Love, Talbot star in opening thriller at The Bend

Critical win ignites Love's title battle while Talbot stars stunning outright podium

WHEN IT came to the crunch, Porsche Michelin Junior driver Jordan Love has delivered in a key round of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia championship fight.

After two challenging rounds and needing to score strongly at The Bend Motorsport Park to secure the Porsche Michelin Junior driver prize this year, the 20-year-old West Aussie was under serious pressure entering South Australia but ultimately delivered in spades.

Pole position and a strong race one victory saw him do everything in his power to make Round six of the championship his best yet, securing his sixth race win of the season in style.

His closest rival in the Porsche Michelin Junior battle, Cameron Hill, finished an outstanding second while TAG Heuer Pro-Am winner Liam Talbot not only won his class but finished a remarkable third outright in the process.

The race was a typically dramatic affair with action from the first corner – however after seeing off an early challenge from Hill and Talbot, Love was ultimately able to pull a margin on the field en route to a key victory.

“We had a good start but then Cam and Talbot had some pace on us early on,” Love explained of his early lap battles.

“They managed to get past us and we were side by side for a couple of corners there but I was able to do the criss-cross out of one. Once we got there it was just a case of head down and waiting for the tyres to come up.

“Once they did the pace was really good. Sonic put together an awesome package and I can’t thank them enough.

“It’s really nice for the championship. It’s been a tough couple of rounds so to come back and get a pole and a couple of wins is fantastic.”

Hill’s second position saw him continue to apply pressure to Love in the Michelin Junior standings, while Talbot’s outstanding third place eclipsed his previous best race finish by eight spots.

The Queensland-based, Wall Racing driver qualified sixth outright and then gained spots on the opening lap when Thomas Maxwell and Cooper Murray came together at turn one.

He then pressured – and briefly passed – both Love and Hill in a thrilling battle for the lead before trailing the latter home to secure a stunning outright podium finish.

“That was unbelievable!,” Talbot said.

“We knew we had pace in qualifying and we managed to do the job. You have to plan in your head the race start – and the stuff that happens there is nothing you can imagine. It’s about right place, right time. It really set up our race.

“The cars in front were two wide coming onto the straight and I thought ‘I have to have a look there’ and go for the lead.

“Third outright is awesome – unbelievable. I can’t thank the guys at Wall Racing enough for putting it together for me.”

Nick McBride finished fourth outright and was pressured to the line by David Wall, who was fifth.

In another giant-killing performance, Adrian Flack finished sixth outright and second in TAG Heuer Pro-Am. Warren Luff was seventh, Steven Richards eighth – his equal best result of the season – and Brenton Grove ninth on his return to the category.

Cooper Murray salvaged 10^th position however the Townsville winner was a case of ‘what could have been’ after making a flying start from the second row of the grid.

Starting fourth, Murray was strong away from the line and challenged for second with Thomas Maxwell at turn one.

Maxwell had started second – his best ever qualifying performance – and held that position as the field negotiated the first corner. However, contact between he and Murray saw Maxwell spinning, only to collected by Murray who subsequently slipped down the field with damage to his right-front corner.

Michael Almond was also caught up in the incident; the 2018 Tailem Bend winner taking evasive action and spinning down the field.

While Maxwell retired from the race with damage to his left-rear corner, Murray was able to salvage a top-10 result despite front aero damage. Almond dropped to last, but stormed to twelfth position in a stout recovery drive.

The other key story-line was that of title leader Dale Wood, who could only manage 21^st position.

After a challenging qualifying session saw him only 11^th on the grid, the Polyfloor entry then suffered a puncture after hitting debris from the turn one, lap one drama early in the race. A second visit to pit lane for another puncture saw him cruse home last of the runners to salvage points and a now reduced, though still comfortable title lead.

Following the first of three races this weekend, Wood now leads the standings by a reduced margin of 152 points.

Jordan Love returns to second in the outright standings, with Warren Luff third and Nick McBride fourth. Cameron Hill sits fifth, just 41 points behind Love.

Sunday’s program features two races, including the next installment in the Enduro Cup series to be contested over 20 laps tomorrow morning.

The third and final race will likely decide the round with each to be shown live on FOX Sports 506.

Form continues for Cooper Murray with fastest time at The Bend

Teenage star on top early while Adrian Flack tops TAG Heuer Pro-Am ranks in tight day in South Australia

FRESH from his first ever Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia round victory before celebrating his 18^th birthday, Cooper Murray has continued his remarkable form to top practice ahead of the sixth round of the series at The Bend Motorsport Park this weekend.

The Victorian teenager lapped beneath the existing qualifying record at the 4.9km circuit to take his No. 36 Lodge Brothers / McElrea Racing entry to the top of the charts in practice, a flying 1m51.074s lap putting him the fastest across two sessions at the South Australian circuit today.

Murray, who swept all before him in Townsville in July, edged out fellow Porsche Michelin Junior Cameron Hill by 0.1 seconds on combined times from today’s two sessions.

Wall Racing’s PAYCE entry driven by David Wall was third overall on the strength of his practice one-topping time set earlier in the day.

“It felt amazing out there,” Murray said.

“The McElrea team gave me an amazing car and it felt great for a Friday. Now we’ve just got to convert it into tomorrow. Tomorrow is payday with qualifying and race one so we’ll see how we go.”

Adrian Flack was fastest of the TAG Heuer Pro-Am contenders, just 0.1 seconds faster than title contender Liam Talbot on today’s combined times from both sessions.

“We’re certainly happy to be fast in practice, but it’s qualifying the next one we need to be quick in,” Flack said.

“Conditions are very difficult with the wind the way it is, so it’s hard to gauge how quick you can go into some of the corners, but we’re very happy. The car is quite good and we’re looking forward to the rest of the weekend.

“I love this track, I think it’s the best track in Australia by far. It’s quite difficult to pass because of the quite high speeds which we’re not used to doing but I’m looking forward to it and it will be a really good weekend.”

Murray was the fifth winner from five rounds contested to date this season, his early form in practice for Round 6 increasing his chances of becoming the first repeat winner of the season.

Perfect, if windy, conditions greeted the 23-strong field at The Bend with times rapid from the first flying laps of practice one.

The first session was topped by David Wall, the former champion yet to record a victory this season but showing strong early pace.

Cameron Hill was second in the opening 25-minute session, though 0.7 seconds behind Wall’s late flyer.

Dale Wood was third and Warren Luff fourth, while Adrian Flack topped the TAG Heuer Pro-Am contenders and placed sixth outright in the process.

A majority of the fastest times of the day came from the later session as the circuit rubbered in and conditions improved further thanks to bright sunshine and less wind.

Murray’s fastest lap came on his seventh lap – of nine in total – lap while Cameron Hill was second; backing up his performance in the first session in a positive start to his quest to top the Porsche Michelin Junior title standings this weekend.

On combined times Murray ended up fastest by 0.1 seconds with Hill second and Wall third.

Luff was fourth overall in the second McElrea entry while Jordan Love was the fastest of the Sonic quartet in fifth place. A strong run on newer Michelin tyres saw Nick McBride take his Porsche Centre Michelin entry to sixth overall while The Bend’s 2018 winner Michael Almond was seventh.

OTR SuperSprint The Bend Event 10 of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, Tailem Bend, South Australia. Australia.23rd-25th August 2019.

TAG Heuer Pro-Am contenders Adrian Flack and Liam Talbot were eighth and ninth, respectively and also topped their class while championship leader Dale Wood completed the top-10.

Exactly one second covered the 10 fastest runners in practice, with the first three all lapping beneath the existing practice record at the circuit.

Sam Shahin was third fastest overall in TAG Heuer Pro-Am and 12^th outright, while Roger Lago – fresh from his remarkable outright pole position efforts in Townsville last time out, was fourth in class.

Of other notable stories, Brenton Grove’s return to Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia action saw him finish the day in 14^th position overall, though well within striking distance of the top-10.

He was four places higher than his father, Stephen, who was 18^th and will make his first Carrera Cup start since Phillip Island tomorrow.

Porsche Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge frontrunner Brett Boulton was 19^th on his Carrera Cup debut with the returning Dave Ryan and Michael Loccisano just behind.

Round 6 of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia continues apace tomorrow with qualifying at 10:55am local time to be followed by race one at 2:15pm.

Both sessions will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 506 and Kayo Sports.

FULL RESULTS: Click Here

Race Schedule – Round 6, The Bend Motorsport Park

SATURDAY AUGUST 24

1050 – 1110                   Qualifying         FoxSports / Kayo
1415 – 1440                   Race 1                FoxSports / Kayo

SUNDAY AUGUST 25

0950 – 1035                  Race 2               FoxSports / Kayo
1230 – 1255                   Race 3               FoxSports / Kayo

The first Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 Clubsport in Australia revealed ahead of Round 6 at The Bend Motorsport Park

Porsche Cars Australia take the covers off the new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport

Porsche Cars Australia take the covers off the new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport

Following its world premiere on January 2019 at the Daytona 24 Hours, the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport represents a further development from Weissach of the successful Clubsport model that first premiered in 2016.

