Gaunt tops Porsche team result

Today’s final Porsche GT3 Cup race rewarded Triple X Motorsport driver Daniel Gaunt (Placemakers – Hampsta Porsche 997) with a second placed finish in a 12-lap race after a first turn incident that eliminated the Barrons RV Taupo – ZM Porsche of Craig Baird.

Completing the street-race trophy weekend at the Hamilton 400 V8 Supercar event, it was Gaunt’s best result for the final race of the summer season – topping the weekend standings for the five-car Porsche team.

Starting from third position in the top-six reverse grid race, Gaunt held his inside line advantage while team-mates Baird and John McIntyre in the VnC Cocktails Porsche collided at the first turn.

“I had my nose clear – had clear track – aimed for it and took it,” said Gaunt of his position climb at the start of the race. “Obviously there was a bit of carnage going on behind out of the first corner. So to get second we were happy with – I just didn’t have the initial pace to catch Jody (Vincent) let alone to defend, so I had to let him get away from me a bit.”

With a fourth, third and finally a second, Gaunt reckons he could have gone one better: “If there was another race – I would have probably gotten that first.”

For Baird, it was a bitter sweet after two wins from the first two races, recording his first DNF (Did Not Finish) for the season.

“I got a blinder start to get between John McIntyre and Daniel Gaunt and then tried to make up another spot – went wide – no problem – then heading off where the kink is in the wall I got squeezed where it is a bit rounded and it broke something in the front.”

Reticent about the incident, Baird said he was going for position: “It doesn’t worry me – it’s not a place I would have positioned myself if it were a championship round anyway. I was trying to make up four spots by turn one and put myself in a vulnerable position and paid the price.”

“I had so much pace on everyone in that one – as I saved my new tyres for that race – that was the bit that gets me off the most.”

Clearing past the first-turn melee, rookie Courtney Letica (Altherm Porsche 997) tagged in behind McIntyre, before the former two-time V8s champion had to pit for a left rear tyre after being squeezed in to Baird.

Running fifth, Letica was later overtaken for position to finish sixth at the final chequered flag.

Mike Morton in the #2 green Beef and Lamb – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group - Porsche 997 car, had a radiator failure that sidelined his final race of the weekend.

“I had a hit at the start, then after a few laps got to the Holden corner – went to turn and ended up going straight. I think it was fluid from the radiator after the start incident – got on to the tyre and that was it. 55 sausages for $20,” added the Mad Butcher CEO.

With Gaunt taking second overall for the street-race trophy weekend, the team scooped the 2008/09 Porsche GT3 Cup Championship trophies in a morning prizegiving ceremony held at the track. Along with Craig Baird’s ‘hard charger’ trophy and Courtney Letica’s ‘rookie’ title, the team also were awarded five premium Tissot watches, three for the championship one-two-three placings plus two for a secondary series run by the timekeeping brand.

The Triple X Motorsport team now focus on endurance and test sessions ahead of a new championship season – to defend their current two top titles in only two seasons of competition.