Second local racer confirmed for 2018 Shootout

O'Keeffe to return for 2018 Junior Programme Shootout

Dylan O’Keeffe has been confirmed as Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia’s second representative to attend this year’s Porsche Motorsport Junior Programme Shootout in France.

Following the announcement of series leader Jaxon Evans as Carrera Cup Australia’s nominated driver, O’Keeffe has been accepted by Porsche Motorsport as a Wildcard nomination for the young driver evaluation event, to be held shortly after this weekend’s Carrera Cup season finale in Gold Coast at a yet-to-be-announced French circuit.

The Shootout is an evaluation for young drivers from Porsche’s international one-make series; each Carrera Cup is able to nominate one eligible driver and further submit Wildcard submissions for Porsche Motorsport’s consideration.

The 2018 evaluation event will be O’Keeffe’s second attempt at the Junior Programme Shootout following his nomination and attendance at last year’s two-day event at Lausitzring, Germany, which was ultimately won by now-Porsche Junior, Julien Andlauer.

O’Keeffe’s selection is just the second time a Carrera Cup Australia driver has been selected as a Wildcard for the Shootout; Richard Muscat was Porsche Motorsport’s Wildcard selection in 2015, when he joined eventual 2015 Carrera Cup champion Nick Foster at the Shootout.

“I’m thrilled to be selected as the Wildcard nomination for the Junior Programme Shootout. Last year’s Shootout event was such an incredible experience and I had never thought that I’d have the opportunity to return for another one. I feel like I’ve reached a new level in my driving this season and, with another season in experience under my belt, I’m well prepared for the Shootout to be able to give myself the best possible shot at success this time around,” said O’Keeffe.

“I have a lot to focus on between now and then, however. With the final Carrera Cup round on this weekend, my main focus is on the next three races and do all I can to secure the Carrera Cup title. It’s been great competition all season and I’ve enjoyed racing Jaxon all year, so I’m looking forward to getting on track for the final round of the season.”

Much like Evans and Matt Campbell, O’Keeffe used Porsche Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge Australia as a motor racing springboard to Carrera Cup. Thereafter, Campbell paved the way for young Carrera Cup Australia racers by winning the 2016 Junior Programme Shootout and ultimately launching his international motorsport career. In 2017, Campbell placed third in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup as a Porsche Junior before being promoted to a Porsche Young Professional in 2018, contesting the 2018-2019 FIA World Endurance Championship Super Season and several one-off endurance races.

The successful driver from the Porsche Motorsport Junior Programme Shootout will receive a position in the Porsche Motorsport Junior Programme as a Porsche Junior and significant funding towards a drive in the 2019 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup season.

Previous Carrera Cup Australia representatives to attend the Junior Programme Shootout include Andre Heimgartner (2012), Sam Power (2014), Nick Foster (2015), Richard Muscat (2015), Matt Campbell (2016) and O’Keeffe (2017).

Carrera Cup readies for beachside title decider

Preview: Round 8, Gold Coast

After seven thrilling rounds, Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia enters its season finale this weekend for the series’ 14th visit to the beachside Surfers Paradise Street Circuit, where the 2018 champions will be crowned.

Following Friday practice and qualifying, competition will commence with the 32-lap opening race on Saturday, the final encounter of the six-race 2018 Endurance Cup, which is currently led by Dale Wood (Pro) and Stephen Grove (TAG Heuer Pro-Am). The endurance mini-series started with a Phillip Island double-header followed by an endurance race at Darwin, The Bend Motorsport Park, Bathurst and this weekend’s Gold Coast decider.

Grove secured an unassailable Endurance Cup points lead in the TAG Heuer Pro-Am at Bathurst while Wood holds a narrow lead in the Pro ranks, with Dylan O’Keeffe, David Wall and Jaxon Evans all sitting within 15 points of Wood with one race – and 60 points – on offer.

The 2018 season points chase isn’t as tight as the Endurance Cup, with Jaxon Evans and Stephen Grove looking favourite to take the 2018 titles.

In his second Carrera Cup season, Evans enters the Gold Coast finale, his home event which he won last season, 108 points ahead of his closest Outright points rival O’Keeffe with 180 points still on offer.

While both Evans and O’Keeffe will look for Gold Coast success, this season has been far from predictable at the front of the field; the series has had six different Outright winners from the past six events: Jaxon Evans (Albert Park), Dale Wood (Phillip Island), Dylan O’Keeffe (Hidden Valley), James Moffat (Sydney Motorsport Park), Michael Almond (The Bend Motorsport Park) and Jordan Love (Bathurst). Evans won the season-opening round in Adelaide, making him the only repeat round winner so far in 2018.

Two drivers will be looking to continue this streak, including reigning Carrera Cup champion David Wall and Porsche Works ace Earl Bamber, who will compete in the #911 Grove Group entry in a one-off appearance for the season finale.

In the battle for the TAG Heuer Pro-Am title, Stephen Grove is on track for his third class title in five years. Following his title successes in 2014 and 2017, the Melbourne-based racer enters Gold Coast with a substantial 153-point lead over Adrian Flack with just three races remaining.

Flack moved to second in the TAG Heuer Pro-Am standings at Bathurst following Roger Lago’s unfortunate Mount Panorama campaign, while Lago’s absence from the Gold Coast finale will see teammates Tim Miles and Anthony Gilbertson fight for the final position in the top three of the Pro-Am season standings.

The final round of the 2018 Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia season will commence with practice and qualifying on Friday, race one and race two on Saturday and the final race of the season on Sunday. All sessions from Gold Coast as of practice two will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506. The free-to-air broadcast on Channel Ten will be confirmed via the series’ Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Race Schedule
Friday October 19
10:05am Practice 1 (20 minutes)
12:35pm Practice 2 (20 minutes)
3:45pm Qualifying (20 minutes)
Saturday October 20
8:35am Race 1 (32 laps)
1:15pm Race 2 (12 laps)
Sunday October 21
1:05pm Race 3 (12 laps)

Broadcast Schedule
Channel: Fox Sports 506
Practice 2 – 12:35pm, Friday October 19
Qualifying – 3:45pm, Friday October 19
Race 1 – 8:35am, Saturday October 20
Race 2 – 1:15pm, Saturday October 20
Race 3 – 1:05pm, Sunday October 21
Channel: Ten
To be confirmed.

Entry List
1. #1 David Wall (Pro) PAYCE/Wilson Security
2. #4 Stephen Grove (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Grove Group
3. #6 Tim Miles (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Miles Advisory Partners/Garage 1
4. #7 Jaxon Evans (Pro) Morris Finance
5. #8 Nick McBride (Pro) Porsche Centre Melbourne
6. #9 Marc Cini (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Hallmarc
7. #12 Adam Garwood (Pro) Garwood Motorsport
8. #13 Sam Shahin (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) The Bend/htfu
9. #14 Peter Major (Pro) Sonic/Totally 4×4
10. #15 Josh Hunt (Pro) LORY Construction
11. #18 James Moffat (Pro) PAYCE/Wilson Security/JBL
12. #19 Anthony Gilbertson (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Hallmark Homes
13. #20 Adrian Flack (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Agas National
14. #22 Dean Cook (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) BMF/Pitman Racing
15. #35 Indiran Padayachee (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Hyundai Forklifts Australia
16. #77 Michael Almond (Pro) Bob Jane T-Marts/PSA
17. #88 Dylan O’Keeffe (Pro) APB Group
18. #100 Dale Wood (Pro) Sonic/Polyflor
19. #111 Cameron Hill (Pro) Seears Workwear
20. #131 Graham Williams (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Harcourts Williams
21. #777 Jordan Love (Pro) Bob Jane T-Marts
22. #888 Glen Wood (Pro) Porsche Centre Brighton/Porsche Centre Doncaster
23. #911 Earl Bamber (Pro) Grove Group

Campbell retains lead despite Japan dramas

Former champion holds GTE-Am lead after FIA WEC's Fuji race

Porsche GT Team has taken victory at the fourth race of the FIA WEC World Sports Car Championship Super Season, the 6 Hours of Fuji, last weekend while Australian Matt Campbell has retained the GTE-Am class points lead despite a difficult race in Japan.