For the first time, the mid-engined race car comes in two versions from the Porsche Motorsport factory: the “Trackday” model for enthusiast amateur racing drivers who enjoy Australian track days and would like to campaign the car in several state-based racing series.

The second is the “Competition” variant designed for national and international competition, allowing local drivers to contest the Australian GT Championship GT4 Class and Bathurst 12 Hour (GT4 class).

In developing the new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, the focus was not only on improving the driveability and performance of its predecessor but also on the sustainable use of raw materials in its development. The 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport is the first-ever production race car to feature body parts made of natural-fibre composite material.

As a result, the driver and co-driver doors and the rear wing are made of an organic fibre mix, sourced primarily from agricultural by-products such as flax or hemp fibres and feature similar properties to carbon fibre in terms of weight and stiffness.

Powering the 718 GT4 Clubsport is a 3.8-litre flat-six engine producing 313kW (425hp). Compared to its predecessor, this represents a 30kW (40hp) increase in performance. Power is transferred to the rear wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch transmission with a mechanical rear-axle differential lock.

The lightweight spring-strut front suspension is taken from its big 911 GT3 Cup brother. The impressive racing brake system features steel brake discs all round measuring 380mm in diameter. The lightweight 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport tips the scales at a mere 1,320kgs and is delivered from the factory with a welded-in safety cage, a racing bucket seat as well as a six-point harness.

The “Track day” version is aimed at amateur drivers who want to take part in private track and clubsport events features a fixed shock absorber setup, ABS brakes, ESC and traction control assistance systems ensure forgiving handling at the limit. The traction assistance can be deactivated if desired. Further factory fitted features include: an air-conditioning system, a rescue hatch in the roof, a handheld fire-extinguisher and an 80-litre FT3 safety fuel cell.

While each vehicle is built to order based on the customer’s requirements, the “Competition” model features a raft of details relevant for competition racing. The shock absorbers can be adjusted in three stages, while the safety fuel tank has a capacity of 115 litres and was developed for long-distance events. Thanks to a brake balance system, the balance bias can be infinitely adjusted between the front and rear axle.

An integrated air jack system guarantees fast pit stops, while the quick-release racing steering wheel adopted from the 911 GT3 R ensures a range of adjustment options for the individual needs of the drivers. An automatic fire extinguishing system adds another safety feature for the racetrack.

“The new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport possesses significantly more racing genes than its successful predecessor,” says Porsche’s head of motorsport Fritz Enzinger.

“The power of the engine has increased considerably. At the same time, we were able to increase the downforce and the cockpit is now even better suited to drivers’ needs.”

The 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport becomes the third racing car Porsche Cars Australia have imported into the country following the 996, 997, 991 and 992 generations of the 911 GT3 Cup Car as well as the Porsche 911 GT3 R.

On the unveiling of the car at The Bend Motorsport Park, Porsche Cars Australia’s Head of Motorsport, Troy Bundy said, “While our Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge Championships remain our focus in Australia, we see a place in the market for the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport as a track day car and GT4 race car.”

“The 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport is an ideal track day car for graduates of Level 5 of our Porsche Track Experience, who may be keen to do more track days and state-based racing before moving up the Porsche Motorsport pyramid into Porsche Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge.”

All 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport customers will enjoy full parts support and each vehicle can be serviced at Porsche Centres across Australia. Interested parties can contact Porsche Cars Australia’s Head of Motorsport, Troy Bundy on troy.bundy@porsche.com.au for pricing options and further information.

Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup celebrates 120th round at The Bend

Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia heads to Tailem Bend for Rd6

Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia heads to The Bend Motorsport Park with five different winners from the first five rounds

After two events at the top end of the country, the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia teams head south to the riverside town of Tailem Bend. The quaint, country town flanks the banks of the Murray River and is located less than 100km to the south-east of Adelaide.

Last year, the success of the inaugural Tailem Bend event saw a welcome injection of revenue to the rural area with The Bend Motorsport Park becoming the 17th venue to host a round of Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia since the series began in 2003. The circuit configuration which the Porsche 9111 GT3 Cup cars will tackle this weekend, is the third-longest on the 2019 calendar at 4.95km – only Bathurst (6.213km) and Albert Park (5.303km) are longer.

Last year’s inaugural round was won by South Australian-local Michael Almond, who scored two race wins on his way to the round victory. Although David Wall crossed the line first in the first race last year, a five-second penalty incurred when passing Porsche Junior Jaxon Evans, dropped him to second place in the final results, handing Almond the inaugural Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia race win at the circuit.

The sixth round of the 2019 championship is also the120th in the history of the series – which this year also celebrates its 15^th year of competition. Five different round winners have emerged from the first five Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia rounds so far this season with Nick McBride (Adelaide), Dale Wood (Albert Park), Jordan Love (Phillip Island), Michael Almond (Hidden Valley) and Cooper Murray (Townsville) all sharing round victories. This is the first time in series history that this has occurred and never before has the category witnessed such a tussle at the front of the field.

Dale Wood has never been off the podium this year and the Sonic Racing driver’s pace and consistency have seen his Polyflor-liveried 911 build a 201-point advantage over Warren Luff in second place overall. With more than a maximum round (180points) buffer in the championship, Wood’s lead is significant for several reasons.

Only three rounds of the championship remain, so every race from here on in is vital for the chasing pack to make up the deficit. Then factor in the constant improvement and pace of Michelin Juniors like Cooper Murray and Cameron Hill into the mix – as they continue to steal valuable points from more seasoned Pros in recent rounds – and the Tailem Bend round becomes massively important in the championship title race.

Bob Jane T-Marts teammates, Jordan Love and Michael Almond lie in third and fourth respectively, making it three Sonic Racing entries in the championship’s top four positions, while Porsche Centre Melbourne’s Nick McBride is fifth, only four points behind Almond.

The competition in the TAG Heuer Pro-Am class is just as fierce with four different class winners from the five rounds so far this season including Anthony Gilbertson (Adelaide), Roger Lago (Albert Park, Townsville), Stephen Grove (Phillip Island) and Adrian Flack (Hidden Valley).

Lago’s record-setting pace (and outright pole) in Townsville last time out making him the man to beat heading into Round 6, as arch-rival Anthony Gilbertson takes a sabbatical this weekend due to work commitments. Along with the ever-present Adrian Flack, Lago’s biggest competition is likely to be from Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge Pro-Am frontrunners Sam Shahin and Brett Boulton.

The Bend Motorsport Park marks Boulton’s Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia debut, becoming the 211^th driver to compete in the series history. Other wildcards to watch in the Pro and Pro-Am field include father and son pairing of Brenton and Stephen Grove.

While Brenton is no stranger to the category having risen through the Porsche Motorsport pyramid, Stephen Grove returns to chalk up his 55th round – moving him to fourth on the all-time round starts list in Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia history.

Both Grove Snr and Jnr will be in Ashley Seward Motorsport prepared Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars and are treating the weekend as part of their preparation for Round 7 of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup race at the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit the following weekend. In doing so, the pair become the first Australian father and son pairing to compete in the global Porsche category together in the series’ history.

The weekend gets underway at 10:00 on Friday with Practice 2, qualifying and races 1-3 all televised live on both FoxSports (Channel 506) and Kayo, over the course of the weekend.

For more race information, videos and interviews throughout the weekend, follow the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia social pages: Instagram – @carreracupaus / Twitter – @CarreraCupAus / Facebook.com/CarreraCupAus

Entry List – Round 6, The Bend Motorsport Park

No        CLASS      CAR #   Name               Surname          SPONSOR NAME

1             Pro-Am      4            Stephen              Grove                   Grove Group

2            Pro              5             Thomas             Maxwell                Sonic

3            Pro-Am      6            Tim                     Miles                     Garage 1

4            Pro              7            Warren              Luff                        MEGA/No Second Chance

5            Pro              8            Nick                    McBride               Porsche Centre Melbourne

6            Pro-Am     9             Michael             Loccisano             Hallmarc

7            Pro             10           Brenton             Grove                     Grove Group

8            Pro            12            Steve                   Richards               O’Brien Electrical & Plumbing

9            Pro-Am    13            Sam                    Shahin                   The Bend Motorsport Park/HTFU

10          Pro-Am    20           Adrian               Flack                       Agas National

11           Pro-Am    22           Dean                  Cook                       BMF

12           Pro-Am   23           Roger                 Lago                        Dayco / Lago Cold Stores

13           Pro-Am   27           Liam                   Talbot                    Wash It

14           Pro-Am   30          David                  Ryan                      DRM Motorsport

15           Pro           34          Duvashen           Padayachee          Hyundai Forklifts Australia

16           Pro-Am  35           Indiran               Padayachee          Hyundai Forklifts Australia

17           Pro          36           Cooper               Murray                  Lodge Brothers

18           Pro         38            David                  Wall                       PAYCE

19           Pro         77            Michael             Almond                 Sonic/Bob Jane T-Marts/PSA Australia

20           Pro-Am 84           Brett                   Boulton                 Bold Living

21           Pro         100          Dale                    Wood                      Sonic/Polyflor

22          Pro         111            Cameron           Hill                          Seears Workwear

23          Pro          777          Jordan               Love                        Sonic / Bob Jane T-Marts/SRG

Race Schedule – Round 6, The Bend Motorsport Park

FRIDAY AUGUST 23        Session            Television broadcast

1000 – 1025                   Practice 1

1430 – 1455                    Practice 2         FoxSports / Kayo

SATURDAY AUGUST 24

1050 – 1110                   Qualifying         FoxSports / Kayo

1415 – 1440                   Race 1                FoxSports / Kayo

SUNDAY AUGUST 25

0950 – 1035                  Race 2               FoxSports / Kayo

1230 – 1255                   Race 3               FoxSports / Kayo

Australian father and son to make Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup history

Stephen and Brenton Grove, will be the first Australian father-son pairing in history to compete in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup Championship

Stephen and Brenton Grove, will be the first Australian father-son pairing in history to compete in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup Championship.

