McIntyre to race Porsche at Hamilton

Two-time V8s champion John McIntyre will now race a Triple X Motorsport Porsche at the Hamilton V8 Supercar street race weekend alongside his regular JMR Ford (17-19 April).

A late opportunity to contest the three-race non-championship event fell McIntyre’s way when the seat in team principal Shane McKillen’s VnC Cocktails car became vacant.

Familiar with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car type 997, McIntyre is excited to have the opportunity to drive the #40 VnC Cocktails entry.

“Any day you get to drive in another race car is a very good day,” said the 32-year old professional driver from Nelson. “I’m looking at taking the opportunity with both hands and trying to put in a good performance for the team and sponsors, and enjoying the fact that you’re racing one of the best cars you can drive at Hamilton really.”

Having tested in one of the new 997 cars last September at Taupo, McIntyre says the shakedown time will be valuable at ensuring he is concentrating on the racing instead of learning to drive the car.

With Queensland based Triple X Motorsport team driver Craig Baird also dual driving in the NZ V8s category as well as the Porsche class, McIntyre says the stark difference between the cars makes them easier to drive.

“If my fastest lap is on the third race on the Sunday then I would have done my job from the team’s point-of-view – so we’ll just try sneak up on it.”

The five-car, Auckland based team also includes Mike Morton (#2 Beef and Lamb – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group Porsche 997), Daniel Gaunt (#47 Placemakers – Hampsta Porsche 997) and Courtney Letica (#13 Altherm Porsche 997)

McKillen’s absence is due to business commitments rendering him unable to attend the Hamilton event.

McIntyre’s first laps of the 3.4 kilometre street course through the Frankton business district will be from 9:55am on Friday morning before qualifying in the afternoon. Saturday morning starts the weekend racing with the first of three 12-lap races; one in the morning followed by a second in the afternoon. The weekend concludes with a mid-day race Sunday afternoon before the podium presentation ceremony from 2pm.