Baird takes Porsche title

- Baird wins all three Porsche races
- Triple X Motorsport seal successive Porsche victory

Queensland based Kiwi Craig Baird (Barrons RV Taupo – ZM – Porsche 997) has taken the 2008/09 Porsche GT3 Challenge Cup following this weekend’s final round of racing at Pukekohe Park – leading the Triple X Motorsport team to one-two-three in the championship.

The weekend’s three-race programme concluded with Baird taking his second race win of the weekend in this morning’s 12-lap race to secure his championship placing.

That was backed up by a win in the dying metres of the final race to clean-sweep the weekend for the 38-year-old professional driver.

“I think the championship one-two-three proves how good the team is. I haven’t had a mechanical failure all year – it’s just run like clockwork. So between the group of sponsors, management and all the boys that are in Triple X Motorsport we’ve got the ultimate team to win titles. It doesn’t matter what you do in the team, you get treated all the same – so that makes it a grouse environment to be in,” said Baird.

Baird’s championship win takes him to five Porsche titles and extends his overall New Zealand tally to 21.

Following Baird home in the title chase, Melbourne’s David Reynolds finished second in the morning race and was duelling with Baird in the final top-six reverse grid race before leaving the circuit and retiring. Without points, he had enough from the morning result to secure second overall in the series.

“Baird was my target to beat when I first arrived here,” said Reynolds of his season. “He’s obviously got the edge on most of the tracks here since he’s won most of the races. Also one of my targets over here was to qualify a lot stronger and I think I showed that. Plus the team of Triple X Motorsport has been fantastic to work with – it’s a good balance of professionalism and fun, and that’s what I like over here,” said the Australian.

Auckland’s Daniel Gaunt (Beef and Lamb – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group – Porsche 997) was the third driver to secure his championship placing in the morning race, backed up with a third in the final to make it a clean championship podium sweep for the six-car Porsche team.

“The objective this season was to learn as much as I could. I came in to this team knowing that these guys, Reynolds and Bairdo, have got plenty of experience. So to be able to learn off them all year and be there to pick up third is the best I could imagine.”

“Triple X Motorsport has been remarkably good to me this year - it’s a great environment. They are serious on track and strive to be best while having fun and a laugh together.”

Starting from pole in this afternoon’s final race, season rookie Courtney Letica (Altherm - Porsche 997) finished in eighth after a clean finishing record for the weekend that was highlighted by a fourth in official race qualifying.

“It’s been a major learning curve, but towards the end we’ve picked up our pace and put a lot of things in to practise and got much better toward the end of the season. I’d like to think with the experience I can be a lot further up there next season,” said the 21-year old Auckland account manager.

Finishing tenth in the championship, one position ahead of Letica, team principal Shane McKillen (VnC Cocktails – Porsche 997) said the season result was a better outcome than originally planned.

“It’s a fantastic result - more than we expected at the start of the year,” said the Auckland businessman. “So to finish first-second-third makes us proud as it’s a complete team effort, now we have to find a new goal. We’ve got a great model with this team, having professional drivers, younger drivers and gentleman drivers, we now have two consecutive championship titles to prove it.”

Melbourne’s Rodney Forbes (Hampsta - MPD Dairy Products – Porsche 997) finished fifth equal in the standings – unlucky not to reel in the lucrative fourth spot that would have extended the team’s championship dominance.

Placing seventh in both races today, Forbes said it typified his season being on the cusp of the top-six that often started behind the leading group in the weekend final race.

“The thing that keeps holding me back is the reverse grid race of the top-times. So I can finish quite well in the race, but if I finish seventh fastest time I get put back when those I’m racing against get to the front of the grid and it robs little points off you.”“Otherwise it’s been a good season – I love the racing – it’s all very close. I wouldn’t race anywhere else really – especially with the team I’m in to be perfectly honest. They work hard, play hard – they know how to blend it and it’s a perfect mix.”

The six-car Triple X Motorsport team will run at the Hamilton 400 V8 Supercar weekend as part of a trophy challenge around the street circuit in mid-April.

Results:

Porsche GT3 Race one – 12 laps (top-five) – Saturday 14th March

1. Craig Baird – Triple X 11min38.476s
2. David Reynolds – Triple X +0.657s
3. Jono Lester +2.725s
4. Daniel Gaunt – Triple X +7.790
5. Courtney Letica – Triple X +10.256

Porsche GT3 Race two – 12 laps (top-five) – Sunday 15th March
Pos No Driver Time

1 1 Craig Baird – Triple X 11min35.790s
2 2 David Reynolds – Triple X +0.332
3 47 Daniel Gaunt – Triple X +6.817
4 96 Anthony Pedersen +8.023
5 98 Mark Russ +17.162

Porsche GT3 Race three – 16 laps top-six reverse grid start (top-five) – Sunday 15th March
Pos No Driver Time