Seasoned Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia Championship campaigner, Stephen Grove will compete against son, Brenton Grove in Belgium for Round 7 of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup Championship, at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Stephen Grove has been a frequent visitor to the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Pro-Am podium this year and comes off a strong third in the Pro-Am class last time out at the Hungaroring in Hungary.

The reigning TAG Heuer Pro-Am Champion said, “It’s fantastic to have Brenton join the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup grid at Spa — it’s not often you get a father and son racing in the same series, especially at this level. Spa is a very special track, one of the best in the world and it’s got some great corners. I haven’t raced there for a few years, but I’m really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel there.”

In preparation for Spa Supercup round, both father and son will also be in action at round 6 of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup championship at Tailem Bend.

Grove Snr highlighted the pair’s intentions, “The Bend is quite a fast and free-flowing circuit, so we’re just trying to set ourselves up for Spa – which is unbelievably fast with high-speed corners. The Bend weekend will all be about conditioning ourselves and building-up to Spa, so we’re not too fussed on where we position ourselves, as long as we can have a dip.”

Brenton too carries good recent form into The Bend Motorsport Park after strong performances in the Dunlop Super 2 Championship this season. The young Victorian started his career in the Porsche 944 Challenge and has progressed up the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid over the years before finishing second in the 2017 Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge Championship to Jordan Love.

While the prospect of driving on the world stage in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup will be one of the highlights of Grove’s promising career thus far, he’s confirmed the opportunity will not become a regular occurrence, “This is just a one-off event for me and I’ll be driving for the same team Stephen drove for in the 2018 24 Hours of Dubai. I have no plans at this stage to go full-time in Supercup. We just saw the opportunity to achieve this milestone as there has never been a father and son compete in the same Supercup race before.

Brenton feels the experience gained through the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid and Michelin Junior competition will offer a great degree of familiarity, rather than an advantage, given the level of competition, “I’ve progressed through the Porsche Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge, Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia and Michelin Junior program, so this is just a further opportunity to advance within the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid. At least I won’t be going in with my eyes shut.”

“Porsche do an awesome job to develop juniors and it’s a proven channel. It’s a positive framework to be part of both as a driver and team manager. The domestic championships in Australia are both competitive and professional, hence why we keep coming back each year” he continued.

Both Grove’s will be racing in Ashley Seward Motorsport prepared Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars.

ASM Team Manager, Ashley Seward is looking forward to working with Brenton, “I’ve watched Brenton race in a number of categories – he has an analytical approach to his racing and is good at adapting to different vehicles, so we’re looking forward to having him in our car for Tailem Bend.

“The Porsche Supercup is the most competitive one-make series in the world, and the level of competition is extremely high, so we’ll be doing our best to ensure Brenton is as well-prepared as possible for his outing at Spa.”

Seward’s Melbourne based outfit will also be hoping to provide Grove Snr with the right car for the TAG Heuer Pro-Am class win, “Stephen has established himself as one of the top Pro-Am drivers in the country, and the experience he has gained against the world’s best Porsche racers in Supercup will have only enhanced his abilities.”

“We pride ourselves on our Pro-Am program, ensuring our competitors are enjoying themselves while also maximising their on-track performances. This season, we’ve worked with some fantastic competitors and Stephen will fit right into our team with his approach to the sport.”

Practice 1 for the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia at Tailem Bend gets underway on Friday 23 August at 10:00. Qualifying and Race 1 is scheduled for Saturday with Races 2 and 3 on Sunday. Tickets for the event are available from thebend.com.au.

Porsche celebrates one-two victory at Spa endurance classic

Porsche dominates the 2019 24 Hours of Spa

Porsche dominates the 2019 Total 24 Hours of Spa in Belgium, the world’s biggest GT3 sportscar race.

The GPX Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R crewed by the current FIA WEC Sportscar World Champions Kévin Estre (France), Michael Christensen (Denmark), and Austria’s Richard Lietz finished first at the Belgian long distance classic after 363 laps, securing Porsche its seventh Spa 24 Hour overall win.

The 500+hp Porsche 911 GT3 R fielded by Rowe Racing (#998) rounded off the one-two victory of the Porsche teams at the marathon in the Ardennes. Five of the six Pro-cars from Porsche finished the 71st running of the 24 Hours of Spa in the top ten.

Right from the start, the rain played the leading role at the 24-hour classic in Belgium. In the early hours of Sunday morning, the race had to be stopped for almost six hours due to heavy downpours. But even this interruption couldn’t end the victorious drive of the number 20 Porsche 911 GT3 R. The crew with Estre, Christensen, and Lietz, which had been relegated down the field by a drive-through penalty in the evening, put in an impressive charge through the field.

When the race was halted, the driver trio had made it back to eighth place with a series of flawless and constantly fast stints and made up more positions after the race was restarted. With two hours to go, the GT3 R driven by Kévin Estre took the lead, which the Frenchman held driving the slick-shod car on a damp track surface. After nine years, it was time to celebrate again for Porsche at the prestigious endurance classic in the Ardennes.

The Rowe Racing #998 Porsche 911 GT3 R also had a race of mixed fortunes on the 7.004 kilometre storied circuit. Patrick Pilet (France), Frédéric Makowiecki (France) and Nick Tandy (Great Britain) also lost many places due to a drive-through penalty and caught up to the frontrunners in the night with a strong performance in the rain. During the closing stages of the race, rain specialist Tandy conquered second place with several skilful overtaking manoeuvres to secure the one-two win for Porsche.

Scoring three more top ten placings, the Porsche customer teams crowned their strong and unified showing at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. The #98 and #99 Porsche 911 GT3 R fielded by Rowe Racing finished fifth and seventh. KÜS Team75 Bernhard brought its identical #117 911 GT3 R home in ninth place.

Fritz Enzinger, Vice President Porsche Motorsport: “Congratulations to our customer teams at Spa. The effort of the engineers, strategists, the pit crews, and the drivers impressed me deeply. They all co-operated with our support crew from Weissach in the best possible way. We’ve scored this victory together. And the Porsche 911 again proved to be the car to beat at sportscar races.”

VIDEO NEWS: https://vimeo.com/350594959

Result
1. Estre/Christensen/Lietz (F/DK/A), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 363 laps
2. Pilet/Makowiecki/Tandy (F/F/GB), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 363 laps
3. Engel/Buurman/Stolz (D/NL/D), Mercedes-AMG GT3, 363 laps
5. Müller/Dumas/Jaminet (D/F/F), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 362 laps
7. Olsen/Campbell/Werner (N/AUS/D), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 362 laps
9. Bernhard/Vanthoor/Bamber (D/B/NZ), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 362 laps

248 drivers took up the 24 hour classic at Spa-Francorchamps in 72 cars. Eleven marques were represented at the 71st running of the Ardennes marathon, which is also Round 3 of the 2019 Intercontinental GT Challenge. Porsche also won the opening round of the 2019 IGTC at the Bathurst 12 Hour in February.

Porsche announces “Best Presented Award” in partnership with Meguiar’s

Porsche announces “Best Presented Award” in partnership with Meguiar’s Australia

Porsche Cars Australia has announced a “Best Presented Award” in partnership with Meguiar’s Australia.

The social media campaign between two of Australia’s premier automotive brands allows Porsche motorsport fans and followers to vote and rank their best racing liveries from the 2019 Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

Porsche and Meguiar’s will nominate six of the best race liveries during the course of the 2019 Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia season. Fans and followers of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia facebook page (Facebook.com/CarreracupAus) will then be invited to vote for their favourite race livery. The Meguiar’s Best Presented Award will be awarded to the driver having received the most votes by the end of the season.

On the announcement, Porsche Cars Australia’s Head of Motorsport, Troy Bundy said, “We are very proud to partner with a premium automotive brand, such as Meguiar’s Australia for the “Best Presented Award” this season. Meguiar’s provides exceptional products for every vehicle surface including paintwork, wheels, tyres and the many different interior finishes. So the alignment with them on the “Best Presented Award” was a natural fit for both sides and yet another example of the continued investment and endorsement of our premier categories.”

Bruce Morrison from Meguiar’s Australia said, “Meguiar’s has been providing car enthusiasts with specialized surface care formulations for well over 100 years. Like Porsche, our customers are car enthusiasts and can be among the hardest to please, but they’re also the most brand loyal.”