At Fuji Speedway, Kevin Estre (F) and Michael Christensen (DK) crossed the finish line in first place in the GTE-Pro category with the ca. 510 hp Porsche 911 RSR. The sister car driven by Richard Lietz (A) and Gianmaria Bruni (I) concluded the race in fifth place. With this, Porsche has extended its lead in the manufacturers’ and drivers’ classifications. Porsche also won the GTE-Am category on Sunday: The newcomer team Project 1 with Porsche works driver Jörg Bergmeister from Germany, Patrick Lindsey (USA) and Egidio Perfetti (N) secured its maiden victory in the WEC.

Ten vehicles from five manufacturers made a bid for victory in the GTE-Pro class under changing weather conditions. After drizzle fell in the first hour of the race, the track slowly dried during a 30-minute safety car phase. After an early switch to slicks, Estre and Christensen concentrated on working their way through the field. With an optimal setup and a clever pit stop strategy, the French-Danish duo systematically reeled in the frontrunners. With about 1.5 hours to go, Christensen swept into the lead. At the final pit stop with a driver change, the Porsche GT Team again timed things perfectly and Estre went on to take the flag in first place. Scoring fifth place on the 4.563-kilometre racetrack, the sister car earned vital points, however Bruni and Lietz struggled with a less than perfect pit stop and deteriorating tyres towards the end.

In the GTE-Am class, Project 1 celebrated its first WEC win and Dempsey Proton Racing its second place. Porsche Young Professional Matteo Cairoli (I), the Japanese driver Satoshi Hoshino and Giorgio Roda from Italy were delighted to climb the podium for the first time this year. Porsche Junior Thomas Preining (A) also enjoyed a successful debut. Joining forces with Michael Wainwright (GB) and Ben Barker (GB) for Gulf Racing, he concluded the race on fifth place.

A pit stop for repairs threw Porsche Young Professional Matt Campbell (AUS), Christian Ried (Germany) and Porsche Junior Julien Andlauer down the field. Finishing on eighth, the second 911 RSR fielded by Dempsey Proton Racing earned more critical points towards the championship and continues to lead the GTE-Am classification. Campbell, Andlauer and Ried now hold a 14-point lead in the GTE-Am class standings over Project 1 trio Bergmeister, Lindsey and Perfetti.

Round five of the FIA WEC World Sports Car Championship takes place in Shanghai/China on 16 November.

Comments on the race

Alexander Stehlig (Program Manager Factory GT Motorsports): “After the disappointment with the qualifying results, today was a great day. It was a hugely successful weekend for Porsche with the victory at Petit Le Mans in the USA and the two successes here at Fuji in the Pro and Am categories. We almost always made the right decisions during the race and the car was good and fast. The number 92 car drove a flawless race, our number 91 unfortunately had problems during the pit stop. On top of that, the balance wasn’t great in the last stint. But all in all, we’re very satisfied.”

Matt Campbell (Porsche 911 RSR #77): “I’m a bit frustrated. In the middle of the race we were looking promising, we were fast and within striking distance of the leaders. Unfortunately an electrical problem cost us 25 laps. Ultimately we should be satisfied that we earned some points for the championship classification. However the speed of the 911 RSR was great and we’re feeling optimistic about the next race in Shanghai.”

Race result
GTE-Pro class
1. Christensen/Estre (DK/F), Porsche 911 RSR, 207 laps
2. Blomquist/da Costa (S/P), BMW M8 GTE, 207 laps
3. Priaulx/Tincknell (GB/GB), Ford GT, 207 laps
4. Pier Guidi/Calado (I/GB), Ferrari 488 GTE EVO, 207 laps
5. Lietz/Bruni (A/I), Porsche 911 RSR, 207 laps
6. Mücke/Pla (D/F), Ford GT, 206 laps
7. Sorensen/Thiim (DK/DK), Aston Martin Vantage GTE, 206 laps
8. Tomczyk/Catsburg (D/NL), BMW M8 GTE, 206 laps
9. Lynn/Martin (GB/B), Aston Martin Vantage GTE, 206 laps
10. Rigon/Bird (I/GB), Ferrari 488 GTE EVO, 202 laps

GTE-Am class
1. Bergmeister/Lindsey/Perfetti (D/USA/N), Porsche 911 RSR, 201 laps
2. Hoshino/Roda/Cairoli (J/I/I), Porsche 911 RSR, 201 laps
3. Yoluc/Adam/Eastwood (TR/GB/GB), Aston Martin Vantage GTE, 201 laps
4. Dalla Lana/Lamy/Lauda (CDN/P/A), Aston Martin Vantage GTE, 201 laps
5. Wainwright/Barker/Preining (GB/GB/A), Porsche 911 RSR, 201 laps
6. Flohr/Castellacci/Fisichella (CH/I/I), Ferrari 488 GTE, 200 laps
7. Mok/Sawa/Griffin (MAL/J/IRL), Ferrari 488 GTE, 200 laps
8. Ried/Andlauer/Campbell (D/F/AUS), Porsche 911 RSR, 176 laps
9. Ishikawa/Beretta/Cheever (J/MC/I), Ferrari 488 GTE, 14 laps

Love and Miles take memorable Bathurst round win

Sunday wrap: Round 7, Bathurst

Outright victory at Mount Panorama was a fitting result for the Bob Jane T-Marts-sponsored rookie Jordan Love in the final race of the penultimate 2018 Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia round, while a race three win handed Tim Miles his second-straight TAG Heuer Pro-Am round win at Bathurst.

After placing third and second in the opening two races, Love had an impressive race three start and led into the opening corner. Evans slotted into second from O’Keeffe in third, though O’Keeffe passed the series leader early in the race in pursuit of the lead.

Love was too good, however, pulling a small margin on the field to eventually take his second Carrera Cup race win and maiden round victory.

For Love, who also won race two at Sydney Motorsport Park, the Bathurst win was made more special as his Bob Jane T-Marts-sponsored team, Sonic Motor Racing Services, remembered the life of Bob Jane after the motorsport great’s recent passing.

“This is a great way to finish the Bathurst round. We went one step forward in every race, which was amazing. It was a challenging weekend for the team; obviously there was a fair bit of damage for my teammates, so it’s good to get this round win for the team,” said Love. “Half way through the year we had our sights set on being strong at the end of the year so to get my first round win with one round to go is incredible.

“Obviously this weekend we remembered the late Bob Jane with the memorial on the side of the car the whole weekend, so it was a great way to finish the weekend at such an iconic circuit.”

Evans, who finished the weekend equal on points with Love, placed second due to a lower finishing position in the final race and now takes a 108-point lead in the Outright standings over O’Keeffe to the season finale at Gold Coast in two weeks.

Miles was the best of the TAG Heuer Pro-Am drivers on Sunday, claiming a two-second victory over Adrian Flack by the chequered flag from race one and two winner Stephen Grove, Dean Cook and Sam Shahin.

Much like in the Pro class, Miles and Grove finished the weekend equal on points, with Miles’ race three win handing him the round victory.

“That was great racing. Steve and I three very clean races. He’s been the class of the field this year so it was nice to have enough pace to run with him. Our car was fantastic, it was the best race car I have ever had, it drove me, to be honest,” said Miles, who claimed a Bathurst class clean sweep last season.