1 1 Craig Baird – Triple X 15min40.968
2 10 Jody Vincent +0.188s
3 47 Daniel Gaunt – Triple X +1.676s
4 96 Anthony Pedersen +7.185s5
51 Jono Lester +8.438s

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge points overall (provisional)

1 Craig Baird (Triple X Motorsport) 1295
2 David Reynolds (Triple X Motorsport) 1112
3 Daniel Gaunt (Triple X Motorsport) 935
4 Jono Lester 821
5= Rodney Forbes (Triple X Motorsport) 747
5= Jody Vincent 747
7 Anthony Pedersen 739
8 Darryn Henderson 690
9 Mark Russ 669
10 Shane McKillen 626
11 Courtney Letica 534

Baird pushes closer to Porsche title

This weekend’s final round in the 2008/09 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge has seen Triple X Motorsport driver Craig Baird (Barrons RV Taupo – ZM – Porsche 997) edge closer to his fourth title having pipped pole setter and team-mate David Reynolds (Placemakers – Hampsta – Porsche 997) in today’s race at Pukekohe.
The first of three races in this weekend’s finale to the summer race season, Baird took the lead right from the start of the 12-lap race having set second fastest qualifying in clear and mild conditions at the Pukekohe Park Raceway.

“It’s a pretty important part of the race really,” described Baird of his trade-mark start-line performance.

“The car was great having changed my driving style a little when coming over the ‘hill’. I worked on that all week as it’s a place I have lost out at previously.”

Qualifying second fastest, Baird said it was strategic move that paid off: “I was happy with my qualifying – it didn’t really faze me being second because the race line is down the outside so you always get a better run down there – a bit more drive.”

Finishing 0.657 seconds ahead of Reynolds, Baird has a 100 point lead with two races to run in the championship.

Fourth, also after a stellar start, Daniel Gaunt (Beef and Lamb – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group – Porsche 997) led rookie Courtney Letica (Altherm - Porsche 997) home after the Auckland 21-year old started from fourth.

Team principal Shane McKillen (VnC Cocktails – Porsche 997) finished ninth after again avoiding an opening turn skirmish that caught Sydney’s Rodney Forbes (Hampsta - MPD Dairy Products – Porsche 997). The coming together forced Forbes to pit for a new tyre before returning to the race to finish in tenth.

Currently one-two-three in the championship Sunday’s two remaining races on the race calendar start with a 12-lap race in the morning before the top-six reverse grid finale from 3pm in the afternoon.

Results:

Hydraulink 200 Pukekohe (14th March 2009).

Porsche GT3 Race one – 12 laps (top-five)
1. Craig Baird – Triple X 11min38.476s
2. David Reynolds – Triple X +0.657s
3. Jono Lester +2.725s
4. Daniel Gaunt – Triple X +7.790
5. Courtney Letica – Triple X +10.256

2008/09 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge points (season total after race one at Pukekohe today).
1. Craig Baird – Triple X - 1145
2. David Reynolds – Triple X - 1045
3. Daniel Gaunt – Triple X - 815

Porsche Title Chase for Triple X

Currently leading the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, Auckland’s six-car Triple X Motorsport team have three races between them and the season championship trophy being raced this weekend at Pukekohe (13-15 March).

Led by Queensland based Kiwi Craig Baird (Barrons RV Taupo – ZM – Porsche 997), he holds a 92 point lead over team-mates David Reynolds (Placemakers – Hampsta – Porsche 997) and Daniel Gaunt (Beef and Lamb – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group – Porsche 997) as the trio race for outright podium honours in the sixth and final championship round for the season.

Following a season that started early November last year, the team have set a number of lap records and dominated the 14-car Porsche GT3 cup field that has traversed the country to return to the south Auckland race venue.

For this weekend’s finale, defending champion Craig Baird says it will be ‘business as usual’ as he seeks to wrap up his 21st New Zealand title and fifth time lifting the Porsche cup.

“I never even think about each individual title,” muses the 38-year old ex-pat Kiwi. “I probably break it down more in to individual races, moreso than championships because you have to piece the races together to get the championships. So its cart and horse stuff really. If you talk about championships before individual races you’ve probably got it round the wrong way.”

With 75 points allocated for each race, the current rankings could change abruptly should any number of factors intervene with a calculated plan - putting all thoughts of celebration on hold until Sunday afternoon.

Fifth in the standings, Sydney’s Rodney Forbes (Hampsta - MPD Dairy Products – Porsche 997) is in with a sling-shot of moving to fourth – with the benefit of consistency in his race season.

Directly behind team principal Shane McKillen (VnC Cocktails Porsche 997) in the standings, rookie Courtney Letica (Altherm - Porsche 997) has the added impetus of improving on his first round results at the 2.841km Pukekohe Park Raceway venue. Against highly experienced racers, the 21-year old has been on a steep learning curve that has fixed his sights on first finishing.