“The products that get used by these enthusiasts are undoubtedly the best on the market. This award provides both recognition and reward for the best vehicle livery on the grid, in what is arguably Australia’s best presented race category.”

The ranking of the six best Porsche liveries from the field will be announced at the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia Awards Dinner on the Gold Coast at the season finale in October. The driver that receives the most votes will receive $5,000 worth of Meguiar’s products while the drivers in positions two to six will each receive $500 worth of Meguiar’s products.

Bathurst winning Porsche 911 GT3-R set to return to Australia

Matt Campbell's Bathurst winning Porsche 911 GT3-R set to return to Australia

The triumphant Bathurst12-Hour Porsche 911 GT3-R of Dennis Olsen, Dirk Werner and Porsche Junior Driver, Matt Campbell is set to return home.  

The same Porsche 911 GT3-R that made a heroic charge from fourth to the lead of the 2019 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour in the final hour, will return to Australia later this year.

Porsche Carrera Cup Asia racing driver, Paul Tresidder has purchased the winning car piloted by Dennis Olsen, Dirk Werner and Porsche Junior Driver, Matt Campbell. The historical victory marked Porsche’s first outright win in Australia’s International Enduro, adding the iconic endurance event to their trophy case.

A long-term exponent of the famous German marque, Tresidder was competing in the race with team Porsche Carrera Cup Asia – eventually finishing second in Class B and 19th outright.

As the race built towards its thrilling climax, the Sydney resident was watching from his own pit garage as Matt Campbell hauled the Earl Bamber Motorsport-prepared car through the international field.  Following the Bathurst triumph, the car was flown to Germany and placed on display in the Porsche museum.

However, Tresidder’s purchase of the 911 GT3-R from Porsche Motorsport last month, means the car will ultimately return to Australia.

“I was there in our pits watching the last hour of the race unfold. Whilst all three drivers contributed to the end result, for me the stand out drive of the day was Matt Campbell with three overtaking moves in the last hour of the race, the best I have ever seen,” Tresidder explained.

“I was also competing in the same race with the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia team, so there are great memories associated with this epic win. As an Australian, I wanted to bring the car back home.”

Tresidder was presented the car last month in the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, with Campbell on hand to ‘hand over the keys’ to the car. Despite his long relationship with the Porsche brand, Tresidder said he initially didn’t think he would be able to purchase the black GT3R, which features the iconic Silver Fern along its flanks.

“I thought I wouldn’t stand a chance of being able to secure the car, having won the 12-Hour,” he explained.

“However after the race I caught up with Alex Gibot (Head of Porsche Motorsport in the Asia-Pacific region) and told him I would like to buy it. Alex knows my history with Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and my love of Porsche, plus the car would be coming home to Australia and properly looked after.

“Alex started the process by contacting Porsche in Stuttgart and got the ball rolling, and fortunately we were successful.”

Currently still in Germany, the 911 GT3-R will begin a long journey home later this year via a stop at the Porsche Sports Cup China in October – a significant event in the region which will also feature several Porsche Museum cars on show on and off the track.

After driving the car for the first time in Shanghai, the car will return to Australia where Tresidder plans to race it as it was designed.

“I will race it lightly, probably the first event will be Bathurst at Easter 2020,” he confirmed.

“The now-famous livery will also stay, the only change will be to wipe off the sticky remains of Matt’s Champagne!”

With multiple starts to his credit in the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, Tresidder says the 12-Hour is well established as one of the world’s great races and the victory for Porsche had great significance for the brand and for him personally.

“This was Earl Bamber Motorsport’s first attempt running two factory cars and for him and his team to get a first time victory – and a first victory for Porsche – it doesn’t get much better.”

Bamber and Campbell, along with their Porsche GT team mates, will defend their 24-point lead in the Manufacturers standings of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in Lime Rock (USA) this weekend.

The race over 2:40 hours takes off on Saturday, 20 July and can be viewed live outside the USA and Canada on www.imsa.com.

McElrea Racing returns to the podium in Races 2 and 3 in Townsville

Cooper Murray dominated Races 2 and 3 of Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia in Townsville, breaking yet another record for the biggest race-winning margin in the series’ history.

Cooper Murray dominated Races 2 and 3 of Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia in Townsville, breaking yet another record for the biggest race-winning margin in the series’ history.

The Michelin Junior Driver put in a master class performance in the first of the Sunday’s races. Starting from pole for the 45min Enduro Cup round, Murray got the whole shot ahead of McElrea Racing teammate Warren Luff, to lead down the long Townsville straight toward Turn 1.

Showing great tenacity and maturity beyond his years, Murray fended off Luff in the early stages of the opening lap, before pulling out a 0.5sec lead. Behind the McElrea Racing pairing, Sonic Racing teammates Michael Almond and Dale Wood jostled for position, with Jordan Love and Nick McBride making good progress through the field.

Murray recorded the fastest lap of the race on lap 4 and extended his lead to Luff by 2.7secs. Luff then struck one of the sharp kerbs that characterize the Townsville track. The No Second Chance ambassador’s bent front damper and the resultant damage saw Luff get passed by Michael Almond and leaving Murray to extend his lead to 4.9secs with 13 laps remaining.

Further back, Roger Lago could not replicate the pace he showed in qualifying the previous day, gradually slipping down the field from sixth overall to tenth by mid race. He would eventually finish 14^th after contact late into the race with Thomas Maxwell.

Anthony Gilbertson by contrast was on a charge in Race 2 and proved to be the pick of the TAG Heuer Pro Am field. Gilbertson replicated the form he had showed throughout practice and moved past Lago to finish first in class and ninth overall.

After the race, the McElrea Pro Am driver said, “I got a great start and had a bit of work to do with Roger starting in P5. The Pros must have hustled getting passed him because the next thing I knew I was right on him. I passed him and pulled a good gap while keeping Steve Richards behind me.”

“It’s always a good feeling to beat a Pro like him” Gilbertson continued candidly.

At the end of Race 2, Murray had amassed a lead of 11.4 secs over Almond in second. This was the biggest race-winning margin in Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia’s history. The previous record was 6.2 secs held by Steve Richards over Warren Luff in Race 2 back in 2014.

As the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars lined up for Race 3, all eyes were on Cooper Murray to see if he could defend his round position and make it five different winners from five rounds this season. Michael Almond initially got the jump on Murray off the line but the 17 year old held is his nerve and the lead into turn 1. The pair exited the corner side-by-side but Almond quickly lost ground on the outside of the turn allowing Sonic teammates, Dale Wood and Jordan Love by.

In the TAG Heuer Pro Am class, Gilbertson’s good luck ran out with a poor start seeing the Race 2 winner drop down the field to 13^th. His recovery through the field ruined what had been a stellar race weekend until that point, after he made contact with Pro driver, Steve Richards. As Pro Am drivers are permitted to use ABS – to level the playing field with the Pro drivers – Richards braked earlier than Gilbertson expected. The contact spun the former Bathurst winner into the outside wall, blocking Sam Shahin and Scott Taylors race in the process. The damage to Richard’s stranded O’Brien Electrical & Plumbing Porsche meant the safety car would have to be deployed. The DNF for the former Bathurst winner makes 2019 the unluckiest season of his career.

Murray made the best use of the restart, accelerating hard onto the main straight with 12 laps remaining. The Michelin Junior would proceed to pull out a 1.7 sec gap on the experienced Dale Wood and leading Juniors Jordan Love and Cameron Hill. As with Race 1 and 2, the youngest member of the McElrea Racing squad would manage the tyres and his lead to the flag.

After Gilbertson’s early woes, it was fellow McElrea Racing teammate Tim Miles who would seize the opportunity in TAG Heuer Pro Am class, passing Dean Cook and Roger Lago under braking in the final stages of the race. While Murray and Lago’s record breaking performances over the weekend would prove the talking points of the Townsville round.

What was of greater significance for the 2019 Championship was the return of McElrea Racing cars to form after Sonic Racing’s recent dominance. The battle among these two top teams – as well as the likes of privateer Cameron Hill – is as fierce as ever, as the crews now switch their attention to Round 6 of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia Championship in Tailem Bend. This fast, flowing South Australian track is tailor made for Carrera Cup cars and traditionally proves to be very hard on tyres.

