Porsche Carrera Cup Australia’s most experienced driver, Marc Cini, will this weekend line up for his 200th championship race in Townsville.

The tropical Queensland city will host Round 4 of the Porsche championship with Cini to reach the double century milestone in Sunday morning’s Race 2.

“I didn’t realise I had reached 200 races, though it’s great to reach this milestone. In some ways I still consider myself as a rookie,” said Cini.

“Carrera Cup is fantastic for me from a point of consistency; you know exactly what you’re getting every season. Given my time and business pressures, it’s great to have consistency in place so I can plan my year around each season. The category is also very well run and the machinery is always very good.

“I look forward to the Townsville round. I prefer the street circuits and, not to curse myself, I hope to do fairly well up there.”

As Cini leads the field in most race and round starts, reigning champion Craig Baird will this weekend move to equal second in most Carrera Cup Australia round starts, equalling Rodney Jane.

Baird will look to continue New Zealand’s dominance of the Townsville round. Kiwi drivers have won at each of the championship’s three previous Townsville visits, with Alex Davison the only Australian to claim a Carrera Cup race win at the North Queensland circuit back in 2012.

Baird currently sits third in the Professional Class standings behind points leader Warren Luff and Steven Richards, with Sam Power and Nick McBride fourth and fifth, respectively.

Stephen Grove has jumped to the lead of the Elite Class following his outright round win at the Phillip Island Pro-Am round alongside co-driver Scott McLaughlin.

Trailing Grove in the Elite Class standings is James Bergmuller, Roger Lago, Phillip Island Race 2 winner Shane Smollen and Tony Bates in fifth.

Porsche Carrera Cup Australia will hold two sessions on each day of the Townsville round, with Race 1 and Race 3 to be broadcast across Australia on 7mate.

Race Schedule
Friday July 04, 2014
9:40am Practice 1 20 minutes
2:05pm Practice 2 20 minutes
Saturday July 05, 2014
7:45am Qualifying 20 minutes
11:00am Race 1 17 laps
Sunday July 06, 2014
8:50am Race 2 17 laps
11:30am Race 3 17 laps

Broadcast Schedule
Carrera Cup – Race 1 (delayed)
Date: Saturday July 05, 2014
Time: 12:30pm AEST (12:00pm, SA/NT; 10:30am, WA)
Channel: 7mate
Carrera Cup – Race 3 (delayed)
Date: Sunday July 06, 2014
Time: 12:45pm AEST (12:15pm, SA/NT; 10:45am, WA)
Channel: 7mate