Porsche team eye fourth successive title

Auckland’s Triple X Motorsport has the simple goal of a fourth New Zealand Porsche Cup Challenge title in as many years, as the 2010/2011 summer six-round season kicks off at Pukekohe this weekend (5-7 November 2010).

From the team’s inception in 2007 they have successively won the top title with Gold Coast based Kiwi Craig Baird MNZM, who returns for yet another season in the Mad Butcher ZM Porsche GT3 997.
“For sure, we’ve got one goal – the title,” said Baird, who wrapped up his 25th national championship crown at the end of last season.

“I know I’ve got good personnel, good sponsors, good everything from the top to bottom.  I have no doubt every time I jump in that car the Triple X guys have given me 110%.  I’ve got to keep continuing doing the same and give equal in return, and I guess that speaks for our 100% championship winning record.”
Along with defending champion Baird, Melbourne based Kiwi Daniel Gaunt starts his third season with the six-car team.  Finishing third overall in last year’s championship, Gaunt says the goal is to push Baird and at worst finish behind him.

“Craig is the master so to be in the same team as him helps level my chances of competing more equally.  And to be with Triple X Motorsport, I know we’re going to have the best chance of beating competition, working hard and playing harder,” said Gaunt.

Team principal Shane McKillen will again contest the series in the VnC Cocktails Porsche 997 with 22-year-old Scott Harrison from Whangarei switching from a Suzuki Swift to drive the Mad Butcher Porsche 997.  Mad Butcher CEO Michael Morton will drive the Outlaws Bar Porsche 997 with Christchurch businessman and car dealer Paul Kelly in the number 99 Porsche 997.

Starting the season with a home weekend, the Auckland based team have a half-hour drive to the Pukekohe 2.8 kilometre race circuit.  With two long straights and high-speed turns, Baird says it always provides a great atmosphere for spectators and makes drivers work that much harder if they want to be at the front.

“I’ve been reasonably strong there the past few years, but it’s not my favourite track and probably one where we’ve had our worst results at.  There have been times I’ve come away struggling a little bit and sometimes it’s more luck as to how you hit the bump coming down the hill.  Pukekohe isn’t the championship; we’re quick there; we’re one of only two drivers to be in the 56 second bracket and I want to try get back there,” said Baird.

The team get two test sessions on the Friday before hospitality guests get the chance to sit alongside for a hot-lap late in the day.  Saturday starts with qualifying to decide the race one start order.  With a 36-lap race starting at 5:10pm, the cars have to complete a compulsory pit-stop with the race winner collecting 75 points.  Sunday morning features a 12-lap race with a top-six reverse grid 16-lap race starting at 3:15pm to conclude the opening round.

Later in the month the team relocate to Christchurch for the series second round, before returning in preparation for a two-in-two weekend jaunt in the southern South Island mid-late January 2011.  The series returns to the North Island with a mid-February round at Manfeild near Palmerston North, concluding mid-March at Taupo for the championship decider.