For more race information, videos and interviews, follow the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia social pages: Instagram – @carreracupaus / Twitter – @CarreraCupAus / Facebook.com/CarreraCupAus

Results: Race 3, Round 5, Townsville

Pos               Driver                                                         Class                                                          Race Time

1                     Cooper Murray (VIC)                    Pro / Michelin Junior                  20:59.2163

2                     Dale Wood (VIC)                            Pro                                                       21:00.9196

3                     Jordan Love (WA)                         Pro / Michelin Junior                   21:02.3945

4                     Cameron Hill (ACT)                      Pro / Michelin Junior                   21:05.0325

5                     Warren Luff (QLD)                        Pro                                                       21:05.8676

6                     Michael Almond (SA)                   Pro                                                       21:06.2122

7                     David Wall (NSW)                         Pro                                                       21:07.0663

8                     Thomas Maxwell (NT)                 Pro / Michelin Junior                  21:07.5956

9                     Nick McBride (VIC)                      Pro                                                       21:08.6631

10                 Tim Miles (NSW)                             TAG Heuer Pro-Am                      21:10.5858

11                 Dean Cook (VIC)                              TAG Heuer Pro-Am                       21:11.6569

12                 Duvashen Padayachee                   Pro                                                      21:12.0462

13                 Roger Lago (QLD)                           TAG Heuer Pro-Am                      21:14.2491

14                 Anthony Gilbertson (QLD)          TAG Heuer Pro-Am                      21:16.5332

15                 Liam Talbot (NSW)                         TAG Heuer Pro-Am                      21:17.2740

16                 Michael Loccisano (VIC)              TAG Heuer Pro-Am                      21:26.5598

17                 Sam Shahin (SA)                              TAG Heuer Pro-Am                      21:28.2082

18                 Scott Taylor (QLD)                         TAG Heuer Pro-Am                      21:32.2598

19                 Indiran Padayachee                       TAG Heuer Pro-Am                      21:33.8871

DNF             Adrian Flack (QLD)                       TAG Heuer Pro-Am                      12:21.1248

DNF             Steve Richards (VIC)                     Pro                                                        1:27.2238

Media enquiries: Angus Thompson
Motorsport Communications Manager – Porsche Cars Australia

Phone: +61 403 233 548
E-mail: angus.thompson@porsche.com.au

Lago and Murray make history in Race 1 in Townsville

Roger Lago and Cooper Murray rewrite the history books in qualifying and Race 1 of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia in Townsville

Roger Lago and Cooper Murray rewrite the history books in qualifying and Race 1 of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia in Townsville

Qualifying and Race 1 of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia Championship had it all. Australia’s premier one make series witnessed records tumble, history made and new race winners crowned. Not to mention the usual, intense on track battle the series has become synonymous for.

The action started in qualifying early on Saturday morning. After uncharacteristic wet conditions plagued the North Queensland practice sessions on Friday, clear and cool tropical skies greeted the Porsche PAYCE Carrera cup Australia teams as they ventured onto the track for qualifying. While Dale Wood and Anthony Gilbertson were consistently quick through the Friday’s practice sessions, both felt that with the right conditions, the pace on Saturday would be even quicker.

They weren’t wrong and from the first lap, it became apparent that the track was only going to get faster as the session went on. Michelin Junior drivers Thomas Maxwell and Cooper Murray surprised many by setting the early benchmark. Michael Almond then showed the signs of his consistent form from Darwin, topping the table by the halfway mark.

By contrast, Nick McBride ran off the circuit and lost time in the pits repairing a broken front spoiler. Steve Richards would compromise his first set of Michelins by flat spotting them over the bumps under braking, while Dale Wood ran wide, narrowly missing the retaining wall. The ABS advantage the TAG Heuer Pro Ams enjoy over the Pros saw Anthony Gilbertson continue to head the Pro Am class for most of the session, but a last minute lap from Roger Lago would leave mouths agape and stun all in pitlane.

Lago who heavily crashed out of this event in 2015, not only broke the outright pole record – previously held by McElrea Racing’s Alex Davison – but topped the overall time sheets. This was the first time in Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup’s history a Pro Am driver had out qualified the entire Pro field.

After the session Lago paid tribute to his Race engineer Dave Russel, “First run was 14.5 on greens and I thought that’s 0.8secs faster than I went yesterday. I said to Dave surely that’s enough for Pro Am, but he replied that Gilbertson had just done a 14.2, so I one last attempt to get a few more tenths.”

“I put my sectors together and looked down and saw a 13.5 as I crossed the line. Dave just erupted on radio and said mate you just got pole! Obviously the ABS makes it that bit easier for us around this circuit, but you still got to put the lap together.”

Cooper Murray would also put in his best qualifying result of the year in second, just in front of his McElrea Racing team mate Warren Luff. The attention then turned to Race 1 and as the lights went out, the 17 year old Michelin Junior had a near perfect get away jumping Lago into the first turn.

The McElrea driver then increased his lead to over 5 secs as Luff and the rest of the field battled one another behind Lago.  Luff, Almond and Wood all gradually made their way past Lago with 8 laps remaining, but by then Murray’s advantage had grown to over 7.4secs which he held to the chequered flag. Wood’s result means he is now 188 points clear of his nearest rival Nick McBride. McBride, Luff, Wall and Love occupy positions 2 to 5 in the overall Championship – with only three points separating the quartet.

After the race Murray remarked, “I managed to get a good start and control the race from there. The competition level in this field is amazing and to get that first win by that margin feels pretty good.”

Lago would lead the TAG Heuer Pro Am class home in fifth position overall, with Cameron Hill holding on for 6^th after his flying lap was impeded in qualifying, seeing him start in 7^th. Despite showing good pace at separate times over the weekend, fellow Michelin Juniors Thomas Maxwell and Jordan Love will not look back on Race 1 fondly.

Love’s run of bad luck continued as Maxwell tagged him mid race dropping the Bob Jane T Marts driver down the order. Maxwell race would be compromised too after he was handed a drive through penalty for his efforts. The accident means that Love will start in 12^th position for the Race 2 tomorrow.

Murray’s victory makes him the youngest victor in Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup history and marks a return to the podium for the McElrea team with Warren Luff in second.

After the race, team manager, Andy McElrea said, “I’m thrilled, it gets harder and harder to win a race in this category, so to get a 1-2 is almost unbelievable, especially for Cooper coming across to us mid-season. I feel he’s repaid his faith in us and us in him. Then there’s the ultimate wingman Luffy’s (Warren Luff) result, not to mention Anthony Gilbertson in second in Pro Am, so at this stage I couldn’t be happier.”

The Sonic vs McElrea battle will resume in Races 2 and 3 on Sunday. Both races will be televised live on Fox Sports (Channel 506), Channel 10 and Kayo.

For more race information, videos and interviews throughout the weekend, follow the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia social pages: Instagram – @carreracupaus / Twitter – @CarreraCupAus / Facebook.com/CarreraCupAus

Results: Race 2, Round 5, Townsville  

1          Cooper Murray (VIC)      Pro / Michelin Junior      20:10.4504

2          Warren Luff (QLD)          Pro       20:16.9554

3          Michael Almond (SA)     Pro       20:17.8891

4          Dale Wood (VIC)              Pro       20:21.8135

5          Roger Lago (QLD)            TAG Heuer Pro Am       20:28.9572

6          Cameron Hill (ACT)        Pro / Michelin Junior      20:30.0916

7          David Wall (NSW)           Pro       20:30.4042

8          Nick McBride (VIC)        Pro       20:31.1639

9          Duvashen Padayachee (NSW)     Pro       20:31.6331

10         Anthony Gilbertson (QLD)          TAG Heuer Pro Am       20:32.2335

11         Adrian Flack (QLD)        TAG Heuer Pro Am       20:33.5078

12         Jordan Love (WA)          Pro / Michelin Junior      20:37.9097

13         Liam Talbot (NSW)        TAG Heuer Pro Am       20:40.1600

14         Sam Shahin (SA)             TAG Heuer Pro Am       20:41.0282

15         Steve Richards (VIC)     Pro       20:41.0319

16         Dean Cook (VIC)              TAG Heuer Pro Am       20:41.7255

17         Scott Taylor (QLD)          TAG Heuer Pro Am       20:55.9168

18         Michael Loccisano (VIC)            TAG Heuer Pro Am       20:56.2041

19         Thomas Maxwell (NT)    Pro / Michelin Junior      20:56.7390

20         Indiran Padayachee (NSW)        TAG Heuer Pro Am       20:58.5875

DNF     Tim Miles (NSW)           TAG Heuer Pro Am       1:32.0882

Race Schedule – Round 5, Townsville

SUNDAY JUNE 16

0910- 0950                    Race 2              FoxSports / Kayo

1305 – 1330                   Race 3              FoxSports / Kayo / Network 10

Media enquiries:

Angus Thompson
Motorsport Communications Manager – Porsche Cars Australia

Phone: +61 403 233 548
E-mail: angus.thompson@porsche.com.au

Love and Gilberston set early pace in wet Townsville practice

Jordan Love is not affected by his injured hand, posting the fastest time from the first practice sessions of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Championship in Townsville.

Jordan Love is not affected by his injured hand, posting the fastest time from the first practice sessions of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Championship in Townsville.

It’s been a testing few weeks for Jordan Love. After spate of victories in both Albert Park and Phillip Island rounds, an unfortunate accident in Darwin put the brakes on his 2019 championship campaign. The resultant surgery meant a two week break from behind the wheel heading into Round 5 this weekend. No one could be sure what part his injured hand would play in his performance in Townsville.

Given the circumstance and Love’s experience around the wet Townsville street circuit, few were surprised to see him adopting a cautious start to the Friday’s first practice session. By contrast, his fellow Michelin Junior driver, Thomas Maxwell relished in the wet conditions recording the fastest time in Friday’s first practice session.

Maxwell was closely followed by championship leader, Dale Wood, who was less than 0.02 secs behind the young Darwin driver by the time the first session ended. Wood’s experience and knowledge of the coastal circuit could well prove the difference this weekend. Other experienced Pro campaigners, Michael Almond and Warren Luff were third and fourth respectively, while another Michelin Junior, Cooper Murray completed the top five in fifth.

