Triple X team lock-out Pukekohe podium

Today’s opening race in the 2009/10 Battery Town Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge has seen three of the five Triple X Motorsport cars lock-out the podium during the Mad Butcher 100 kilometre race at Pukekohe.

Starting from the front row, defending series champion Craig Baird (Mad Butcher/ ZM Porsche 997) battled with pole-sitter Matt Halliday for the majority of the 36-lap race, with the pit-stop the first chance for Baird to take advantage.

Instead the 39-year-old Queensland based Kiwi lost time but gained clear track, easing past a Halliday mistake and on to an emphatic race victory from team-mates Daniel Gaunt (Placemakers/Hampsta Porsche 997) with Courtney Letica (Altherm Porsche 997) third.

“If it was a sprint race I was going to try get my way and pass Matt. He was pretty adamant he wanted to keep the position as he kept trying to run me off the road, which is why he got the bad sportsmanship flag. So I thought being a long race and having practised our pit stops I could take my time a bit. But I ended up getting a dud stop which took us out of that challenging position and having to catch back up. But the car was mega fast – it was very very good and when Matt took himself out I backed off and just got it home to the end,” said Baird after Halliday drove in to the front wheel of a slower car.

For Letica, it was a result beyond his game-plan: “I was out to achieve a top consistent position and get points from the first race, anywhere from where I qualified in fifth and upwards was more than preferable,” said the 21 year-old Aucklander.

“Then I got in to a battle with Jonny Reid for a few laps before getting the better of him.”

Mad Butcher CEO Mike Morton in the Indians Bar/Hampsta Porsche 997 finished 11th while Shane McKillen (VnC Cocktails/Juice Bar Porsche 997) had a coming together in the opening laps. A knock to his rear wheel bent a rear suspension arm putting out the alignment.

Results: Mad Butcher 100 (Pukekohe 7 November 2009) – top ten
1 Craig Baird, Queensland, (Mad Butcher/ ZM Porsche 997) 36:17.936
2 Daniel Gaunt, Auckland, (Placemakers/Hampsta Porsche 997) +0.377
3 Courtney Letica, Auckland, (Altherm Porsche 997) +17.826
4 Jonny Reid +18.003
5 Anthony Pedersen +22.083
6 Mitch Cunningham +46.175
7 Matt Halliday +1 Lap
8 Andrew Bagnall +1lap 10.299
9 Hugh Gardiner +1lap 13.839