Grove’s impressive weekend has the Melbourne-based racer well positioned to take his third TAG Heuer Pro-Am title. Grove now sits 153 points ahead of his closest Pro-Am points rival, Flack.

“We have a fairly big lead in the Pro-Am championship, but the pressure builds towards the end of the year so I’ll head to the Gold Coast and do my thing and see where we end up,” said Grove.

Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia returns on October 19-21, where the one-make series will hold its final three races of the 2018 championship on the streets of the Gold Coast.

Results: Race 3

Series leaders take impressive race two wins

Saturday wrap: Round 7, Bathurst

Jaxon Evans has strengthened his lead in the Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia championship with victory in race two at Bathurst, while TAG Heuer Pro-Am points leader Stephen Grove capitalised on opening lap dramas to claim the Pro-Am class win and an impressive points haul with just four races remaining for the season.

David Wall started from pole position, though it was Evans who was first into the opening corner with Jordan Love moving from the second row of the grid to second place as the safety car was called to the circuit.

Roger Lago was passing Indiran Padayachee on the run up Mountain Straight when the duo touched, spearing Lago across the circuit and into Dale Wood; both Lago and Wood failing to finish their second race of the weekend.

Evans retained the front position from the restart and, despite challenges from fellow Michelin Junior Love, the Queensland-based New Zealander claimed the race win, his fifth for the season and 10th in the Carrera Cup championship.

“To start on the front row was one thing, but to get the jump on Wall and lead the field on the first lap was pretty special. I’m happy to come away with the win considering where we qualified on Friday,” said Evans, who ended Thursday’s qualifying session in ninth.

“We’re really just trying to build the gap between us and Dylan at the moment and hopefully we take a decent lead into the final round at the Gold Coast in a couple of weeks.”

Love placed just 0.4secs behind Evans in second while reigning champion and race one winner Wall placed third.

Cameron Hill continued his impressive Bathurst weekend with his second fourth place of the weekend from O’Keeffe in fifth, continuing his move through the field after his weekend hopes were dashed with dramas at the opening corner of race one.

Glen Wood placed sixth from Nick McBride, Adam Garwood and James Moffat, who finished ninth from the rear of the grid, while Peter Major rounded out the top 10.

O’Keeffe’s difficult Bathurst round has given Evans a significant advantage in the Outright and Pro class championship race. With four races and 240 points still on offer, Evans now holds a commanding 114-point lead in the Outright points and a 125-point margin in the Pro class standings.

Grove continued his impressive TAG Heuer Pro-Am performance at The Mountain, taking his second class race win at Bathurst.

Grove’s second win for the weekend didn’t come easily with Tim Miles pressuring Grove for the majority of the shortened seven-lap race.

Following Lago’s misfortune in both Bathurst races, Grove now holds a substantial 116-point lead in the Pro-Am standings ahead of the final Bathurst race on Sunday morning.

“This is a really special place to take two wins from two races. Tim Miles just kept coming and coming so I had to just keep my head down and push as hard as I could,” said Grove.

“Miles has a lot of pace this weekend and I’m really pushing, which is pretty close to my limit right around the track. I’ve got no more in me so it’s a real credit for the pressure he’s applied so far this weekend.”

Debutant Dave Stevens scored his first top-three Pro-Am result of his Carrera Cup career in just his second race, finishing ahead of Anthony Gilbertson, Adrian Flack, Dean Cook, Marc Cini, Sam Shahin and Graham Williams, who placed ninth in class.

Just one race remains for the penultimate Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia round at Mount Panorama, held at 9:30am on Sunday, which will be televised live on Fox Sports 506 and Channel Ten.

Race Schedule (local time)
Sunday October 7
9:30am Race 3 (9 laps)

Broadcast Schedule (local time)
Channel: Fox Sports 506
Race 3 – 9:30am, Sunday October 7
Channel: Channel 10
Race 3 – 9:30am*, Sunday October 7
*Subject to delay

Results: Race 2

Wall wins dramatic Bathurst opener, Grove secures endurance crown

Friday wrap: Round 7, Bathurst

Reigning champion David Wall has successfully navigated a chaotic opening Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia race at Bathurst to take his second race win of the season, while TAG Heuer Pro-Am race victory secured Stephen Grove the Pro-Am class Endurance Cup title.

The action-filled race started with drama on the opening corner, with title contender Dylan O’Keeffe dropping to the rear of the field after contact with Peter Major. Then, later in the opening lap, leaders James Moffat and Dale Wood collided into the high-speed right-hand bend entering The Chase, ending with Wood stranded in the gravel – and ultimately out of the race – and Moffat, capitalising on the safety car period to recover Wood’s car, pitting to change a tyre and re-joining the race on the lead lap.

With the early leaders out of contention, teammates Michael Almond and Jordan Love claimed the lead. Several off-track excursions dropped Love behind Wall and series leader Jaxon Evans, while Almond’s race ended after heavy contact with the turn four wall while Wall was pressuring him for the lead.

The safety car was called for the second time to recover the cars of Almond and Roger Lago, who was unable to avoid Almond’s stationary car. Once the race resumed, Wall held the lead to the chequered flag to take his eighth Carrera Cup career win.

“I’m very happy with the race win. We put our head down and the car was mega. This new second-generation 911 GT3 Cup car is just sensational, you have a smile on your face the whole time you drive it around the mountain. Our car was really strong across the top and we’ll tune it up to make it a little bit stronger in areas where I think we can improve,” said Wall.

Evans placed second after starting eighth on the grid and, following a difficult race for O’Keeffe, extended his outright points lead to 93 with five races remaining. Love placed third from Cameron Hill, Glen Wood, Nick McBride, Adam Garwood and O’Keeffe in eighth.

The eventful race one has set the scene for a tremendous final race for the Endurance Cup in Gold Coast with the top four Pro-ranked drivers separated by just 15 points.

While the Endurance Cup Pro battle intensified after Friday’s race, the opposite can be said for TAG Heuer Pro-Am with the race one winner Grove establishing an unassailable lead in the Endurance Cup points while also recapturing the Pro-Am season standings lead.

Grove had a sensational race one start, moving to the class lead and eighth outright by the end of the opening lap. Grove’s closest rival, class pole-sitter Adrian Flack, spun at the top of Conrod Straight after contact with Lago, before Lago’s race ended six laps later after contact with Almond.

Grove ultimately finished just 0.3secs ahead of Tim Miles, who took a class clean sweep at Mount Panorama last year, with Anthony Gilbertson in third. Debutant Dave Stevens finished fourth in class from Dean Cook, Marc Cini, Indiran Padayachee, Graham Williams and Flack.

The class win not only handed Grove the Endurance Cup title, but also a 36-point lead over Lago in the TAG Heuer Pro-Am season standings.

“We got a good start, which was really important here, and I wasn’t really sure what to expect across the top because we hadn’t done a dry run after a wet practice and qualifying. We pushed on pretty hard but the other Pro-Am drivers kept on coming. I’d gap them, then there would be a safety car, then I would gap them, then they would come back; it was really hard and a really good win,” said Grove.

“I did enter the race with the Endurance Cup in mind. I really wanted to wrap up the title here to take a bit of pressure off going forward. I’ve just got to keep finishing, gathering points and being smart for the remaining races.”

Two nine lap sprint races remain for Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia at Bathurst; both will be broadcast live on both Fox Sports 506 and Channel Ten.

