t enough to affect the cars performance and those first three laps was where I got enough of a gap to win the race by a good margin.” Reynolds finished fractionally over one second ahead of team-mate Baird.

Paying tribute to the hometown experience imposed by the engineer on his Placemakers – Hampsta car, Reynolds said he was ecstatic to have taken the win: “Peter Sprague and I have been working closer together to get the performance of the car fine tuned and that’s what won me the race. Since the first lap of practise I knew my car was good and my mindset was very good for the weekend – I was on it straight away. It was very good from the first three laps of the race and that’s where I got a decent enough gap to win the race by a good margin.”

A safety car incident in the first-quarter of the race came after a number of cars tangled in a minor concertina, with Sydney’s Rodney Forbes (Hampsta - MPD Dairy Products – Porsche 997) running up the back of another car. The impact punctured his radiator forcing him to later retire.

Rookie Courtney Letica (Altherm - Porsche 997) finished in sixth place to be the fourth team car home, having started from 11^th behind team principal Shane McKillen, (VnC Cocktails – Porsche 997) who finished in seventh place.

Tomorrow’s final two races around the 2.4km Timaru circuit include a second 12-lap race, held in the morning, with a 16-lap afternoon race where the top-six leaders are reversed in start order.

Triple X drive Porsche challenge south

New Zealand’s leading Porsche GT3 Cup team Triple X Motorsport, begin back-to-back weekends of race action, starting with this weekend’s third championship round held near Timaru (9-11 January 2009).

Starting the 2009 year with a 1200km journey from Auckland to Timaru, the six car Porsche team front for the resumption in the six round season, with the fourth round the following weekend held near Invercargill.

Currently headed by points leader and defending title champion Craig Baird, his Barrons RV Taupo ZM - Porsche 997 has been workshop freshened for the long-distance journey. Baird says the coming two consecutive race weekends are a favourite part of his New Zealand race campaign: “Timaru is my favourite track in the country and having Invercargill the week after means I can spend the whole time with my family,” said the 38-year old Queensland based Kiwi. “You have nearly a week in Queenstown between weekends and it’s only a few hours’ drive down the road and you’re racing again, where normally you’ve got a long journey between events.”

Included in the line-up, Melbourne’s David Reynolds (Placemakers – Karcher – Porsche 997) holds second in the season standings – 91 points behind Baird. Auckland’s Daniel Gaunt (Beef and Lamp – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group – Porsche 997) is fourth, seeking to reclaim his third spot podium position to complete the table topping team trifecta.

Gaunt also holds the qualifying lap record at the 2.4km circuit, set during the previous season when he secured his first pole position in a Porsche at the Timaru venue.

“I enjoy Timaru, it was the first ever place I raced a car as well so that’s another reason I enjoy driving around it. It has some dangerous areas and is tough to string a whole perfect lap together. If I can match last year’s qualifying result I’ll be pretty happy,” said the 23-year old.

Adding to the championship pressure, the team also includes Sydney’s Rodney Forbes (Hampsta - MPD Dairy Products – Porsche 997) who is in fifth position, team principal Shane McKillen (VnC Cocktails – Porsche 997) and series rookie Courtney Letica (Altherm - Porsche 997) rounding out the top-12 championship placings.

In preparation for the two away events in the deep south, two of the team’s six cars have brand new body shells following significant chassis damage suffered at the Christchurch weekend held near the end of 2008. Rodney Forbes and Courtney Letica’s cars both suffered heavy damage that required new Porsche 997 body shells to be air freighted directly from Porsche Motorsport in Weissach – Germany. That left the team with the frantic task of piecing together the cars in readiness for the journey south in the early New Year.

“It’s been a massive task for the boys,” said technical director Todd Bickerton. “We had to sacrifice our Christmas / New Year holidays when we would normally be engaged in season socialising. The guys have put in some long hours to ready all six cars before the journey south, although we got ahead enough to have a couple of days off for New Year’s.”

Arriving in Timaru late Wednesday, the team will establish their track-side area on Thursday in preparation for two timed practise and test sessions on Friday. Qualifying for the three-race weekend is held mid-Saturday morning with the first 12-lap race in the afternoon.

There is a second 12-lap race Sunday morning with a 16-lap race in the afternoon where the top-six leaders are reversed in start order.