Following two test sessions on the Friday around the clockwise circuit, the team get to treat sponsors and guests to hot-lap rides late in the afternoon. The Saturday morning qualifying heats up the championship competition, with an afternoon 12-lap race followed by a second 12-lap race on Sunday morning. Concluding the 18-race season is the 16-lap top-six reverse grid race from 3pm in the afternoon.

Triple X Porsche Victory

Queensland based Kiwi Craig Baird (Barrons RV Taupo – ZM – Porsche 997) has won today’s two Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge races at Manfeild to clean-sweep the penultimate round of the 2008/09 series and extend his overall title lead.

Heading the six-car Auckland based Triple X Motorsport team, Baird’s weekend victory came after Saturday’s rain affected race win was followed up by this morning’s 12-lap lights-to-flag victory held in summer-set conditions.

In stark contrast, the team lined-up for the 16-lap top-six reverse grid afternoon race with rain beginning to fall at the Manawatu race venue. Led in the early stages by Melbourne’s David Reynolds (Placemakers – Hampsta – Porsche 997) after a masterful start, Baird took the lead just before the race was declared early due to the wet conditions.

“To win all three here makes a big difference to me,” said 38-year old Baird. “The pressure was on – but David (Reynolds) did a good job – he arrived here late and on a green set of tyres to run that hard was a good effort,” he described of Reynolds second placing in each of the weekend’s races.

Baird extends his series lead to 92 points over team-mate Reynolds, with Gaunt third to maintain the Triple X championship strong-hold.

“It’s quite good – if I have a DNF (Did Not Finish) I don’t have to win every race to still be in with a chance for the championship final at Pukekohe.”

Sydney’s Rodney Forbes (Hampsta - MPD Dairy Products – Porsche 997) battled with his team-mates in the finale to finish in fourth, ahead of Daniel Gaunt (Beef and Lamb – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group – Porsche 997) in fifth.

Series rookie Courtney Letica (Altherm - Porsche 997) finished sixth after a nil result in the morning race.

“It was a bit treacherous,” described Letica. “I learned the most I ever could in that session. Just learning how to control the car on the edge – just drive it a bit slower – look for the grip and finding the grip so it really taught me a lot.”

“It’s always nice to get a good result – you get the congratulations to know you’ve done it right.”

Team principal Shane McKillen (VnC Cocktails Porsche 997) rounded out the top-ten of the 13 finishers.

With two weeks to the finale at Pukekohe (13-15 March 2009), Triple X Motorsport have three races remaining in the championship season – with Baird having secured the championship title four times previously.

Gaunt wins Grand Prix

Feilding, Sunday 1^st March: Triple X Motorsport driver Daniel Gaunt (Auckland) has won the prestigious New Zealand Grand Prix held at Manfeild today after a 35 lap race in changeable weather conditions.

Driving the VnC Cocktails/Mad Butcher Toyota single-seater, 24-year old Gaunt dominated the late afternoon race to etch his name in to New Zealand history for the second time.

Having set pole for today’s race in qualifying on the Saturday morning, Gaunt’s strong form continued with a clean victory in the Grand Prix pre-cursor race held earlier this morning at the Manawatu race circuit.

Starting from the front, Gaunt said the quality of field, that included A1 Team New Zealand driver Earl Bamber, ensured any result would be deserved.

“I had to push the whole time,” said Gaunt after the title accolade ceremony. “With the changing conditions and getting drier all the time I knew Earl would be on me the whole weekend. It was fortunate we set the car up for drying conditions – and luckily that’s what it did in the race.”

“This morning’s win gave us confidence – we knew we had a good car in the dry. Although so many things can go wrong and with it so wet for the Grand Prix, the likes of Earl (Bamber) showed he had a car that was stronger in those conditions. We had a flawless start – pulled away and once it started to dry we managed to edge away and make it home.”

“I have to thank Triple X Motorsport, Mike Morton, Shane McKillen, Todd Bickterton, Ian McNabb, Mark and Mark – for the opportunity to do this. I’m so happy I’ve been able to pull through for them – they believed in me – we’ve done it now.”

Speaking of his second title, Gaunt said this victory was significant with such a big year of competition ahead: “This one is very special – to win it for Mike and the team with what we are about to go in to this year with the V8 Supercar programme. It repays some of that support.”

Having badly blistered his hand continually changing gear, it was Gaunt’s only scar for his one returning weekend to the Toyota Racing Series having won the championship title twice previously.

With a winning margin of just over three seconds, Gaunt completed the 35-lap race in a time of 45minutes 35.667seconds, that included one Safety Car period during the race.

Gaunt also contested the three-race Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge at Manfeild, which concludes at Pukekohe in two weeks time.