Race Schedule (local time)
Friday October 5
2:05pm Race 1 (16 laps)
Saturday October 6
1:55pm Race 2 (9 laps)
Sunday October 7
9:30am Race 3 (9 laps)

Broadcast Schedule (local time)
Channel: Fox Sports 506
Race 2 – 1:55pm, Saturday October 6
Race 3 – 9:30am, Sunday October 7
Channel: Channel 10
Race 2 – 1:55pm, Saturday October 6
Race 3 – 9:30am*, Sunday October 7
*Subject to delay

Results: Race 1

Moffat and Flack top challenging Bathurst qualifying

Thursday Wrap: Round 7, Bathurst

James Moffat has secured his second straight TAG Heuer Pole Position in what was the most difficult weather conditions the Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia championship has seen this season, while Adrian Flack was the best of the TAG Heuer Pro-Am drivers at Mount Panorama.

The series started Thursday with an uninterrupted 50-minute practice session, topped by Jaxon Evans, David Wall and Jordan Love, giving the drivers a taste of the wet conditions at the iconic 6.213km Mount Panorama circuit.

The rain worsened for the afternoon qualifying session, with James Moffat proving to be the master in the rain, beating the next best driver Dale Wood by 0.9348secs by the end of the session. Love was the third best of the 30-minute qualifying from Michael Almond, with David Wall and Glen Wood to fill the third row of the grid for Friday’s opening race.

“It’s always nice to start on the front row of the grid, but more importantly, that’s four pole positions in a row for Wall Racing. It’s a fantastic effort from all the guys in the team,” said Moffat.

“It was really hard conditions as it was very wet out there and there’s a lot of concrete to hit around Mount Panorama so you have to weigh up the risk versus the reward. Tomorrow could bring anything. We’ll have to wait and see what the weather is going to do, but certainly if it’s a dry race, going into it without any dry laps this weekend will be challenging.”

Flack secured the TAG Heuer Pro-Am pole position in a late charge after the session resumed; the only red flag stoppage of the day occurred later in the qualifying session to recover Roger Lago’s car from the turn one run off area.

Stephen Grove was the second best of the Pro-Am drivers from Lago, The Bend class winner Anthony Gilbertson and Tim Miles.

“I haven’t driven this car in these conditions so I didn’t know what to expect,” said Flack. “You’d come up to a corner and turn in and not know what the car was going to do. After a couple of laps we started to settle into it. It was very scary, but quite fun”.

“Getting the pole position was unexpected; I was trailing the top guys for most of the session and managed to bring it home in the final laps. One of the biggest things is, if it’s wet tomorrow, I’ve never started one of these cars in the rain, so the start will be interesting.”

Next up for Carrera Cup at Mount Panorama will be the 16-lap opening race on Friday, which will be the penultimate race of the 2018 Endurance Cup, which Dale Wood (Pro) and Stephen Grove (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) currently lead. Saturday and Sunday will then each feature one nine-lap race.

Each Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia race from Bathurst will be broadcast live on both Fox Sports 506 and Channel Ten.

Race Schedule (local time)
Friday October 5
2:05pm Race 1 (16 laps)
Saturday October 6
1:55pm Race 2 (9 laps)
Sunday October 7
9:30am Race 3 (9 laps)

Broadcast Schedule (local time)
Channel: Fox Sports 506
Race 1 – 2:05pm, Friday October 5
Race 2 – 1:55pm, Saturday October 6
Race 3 – 9:30am, Sunday October 7
Channel: Channel 10
Race 1 – 2:05pm, Friday October 5
Race 2 – 1:55pm, Saturday October 6
Race 3 – 9:30am*, Sunday October 7
*Subject to delay

Results: Qualifying times

World champion Porsche racer confirmed for Carrera Cup finale

Earl Bamber joins Grove Motorsport in Gold Coast

Porsche works driver and reigning FIA World Endurance Champion Earl Bamber will contest the final round of the 2018 Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia championship later this month on the streets of the Gold Coast.

The New Zealander, who will also line up on the Supercars Championship grid for the Gold Coast 600, will race a second Grove Motorsport entry for the Surfers Paradise event as teammate to reigning TAG Heuer Pro-Am champion Stephen Grove.

Bamber is no stranger to Porsche one-make racing having previously won the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia title in both 2013 and 2014, the second season coupling his Carrera Cup Asia duties with a title-winning season in Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.

Thereafter, Bamber was part of the ultra-successful Porsche LMP1 campaign in the FIA World Endurance Championship, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in both 2015 and 2017 along with the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship title alongside fellow Porsche works drivers Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley.

The Gold Coast event will be Bamber’s second appearance in the Carrera Cup Australia championship; his debut in the Australian series was as Grove’s co-driver for the inaugural Pro-Am round at the 2013 Porsche Rennsport Australia festival, held at Sydney Motorsport Park.

“It’s going to be really exciting, I can’t wait,” said Bamber, who will race alongside Shane van Gisbergen in both the Supercars endurance races at Bathurst and Gold Coast.

“Obviously it has been a long time since I’ve been in a Carrera Cup car, it’s going to be a bit of a challenge to adapt back to it. It’s completely different to the LMP1, or the Supercar, or even the RSR, it’s quite different to that as well.

“It will also be my first time racing on the Gold Coast streets, I’ve watched the Supercars and Carrera Cup races on TV a few times, but I’m so pumped to be driving this year not only in Supercars co-driving with Shane, but also in Carrera Cup. I guess everyone will be expecting me to be up the front, so the pressure is on.”

Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia will feature three races at the season-ending Gold Coast 600 event on October 19-21, the first of which will be the sixth and final race of the 2018 Endurance Cup.

Fast Facts: Round 7, Bathurst

The best stats from Carrera Cup at Bathurst

EVENT HISTORY /SEASON STATS

The penultimate round of the 2018 Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia will be the 113th round held in the history of the series since it began in 2003.

The Bathurst round will feature races number 332, 333 and 334 in series history.

Bathurst has hosted a round of the Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia every year since its inception in 2003 – this year is the 14th time that Mount Panorama has hosted a round of the series.

No Bathurst Carrera Cup round has ever been won by a driver that did not win a race in that weekend’s round.

The lowest grid position for a Carrera Cup round winner at Bathurst is seventh – Shae Davies in 2014.

McElrea Racing has dominated the Bathurst round of Carrera Cup in recent years, winning four of the last five rounds held there – in 2013 with Warren Luff, 2014 with Shae Davies and 2015/16 with Matt Campbell. All up the team has won five of the last seven Carrera Cup rounds at Bathurst given that Michael Patrizi also won the 2011 round with the team.

Race 1 this year at Bathurst is part of the Endurance Cup and is due to be over 16 laps (99.408 kilometres). David Wall won the corresponding race last season.

Five different drivers have won the last five rounds of the series: Jaxon Evans (Albert Park), Dale Wood (Phillip Island), Dylan O’Keeffe (Hidden Valley), James Moffat (Sydney Motorsport Park) and Michael Almond (The Bend Motorsport Park). Evans won the season opening round in Adelaide, making him the only repeat round winner so far in 2018.

A total of 1005.981-kilometres and 250 laps of competition have been completed in the 2018 Carrera Cup across the six rounds and 17 races held so far.

Dave Stevens makes his PWSCCA debut at Bathurst – he is due to become the 205th driver to compete in series history.

DRIVER MILESTONES
Stephen Grove will make his 50th PWSCCA round start at Bathurst, becoming just the sixth driver in series history to start 50 rounds. He joins Marc Cini, Craig Baird, Rodney Jane, Alex Davison and Max Twigg in this exclusive club. Grove remains one TAG Heuer Pro-Am round win away from tying Twigg’s record of 13 round wins in the category.

