South Australian Michael Almond will start his rookie Porsche Carrera Cup Australia campaign on home soil when the one-make championship lines up at the season-opening 2014 Clipsal 500.
The Adelaide-based racer is one of many drivers to have so far secured one of the limited Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (Type 991) race cars that will arrive into Australia in early 2014.
Almond will first experience the new car at an official pre-season test on January 13-16 at Sydney Motorsport Park prior to the start of his first full-time Carrera Cup season in his home city for the Clipsal 500.
“I couldn’t think of a better place to start the season. I grew up watching my father race at the Adelaide Street Circuit, so to race there myself in Carrera Cup is a dream,” says Almond.
Almond competed in the second-tier Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia series for the past two seasons, placing third in the 2013 standings with three race wins, and now aims to translate this strong form into Carrera Cup.
“GT3 Cup Challenge has been the best preparation possible for the coming Carrera Cup season,” adds Almond.
“I’ve now completed two seasons in GT3 Cup Challenge and also raced in the Touring Car Masters, V8 Utes and the Australian GT Championship. I am quite a late-comer to motorsport so making sure I’ve had enough seat time is crucial to bring me up to speed in terms of outright pace and race craft.”
Almond has raced in the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia championship once previously – competing at Sydney Olympic Park for the 2012 season finale.
Almond will take delivery of his new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car during a four-day hand-over event at Sydney Motorsport Park in January, 2014.
The eight-round 2014 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia championship will officially begin at the Clipsal 500 event in Adelaide on February 27-March 02, 2014.