In the TAG Heuer Pro-Am class, Anthony Gilbertson proved again that his performances on the streets of Adelaide in the season opener were no fluke, recording the fastest time of the class ahead of Roger Lago, Sam Shahin and Dean Cook. The wet session saw most drivers cautiously getting to grips with the fast 2.9km circuit, building their confidence in the challenging wet conditions.

Rain persisted to fall before the second practice session, but just as the drivers ventured out, the sun appeared and the times soon began to tumble as a dry line emerged. Dale Wood again set a blistering time, topping the standings for most of the session.

On his return to the pit lane, Wood remarked, “To be honest I was surprised how quick the track dried. The whole field went out on wets and straight away I said to the team that I’m coming in and we need to put slicks on.”

‘When I went back out the track was faster than I expected despite some wet areas. If we get a good dry, run in qualifying tomorrow, I think the pace will be even better.”

But in the dying minutes, Love would steel the top spot from his Sonic team mate with only 2 minutes to spare.

After the second practice drew to a close, a relieved Love commented, “We pitted late as we had a good set of Michelins to bolt on for that session. Judging by the pace of the guys in first (session) we knew the car would be fast as we were just growing in momentum each lap. I didn’t feel too comfortable early on but I knew the car was good and managed to step it up for the second outing.”

“It’s good to get a result like that ahead of tomorrow. My hand’s not painful thankfully, and I just notice it over the bumps, it’s just a bit annoying to be honest.”

Gilbertson again set the pace in the TAG Heuer Pro-Am class but found the conditions tricky with the drying circuit:

“It was difficult to tell how much liberty you could give the car as the track was still wet in parts, but we still went faster than the first session. You just didn’t want to drop a wheel off (the circuit) anywhere in that session, so there is still time out there.” Gilbertson remarked

Qualifying and races 1-3 will all be televised live on both Fox Sports (Channel 506) and Kayo, while free-to-air viewers can also watch the first and last races of the weekend on Channel 10.

For more race information, videos and interviews throughout the weekend, follow the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia social pages: Instagram – @carreracupaus / Twitter – @CarreraCupAus / Facebook.com/CarreraCupAus

Combined Results – Practice, Round 5 – Townsville

1 Jordan Love (WA) Pro / Michelin Junior P2 1:14.1518*
2 Dale Wood (VIC) Pro P2 1:14.2423
3 David Wall (NSW) Pro P2 1:14.3554
4 Thomas Maxwell (NT) Pro / Michelin Junior P1 1:14.6134
5 Cameron Hill (ACT) Pro / Michelin Junior P2 1:14.6818
6 Michael Almond (SA) Pro P1 1:14.7085
7 Cooper Murray (VIC) Pro / Michelin Junior P2 1:14.7105
8 Warren Luff (QLD) Pro P1 1:14.7547
9 Nick McBride (VIC) Pro P1 1:14.9422
10 Anthony Gilbertson (QLD) TAG Heuer Pro-Am P2 1:15.0249
11 Steve Richards (VIC) Pro P1 1:15.1330
12 Adrian Flack (QLD) TAG Heuer Pro-Am P2 1:15.2875
13 Roger Lago (QLD) TAG Heuer Pro-Am P2 1:15.3311
14 Duvashen Padayachee (NSW) Pro P2 1:15.5882
15 Scott Taylor (QLD) TAG Heuer Pro-Am P2 1:15.9810
16 Dean Cook (VIC) TAG Heuer Pro-Am P2 1:15.9969
17 Sam Shahin (SA) TAG Heuer Pro-Am P1 1:16.0105
18 Liam Talbot (NSW) TAG Heuer Pro-Am P1 1:16.1153
19 Tim Miles (NSW) TAG Heuer Pro-Am P2 1:16.1457
20 Michael Loccisano (VIC) TAG Heuer Pro-Am P1 1:17.4988
21 Indiran Padayachee (NSW) TAG Heuer Pro-Am P2 1:17.7543

Race Schedule – Round 5, Townsville

SATURDAY JUNE 15
0850 – 0910          Qualifying  FoxSports / Kayo
1235 – 1300           Race 1   FoxSports / Kayo / Network 10

SUNDAY JUNE 16
0910- 0950           Race 2   FoxSports / Kayo
1305 – 1330           Race 3   FoxSports / Kayo / Network 10

Junior battle intensifies as Carrera Cup returns to Townsville

First North Queensland trip since 2015 to play critical role in title battles

Porsche Michelin Juniors, Jordan Love and Cameron Hill will take centre stage in the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup this weekend as Australia’s premier one-make Championship returns to Townsville after a four year hiatus.   

The fifth round of the 2019 Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia Championship sees a return to north-east coast of Queensland this weekend. The last time Australia’s premier one-make category competed in Townsville was in 2015, while this year’s event marks the 119^th round in the history of the series, since it began in 2003.

As the largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, Townsville is affectionately referred to as the unofficial capital of North Queeensland by its local community. Victory in the third and final race in Darwin in the last Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup round earned Michael Almond not only overall victory, but the unofficial title of ‘the ‘King of the North.’

The Bob Jane T- Marts driver will hope to hold onto this crown and repeat that performance in Townsville this weekend, a track that has proved a happy hunting ground for the Sonic Motor racing team in previous years.

In 2015, it was Sonic’s Nick Foster who stood on the top of the podium after all three race victories at Reid Park and this year the team looks likely to repeat that trend given the pace its race winning drivers – Michael Almond, Jordan Love and Dale Wood – have shown to date this season.

Sonic Motor Racing cars have finished on the top two steps of the podium in eight of the last nine Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia races, including a hat trick of victories over the last three rounds. The only race in that period they didn’t cross the line first was Race 1 at Hidden valley which went to Michelin Junior, Cameron Hill.

The last Carrera Cup team to win four rounds in a row in Sonic’s fashion was Fitzgerald Racing Services with driver Craig Baird in 2008 across Barbagallo, Sandown, Queensland Raceway and Phillip Island.

Of the leading Sonic Motor Racing trio, Jordan Love is the most vulnerable heading into this weekend, after an unfortunate opening lap altercation with Liam Talbot, saw the Bob Jane T-Marts driver leaving the Hidden Valley circuit with a broken fifth metacarpal in his left hand.

While the resultant surgery – a plate and seven screws – meant that Love would need a quiet, yet quick recovery if he was to compete in Townsville, the ramifications for his Championship campaign were far greater. No points from an eleventh position in race one, a DNF and no result for races 2 and 3 in Darwin respectively, meant the Perth youngster would not only lose his overall lead to the experienced Wood, but also now come under threat from an hard charging Cameron Hill in the Michelin Junior competition.

Hill carries good pace and momentum into Townsville after his maiden pole and victory in the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia Championship. With only Townsville and Tailem Bend points in the Michelin Junior competition remaining, all eyes will be on Hill’s Seears Workwear Porsche and if it will challenge the injured Love.

Adelaide winner, Nick McBride lies third just behind Wood and Love in the overall Championship. McBride’s experience around the Townsville circuit will be beneficial as one of only six current drivers (Nick McBride, Steve Richards, Roger Lago, Duvashen Padayachee, Michael Almond, Scott Taylor) on the entry list to also contend the 2015 Carrera Cup Championship at the same venue.

Wood along with McElrea Racing’s Warren Luff will use their track knowledge from passed Virgin Australia Supercars races in Townsville to good use in the podium hunt. Luff will also rely on the local knowledge of his Queensland based team, as McElrea cars currently hold both the qualifying (Alex Davison) and race (Jonny Reid) lap records.

The PAYCE liveried Porsche 911 of David Wall will also be hoping to improve upon his early season form with the 2017 Champion celebrating his 55th Carrera Cup Australia appearance, moving past the likes of: Rodney Jane, Alex Davison, Max Twigg and Stephen Grove, on the all-time round starts list. Wall now sits third on the list behind only Marc Cini (105) and Craig Baird (66).

The TAG Heuer Pro-Am Class has witnessed four different overall winners from the first four events this year with Anthony Gilbertson taking victory at the season opener in Adelaide and Roger Lago (Albert Park), Stephen Grove (Phillip Island) and Adrian Flack (Hidden Valley) having shared the top step of the podium respectively thereafter.

Grove (2) and Roger Lago (1) have tasted victory in Townsville in previous years in the TAG Heuer Pro-Am Class.

With warm temperatures and a 30-70% chance of thundershowers forecast over the course of the weekend, the conditions will test the skill and nerve of all the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup drivers. The race schedule for the weekend starts on Friday with two early practices sessions, which teams will use to refine their race set up before heading into qualifying on Saturday morning.