BATHURST GAPS AND MARGINS
Closest Race-Winning Margin: 0.5655s, Alex Davison to David Reynolds, 2007 Race 3
Biggest Race-Winning Margin: 11.2530s, Warren Luff to Michael Patrizi, 2014 Race 2
Closest Pole-Winning Margin: 0.0663s, Steve Richards to Warren Luff, 2014
Biggest Pole-Winning Margin: 0.8823s, David Reynolds to Alex Davison, 2006

BATHURST LAP RECORDS
Qualifying: Matt Campbell – 2m06.2099s (2015)
Race: Andre Heimgartner – 2m07.1820s (2017)

BATHURST ROUND WINNERS
2003 Jim Richards
2004 Alex Davison
2005 Fabian Coulthard
2006 David Reynolds
2007 Alex Davison
2008 Dean Fiore
2011 Michael Patrizi
2012 Craig Baird
2013 Warren Luff
2014 Shae Davies
2015 Matt Campbell
2016 Matt Campbell
2017 Andre Heimgartner
2 – Alex Davison, Matt Campbell
1 – Jim Richards, Fabian Coulthard, David Reynolds, Dean Fiore, Michael Patrizi, Craig Baird, Warren Luff, Shae Davies, Andre Heimgartner

BATHURST RACE WINNERS
2003 Jim Richards, Jim Richards, Jim Richards
2004 Alex Davison, Fabian Coulthard, Alex Davison
2005 Fabian Coulthard, No Race, Fabian Coulthard
2006 Alex Davison, David Reynolds, David Reynolds
2007 David Reynolds, Alex Davison, Alex Davison
2008 Dean Fiore, Dean Fiore, Dean Fiore
2011 Michael Patrizi, Michael Patrizi, Craig Baird
2012 Craig Baird, Craig Baird, Craig Baird
2013 Nick Percat, Warren Luff, Craig Baird
2014 Steve Richards, Warren Luff, Shae Davies
2015 David Russell, No Race, Matt Campbell
2016 Matt Campbell, Matt Campbell, Matt Campbell
2017 David Wall, Andre Heimgartner, Andre Heimgartner
5 – Alex Davison, Craig Baird 4 – Matt Campbell
3 – Jim Richards, Fabian Coulthard, David Reynolds, Dean Fiore
2 – Michael Patrizi, Warren Luff, Andre Heimgartner
1 – Nick Percat, Steve Richards, Shae Davies, David Russell, David Wall

BATHURST PODIUM FINISHERS
2003 1. Jim Richards 2. Marcus Marshall 3. Peter Fitzgerald
2004 1. Alex Davison 2. Jonathon Webb 3. Klark Quinn
2005 1. Fabian Coulthard 2. Jim Richards 3. Jonathon Webb
2006 1. David Reynolds 2. Craig Baird 3. Alex Davison
2007 1. Alex Davison 2. Craig Baird 3. David Reynolds
2008 1. Dean Fiore 2. James Moffat 3. Bryce Washington
2011 1. Michael Patrizi 2. Steve Richards 3. Craig Baird
2012 1. Craig Baird 2. Alex Davison 3. Jonny Reid
2013 1. Warren Luff 2. Craig Baird 3. Nick Percat
2014 1. Shae Davies 2. Michael Almond 3. Warren Luff
2015 1. Matt Campbell 2. David Russell 3. Steve Richards
2016 1. Matt Campbell 2. Steve Richards 3. David Wall
2017 1. Andre Heimgartner 2. David Wall 3. Alex Davison
5 – Craig Baird, Alex Davison 3 – Steve Richards
2 – Jim Richards, Jonathon Webb, David Reynolds, Warren Luff, Matt Campbell, David Wall
1 – Marcus Marshall, Peter Fitzgerald, Klark Quinn, Fabian Coulthard, Dean Fiore, James Moffat, Bryce Washington, Michael Patrizi, Jonny Reid, Nick Percat, Shae Davies, Michael Almond, David Russell, Andre Heimgartner

BATHURST POLE POSITIONS
2003 Jim Richards – 2m16.1277s
2004 Jim Richards – 2m13.6760s
2005 Fabian Coulthard – 2m12.9827s
2006 David Reynolds – 2m11.1769s
2007 Alex Davison – 2m10.4002s
2008 David Russell – 2m10.5550s
2011 Craig Baird – 2m09.9866s
2012 Craig Baird – 2m20.3169s (wet)
2013 Nick Percat – 2m08.7722s
2014 Steve Richards – 2m08.6432s
2015 Matt Campbell – 2m06.2099s
2016 Matt Campbell – 2m07.4614s
2017 David Wall – 2m07.4398s
2 – Jim Richards, Craig Baird, Matt Campbell
1 – Fabian Coulthard, David Reynolds, Alex Davison, David Russell, Nick Percat, Steve Richards, David Wall

BATHURST TAG HEUER PRO-AM ROUND WINNERS
2004 Tony Quinn
2005 Andrew Luxton
2006 Rodney Jane
2007 Rodney Jane
2008 James Koundouris
2011 Max Twigg
2012 James Koundouris
2013 Adam Gowans
2014 Shane Smollen
2015 Tony Bates
2016 James Bergmuller
2017 Tim Miles
2 – Rodney Jane, James Koundouris
1 – Tony Quinn, Andrew Luxton, Max Twigg, Adam Gowans, Shane Smollen, Tony Bates, James Bergmuller, Tim Miles

BATHURST TAG HEUER PRO-AM RACE WINNERS
2004 Tony Quinn, Tony Quinn, Tony Quinn
2005 Dean Grant, No Race, Tony Quinn
2006 Rodney Jane, Rodney Jane, Rodney Jane
2007 Rodney Jane, Rodney Jane, Rodney Jane
2008 James Koundouris, James Koundouris, James Koundouris
2011 Max Twigg, Max Twigg, Shane Smollen
2012 Shane Smollen, Max Twigg, James Koundouris
2013 Adam Gowans, Adam Gowans, Adam Gowans
2014 Shane Smollen, Shane Smollen, Shane Smollen
2015 Shane Smollen, No Race, Tony Bates
2016 Shane Smollen, Tony Bates, Tony Bates
2017 Tim Miles, Tim Miles, Tim Miles
7 – Shane Smollen
6 – Rodney Jane
4 – Tony Quinn, James Koundouris
3 – Max Twigg, Adam Gowans, Tony Bates, Tim Miles
1 – Dean Grant

BATHURST TAG HEUER PRO-AM POLE POSITIONS
2004 Tony Quinn
2005 Tony Quinn
2006 Rodney Jane
2007 Rodney Jane
2008 James Koundouris
2011 Shane Smollen
2012 Shane Smollen
2013 Max Twigg
2014 Shane Smollen
2015 Shane Smollen
2016 Shane Smollen
2017 Stephen Grove
5 – Shane Smollen
2 – Tony Quinn, Rodney Jane
1 – James Koundouris, Max Twigg, Stephen Grove

BATHURST TAG HEUER PRO-AM PODIUM FINISHERS
2004 1. Tony Quinn 2. Stephen Borness 3. Dean Grant
2005 1. Andrew Luxton 2. Marc Cini 3. Tony Quinn
2006 1. Rodney Jane 2. Tony Quinn 3. Paul Freestone
2007 1. Rodney Jane 2. Tony Quinn 3. Rodney Forbes
2008 1. James Koundouris 2. Theo Koundouris 3. Max Twigg
2011 1. Max Twigg 2. Shane Smollen 3. Simon Middleton
2012 1. James Koundouris 2. Tony Bates 3. Max Twigg
2013 1. Adam Gowans 2. Max Twigg 3. Shane Smollen
2014 1. Shane Smollen 2. Stephen Grove 3. Brenton Ramsay
2015 1. Tony Bates 2. Shane Smollen 3. Stephen Grove
2016 1. James Bergmuller 2. Tony Bates 3. Scott Taylor
2017 1. Tim Miles 2. Graham Williams 3. Marc Cini
4 – Tony Quinn, Max Twigg, Shane Smollen
3 – Tony Bates
2 – Marc Cini, Rodney Jane, James Koundouris, Stephen Grove
1 – Stephen Borness, Dean Grant, Andrew Luxton, Paul Freestone, Rodney Forbes, Theo Koundouris, Simon Middleton, Adam Gowans, Brenton Ramsay, James Bergmuller, Scott Taylor, Tim Miles, Graham Williams

Carrera Cup set for Australia’s biggest racing stage

Preview: Round 7, Bathurst

Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia welcomes a new driver, car and half-century milestone to Mount Panorama this weekend, where the series continues the 2018 Endurance Cup with its second largest Bathurst field.

