Baird Shines in the Wet

Triple X Motorsport driver Craig Baird (Barrons RV Taupo – ZM – Porsche 997) has won today’s opening race at the fifth round of the 2008/09 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge at Manfeild today with team-mate David Reynolds (Placemakers – Hampsta – Porsche 997) second.

Starting from the second row following the mixed-weather, mixed timing morning qualifying session, Baird took advantage of a superior start to pressure Reynolds and team-mate Daniel Gaunt.

Gaunt led for the early stages of the race before losing ground to the field. He was then shunted in to the grass at the hair-pin turn, puncturing and relegated to 13th position.

Baird’s victory, his 12^th for the season, has extended his championship lead after the 12-lap race held in steady rain at the 3.03km Manawatu circuit.

“I got a good start – even though I struggled with rear-grip for most of the race. Reynolds had good pace toward the end – it was a good result but hard work,” said Baird, who stepped from the Porsche to his Ford Falcon where he was to start the afternoon NZV8s race from pole position.

Reynolds was philosophical following his pole position start evaporated at the starting lights.

“I clawed my way back up after a bad start and once it started to rain a lot heavier I struggled to see where I was going,” said Melbourne based Reynolds.

“Qualifying was pretty good for me considering I didn’t do any practise yesterday – I haven’t driven a car in six odd weeks so to grab pole was a pretty good effort.

“Triple X are still one-two-three in the championship – so things are pretty good. If Craig (Baird) has a DNF (Did Not Finish) then we are about on par – so the luck is in his court at the moment.”

Behind Reynolds in sixth position, Sydney’s Rodney Forbes (Hampsta - MPD Dairy Products – Porsche 997) led home the remainder of the six-car Triple X Motorsport team with team principal Shane McKillen seventh (VnC Cocktails – Porsche 997).

Tenth after a mid-race spin through the in-field, rookie Courtney Letica (Altherm - Porsche 997) finished ahead of Gaunt, who crossed the line with a damaged rear tyre in 13^th position.

With weather conditions expected to improve for the Sunday, today’s rain is expected to abate for the 12-lap morning race, which is followed by a top-six reverse grid 16-lapper in the afternoon.

Gaunt on pole for Grand Prix

Auckland’s Daniel Gaunt will start the Triple X Motorsport VnC Cocktails Mad Butcher Toyota Racing Series car from pole position for the 2009 New Zealand Grand Prix being held at the Manfeild Park Raceway near Palmerston North.

Today’s two-part qualifying was held in the wake of the low-pressure weather system battering the northern reaches of the country. The varying wet conditions made decisions regarding optimal suspension setup for the race qualifying a lottery for the Triple X Motorsport engineers.

“We thought the session was going to be really wet – given the conditions,” said 24-year-old Gaunt. “Seeing it starting to dry we headed towards a different setup – which took a bit of time, so we didn’t get out until late in to the first half of the session. I felt reasonably comfortable with the result, but made a fairly subtle change for the second part of qualifying. I knew that’s all I had to work with so had to push. So that’s what I did – push and we managed to be on the right side of a few tenths’ to put it on pole for the Grand Prix.”

“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Gaunt ahead of tomorrow’s 35 laps around the 3.03km Manfeild circuit.

One of only two Grand Prix races not contested by Formula One cars, the New Zealand Grand Prix is world first at using E85 blended biofuel in the Toyota TT104ZZ Racing Series wings and slicks car.

Preceding tomorrow afternoon’s race, Gaunt will race the 20-lap Dan Higgins Trophy event, before a 10-lap sprint race Sunday morning. The Grand Prix is set to begin at 4:10pm (16:10) with a predicted improvement in weather conditions.

Triple X chase Porsche penultimate round title

The six-car Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge leading team of Triple X Motorsport head to this weekend’s penultimate round of the 2008/09 championship season at Manawatu’s Manfeild Park Raceway (27 February - 1 March).

Led by Queensland based Kiwi Craig Baird (Barrons RV Taupo – ZM – Porsche 997), he is 68 points ahead of Melbourne’s David Reynolds (Placemakers – Hampsta – Porsche 997) and Auckland’s Daniel Gaunt (Beef and Lamb – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group – Porsche 997), securing the team atop the championship ladder.

Baird and Sydney’s Rodney Forbes (Hampsta - MPD Dairy Products – Porsche 997) are fresh from the Bathurst 12-hour race before returning to the Auckland based team and New Zealand championship scene. Forbes is currently placed fifth in the standings and makes his second return to the North Island circuit nestled adjacent to the rural township of Feilding.

Also extending driving duty for the team, Daniel Gaunt will double his weekend mileage as he contests the Toyota Racing Series round of competition aboard the VnC Cocktails/Mad Butcher Toyota Tatuus TT104ZZ wings and slicks car. With a further three races to his programme, it includes the prestigious New Zealand Grand Prix title up for grabs late Sunday afternoon.

Placed 11^th in the standings behind team principal Shane McKillen (VnC Cocktails – Porsche 997), rookie Courtney Letica (Altherm - Porsche 997) says his first laps around Manfeild in the Porsche are part of his learning process: “I’m making sure I want to race at Manfeild with an open-mind. There is so much to learn from the other drivers in the team so I can use their hints and pointers to make me as fast as possible,” said the 21-year old.

“Obviously I haven’t got any championship pressure so I’m out just to keep it on the track and get a good solid run - my main focus is on keeping it straight.”