Qualifying and races 1-3 will all be televised live on both FoxSports (Channel 506) and Kayo, while free-to-air viewers can also watch the first and last races of the weekend on Channel 10. A highlights package including the weekend’s action is also scheduled for Channel One following the conclusion of the event

For more race information, videos and interviews throughout the weekend, follow the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia social pages: Instagram – @carreracupaus / Twitter – @CarreraCupAus / Facebook.com/CarreraCupAus

Entry List – Round 5, Townsville

Race Schedule – Round 5, Townsville

FRIDAY JULY 6          Session            Television broadcast

0920 – 0945                   Practice 1
1250 – 1315                   Practice 2         FoxSports / Kayo

SATURDAY JULY 7

0850 – 0910                   Qualifying         FoxSports / Kayo
1235 – 1300                   Race 1              FoxSports / Kayo / Network 10

SUNDAY JULY 8

0910- 0950                    Race 2             FoxSports / Kayo
1305 – 1330                   Race 3              FoxSports / Kayo / Network 10

Porsche increases support for young driver development in Australia

Karting, Formula Ford and Porsche 944 graduates to gain Porsche experience

Porsche Cars Australia will offer further opportunities to young drivers in Australia, via sponsorship of three key potential feeder categories to the Porsche Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge and Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia.

At the conclusion of the 2019 season, champion drivers from both the Australian Formula Ford and the Porsche 944 Challenge will be joined by a top Karter from the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship, in being offered a Porsche GT3 Cup Track Experience valued at approximately $7,000 each.

The GT3 Cup Track Experience involves a full day behind the wheel of a current-specification Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car (Gen II), the same car used in highly competitive Porsche Carrera Cup Championships campaigned around the globe.

Held at Queensland Raceway, drivers will be given professional guidance and assessment by Bathurst winners and Porsche Chief Instructors Tomas Mezera and Luke Youlden and their team of experienced race engineers. This exclusive experience will not only build their confidence, but ability across the day.

The GT3 Cup Track Experience is the perfect stepping stone for both young drivers seeking to progress their careers and more experienced drivers to elevate their racing to the next level.

“We are pleased to expand our support of Australian Motor Sport to these three exciting categories,” said Motorsport Manager for Porsche Cars Australia, Troy Bundy.

“Karting and Formula Ford are key to young driver development and have a long track record of producing talent that excels in Porsche Cup racing. The Porsche 944 challenge is also the first step on the Porsche Motorsport pyramid and an affordable introduction for drivers of all ages to one-make Porsche racing. We are proud to support this great class.

“Porsche and our partners have made a significant investment into driver development locally and we are proud to expand that further this year.”

The announcement increases an already significant investment in junior driver development within Australian Motorsport. Working with major partner Michelin, Porsche’s Michelin Junior Program supports a total of eleven young drivers competing in the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge this year, with approximately $300,000 in support and prizes on offer.

As part of the program, Michelin Junior driver Jordan Love received a trip to Germany to experience the Formula E Berlin E-Prix on May 25 by virtue of winning the ‘Michelin Super Round’ at the Australian Grand Prix. As in previous years, the leading Porsche Michelin Junior competing in Porsche Carrera Cup Australia will receive a nomination to the Porsche Motorsport Junior Program Shootout in Europe later this year.

The winner of which will receive a scholarship to contest the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in 2020, following in the footsteps of both Jaxon Evans and Matt Campbell.

McBride nominated for Morris Finance Sportsperson of the year award

Second candidate confirmed for brand-new award

Perennial contender Nick McBride is the second nomination for the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia’s 2019 Morris Finance Sportsperson of the year award.

Although the mid-point of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia season shows Nick McBride occupying a strong third position overall in the 2019 Championship, it’s his personable demeanor that has been recognised by the German manufacturer off the circuit.

The Victorian’s unassuming professionalism, conduct and determination not only encompass the values of the Porsche brand, but that of Australia’s premier one-make championship.

As a result, his nomination for the prestigious Morris Finance Sportsperson of the year award, follows that of TAG Heuer Pro-Am contender Adrian Flack which was announced earlier this year.

McBride, who is also a practicing lawyer in Melbourne, made his debut in 2014 and has since amassed 44 Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia round starts: scoring 11 race victories, scoring four pole positions and four round victories. During that time, the Victorian driver has become one of the most valued and positive ambassadors for the Porsche brand and national one-make championship.

The overall winner of the Morris Finance Sportsperson of the year award, will receive a Business Class trip to Germany to attend the 2019 Porsche Motorsport Day of Champions and Night of Champions at Weissach, Germany.

The next nomination will be announced after the series’ travels to The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia, for Round six of the  Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia.

Almond, Flack make it four from four in Darwin

Four rounds, four winners after dramatic Darwin weekend

FOUR FROM FOUR – that’s the statistic following victories by Michael Almond and Adrian Flack (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) in the fourth round of the 2019 Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia in Darwin.

A win in the third and final race of the weekend delivered South Australian Michael Almond the overall victory for the second time in his career, while Adrian Flack completed a sweep of all three races to win the Pro-Am round in style.

Almond is the fourth different outright winner from four rounds this year, while Flack adds his name to three other winners after four rounds of TAG Heuer Pro-Am competition.

For the second successive year Darwin delivered remarkable Carrera Cup action with three winners from the three races.

Championship leader Dale Wood won race two, beating Almond and race one winner Cameron Hill after he grabbed the lead mid-race.

That set up a winner-take-all finale’ with the three drivers tied on points heading into the last race of the weekend.

Wood led early, however a perfectly-judged move mid-race saw Almond take the lead at turn one and then hold out his Sonic Racing teammate to take an impressive race, and round, victory.

He joins Nick McBride, Jordan Love and Wood as round winners this season, while Wood (second) and Hill (third) completed the Darwin podium.

“It’s been a while, since Tailem Bend last year. I’ve had a few good results but a bit of bad luck and the consistency hasn’t been there,” Almond said.

“I got away with it there with the move in the last race. I learned with the Safety Car we had in races one and race two how to manage the front tyre and probably caught Dale out with the braking ability.

“He gave me plenty of room, but he was catching me at the end so I was glad when the flag came. We played it smart and it came out well.”

Flack’s TAG Heuer Pro-Am victory was his first since the Gold Coast last season, and the third round win of his Carrera Cup career.

He took the top step of the round podium ahead of The Bend Motorsport Park driver Sam Shahin, and Roger Lago.

“It’s been a tough year for us, having some incidents earlier in the year, so it’s great for us to bounce back from that finally. I couldn’t be happier,” Flack said.

“All the pre-work to the event paid off, we came up with a good setup out of the gate and it was on fire. To contend with the pros and hold our own, we kept out of trouble as well. To come away with the win is absolutely awesome.

“To have that confidence to give it a red hot go and we’re looking forward to Townsville.”

As is typical in Darwin, Sunday’s pair of races created plenty of drama with several key contenders enduring challenging weekends – none more so than Jordan Love.

Second in points coming into the round, Love was the biggest to fall after he was the innocent victim in a crash on the opening lap of race two.

As the field negotiated the exit of turn five, Liam Talbot’s Wall Racing entry was tagged by another car and subsequently sent spearing across the infield towards turn six.

He unfortunately collided with Love’s Porsche as the Sonic entry negotiated the corner, sending both out of the race.

Love, who won at Phillip Island last time out, was taken to Darwin hospital following the incident and diagnosed with a broken bone in his left hand.

The Porsche Michelin junior driver will return home to Perth tonight (Sunday), and will consult with a specialist on Monday.

Talbot reported soreness in his left ankle and foot, and was checked and released in the circuit medical centre.

The incident left the field behind the Safety Car, prior to a dash to the line that saw Wood take his first race win since the Grand Prix in March, while Flack won Pro-Am ahead of Roger Lago and Anthony Gilbertson.

The stage was set for a combative final race with Wood, Hill and Almond tied on points heading into a winner-take-all scenario for the round victory. A lap one, turn five drama claimed Thomas Maxwell, Nick McBride and Duvashen Padayachee.

Another Safety Car interruption saw the race restart several laps later, Almond wasting little time before passing Wood to take the lead and, ultimately, the round win.

Flack won Pro-Am for the third-straight race with Tim Miles a remarkable second – bouncing back from his massive turn one accident in race one – and Shahin third.

At the half-way point of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia Championship, Dale Wood has extended his lead to a considerable 165 points heading into the next round in Townsville in three weeks time.

The battle for second has become increasingly tight with 52 points – less than one race win – covering second to seventh in the standings.

McBride sits seven points behind Love, while David Wall, Warren Luff, Cameron Hill and Michael Almond are all within striking distance – big weekends from the latter pair keeping them well in contention.

The Darwin weekend has also energised the fight for TAG Heuer Pro-Am, with Anthony Gilbertson holding a narrow 13-point lead over Roger Lago after four rounds.

Sam Shahin sits a further 15 points further back in third with Liam Talbot and Stephen Grove fourth and fifth, respectively.

The Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia championship will take a three-week break before continuing their Northern swing when the series returns to the streets of Townsville this July.

The championship has not raced in the North Queensland city since 2015.

Provisional Championship points – After 4 of 8 rounds.