Twenty-four entries will line-up for the penultimate 2018 round for the championship’s 14th appearance at Bathurst – in its 14th season. Following practice and qualifying, race one of the Bathurst round will feature as the second-to-last Endurance Cup race of the season, with Dale Wood and Stephen Grove currently holding the respective Pro and TAG Heuer Pro-Am Endurance Cup leads.

Grove already has a reason to celebrate; the round will mark a special occasion for the TAG Heuer Pro-Am pace-setter, who will contest his 50th Carrera Cup Australia round this weekend. Since his Carrera Cup debut at Townsville in 2012, Grove has secured two Pro-Am titles (2014, 2017) and one outright round victory when teamed with Scott McLaughlin at the 2014 Phillip Island two-driver Pro-Am event.

“Fifty round starts is a source of pride for me,” said Grove, who sits 24 points behind Roger Lago in the TAG Heuer Pro-Am points. “Over all the years, I have raced at some really cool places with some great competitors, so to get to round number 50 in a single championship is something quite special. Bathurst is a track that I have done a lot of racing at, so it’s somewhat fitting to chalk up the 50th round there. I’m really looking forward to getting back there.”

In contrast, Wall Racing driver Dave Stevens has taken advantage of Porsche’s recent importation of six new 911 GT3 Cup cars by campaigning one of the new arrivals at the upcoming Bathurst and Gold Coast rounds before a full 2019 Carrera Cup season.

Championship leader Jaxon Evans enters Bathurst following his recent confirmation as the Carrera Cup Australia nominee for the Porsche Motorsport Junior Programme Shootout, taking a 62-point lead in the outright standings to Bathurst from Dylan O’Keeffe in second and David Wall in third.

The duo who sits fourth and fifth in the championship – Dale Wood and James Moffat – will be busy at Bathurst and Gold Coast. Wood will couple his Carrera Cup duties with racing in the Supercars Championship alongside Tim Blanchard while Moffat will partner Chaz Mostert in the headline touring car category.

“There’s no better place in the country to go to than Bathurst,” said Moffat. “I’m really excited about the prospect of taking the Porsche around ‘The Mountain’. We didn’t have the benefit of doing double duty at Sandown this year so we’ll jump in the deep end this year at Bathurst and see how we go. We’ll be juggling priorities, but I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

McElrea Racing will look to continue its Bathurst dominance, winning four of the last five Carrera Cup rounds at Mount Panorama. Meanwhile, Evans remains the only dual round winner this season, with five different drivers winning the past five rounds: Evans (Albert Park), Wood (Phillip Island), O’Keeffe (Hidden Valley Raceway), Moffat (Sydney Motorsport Park) and Michael Almond (The Bend Motorsport Park).

Reigning champion David Wall will look to continue this streak at Bathurst. Wall, who won the Endurance Cup race at Bathurst last season, is the only driver in the field to have previously won a Carrera Cup race at Mount Panorama outright. Meanwhile, Tim Miles is the only TAG Heuer Pro-Am driver to have a class race win at Mount Panorama following his impressive clean sweep last season.

Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia hold practice and qualifying on Thursday, followed by one race each on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Each session from Bathurst will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506, while each race will be broadcast free-to-air, live on Channel Ten.

Race Schedule (local time)
Thursday October 4
10:45am Practice (50 minutes)
4:45pm Qualifying (30 minutes)
Friday October 5
2:05pm Race 1 (16 laps)
Saturday October 6
1:55pm Race 2 (9 laps)
Sunday October 7
9:30am Race 3 (9 laps)

Broadcast Schedule (local time)
Channel: Fox Sports 506
Practice – 10:45am, Thursday October 4
Qualifying – 4:45pm, Thursday October 4
Race 1 – 2:05pm, Friday October 5
Race 2 – 1:55pm, Saturday October 6
Race 3 – 9:30am, Sunday October 7
Channel: Channel 10
Race 1 – 2:05pm, Friday October 5
Race 2 – 1:55pm, Saturday October 6
Race 3 – 9:30am, Sunday October 7

Entry List
1. #1 David Wall (Pro) PAYCE/Wilson Security
2. #4 Stephen Grove (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Grove Group
3. #6 Tim Miles (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Miles Advisory Partners/Garage 1
4. #7 Jaxon Evans (Pro) Morris Finance
5. #8 Nick McBride (Pro) Porsche Centre Melbourne
6. #9 Marc Cini (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Hallmarc
7. #12 Adam Garwood (Pro) Garwood Motorsport
8. #13 Sam Shahin (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) The Bend/htfu
9. #14 Peter Major (Pro) Sonic/Totally 4×4
10. #15 Josh Hunt (Pro) LORY Construction
11. #18 James Moffat (Pro) PAYCE/Wilson Security/JBL
12. #19 Anthony Gilbertson (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Hallmark Homes
13. #20 Adrian Flack (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Agas National
14. #22 Dean Cook (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) BMF/Pitman Racing
15. #23 Roger Lago (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) JBS Australia
16. #50 Dave Stevens (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Wall Racing/Brennan IT
17. #35 Indiran Padayachee (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Hyundai Forklifts Australia
18. #77 Michael Almond (Pro) Bob Jane T-Marts/PSA
19. #88 Dylan O’Keeffe (Pro) APB Group
20. #100 Dale Wood (Pro) Sonic/Polyflor
21. #111 Cameron Hill (Pro) Lifeline Canberra/Seears Workwear
22. #131 Graham Williams (TAG Heuer Pro-Am) Harcourts Williams
23. #777 Jordan Love (Pro) Bob Jane T-Marts
24. #888 Glen Wood (Pro) Porsche Centre Brighton/Porsche Centre Doncaster

Evans confirmed for international Shootout

Porsche Michelin Junior Programme Australia

Michelin Junior Jaxon Evans will look to follow in the footsteps of a former teammate when competing in the 2018 Porsche Motorsport Junior Programme Shootout as the Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia representative.

The Queensland-based New Zealander has been confirmed as the Carrera Cup Australia nominee following a breakout season in the Porsche championship where he currently leads the Outright standings by 62 points with four race wins and 11 top-two finishes from the season’s 17 races. Evans also holds a 252-point lead in the Michelin Junior points with two rounds remaining.

Evans’ motorsport journey has taken the 22-year-old from the base of the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid to his current position at the head of the Carrera Cup field: A 2015 Porsche Michelin GT3 Cup Challenge Australia campaign in Class B was followed by an Outright campaign the following year, finishing runner-up. Evans then moved to Carrera Cup the following season, replacing a Europe-bound Matt Campbell in the #7 McElrea Racing entry, finishing fifth in the 2017 standings with five race wins and two round victories. A strong 2018 performance has now positioned Evans as the driver to beat this season.

“It’s incredible to be selected as the Carrera Cup Australia nominee for the 2018 Shootout and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to head over to Europe and compete among the best young Carrera Cup talent from around the world,” said Evans.