This weekend’s return to the banked turns that punctuate the 3.03km Manfeild lap distance, provide improved tyre performance and offer numerous passing opportunities. With 75 points up for grabs in each of the weekend’s three races, Reynolds has been the only driver to perfect point-score a round this season while four-time champion Baird has won three of the four events contested so far.

Starting with testing and hot-lap rides on the Friday, the competition action begins with qualifying Saturday morning and a 12-lap race in the afternoon. Sunday starts with a second 12-lap race before the results determine the top-six reverse grid starting order for the afternoon 16-lap race.

Gaunt to race in 2009 V8 Supercar Development series

Auckland based Daniel Gaunt (23) has signed to race in the Australian V8 Supercar Development Series starting in March with McElrea Racing.

A seven round championship contested alongside the main V8 Supercar game, Gaunt has been signed following negotiations with Andy McElrea, supported by Stone Brothers Racing’s Jimmy and Ross Stone.

Driving the Ford Falcon previously campaigned by Shane Van Gisbergen, Gaunt, a two-time winner of the Toyota Racing Series, says this has been what he has been working toward since he left the single-seater category.

“Since entering in to touring cars it has been a dream to one day drive V8 Supercars. We’ve got a great team with a good car and engine – so it will be a competitive package,” announced Gaunt. “And it was through the support of Triple X Motorsport that brought this deal together.”

Moving to the V8 Supercar scene, ex-pat Kiwi McElrea says both he and Gaunt are in great company with support from Stone Brothers Racing (SBR):

“We’ve had to graduate to V8 Supercars and with the opportunity to get good gear at the right time has come from SBR. I’m leasing their car and Development Series transporter plus a technical and supply agreement with SBR,” said McElrea, a former New Zealand Formula Ford and TraNZam champion.

“Being new we are obviously an under-dog. Gaunt’s a young guy and I don’t think I could have got a better driver fit for what we are. He is well aware it’s a golden opportunity and knows it’s his best shot at making it as a professional over here. Plus we have quite a few Kiwis’ in our line-up so I think he is going to fit in very well, particularly in light of our team and some of the management of Triple X Motorsport knowing each other so well - our philosophies are similar.”

Having completed a test with Stone Brothers Racing in 2008, co-owner Ross Stone said Gaunt’s performance topped his preferred list: “I’ve kept an eye on Daniel’s racing. When we ran him in a driver evaluation test he was really impressive. He knew what he wanted – it left a good impression on us, to the extent that if he does this programme he’s on a list that I’d like to have as him as a co-driver in the endurance races for us,” described Stone of the upcoming opportunities to race with SBR in the Phillip Island and Bathurst V8 Supercar events.

Preparing for his Australian campaign, Gaunt says he has been fitness training every day: “It’s the last thing you want to be letting you down, so it’s important to be as fit as possible. Plus racing in the Triple X Motorsport Beef and Lamb – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group 997 Porsche, you get race fit, which is of benefit compared to some of the Australian guys who haven’t raced for the last few months.”

Gaunt has 25 days until the first round, the Cipsal 500 Adelaide street circuit, where he will begin his trans-Tasman V8 race commuting.

Gaunt to race in Grand Prix

Triple X Motorsport driver Daniel Gaunt (Auckland) will drive in New Zealand’s 2009 Grand Prix race being held at Manfeild later this month (27 Feb – 1 March).

One of only two Grand Prix race events in the world that aren’t contested by the Formula One series, Gaunt’s entry returns the 23-year old driver to the open-wheel Toyota Racing Series he’s won twice before – in succession.

With his name on the Grand Prix title once before, Gaunt says the 100km race around the 3.03km Manfeild circuit on the outskirts of Manawatu’s Feilding township is a coveted title won by many of the world’s notable racing drivers:

“The Grand Prix is New Zealand’s most prestigious trophy – basically it’s the one everyone wants to win. It has the most history and one of the hardest races I’ve ever done before.”

Driving a Toyota Tatuus TT104ZZ, he will be supported by VnC Cocktails and the Mad Butcher, intent on winning the title for the team.

“It was a group decision; I’m really keen to give it a crack for Triple X Motorsport. Obviously we’ve had some success in that series before – it’s going to be tough doing both categories on the same weekend but we’ve got a bit of a plan to get around that,” described Gaunt, will also drive the Beef and Lamb – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group – Porsche 997, currently holding third position in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge series.

“I am grateful for the support of Shane McKillen (VnC Cocktails) and Michael Morton as well (The Mad Butcher). Michael has been driving the whole idea and is keen to get the Grand Prix for the team.”

Under no illusions as to the challenge of getting fresh in to a car he hasn’t raced for over a season, Gaunt says past experience will be his key to success: “Most of the drivers have done 15-16 days in the Toyota over the last few months so they are going to be sharp. I’d like to think after practise on the Thursday and Friday we’ll be just as sharp. In a one-make series you’re never going to walk away with it but I’d like to think we’ll be on the money and have as good as shot as anyone at the Grand Prix.”

It will also be the second biofuel run Grand Prix event, with the car run on E85 blend ethanol following its introduction last season.

The race weekend format starts with two test sessions on the Friday (27 Feb) and a two-heat qualifying session on the Saturday morning before a top-ten shootout and 20 lap Dan Higgins Memorial Trophy race in the afternoon.

Sunday continues with a ten-lap race in the morning building up to a 4:50pm start to the 35-lap New Zealand Grand Prix.