Baird to front Porsche team battle

Current GT3 Cup Challenge series leader, Craig Baird, will spear-head the Triple-X Motorsport line-up for this weekend’s second round of the championship (28-20 November 2008).

The six-car Auckland based outfit will contest the technical 3.33km, Powerbuilt Tools Raceway, at Ruapuna Park near Christchurch.

Baird (Barrons - ZM Porsche 997) goes into round two with a 28-point lead with team-mate and last year’s runner-up Daniel Gaunt (Beef and Lamb – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group Porsche 997) currently in third. Sydney’s Rodney Forbes (Hampsta – MPD Dairy Products Porsche 997) sits fourth with David Reynolds (Placemakers – Karcher Porsche 997) fifth.

The team also includes principal Shane McKillen (VnC Cocktails Porsche 997) and series rookie Courtney Letica (Altherm Porsche 997) completing the Triple-X Motorsport team.

As the current points leader and four time defending champion, Craig Baird says he looks forward to the South Island location.

“I like Ruapuna because it’s quite a technical track and it’s a track you are always doing something – even the straight has a corner in it. Which actually makes it really enjoyable – and that’s one reason I have always liked the circuit,” said the Gold Coast based Kiwi.

Having qualified on pole there last year, Baird managed three wins from three races – even after having to fight through in the top-six reverse grid finale: “I’m just not a big fan of the reverse grid race – people always end up crying their milk got spilled, but at the end of the day you win by being fastest. That’s being fair and square, not having to come through by starting several rows back.”

With the season goal of having three of his Triple-X team on the championship podium, team principal Shane McKillen says the Ruapuna race weekend is a chance to get in to some serious racing: “We had a mechanical failure with David Reynolds car, so that hampered our plan. We’re all working well together, so this weekend should see solid points all-round,” enthused the Auckland businessman.

Following two test sessions on the Friday, the team also get to share their adrenaline experience with select individuals during the hot-lap ride session late in the afternoon. Following an over-night check of the cars, the team hand them back to the drivers for the Saturday morning qualifying session before a ten-lap race mid-afternoon. A second ten-lap race Sunday morning will settle the start order for the final 14-lap race late in the afternoon where the top-six front-runners have their starting order reversed.

Triple-X Motorsport team members will be ending their month-long Movember campaign with a shave-off during the Sunday lunch-break. Complete with a sponsored shave-crew, the funds raised by the team go to the Movember charity Foundation who this year support prostate cancer and the ‘Out of The Blue’ campaign for men’s depression.

Ends.

Results:
Battery Town Porsche GT3 Cup Championship points 2008/09 (after round one of six)
1 Craig Baird (#1 Barrons – ZM) - Queensland 217
2 Jono Lester 997 Auckland 189
3 Daniel Gaunt (#47 Beef and Lamb – Radio Sport – Trinity Media Group) - Auckland 154
4 Rodney Forbes (#8 Hampsta – MPD Dairy Products) - Sydney 148
5 David Reynolds (#2 Placemakers – Karcher) - Melbourne 134
6 Mark Russ 997 Auckland 130
7 Courtney Letica (#13 Altherm) - Auckland 117
8= Jody Vincent 997 Auckland 114
8= Anthony Pedersen 997 Rotorua 114
10 Darryn Henderson 997 Wellington 111
11 Shane McKillen (#40 VnC Cocktails) - Auckland 99
Photo images:
Gold Coast based Kiwi Craig Baird starts this weekend's round of the 2008/09 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge with a 28 point lead driving the Triple X Motorsport Barrons ZM entry 997. Photo: SportProMedia click to download...
Triple X Motorsport driver Craig Baird dominated the opening round of the 2008/09 Porsche GT3 Cup challenge by winning two races and placing second in the third at Porsche GT3 Cup season opener at Pukekohe. Photo: SportProMedia click to download...
Australian Dave Reynolds driving the Triple X Motorsport Placemakers/Karcher car set a new lap record at the Pukekohe opening round of the 2008/09 Porsche GT3 Cup challenge held early in November. Photo: SportProMedia click to download...
www.xxxmotorsport.co.nz

Calendar 2008/09 Porsche GT3 Cup Championship:
Round 1: Pukekohe Park, 7-9 November 2008
Round 2: Powerbuilt Tools International Raceway (Christchurch), 28-30 November 2008
Round 3: Timaru International Motor Raceway, 9-11 January 2009
Round 4: Teretonga Park (Invercargill), 16-18 January 2009
Plus: Taupo A1GP (Taupo), 23-25 January 2009
Round 5: Manfeild Park (Feilding), 27 February - 1 March 2009
Round 6: Pukekohe Park, 13-15 March 2009
Plus: Hamilton 400, 17-19 April 2009