“It has been a great Carrera Cup season so far but there’s a long way to go between now and the end of the championship. We have two incredible events ahead of us – Bathurst and Gold Coast – so I’m looking forward to the remaining races and hopefully finish the season at my home event at the top of the standings. After that, I’ll have full focus on the Shootout event.”

Evans follows in the footsteps of his former McElrea Racing stablemate Matt Campbell, who used his GT3 Cup Challenge and Carrera Cup experience to successfully compete in the 2016 Junior Programme Shootout and ultimately launch his international motorsport career. In 2017, Campbell placed third in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup as a Porsche Junior before being promoted to a Porsche Young Professional in 2018, contesting the 2018-2019 FIA World Endurance Championship Super Season and several one-off endurance races.

“Matt is a good friend and I’ve watched his progression through the motorsport ranks very closely. To win the Shootout and follow Matt’s pathway through to an international racing career with Porsche is indeed something I want to replicate so I’ll do all I can to prepare and give myself the best opportunity to win the Shootout.”

Evans will be the seventh Carrera Cup Australia representative to attend the Junior Programme Shootout following previous attendees Andre Heimgartner (2012), Sam Power (2014), Nick Foster (2015), Richard Muscat (2015), Matt Campbell (2016) and Dylan O’Keeffe (2017).

The Shootout will be held at a yet-to-be-announced French circuit after the conclusion of the 2018 Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia season.

Hill drives mental health awareness at Bathurst

Cameron Hill to support Mental Health Month

Canberra-based racer Cameron Hill will use the penultimate round of the Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia season at Mount Panorama to promote Lifeline Canberra’s Mental Health Month October campaign.

Hill, a Lifeline Canberra ambassador since 2016, will feature Mental Health Month branding on the side of his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car at what is one of the most popular Carrera Cup rounds to raise awareness for mental illness, something that affects one in five Australians.

Hill says the marquee event is the ideal environment for encouraging people to talk about mental health.

“The Bathurst 1000 is the most famous motorsport event in the country – it’s watched by millions of Aussies each year,” Hill said.

“A percentage of those people will be battling some sort of mental health issue, such as anxiety or depression, and many of their family members or friends don’t find out until it’s too late.”

Hill is an advocate for the services provided by Lifeline Canberra, which include phone crisis support, as well as awareness and education programs aimed at individuals and communities.

“Organisations like Lifeline Canberra provide life-saving support for people who are struggling, but the sad thing is almost 70 per cent of people with a mental illness don’t seek help,” Hill said.

“Young men like myself are statistically the least likely to speak openly about their problems, because they think it’s perceived as weak.

“In actual fact, it takes a lot of strength to seek support, and my hope is that by promoting Mental Health Month at Bathurst, people will be inspired to care for their mates and themselves by speaking out.”

Hill and his Porsche will be on track for Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia at the Bathurst 1000, 4-7 October.

Porsche field expands with new arrivals

Dave Stevens the first to debut new GT3 Cup arrival

The Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia grid will receive a boost following the arrival of six new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars to Australia, with sports car driver Dave Stevens set to be the first to debut one of the recently imported 911 race cars.

The addition of six new 911 GT3 Cup (Type 991.2) cars will boost the number of eligible race cars for the Carrera Cup championship to 32; most of the recent arrivals are expected to join the one-make series in 2019. Five of the six new 911 GT3 Cup cars, which will be eligible to race in Carrera Cup until the end of the 2021 season, have been sold, with significant interest on the final available car.

This season, Carrera Cup Australia has enjoyed an average field size of 24 cars, with a season-high 26 cars entered for the opening two events at the Adelaide 500 and Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.

“We’re excited to take delivery of the six new 911 GT3 Cup cars ahead of the 2019 season. We look forward to welcoming more drivers to Carrera Cup in the near future, starting from next weekend’s Bathurst round,” said Porsche Cars Australia Motorsport Manager Troy Bundy.

“While we couldn’t accommodate all Carrera Cup hopefuls who expressed genuine interest at the start of the 2018 season, this new injection of 911 GT3 Cup cars to the market allows us to welcome more participants to our series for what will be a thrilling conclusion to 2018 and, from all indications, another strong season in 2019.”

Stevens will race his new 911 GT3 Cup car in the final two rounds of the 2018 season – Bathurst and Gold Coast – before a full-season campaign in 2019. Stevens previously raced in the Australian Nations Cup Championship before a lengthy break from the sport, returning to compete in both the Australian GT Trophy Series and LMP3-based China Endurance Series.

“I’ve long admired Carrera Cup as a category however my career took me to open wheelers and GT racing in the past, so I’m delighted to have a crack for the remainder of this season and 2019 also,” said Stevens.

“During the 10 years off I revisited my cycle racing career; I was a young pro rider in Melbourne and felt I had unfinished business with the sport and managed to win four masters world titles and set two world records too. But now it’s back to motor racing as I feel there is unfinished business here too.”

Stevens will run with Sydney-based team Wall Racing, starting at next weekend’s Bathurst 1000, held from October 4-7, 2018.

Groves take Aussie themed 911 to world stage

TAG Heuer Pro-Am front-runner confirmed for FIA GT Nations Cup

Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia racer Stephen Grove and his son, GT3 Cup Challenge and Carrera Cup graduate Brenton, will take a Porsche 911 GT3 R to the inaugural FIA GT Nations Cup as the Australian representatives in Bahrain later this year.

It is the first time the international event will be held, requiring a bronze and silver rated driver combination per car representing a particular country at the 5.412km Bahrain International Circuit.

Set to climb behind the wheel of a Herberth Motorsport prepared Porsche 911 GT3 R, the father-son team were attracted to the event due to their acceptable driver ratings.

The Herberth Motorsport are one of the most successful GT3 outfits in the world, having competed in world-renowned events such as the 24 Hours of Spa, as well as the 24H Series in which they experienced a recent victory with Matt Campbell in the 24H Barcelona.

For Brenton, a silver rated driver, the idea of representing Australia on the world stage with his Father was one of the main ambitions for applying.

“To represent Australia at an international event with my father is pretty special,” Grove said.

“We have strong ties to Porsche in Australia and Germany so to be able to do the event in a Porsche GT3 R, representing Australia is a really special thing.

“For us, it’s one of the most exciting racing programs we have embarked on. For everything to line up and fit into our schedule was pretty fortunate and also to both qualify for the required driver ratings.”

While the pair will be going into the event full of confidence after successful campaigns in a Porsche, including a class win at the Bathurst 12 Hour earlier this year, another factor in their decision to partake was the opportunity to make the step up from a Carrera Cup car to GT3 R.

However, Brenton admits there will be some added pressure, not being able to experience the car or circuit before the event, arriving the day before opening practice begins.

“Neither of us have ever driven a GT3 R before and we’ve never been to the circuit, so the preparation will be quite different,” Grove said.

“Because we can’t get there any earlier or drive the car beforehand, there will be a lot of simulator stuff in attempt to adapt to the car as quickly as possible.

“When we arrive, we will catch up with the team at Herberth Motorsport and they will get us up to speed with everything we need to know ahead of the race. They are an extremely experienced team and I’m sure they will accelerate our learning curve.

“It’s one of the main reasons we chose to do the event with Herberth. They are well regarded within the Porsche family and have had tremendous success with the car.”

Despite their short preparation time, Grove believes they will not be attending just to make up the numbers or for a holiday.

“If you ask my dad, he’ll say it’s more for fun but for me, I am going there to do well,” Grove joked.

“We are both pretty competitive people and whilst it is an event that will be a highlight for our careers, we are both wanting to do as well as possible.”

With only a few months to go until the Nations Cup, Grove has been busy bringing all the parties together as well as doing a lot of work behind the scenes.

However, while a lot of time and effort is going into the finer details, Brenton and Stephen Grove remain grateful and committed to making their country proud.