1. Dale Wood 640
2. Jordan Love 475
3. Nick McBride 468
4. David Wall 463
5. Warren Luff 439
6. Cameron Hill 436
7. Michael Almond 423
8. Thomas Maxwell 289
9. Duvashen Padayachee 205

TAG Heuer Pro-Am

1. Anthony Gilbertson 515
2. Roger Lago 502
3. Sam Shahin 487
4. Liam Talbot 428
5. Stephen Grove 394
6. Tim Miles 393
7. Adrian Flack 392
8. Dean Cook 309
9. Indiran Padayachee 179
10. Marc Cini 155

Hill takes maiden victory in Wild Darwin enduro

Adrian Flack takes TAG Heuer Pro-Am in chaotic Hidden Valley opener

A FAIRYTALE RESULT in one of the wildest races of the year has delivered Cameron Hill his maiden Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia victory.

The 22-year-old from Canberra had never finished in the top three of a Carrera Cup race before today, but a superb pole position and then a bold pass for the lead in today’s 33-lap Enduro Cup race at Hidden Valley delivered a stunning win to the single-car team from Canberra.

Adrian Flack beat the heat to take his first TAG Heuer Pro-Am class victory of the season, finishing inside the top-10 outright.

Hill’s maiden victory was his first in Porsche competition, following an impressive junior career that delivered an Australian Formula Ford Championship and wins in Toyota 86 series competition.

Hill becomes the fourth different race winner of the season and sees his single-car team break a seven-race streak of victories by the four-car strong Sonic Racing outfit.

“That’s the toughest race I’ve ever done,” Hill said.

“It was hard to get a start from the dirty side of the track but I felt I had the pace on Mike (Almond). I was all over him and the Safety Car was just what I needed to cool my tyres down.

“I’m not sure what happened, maybe he made a mistake at turn one, but I put my head down and made sure they didn’t see me again. There’s so many people behind the scenes that have helped us out to keep us on track. We’re only a small team and we don’t have huge resources to go testing, so this was a great opportunity to show what we have on a level playing field.”

Flack attributed his first Pro-Am class victory of the season to making the right decisions following a wild mid-race restart that saw cars spread across the track as they raced towards turn five.

“I saw it all happen and had to pick left or right, decided left was it and put the foot into it!” he explained.

“It was pretty exciting. Firstly, getting away and getting through the first lap or two was key. I was able to hook onto the back of (Steven) Richards and it was good to keep that back and stay out of trouble.”

The race was a rough and tumble affair at times with a mid-race Safety car spicing up the action.

In baking sunshine and 30-plus degree temperatures, the race commenced with Michael Almond making a perfect start from the outside of the front row, leading the field into turn one. The South Australian led the first 15 laps under pressure from Hill, only to lose the lead a lap later following a Safety Car period.

The race was slowed to allow for the recovery of Tim Miles’ crashed car, after the McElrea Racing driver hit the fence on the exit of turn one.

Miles had been battling with Sam Shahin for a position on the podium in Pro-Am, however ran wide on the exit of the first corner, spinning across to the inside tyre wall. Miles emerged unscathed, with the team hoping to repair the damage in time for tomorrow.

Almond led the field back to green however, ran slightly wide at turn one which allowed his young rival to sneak up the inside and grab a lead he would never lose.

While wild racing unfolded behind him, Hill pulled away to record a comfortable three-second victory.

Almond finished second to record his best finish of the season, though had to survive a heady battle with former champion, David Wall to get there.

Wall, however, dropped back through the field after suffering damage to his radiator – limping home to sixth place before shutting his overheating car off as he crossed the line.

Attention then turned to the fight for the final step on the podium which was being waged between Sonic Racing teammates, Dale Wood and Jordan Love.

Love, second in the championship, started the race ninth however made quick work though the field to close on the championship leader on lap 29.

He then made a bold move at turn one on the final lap: locking a brake and making contact with Wood as he hustled his way past to third place.

The contact was deemed to be under investigation by race officials post-race.

Warren Luff finished a solid fifth, Wall sixth and Nick McBride got home in seventh. Steven Richards climbed into the top-10 to finish eighth place, with Adrian Flack ninth and first in TAG Heuer Pro-Am.

Duvashen Padayachee completed the top-10, while local hero Thomas Maxwell recovered to eleventh position.

Maxwell had run eighth early in the race however spun off the road on the sixth lap, dropping to last.

On the restart he made quick progress through the field to salvage a result and a solid starting position for tomorrow.

Young-gun Cooper Murray was another to slip to the back of the field after he spun down the order on lap eighteen, following the restart.

With Flack taking victory in TAG Heuer Pro-Am, Liam Talbot finished second in class while Sam Shahin worked his way through the field with aplomb to finish third.

Two sprint races will conclude the fourth round of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia championship tomorrow at the BetEasy Darwin Triple Crown.

Both races will be shown live on FOX Sports 506 and Kayo Sports.

Results from race one remain provisional pending the completion of post-race investigations.

Race 1 Results – Round 4, Hidden Valley
* Results Provisional

Maiden pole for Cameron Hill in thrilling Darwin qualifying

Adrian Flack on top in TAG Heuer Pro-Am

CAMERON HILL has charged to his maiden TAG Heuer Pole Award in a remarkable qualifying session in Darwin, while Adrian Flack grabbed his first TAG Heuer Pro-Am pole award of the season. 

Hill jumped to the top of the charts on his 14th and final lap of an enthralling 20-minute qualifying session, the closest and most competitive of the year to date.

He is the fourth different pole sitter from four rounds this year, with Flack also the fourth different to secure pole in Pro-Am this season.

Hill’s 1m07.4406s best came as the flag dropped to bump Michael Almond from pole position by 0.2 seconds.

The next five cars – Almond, David Wall, Dale Wood, Warren Luff and Nick McBride – were all covered by less than 0.1 seconds.

The result came after a compelling session that ebbed and flowed throughout with several drivers taking their turn at the top of the charts.

Cooper Murray, Thomas Maxwell, Jordan Love and TAG Heuer Pro-Am pacesetter Adrian Flack completed the top-10.

Four different drivers held the fastest time in Pro-Am throughout qualifying with Flack, like Hill, leaving his run to late.

He ultimately grabbed the top spot ahead of Anthony Gilbertson and Liam Talbot, with Roger Lago fourth.

Exactly one second covered the top 16 cars in qualifying today.

The opening race of round four will commence at 2:45pm on Saturday afternoon at Hidden Valley, broadcast live on FOX Sports 506 and Kayo Sports.

Results, Qualifying – Round 4, Darwin

Title contenders on top in Hidden Valley practice

Adrian Flack tops TAG Heuer Pro-Am in Darwin sunshine

THE DRIVERS first and second in the 2019 Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia championship have topped practice at Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin, continuing their team’s dominant form this season.

Fresh from a resounding sweep of the podium at Phillip Island during the last round of the championship, Sonic Motor Racing’s Dale Wood and Jordan Love filled the first two spots in practice today, mirroring their positions in the championship as the series reaches it’s half-way point this weekend.

2018 Darwin polesitter David Wall was third, but Sonic’s third driver Michael Almond was fourth overall today.

Adrian Flack topped TAG Heuer Pro-Am in both 25-minute sessions to set up a potentially strong weekend.

Hidden Valley was Melbourne-based Sonic Racing’s bogey track last season, however their recent Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia form stretches back to the start of round two; winning the last seven consecutive races, the last two rounds and filling the podium last time out in Victoria.

Wood’s 1m07.4912s flyer came late in the second practice session as several teams bolted new Michelin tyres onto their cars for a qualifying simulation.

He edged his teammate by 0.2 seconds with David Wall third overall based on his time set in practice one in cooler conditions earlier today.

Wood has finished first, second or third in every race so far this season while Love has won the last five straight to close to within 21 points of his teammate in the championship standings.

Wall is yet to win a round this year, however sits fourth in the championship and within striking distance of the leaders ahead of this weekend’s three races.

Friday’s practice sessions resembled qualifying as teams tried to dial in their cars ahead of setting the grid tomorrow morning.

Behind the top four, Porsche Michelin Junior driver Cameron Hill was an impressive fifth and Round 1 winner Nick McBride sixth in his Porsche Centre Melbourne entry.

Territorian Thomas Maxwell finished his first proper day of competition at Hidden Valley in seventh position, just 0.5 seconds behind the fastest time of the day.

After a challenging start to his season, Steve Richards was a strong eighth overall while young-gun Cooper Murray was ninth on his first run with new team, McElrea Racing.

Flack was fastest of the TAG Heuer Pro-Am bunch and tenth outright.

Remarkably, the Queenslander was only 0.7 seconds away from the fastest time of the day; 14 cars lapping within 1 second of Wood’s best at a circuit renowned for remarkably close margins between competitors.

Roger Lago was second in TAG Heuer Pro-Am while Dean Cook and Anthony Gilbertson were next.

Saturday will be a crucial day in the context of the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia Championship, with a 35-lap enduro cup race to follow qualifying in a busy day at the BetEasy Darwin Triple Crown.

Last year, David Wall scored pole position ahead of Nick McBride before going on to win the first race of the weekend the same day.

However, a dramatic weekend saw three different drivers win the three races with a fourth, young-gun Dylan O’Keeffe, going on to win the round without actually winning a race.

The 20-minute qualifying session starts at 11:35am local time on Saturday, with the 35-lap Enduro Cup race commencing at 2:45pm.

Both sessions will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 506 and Kayo Sports.

Results – Combined Practice times, Round 4, Hidden Valley