“For CAMS [Confederation of Australian Motor Sport] to give us the opportunity to apply and partake is such a good initiative,” Brenton added.

“The support we have received from everyone is amazing, so we are really wanting to do the country and CAMS justice, as well as try and receive as much exposure for Australian motorsport as possible”

The FIA GT Nations Cup will be held at the Bahrain International Circuit from 30 November – 1 December.

Campbell takes 24H Barcelona win

Former champion continues impressive enduro form

Matt Campbell has taken yet another 24-hour race victory last weekend, this time at the 24H Barcelona at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Partnered with Daniel Allemann, Ralf Bohn and Alfred Renauer in the Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R, Campbell was a late call up to the team, which completed 677 laps of the 4.655km circuit, three minutes ahead of their closest competition.

The performance was Campbell’s third 24-hour win this year following Campbell’s GTE-Am victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June with Dempsey-Proton Racing and his 991-Pro class win in January’s 24h Dubai endurance race.

“It’s great to win this race again, for the second time since 2016. Hopefully one more time next year!” said Campbell’s #911 teammate Alfred Renauer. “It was really hard. In the first half of the race, there was only one lap between us. So that was really tough to overcome, but we’re really happy!”

After winning the 2016 Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia title, Campbell placed third in the 2017 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup series, with the Queenslander’s 2018 calendar filled with FIA WEC commitments in addition to one-off endurance races.

Campbell’s next appearance in his main 2018 racing programme, the FIA World Endurance Championship Super Season, will be at the 6 Hours of Fuji on October 14, 2018, where he will aim to extend the team’s GTE-Am lead in the class standings.

Almond, Gilbertson take home wins at The Bend

SUNDAY WRAP: SA natives claim maiden round honours

Michael Almond and Anthony Gilbertson have reasons to smile as they depart The Bend Motorsport Park, both claiming their maiden Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia round win in their native South Australia.

Almond started Sunday with victory in race two following his success in Saturday’s race one. It was Almond’s third Carrera Cup win, though just the first where he was the first to cross the finish line. His previous two wins came due to post-race penalties.

Dale Wood then won the final race of the weekend, returning to the top position for the first time since his Phillip Island clean sweep. Jaxon Evans placed second in the final race from Almond in third, who secured the round win by 18 points from Evans and Wood.

“I’m absolutely excited to get the win so close to home. It’s been a five-year wait until I have achieved a round win in Carrera Cup, so it’s taken long enough. I can’t ask much more than to do it in front of my family and friends,” said Almond.

“It’s a pretty surreal feeling to have such high calibre drivers in my rear view mirror. I feel like we had a good car and the boys at Sonic did an amazing job. We had our struggles but we regrouped as a team and kept the car at the front all weekend.”

A consistent weekend for series rookie Anthony Gilbertson helped the South Australian to the TAG Heuer Pro-Am win; three third place results was enough to secure his position on the top step of the class podium.

“I can’t believe it,” said Gilbertson. “I didn’t know exactly where I had placed for the round after the final race. I knew I had to finish ahead of Roger Lago but I still didn’t know what the points situation was. The boys got onto the radio on the in-lap and told me that I had won the round and I started crying in the car…it means that much to me. It’s a dream come true and for it to happen in South Australia – my home state – is just awesome.”

Race two winner in the TAG Heuer Pro-Am, Roger Lago, secured second for the round and regained the class points lead while a strong finish to the event in the final race for Max Twigg – second in class – promoted the Victorian to third in class for the round.

A highlight of the TAG Heuer Pro-Am on Sunday was the charge through the field by Adrian Flack. After a heavy impact accident in Saturday’s opening race, Flack was able to repair the damage and return to the circuit for race two, where he placed second in class from the rear of the grid. Flack then followed this with a class-winning performance in the third and final race.

A strong round for Jaxon Evans has seen the Queensland based racer expand his series lead over Dylan O’Keeffe, now sitting 62 and 73 points ahead in the Overall and Pro class standings.

Meanwhile Lago holds a 24-point lead over Stephen Grove in the TAG Heuer Pro-Am standings with Adrian Flack in third.

Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia returns to the track for the season’s penultimate round at Mount Panorama, Bathurst, on October 04-07, 2018.

Results: Race 2

Results: Race 3

Local ace Almond takes two from two

Race 2 Wrap: Victory for Michael Almond and Roger Lago

Michael Almond has taken his second victory of round six for Porsche Wilson Security Carrera Cup Australia’s first ever visit to The Bend Motorsport Park, while Roger Lago was the best of the TAG Heuer Pro-Am.

Almond started on pole position and lost the lead at the start, only to regain his place at the front soon after. From there, Almond held off David Wall and, in the closing stages Jaxon Evans, to eventually take his third Carrera Cup race win – all of which have been in his native South Australia.

Evans finished second to extend his series points lead from David Wall and Jordan Love.

Roger Lago was the best of the TAG Heuer Pro-Am, winning the class battle from Adrian Flack, who charged through the field following a heavy race one accident.

Race one Pro-Am winner Sam Shahin was a non-finisher after sustaining race-ending damage due to contact with Tim Miles.

Race three will be held at 12:35pm local time.

Results: Race 2

Grove scores Supercup Pro-Am podium

Aussie collects silverware at Hungaroring

Stephen Grove scored a thrilling Pro-Am class podium on the world-stage at Round 6 of Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup at the Hungaroring, Budapest.

The Melbourne-based driver clawed his way to third in Pro-Am after a busy 14-lap race at the 4.3km circuit which saw him start from sixth in class.

It marks the first time an Australian driver has ever finished on the Supercup Pro-Am podium, with the achievement coming in only Grove’s third event in the series.

Speaking after the race, he was still buzzing with excitement from the result.

“I’m so happy with the podium, that was fantastic,” Grove exclaimed.

“To become the first ever Australian to finish on the podium in the Pro-Am division of Supercup is just unbelievable.

“The racing level over here is incredible, so when I’m passing guys like I did in that race at such a high level, it’s absolutely fantastic – I’m so rapt.

“It was an extremely hot race, 34 degrees [celsius] over here and even hotter in the car. We don’t run cool suits, we don’t run drink bottle systems in Supercup, so it was mega hot.

“You’ve got to push, but the tyre and track temperatures were blisteringly warm, so you’ve got to be really smooth in that scenario.

“The team is happy as well with what is for them, second and third in Pro-Am, so everything is really good.

“Of course, I’ve now got to find some space in my suitcase for the third place trophy, which is actually really big and it weighs about six kilos, so it’s quite heavy.”

Grove managed to survive a first corner incident early in the race, before setting his sights up the road and working through the order.

The experienced racer described his charge into the podium place positions as one of his best drives thus far.

“I was a bit conservative into Turn 1, because traditionally there’s always a crash, which there was. I was fairly tentative through there and then I just pushed and put pressure on,” added Grove.

“[Christof] Langer made a mistake, he just overcooked it at one of the corners, so I lined him up and I knew where I was quicker, so doubled back and passed him.

“On the last lap, I knew where I was faster than the English driver, [Mark] Radcliffe, which was through the sweeper at Turn 6, so I pushed through there.

“He would always take a wide line and ‘v’ the corner, so I got on the brakes and took the inside and that’s where I passed him, and that put me up into third.

“We brought it home after that and maintained third, which is just awesome, I’m really happy, that’s got to be one of my better drives.”

Hungary marks the end of part two of Grove’s triple header, which now sees him return to Australia in defence of his domestic Carrera Cup TAG Heuer Pro-Am crown.

Grove will head from Europe to Sydney Motorsport Park for Round 5 of Carrera Cup Australia this weekend at the Sydney SuperNight.